MSL Engineering Ltd. - Refinery Turnaround (2009 & 2014)

Refinery Turnaround

MSL’s work scope for each Turnaround was similar. The ConocoPhillips Whitegate Refinery Turnaround 2009 involved eight months of planning, preparation, constructability walkdowns, pre-turnaround fabrication of pipe-work, hydrostatic pressure testing and painting culminating in an ambitious four week scheduled Refinery Turnaround. Both day and night work shifts were required during the four week turnaround to destruct existing pipe-work, install and test pre-fabricated pipe-work, successfully reinstate, and present to the client with a Mechanical QA/QC Handover by process system incorporating an extensive piping test-pack format and associated radiographs for the 100% NDE of all tie in welds.

Client: Refinery – Total Plant Turnaround
Project Description: Turnaround 2009 & Turnaround 2014
Sector: Oil and Gas
Contract Value: €3,000,00 and €2,000,000 respectively
Contract Duration: 9 months each

Key features included:

Off-site Workshop Fabrication: A total of 635 isometric drawings were site checked and measured, logged, priority sequenced and grouped by plant area. These isometrics were then engineered, fabricated, NDT approved and transported to site over a four month period.

On-site Pre-Turnaround Activities: Upon delivery to site all isometrics were hydrostatic pressure tested, painted, tagged and set down in several lay down areas, local to points of installation. This involved compiling 495 test-packs and signing off pressure tests prior to the turnaround.

On-site Turnaround Activities: The following scope of work was successfully completed over a pre-agreed challenging 4 week shutdown schedule:

• Install 1,700 Process Positive Isolation Spades.
• Destruct Existing Pipe-work local to 1,450 tie-in points, each of which had its own individual ‘permit to work’ in place.
• Install New Pipe-work between these tie-in points.
• Conduct 100% Radiography and Pressure Test the 500 of the 1,450 tie-in points which were welded.
• Reinstate each of the 1,450 tie-in points, and return to the client with a Mechanical Quality Handover Dossier incorporating the Piping Test-packs.
• The majority of pipe-work was Carbon Steel, but the turnaround also included some Chrome-alloy pipe-work subjected to Post Weld Heat Treatment, (P11).
• Careful co-ordination with all other disciplines, incorporating Scaffolding, Insulation, NDT, Painting, PWHT and Civil contractors was essential in ensuring the successful completion of the Turnaround within the specified schedule.

On-site Manloading: 265 MSL personnel.

Direct Site Labour Hours: A total of 60,000 direct labour hours were expended on the project.