OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
For instance, the implementation of new cooling tower, chiller and generator technologies can result in site upheaval if carried out improperly. Similarly, suppliers adopting a fit-and- forget, non-monitoring approach to such vital site equipment can leave petrochemical plants exposed in a challenging business landscape. This is clearly unacceptable and
New innovations help increase productivity and efficiency, and control plant costs Plant stakeholders need
to account for the weather’s inherent unpredictability
provision of these technologies scaled up and down depending on site need. This is much harder to achieve with a permanent installation, which may quickly become under- or over-specified for site demand as the situation changes, or even non-compliant following updated environmental regulations.
EFFICIENCY NEEDN’T HAMPER SUSTAINABILITY To best manage these sometimes- conflicting pressures, it is vital that decision makers review their supply chain and engage outside expertise where appropriate. Integrating sustainable, efficient temporary solutions into ongoing operations and contingency plans is a key first step. However, proactive and pre-emptive planning will be required if this is to be truly effective. Suppliers capable of providing the
latest equipment have a considerable role to play in these efforts and must adapt their portfolios accordingly. Aggreko, for example, introduced its Greener Upgrades initiative in 2021 to help the petrochemical industry make small switches to equipment procurement strategies, resulting in big differences to
overall NOx, particulate matter and CO2 emissions, and fuel consumption.
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www.engineerlive.com This includes the provision of
new technologies such as Stage V generators, battery energy storage solutions (BESS) and the use of alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Using these solutions to power key conservation technologies, including cooling tower and chiller equipment, can help plant and facility managers reduce energy and water usage while remaining in accordance with environmental legislation.
FINDING ASSURANCES IN UNCERTAINTY Throughout all these changes, business continuity must remain paramount. However, established water usage practices are rapidly changing in response to climate uncertainty, placing process up-time at risk. To mitigate business upheaval, plant stakeholders should consider leveraging supplier expertise to manage conflicting demands and the additional skillsets required to operate and maintain new equipment. As part of this, facility managers
should expect services that were once considered extra – for example, on-site installation and remote maintenance – to be included as standard when working with suppliers.
has driven Aggreko’s efforts to ensure responsive support and monitoring services. Being able to remotely and quickly pick up any breakdowns or outages that may impair refinery performance and provide swift on-site support is a must in the increasingly under-pressure petrochemical industry, where unplanned downtime can be extremely costly. Bearing this in mind, site decision makers should also consider the size and scale of any potential supplier’s depot network before integrating them into their business contingency and continuity plans.
ALLEVIATING CONCERNS In conclusion, the pressure to do more with less continues to affect all German industries, especially with climate change creating instability on a national, continental and global level. However, given plunging water levels on the Rhine, Spree and other rivers, and the sector’s traditional reliance on H2
O for site processes,
German petrochemical plants are more vulnerable than most. Yet with permanent equipment
potentially proving too expensive and unsuitable to manage the changeable weather, new approaches are needed. With costs being so closely monitored, hire options can instead provide petrochemical sites with the dynamism they need to maintain yields and site productivities, even while conserving water. Decision makers should therefore reach out to appropriate suppliers and begin putting steps in place to adapt to what could be a fundamental change in the way plants and refineries operate.
Andreas Eßmann is sector expert for petrochemicals at Aggreko Europe.
www.aggreko.com
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