N E W S R E L E A S E from FURMANITE ASIA PACIFIC
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FAP/021:E
October 18, 2004
New Zealand Refining Company selects Furmanite for critical site machining in major shutdown
Furmanite, the specialty services company geared to maximising asset uptime, has demonstrated the benefits of its breadth of expertise, enabling it to undertake an extensive range of specialist maintenance work as a single-source preferred contractor on an agreed workscope for the New Zealand Refining Company (NZRC) in a recent major planned shutdown.
The move follows the signing earlier this year of a major maintenance services supply contract with NZRC’s alliance maintenance partners Transfield Worley, who are responsible for the management and co-ordination of all site services, appointing Furmanite as one of the preferred contractors on site.
During the recent shutdown Furmanite took on an extensive workscope that would previously have involved up to three separate contractors – bringing efficiencies in terms of management time and cost to NZRC.
Work undertaken by the Furmanite maintenance team included valve removal, overhaul and replacement of 40 valves in the refinery common utilities area and the hydrocracker complex, removal of over 20 leak sealing clamps, and joint integrity management including refacing some 30 flanges in sizes from half an inch to 12 inches, fitting new gaskets, and controlled bolting. In addition, Furmanite undertook line boring work on a hydrocracker HP heat exchanger shell using specialist on-site machining technology to machine a stainless steel overlay, involving machining 3.5 metres down inside the 1.2 metre diameter exchanger shell – something that very few companies in New Zealand have the technology to achieve.
Following extensive planning in advance of the shutdown, this workscope was completed by the 8-strong Furmanite maintenance team within the 14 day allocated timeslot. In addition, Furmanite provided a further 8 technicians for the critical 4-day period to perform the work within the common utility and steam systems – undertaken as part of the refinery’s first total refinery shutdown – where Furmanite’s ability to complete the necessary work within the given time slot was crucial, and was successfully achieved. That there were no leaks at start-up following the shutdown further reinforced the high value of Furmanite’s contribution.
“Our extensive experience, breadth of knowledge and expertise enabled us to provide a range of specialist services required as part of the shutdown activity, as a single-source contractor,” Furmanite NZ engineering services manager Noel Smith pointed out. “It meant NZRC could benefit from having both fewer contractors on site, and multi-tasking Furmanite technicians trained in a range of specialist services, offering optimum efficiency in time, cost and skill-base. Equally, our knowledge of the site, having worked with NZRC for some 30 years, enables us to contribute even more effectively with minimal management demands. Furmanite is geared to helping customers minimise downtime and keep assets earning efficiently, and this is one example.”
NZRC shutdown manager Andrew Hindess confirmed: “We were very pleased with the competence, ability, and work ethic of the Furmanite personnel. They worked effectively with minimal supervision and direction, which assisted our supervisors in the management of the works. We look forward to continuing this relationship in future shutdowns.”
Further information on Furmanite and its wide range of specialty services and technologies geared to maximising asset uptime is available on www.furmanite.com
For further press information contact:
Sarah Manwaring-White
Keep in Touch Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1451 844 488
Email: sarah_mw@keepintouch.co.uk