Fawley Refinery Case Study
Context
National Grid Metering (NGM) commissioned Network Plus for the build of a new, larger capacity metering module to facilitate Exxon’s FAST project at Fawley Refinery.
As the biggest oil refinery in the UK, Fawley is a top tier COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards) site. Exxon Mobil FAST Project Outputs produce 38k extra barrels per day of low sulphur diesel to reduce UK reliance on imports as well as produce hydrogen through use of their new steam-methane reformation plant.
Capacity increase from 680 MWh up to a maximum of 1,370 MWh (1,370,000 kWh).
Approach
A planned 1-month outage in 2022 provided the perfect opportunity to complete the upgrade, as well as additional works.
During the outage, NGM were able to complete an upgrade of out of date Electric & Instrumentation equipment, as well as remove buried pipework and install above ground pipework, therein reducing risks on site.
The Challenge
The project faced multiple delays due to external circumstances, including a delay implemented by Exxon Mobil in 2020 due to the pandemic, and then in 2021 due to a fire at the site.
The high closure cost for Exxon Mobil (daily costs in the region of $50-100m) for the location required that the work was delivered within a tight, 1 month deadline, with completion required by 2 July 2022.
Also in 2022, two years after the initial module dossier was issued to NGM, a review of weld documentation identified that Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) was not carried out to correct standards, and incorrect procedure was used on some welds – with 14 welds found defective upon further investigation.
Experienced Network Plus Engineers worked collaboratively with NGM, Pipelines Maintenance Centre and Dresser Utility Solutions to repair the defective pipes. The repaired module was delivered back to site 11 June, with our team of Engineers starting work 13 June and completing all works ahead of schedule, 27 June.
Conclusion
Working collaboratively with our client and other suppliers, our Network Plus team was able to install a substantially larger metering module designed to increase an extra 38k barrels of low sulphur diesel a day while navigating multiple complex challenges and delivering within a tight deadline.
Client Feedback
“This was a complex and challenging job for us, which was initially delayed due to COVID-19. I want to thank everyone involved in supporting the project for their determination, resilience, and customer focus throughout which has enabled the successful delivery.”
Network Plus’ Contract Lead said, “The whole team has shown dedication, resilience, enthusiasm and their sheer hard work paid off!”
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