Were there any shutdowns due to bad weather?
Thread Content
Due to several days of heavy snowfall (unusual in this area), one atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit as well as one heavy oil catalytic unit were forced to shut down urgently. The main issue was that the quality of steam was severely affected, making it difficult to supply steam throughout the company. It was also done for safety reasons, to prevent pipe freezing and potential accidents.
With such severe weather, if operations come to a halt, won’t preventing freezing of the equipment and pipelines become an issue? It’s also quite difficult to get back driving in winter
Various unpredictable factors such as steam, wind, and water increase the likelihood of shutdowns in winter. Once a shutdown occurs, it’s important to take proper measures to prevent freezing and condensation!
We were forced to operate in a loop due to issues with crude oil supply
Heavy rain and snow can both lead to the emergency shutdown of a facility; of course, these are indirect causes. On one hand, they cause traffic disruptions, preventing raw materials from arriving and finished products from being shipped out, which results in accumulation of finished products in the storage areas and forces the facility to shut down urgently. On the other hand, during thunderstorms, power transmission lines may be interrupted, leading to voltage fluctuations or power outages, which stops all equipment from operating and disrupts auxiliary systems, thereby causing the facility to shut down. In cases of heavy snow, especially when temperatures drop rapidly, equipment pipelines may freeze or become blocked, and steam pipelines may contain excessive water, resulting in insufficient pressure and forcing an emergency shutdown of the facility. In such situations, operators must have high competence, being able to remain calm in the face of any emergencies, make the right adjustments to operations, and ensure that the facility remains at the lowest possible level of risk. For beginners, this represents a valuable opportunity for training
It’s clear that these are refineries in the south, with poor cold resistance. There should be an emergency plan regarding whether to suspend operations in case of bad weather; simply follow that plan.
Take proper measures to prevent freezing and condensation; normal severe weather conditions are not a problem.
In winter, the focus is on maintaining production; it is best to avoid shutting down the equipment whenever possible, especially for units that process heavy oil, as it becomes very difficult to restart such equipment once it has been shut down
After a short shutdown, it’s time to get going again right away! Otherwise, it will be even more troublesome if the equipment and pipelines freeze up!
The anti-freezing design differs between refineries in the south and those in the north. For refineries in the north, anti-freezing measures are very important; our facilities were designed by Changling Yueyang, and we installed heat tracing on many of the pipelines ourselves. Parking in winter is really tough; driving is difficult! Tired!
Thank you all! Wishing everyone a happy New Year and smooth work! Due to the continuous rain and snow, the plants that were forced to shut down now find it extremely difficult to resume operations; it’s really hard! A complete shutdown is inevitable, and the losses in all aspects are significant. The boss is worried, while the employees in the two workshops are happy, as they can finally take time off to celebrate the Spring Festival. This is something that shift workers can only hope for.
If absolutely necessary, do not stop the vehicle; just keep operating it at a low load to maintain production. If it stops, anti-freezing measures will be very difficult to implement, and it will also be hard to drive the vehicle later on.
Haha! Have a happy Spring Festival and get together at home. Let’s work hard after the Spring Festival! It’s the workers who work shifts, whether day or night, who have to do it – it’s tough!