Engineering and project management for the major turnaround at Neste refinery in Porvoo

EPCM services in all turnaround phases

Successful turnaround execution requires extensive planning and preparation. Neste Engineering Solutions was an integral part of the Neste turnaround team in every turnaround phase, all the way from pre-studies to post-turnaround works.

The pre-study phase started already in 2016 and was followed by feasibility studies, basic engineering and full EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management) services. The turnaround works included over 60 investment projects related to e.g. process equipment and pipelines, and also the refinery's electrification and automation systems were renewed extensively.

The planning phase involved 350 Neste Engineering Solutions' experts from all key engineering and project functions for the turnaround investment projects. During the execution phase, project-related resources represented half of the TA2021 participants, including also contractors working at the site.

Enabling a safe and successful turnaround event

The TA2021 turnaround was one of the most challenging turnarounds in Neste’s history. The turnaround was originally planned for spring 2020, but due to the aggressive global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the extensive precautionary measures by the Finnish Government and authorities, it needed to be postponed and only the most critical works were done in April-May 2020. Executing a mass event in the middle of the corona pandemic required totally new approaches and ways of working. Thanks to the detailed health security plan and comprehensive precautionary measures, the corona situation at the refinery remained calm. Neste Engineering Solutions' experts proved their capability to carry out projects of this major turnaround successfully also in these demanding special circumstances.

Neste Engineering Solutions ensured that turnaround site arrangements, site services, people and material logistics ran smoothly without any risk to the health and safety of the turnaround workers. To answer the people logistics needs of the major turnaround, Neste Engineering Solutions organized a temporary contractor parking area for 1600 cars and shuttle service from the parking area to the TA2021 site. Site services included e.g. fire and hatch guards, site transportations, 80 mobile cranes and 20 truck cranes. Besides these, Neste Engineering Solutions was responsible for the site arrangements, such as catering, needed permit services for contractors and 860 pcs of temporary office and locker room modules for 64 different temporary buildings.

Successful execution

Extensive preparation and close cooperation, as well as common rules at the turnaround site, played a key role in the successful execution of the major turnaround at the Porvoo refinery. Neste Engineering Solutions collaborated seamlessly with Neste internal teams and external partners and worked successfully in a large international team. Neste Engineering Solutions’ dedicated team made careful planning and integrated scheduling of the whole turnaround and also managed the changes in the original schedule brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Start-up of the refinery proceeded as planned and there have not been quality problems after the start-up.

Neste Engineering Solutions played a key role in executing the major turnaround at the Porvoo refinery throughout the whole turnaround life cycle.

– Jukka Kanerva, Director, TA2021, Neste

Credits:

Neste Engineering Solutions