Phillips 66 Humber Refinery had to pare back a huge turnaround campaign following the coronavirus outbreak.
The ‘major event’ which would have seen at peak 3,000 people working on one of Europe’s most complex process operations, was scaled back significantly.
Coming to a close now, it was enforced as social distancing with the sheer volumes on site was not seen as possible.
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It triggered furloughing and lay offs for some contractors who had prepared for larger roles as the pandemic struck.
Darren Cunningham, lead 海角视频 executive and general manager of the South Killingholme refinery, said: “We were planning a really major turnaround, nearly 3,000 people on site, and that was going to happen May/June.
“In mid-March we had over 1,700 people on site already, gearing up, then lockdown happened.”
Office teams were sent home, with a huge IT effort to make working possible, with the refinery on skeleton staff.
“We went to essential operations and maintenance, minimal staff to keep running safely - just over 300 people,” Mr Cunningham said.
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Once social distancing was understood, the entire project was re-evaluated.
“We could not do a big turnaround,” he continued. “We looked at what we could do.
“We changed our plans. The cycle is you take half the plant down every five years, and that was what we were going to do. We took half the plant off and did just enough inspection and minimal maintenance to postpone the major event beyond this year, over an extended period.
“It has taken longer than normal, we are just wrapping up. We will make the major event when the situation returns to more normal conditions.”
To enable the safe working environment, the facilities that had anticipated the huge numbers were used, with more added. Extra handwashing stations were also built, with temperature checks, body scanning and UV cleaning methods invested in.
“We brought an extra 500 people on, and we have done a lot with our own people and core regular contractors,” Mr Cunningham said.
“We had quite a lot of additional facilities, mess rooms, conference rooms and changing rooms in preparation for the big event - that allowed us to spread and separate people out for changing and eating.
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“It has gone very well, people have done a really good job.”
He hopes the move to slightly relax working space will ease working practices, but acknowledges the impact down the line.
“It is very difficult to deliver the intensity of work we would normally do and maintain social distancing,” he said. “Contract companies have had to furlough and have laid off. There is a lot of concern in that community, with work around the country drying up. There is a lot of concern about when it will return. The drop from 2m to 1m plus is welcome. It is something businesses can work with.”
The majority of work was outdoors, with PPE equipment over and above guidelines due to the nature of the site.
And while planned maintenance has taken a hit, so have normal operations. Though there has been no furloughing or redundancies at the plant.
“Demand for our products dropped as low as 30 per cent of normal. It has returned, but we’re still at 70 per cent or 80 per cent.
“Petrol and diesel demand is generally in line with the economy. We have seen quite a rebound already as businesses re-open and people move around more, but it is quite an open question as to how it is going to recover.
“I think it will be more gradual, it will take time for confidence to return. People’s confidence in buying things, and business confidence to invest. Hopefully we will see a gradual return to normal, but jet fuel will take a while, people have realised you can do a lot remotely.
“It will take a long time for business travel to return if ever. We’re in for the long haul.”
Pride in team and praise for government
From the perspective of a strategic industry asset, Mr Cunningham is proud of what he has seen from his team, and believes the government has also done a good job.
Risk assessments deployed by Phillips 66 have been taken on, with an open dialogues with BEIS officials and ministers as the situation has evolved.
“The refinery, the team, has performed absolutely magnificently. None of us have had to contend with anything like this in our professional careers or lives, and I’m extremely proud of how everyone turned on a sixpence, effected plans and adapted to working from home sensationally.
“All shift operators and essential maintenance crews continued to come to work, at no point we were worried about self isolation impairing production, at no point did we get close.
“It is not going to be a fantastic financial year, the economy has taken a massive shock, but we have run safely, run well, and continued to provide vital fuel supplies.”
Of the Whitehall approach, he added: “I think it was an impossible situation, one none of us have had to handle, and I think the government has done a decent job. We have been in close contact with BEIS officials, speaking to ministers, and they have been supportive and listened as policy has developed.
“They haven’t got everything right, but generally I feel they have supported business and tried to do the right thing.
“I am very comfortable with what we have done, and that it is best in class,” he added.