Cost Effective Pilot Plant Design and Construction

R P PalluziExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co

CSR Research Support Services

Clinton, NJ

2

3

Background

• PPLE is ExxonMobil’s center of excellence for pilot plant and laboratory work– Design

– Construction

– Operation

– Start-up

– Upgrades and modifications

– Safety

– Relocations

– Consulting

– Standards

4

Background (cont’d)

• Provide services to ExxonMobil and its affiliates worldwide– From consulting to projects ($10,000-$65,000,000)

– New construction, relocations, upgrades, safety reviews, start-ups, operation problems, etc.

• Located in Clinton Township facility– 850,00 SF modern research facility

– Relocated from older Linden facility in 1981

– Specialty shops, engineering facilities and support areas

5

6

Challenges

• Increased global competition demands more cost effective and faster research effort

• Costs and time to design, construct and start-up a pilot plant can be significant

• Reduced resources available due to downsizing

New approaches required

7

EMRE’s Response To These Challenges

• Modular design and construction• PC/PLC based control systems• Pilot plant specific standards and designs• CAD/CAE• Improved S/H/E planning• Improved start-up planning and techniques

8

Modular Construction

• Palletization of all new units– Allows efficient shop construction

– Reduces relocation, modification and demolition costs (life cycle costs)

• Specialized construction shop– 20+% savings over field construction

– Improved safety

– Improved construction quality

• Standardized designs– Reduces design effort

– Significant reduction in start-up effort (10+%)

9

Modular Construction (cont’d)

• Standardized assemblies– Reduces construction time

– Promotes savings through bulk procurement

– Reduced troubleshooting time

– Reduced risk of failure to perform

• Experienced staff– Engineering, design and craft

– Familiarity promotes efficiency

– Allows delegation of many tasks to lower, less expensive resource

10

Modular Construction (cont’d)

• Improved wiring techniques– Junction boxes on all pallets to allow relocation and facilitate

troubleshooting

– Multiconductor cable

– Spare wiring as part of initial construction

– Extensive use of lay in duct or cable tray to facilitate initial wiring and modifications

• Improved utility piping– Prefabricated manifolds

– Spare taps

– Multi-tubing bundles where appropriate

11

12

13

14

15

Improved Control Systems

• Computer control of all new units– Operational efficiencies far outweigh initial costs

– Reduced operating personnel

– Improved product quality (product and/or data)

• Personal computers (PC) or programmable logic controller (PLC) based– Standalone systems increase reliability

– Inexpensive to install, modify and expand

– Final selection usually driven by size

16

Improved Control Systems (cont’d)

• Cost effective integration/isolation of control and safety systems– Standard: PC for control, PLC for safety interlocks

– Alternate: high-end PLC for control, low end PLC for interlocks

– Ensures safest cost effective separation

– No recorded failure in 20 years

• Specialized programming– Promotes efficient operation

– Minimizes operator attention to routine tasks

– Promotes efficient data collection, reduction and analysis

– Allows integration of other data or transmission of unit data

17

Improved Control Systems (cont’d)

• Unattended operation incorporated into all units– 50+% decrease in operating staff since 1983

– Significantly improved product quality (70% in one case!)

– Allows further staffing reductions at low cost later

18

19

Pilot Plant Specific Designs

• Pilot plant specific standards speed design process– Reduces design effort

– Encourages building block approach

– Ensures tested, trouble-free installations

– Reduces start-up time (50% since 1980)

• Standardized assemblies speed design and construction– Decreases construction time (10% since 1980)

– Reduced potential for error and rework

20

Pilot Plant Specific Designs (cont’d)

• Assembly line construction of many common elements– Relief valve manifolds

– Gas feed systems

– Utility headers

– Instrument cabinets

• Pilot plant specific construction management– Reduces costs

– Improves quality control through better focus

21

CAD/CAE

• Heavy investment in automated design• State of the art CAD system decreases design time

– Automated bill of materials

– Standard drawing assemblies

– Ability to cut and paste from thousands of other units

• On-line estimating system– Improved accuracy with reduced effort

– Better historical trending

– Improved validation

22

CAD/CAE (cont’d)

• Numerous on-line design programs– Many pilot plant specific

– Decreases expensive engineering effort

• Electronic transfer of information– Eliminates wasteful duplication of information

– Ensures single source for all info reducing error

23

Improved S/H/E Planning

• Conceptual safety reviews identify issues earlier– Allows time to effectively address from start of design

– Improves evaluation of alternatives

– Often results in process or program shifts to avoid costly or time-consuming issues

• Pilot plant specific risk assessments– Improves realism

– Eliminates inappropriate concerns

– Reduces effort

24

Improved S/H/E Planning (cont’d)

• Pilot plant specific standards– Reduces review effort

– Ensures acceptable design

– Reflects actual operating experience

25

Improved Start-Up Planning and Techniques

• Start-up technical review conducted before finalizing design– Allows identification of potential problem areas early enough to

allow resolution

– Allows obvious problems to be corrected before construction

– Captures 70% of the obvious problems

– Utilizes experienced start-up team

• Start-up planning initiated shortly after unit approval– Ensures start-up issues are addressed with adequate time for

resolution

26

Improved Start-Up Planning and Techniques (cont’d)

• Start-up sequence for all units– Sequential listing of all start-up tasks

– Includes estimate of resources and effort

– Allows realistic start-up estimate and schedule

– Allows identification of resource, skill area and/or specific issues early enough to be worked

• Specialized start-up equipment and facilities– Flushing carts

– Leak testing equipment

– Troubleshooting equipment

– Calibration shop

27

ID Task Name Resource Names Duration

10 1.9 Trace all lines and locate allvalves, correcting the P&IDor unit as

Operations Team 1 day

11 1.10 Tag all valves up to main utilityshut offs

Operations Team 1 day

12 2 Mechanical Completion Project Team 2 hrs

13 3 Preliminary Start-up Activities 5.5 days

14 3.1 Confirm all compression fittingsare tight using a gage block as

PF,Start-Up Team 4 hrs

15 3.2 Pressurize unit with nitrogen to200 kpa and perform a low pressure

PF,Start-Up Team 4 hrs

16 3.3 Prepare unit for flushing: 0.5 days

17 3.3.1 Disconnect solenoidvalves, regulators, gas

PF,Start-Up Team 2 hrs

18 3.3.2 Disconnect I/P`s,P/I's,control valves, dampeners and

PF,Start-Up Team 2 hrs

19 3.3.3 Install flushing orifices indp cells or orifice holders

PF,Start-Up Team 2 hrs

20 3.3.4 Install jumpers around alldisconnected equipment

PF,Start-Up Team 2 hrs

21 3.3.5 Install temporary lines todrain on all dead legs

PF,Start-Up Team 2 hrs

T T S M W F S Tec 28, '97 Jan 4, '98 Jan 11,

Abstracted from larger start-up sequence

28

Cost PerformanceCosts Per Equivalent Unit

1981-84 1986-87 1993-94 1992-94 1994-96 2000-2001 1999-2001

Co

st/

Eq

uiv

alen

t U

nit

Pilot Plants

Laboratories

29

1981-84

1986-87

1993-94

1994-96

2000-2001

1999-2001

Schedule Performance Equivalent Units Per Unit Time

Time Per Equiv Unit