Eliminating diesel generators at a Texas oil refinery

The challenge
Cutting out the need for diesel generators at a high-production refinery
The solution
A generator-free solution designed to help the refinery switch to site energy
The impact
100% reliability with zero diesel emissions and over $1m in savings

Client:A major oil refinery

Location:Texas, USA

Sectors:Petrochemical and refining

The Challenge

Cutting out the need for diesel generators at a high-production refinery

This crude oil refinery can produce up to 4.3 million pounds of steam every hour and has an electrical production capacity of 1,055 MW.

The problem was that, during turnarounds, the customer had to rely on diesel generators for their primary energy source. They hadn’t found an effective way to utilize grid energy or to capture and re-purpose the energy generated by the refinery for use on-site.

The oil refinery needed a better system for their next turnaround – and for that, they needed a partner with extensive industry experience. A partner that could develop and design a working engineering solution with full documentation and provide ongoing support for the project’s needs. But they simply weren’t confident that their existing on-site equipment provider was up to the task.

That’s where we came in.

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100%reliability

$1.3mcost savings

362,880tons of NOx eliminated

38,889tons of CO eliminated

eliminating the need for diesel generators at a texas oil refinery

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The Solution

A generator-free solution designed to help the refinery switch to site energy

Once we got the call, we made sure the experience was effortless.

Collaborating closely with the oil refinery’s team, we scoped out the site, identified all the sources of energy, designed a complete temporary energy distribution solution, and submitted engineering drawings to the customer for review. Then we worked together with the oil refinery’s turnaround and electrical teams to iron out any potential issues. Only once we had agreed on the perfect final, approved design did we start the installation.

This uniquely designed solution utilized site energy from two sources, one providing 4,160 V and the other providing 13.8 V. It relied on a suite of our safe, reliable temporary utilities equipment, including transformers, switchgear, breakers, cabling, and distribution panels – but, crucially, not a single generator. For the entire duration of the turnaround, all the electricity would come from the site’s existing electrical grid.

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The Impact

100% reliability with zero diesel emissions and over $1m in savings

Nine months after our first engineering site visit to scope out the project, the finished solution was completely installed and ready to commission. This went off without a hitch. The customer energized our solution without a single issue or safety incident, and by April they were ready to transition from this temporary equipment to a permanent installation.

Today, 45% of the electricity that the site produces is re-purposed for use in the refinery, with the remaining 55% fed into the main electricity grid. The project has saved the customer $1.3 million and eliminated the need for 7.5 MW of diesel generator energy. As a result, the oil refinery has eliminated an impressive 300,000 gallons of diesel, 38,889 tons of CO and 362,880 tons of NOx.

They can now rely on their site’s existing electrical grid completely. They no longer have to worry about delays caused by missed fuel drops, or any other risks associated with diesel usage and refueling.

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Eliminating diesel generators at a Texas oil refinery

Eliminating the need for diesel generators at a Texas oil refinery

Cutting out the need for diesel generators at a high-production refinery

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A generator-free solution designed to help the refinery switch to site energy

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100% reliability with zero diesel emissions and over $1m in savings

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Cutting out the need for diesel generators at a high-production refinery

A generator-free solution designed to help the refinery switch to site energy

100% reliability with zero diesel emissions and over $1m in savings

Tags