Question 1

The challenge

Accepted Answer

A major Gulf Coast refinery needed a reliable supply of oil-free compressed air for the recurring steam-air decoking of critical furnace tubes. As often as every two to three weeks, the refinery combined hot steam with compressed air to break up coke buildup and push it out of the tubes during an approximately 48-hour process.Air quality was critical. An oil-flooded compressor could introduce oil into the air stream, creating an unacceptable contamination risk within the furnace and process. The refinery therefore required compressors providing ISO 8573-1 Class 0 air, where no oil is introduced into the compression chamber. Maintaining consistent air pressure was equally important. An interruption could prevent loosened coke from being fully removed, increasing the risk of operational disruption. If a gas-system issue or ruptured tube required the furnace heat to be shut off, the buildup had to be cleared quickly before it cooled and hardened inside the tubes. If the decoking process could not be completed and the issue led to a wider refinery shutdown, the customer faced more than $1 million per day in potential losses. The refinery needed a rapidly deployable oil-free air solution with the redundancy and reliability to protect both the process and continued production.

Question 2

The solution

Accepted Answer

Aggreko supplied two 1600 CFM diesel compressors providing ISO 8573-1 Class 0 air. Unlike oil-flooded compressors, the units introduced no oil into the compression chamber, giving the refinery the oil-free air required for the furnace decoking process.One compressor served as the primary air source, while the second remained available as a dedicated backup. This duty-and-standby configuration provided the redundancy needed to maintain air pressure if the primary unit experienced an interruption, allowing decoking to continue without compromising the process. The compressors operated continuously for approximately 48 hours during each event. Once decoking was complete, Aggreko removed the equipment and redeployed it whenever the refinery required another cycle. Because decoking could be scheduled or triggered by an unexpected furnace issue, equipment availability and rapid mobilization were essential. Aggreko’s on-site presence and equipment yard provided responsive support when the refinery needed it. ARM also delivered ongoing visibility into compressor performance throughout each operation. Together, the Class 0 air, redundant compressor configuration, ARM, and local support provided a dependable, repeatable solution for the refinery’s recurring decoking requirements.

Question 3

The impact

Accepted Answer

Aggreko provided the oil-free air and consistent pressure needed to remove coke buildup without introducing oil into the refinery’s furnace or process. By using ISO 8573-1 Class 0 compressors instead of oil-flooded equipment, the solution eliminated oil contamination at the source and supported the refinery’s air-quality requirements. The dedicated standby compressor reduced the risk that a single equipment interruption would stop decoking after it had begun. Ready equipment availability, on-site support, and Aggreko Remote Monitoring (ARM) further helped the refinery respond to changing needs and maintain visibility throughout each approximately 48-hour event. Most importantly, the reliable oil-free air solution helped the customer complete critical decoking, maintain refinery operations, and avoid a wider shutdown, saving more than $1 million per day in potential losses.

Loading component...

Oil-free air keeps critical decoking from becoming a costly shutdown

Overview

The challenge

The solution

The impact

Working together

Loading component...

Ready to work together?

Working together