Typhoon-induced emergency cooling for refinery
Client Major Chemical Refinery
Location Osaka, Japan
Sectors Petrochemical and refining
The Challenge
Quickly restore production to storm-hit refinery
Typhoon Jebi hit Japan on September 2018 and was declared as the strongest storm to hit Japan in 25 years, causing floods and collateral damage to vital infrastructure such as transport links, homes and industrial buildings.
Our customer’s refinery in Osaka wasn’t spared from the devastation either. Three of their four cooling towers that supplied cold water for the fluid catalytic cracking process were damaged, crippling its production process.
The refinery’s engineering team assessed the damage and estimated that repair works will take as long as 7 weeks. Potential loss of revenue while production halted was estimated at around USD$50 million, and it came at a time when market value for the end product-Para-xylene was high. The impact would be huge for the customer.
Project fact file
Cooling delivered and installed
Cooling Towers
Of cooling water for conversion process
Of revenue recouped
The Solution
Complete cooling solution within days
Our previous consultations with the customer in the past meant that Aggreko were the first choice when it came to providing a rapid solution.
The customer called us for a site assessment, and our team sprang into action by putting together a swift comprehensive solution that met the customers’ requirements of quality, speed and a complex, comprehensive engineering solution.
Within 20 days, from agreement to solution, our team launched the logistical operation of deploying our newest GT20 cooling towers into Osaka from Dubai, China and Tokyo via air, sea and land respectively. A testament to our responsive logistical capabilities.
A total of six cooling towers were installed within 27 days from the first contact, providing eight tonnes per hour of cooling water for the conversion process. Our expertise and equipment cooled the water to a precise 30 degrees celsius, with compliance to the operational requirement of the refining process.
The Aggreko Difference
We make things happen amidst towering challenges
The Impact
Seizing attractive market opportunity
Our global fleet and experience in the sector meant allowed for our complete solution to be deployed within 30 days – cutting the potential loss of production by 50%.
With no alternative solution, our equipment’s modular concept meant that a temporary, feasible solution was able to be put in place and get operations going, stemming revenue loss. Our equipment’s lean design also meant that they could be installed within the tight confines of the site and in close proximity to the existing damaged towers, without infringing on our customers’ operations.
This allowed for repairs to continue on the towers, while production could continue.
With the market value of Para-xylene so attractive at the time, it allowed our customer to optimise their opportunity and avoid missing out on the market trend.
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