When companies plan a big project, there are many facets of the job that must be considered for timeliness, cost and logistics by the project management team. To name a couple major factors, project equipment and personnel costs easily come to mind. However, what about the process? Process safety management dictates equipment, personnel, cost, compliance and — most importantly — safety. There are always measures that can be taken to improve a project’s outcome based on these factors. However, individuals and teams with extensive knowledge and experience in the industry have a huge leg up in determining a more efficient process, and a more efficient process benefits the contracting company every time.
An experienced specialty degassing company can provide an incredible range of services, from performing an eight-hour tank degas to managing a multiunit turnaround, marine barge requirements or soil remediation. Every single service offered under the company’s mandate requires a professional scope, a detailed plan and proper execution by qualified, dedicated personnel — both on the engineering and planning side and in field deployment. This type of detailed process is what sets a provider apart from its competitors. If you are a project manager searching for a specialty degassing company, look for an expert contractor that has historically planned and managed projects with seamless progress. Rigorous process improvement develops companies into today’s industry leaders. Be sure to ask for process and safety stats to back up your analysis.
I’d like to highlight a project that is a perfect example of the rationale behind hiring a specialty contractor rather than a generalist company. The project in question was spending absorption media at a much higher rate than expected. While media expenditure is a relatively small part of the overall process, using media at a high rate creates significant project downtime and increases overall project costs due to extra materials, processes and personnel. The easy, common solution employed by “jack of all trades” companies is by no means the best solution, despite how frequently it’s used. The generalist contractor mentality simply provides larger vessels with even more absorption media to minimize the time between “breakthrough” events. This project increases operating time and costs, all while generating more waste. In an industry where every dollar counts, petrochemical leaders are looking for streamlined solutions that can only be proposed and executed by those who have a breadth of experience that the jack of all trades can’t touch.
Look for a company that will approach your project with a fresh eye based on its experience. In the example above, the specialty contractor engineering team in question was able to offer the best solution based on years of industry experience and technical excellence. The proposed solution increased the life cycle of the scrubber by nearly 20 times the longevity — from one shift to nearly two weeks of run time. It’s crucial to note the increase was not realized by adding more media or more people, but by improving the way the vacuum truck operations were being completed. Process changes allowed flow rate to be optimized while decreasing safety risks — a complete bonus factor and the hallmark of a truly specialized solution that benefitted the client in a number of ways.
The customer saved both the time and cost associated with frequent recharging of the scrubber and benefited from significant cost decreases with fewer purchases and disposal of media. This is merely one small example of the impact that changes in process safety management can have on the entire scope of a project and a company’s bottom line.
Our industry demands thorough compliance with state and federal regulators, while making every dollar count. Bringing in an expert to streamline processes and improve safety while saving money ensures every project receives the expertise it deserves.
For more information, visit http://enventcorporation.com or call (888) 997-9465.