In the petrochemical industries, turnarounds are a fact of life. They are required for regulatory compliance, repairs and reliable production following the event. Turnarounds are expensive, both in terms of lost production while the process unit is offline and in terms of direct costs for the labor, tools, heavy equipment and materials used to execute the project. They are the most significant portion of a plant's yearly maintenance budget and can affect the company's bottom line if mismanaged.
Turnarounds have many of the characteristics of project management, with a primary focus on proper preparation. From initiation until closeout, a great deal of work must be accomplished by a group of people who may have other responsibilities during this time period. In most instances, the execution portion of an event is a small percentage of the time required, often less than 10 percent of the event duration. Successful turnarounds ensure companies produce products reliably, at the desired rate and cost target without interruption until the next scheduled turnaround. This is a lofty goal, but one all companies aspire to. Organizations use targets and benchmarks to determine how they stack up against their own expectations, as well as competing organizations. Cost is always measured and compared against.
Organizations spend millions of dollars to successfully perform turnarounds. They buy equipment with exotic metallurgies, use the latest and greatest software packages, rent the best heavy equipment and pay premiums for services provided by vendors. What if I told you the greatest tool to ensure success costs nothing? The greatest tool for success during all phases of a turnaround is team alignment. Without it, success cannot happen, yet many organizations do not put enough emphasis on it.
Team alignment is required from the minute a turnaround is announced until the final period is placed in the closeout document. Without it, the team fails to work toward a common goal. With alignment, the team agrees to common goals and works toward them together. Upon the announcement that a turnaround is planned, the event begins. Thus begins team alignment that lasts through completion of the project. As previously mentioned, a turnaround is a long process that can take between six months and six years. This is predicated upon the size and complexity of the event. Teams are most productive and successful when the members are purpose-driven and have common goals. Team alignment is supported by excellent communication and trust among team members.
Team alignment will be conducted throughout the life of the event and shall occur at least once per phase of the project. Each phase has a set of unique deliverables. The team alignment should ensure team members are keenly aware of the deliverables for the phase and, in doing so, keep the team focused on successful completion of that phase.
The initial phase for the event is its definition, during which the team, including stakeholders, is defined, the plans for all the project disciplines are created, and the premise or objective for the event is outlined. Typically, this is driven by regulatory testing and inspections that govern the organization's license to operate. The objectives for the event must be clearly understood by all, as they will be the basis by which all decisions in future phases will be compared.
Team alignment is supported by well-run team meetings. Team meetings have clear agendas and expect all attendees to actively participate. Meetings should support the event by communicating status of deliverables and, when required, assistance can be requested to complete deliverables on time.
The phases of the event that follow all have their own unique deliverables. Team alignment ensures deliverables are met.
Team alignment is often overlooked, but it is required to make events successful throughout the life of a turnaround. It has no added cost to a turnaround, while millions of dollars can be spent on labor, materials, rentals and services. Without team alignment, these costs may not serve the organization executing the event. An aligned team will ensure all expenditures will deliver the desired objectives of the turnaround.
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