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Client Case Study: Syngenta
In May 2021, AIM was instructed by Syngenta to provide a turnkey work package to deliver internal welding repairs on a pressure vessel at their Grangemouth facility due to anomalies being found during a routine inspection. The pressure vessel material of construction was Duplex (ASTM A240S31803).
Project Background
The scope of work was to provide project management, discipline engineering, access system installation and weld repairs. The access system was installed to allow the vessel to be accessible to our client and their third-party quality assurance (QA) team. A collaborative internal inspection was carried out by both clients QA and AIM’s weld inspector which identified further anomalies of the pressure vessel’s internal shell.
Once all the areas of repair had been identified, AIM deployed the construction team to carry out all known repairs. Each team member had to be confined space trained to access the vessel and a coded welder’s complete with all relevant weld procedures required to carry out the weld repairs to the vessel shell. All confined space entry was controlled by AIM rescue trained personnel.
AIM Added Value
The project was required to be delivered during scheduled shutdown period, which required a tight turnaround on project delivery. AIM utilised our project planning capabilities, providing the client with daily progress reporting and enabling the close monitoring of progress against a very tight timeframe.
AIM completed the project ahead of schedule enabling the client to commission the vessel and return to service within the TAR timeframe.
AIM also delivered cost savings to the client by utilising a lightweight, flexible access system that negated the requirement of conventional access methods. The efficient and innovative system also reduced the TAR schedule, adding further economic advantages to the client.
The access system also had the added value allowing the client QA team to clearly view the work being undertaken without compromising on space within the pressure vessel.
Challenges and AIM Solutions
Working within, and accessing the confined space was a challenge with this project which was mitigated by every project delivery team member being experienced in confined space entry.
With the confined space, AIM also had to consider the fume extraction from the vessel whilst the construction team carried out hot works phase of the schedule. The team were also required to work within Syngenta’s Covid-19 regulations and adhere to their standards of hygiene and social distancing throughout the works as this project was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
Syngenta are a valued client of AIM; therefore, it was essential that the works were carried out within the allocated TAR timeframe for our client to resume their operations on time. The project was completed on time and within budget, to the complete satisfaction of Syngenta.
Delivering a safe project as part of planned plant outage whilst maintaining quality standards, underpins AIM’s ability to deliver complex projects with schedule constraints.