Case Studies

During the pre-feasibility phase, the client faced difficulties in balancing CAPEX and OPEX with high energy demand for a grassroots industrial complex. By analyzing equipment types, configuration, design features, and evaluating the proposed changes, the multidisciplinary team demonstrated a reduction of 4% (close to 35 MM USD) of projected life cycle cost over the span of 25 years with a positive effect on plant availability, hence increasing the ROI even further. A major challenge was to overcome a conventional design approach used in a similar facility project nearby.

During a major brownfield upgrade project, RAM study was used to identify key contributors to unplanned facility shutdowns and losses of revenue. By carefully reviewing CMMS data and HSE incident reports, a detailed failure mode (FMECA-based) model has been developed. The results revealed high vulnerability of the facility to maintenance repair times as well as a high number of defects (bad actors). The maintenance strategy developed to address the two dominant issues, based on defect elimination, spare parts strategy, and standard job plans, resulted in 8.7% increase of revenue (11 MM USD annually), through fewer and shorter shutdowns as well as elimination of bad actors.

A complex reconstruction of a large chemicals Terminal involved changes in equipment, configuration, flow directions and operational sequences. Our experts were called in when the Engineering Contractor faced the situation that numerous revamp iterations could not yield a design without major modifications or replacement of the large diameter piping systems. By utilizing steady-state and transient models coupled with process expertise, it was possible to reduce the amount of initially proposed design changes/upgrades at an impressive ~68% rate (close to 4.6 MM USD). Furthermore, by designing software logic for different operational scenarios it was possible to avoid complex problems that could occur due to human error.

A small-scale lubricant manufacturing plant reached stalling condition in the management of business investments, due to multi-layered problems with equipment, processes, and the lack of clear prioritization principles for projects initiated to overcome these problems. Our Principals have conducted a functional analysis (FSAT) to identify critical business functions, their vulnerability, survivability, and time to recovery characteristics. FSAT was followed by an operational risk analysis and evaluation, resulting in scope adjustments and acceleration of two projects that resolved business continuity problems with impact over 37% of EBIT over a long time in the future.