When a routine turnaround unexpectedly turned into a large-scale emergency call-out project, Superheat was already on site and ready to act. Widespread plugged lines across multiple units, including the critical coker unit, threatened upcoming TA schedules, costs, and productivity. What followed was a rapid mobilization of over 120 Superheat SmartPoint™ consoles and 4,000 kW of heating capacity, demonstrating how Superheat’s SmartWay™ approach can deliver more coverage, greater efficiency, and faster results when clients need it most.
An Unexpected Challenge
As preparations were underway for a scheduled turnaround, operators discovered plugged lines throughout multiple units across the facility. Marvin Lopez, Superheat West Coast Area Manager, who was involved in the project response, recalls receiving the emergency call after plugged lines were identified throughout the site, with the largest concentration located in the coker unit. The client needed a solution capable of addressing a large volume of piping spanning different line size, units, and significant footage, all within a compressed timeframe.
The question was straightforward: Could Superheat handle the scope quickly enough to keep the project moving? The answer was yes.
Scaling Up for Emergency Scope
At the time, Superheat already had equipment on site to support the planned turnaround. However, the scope of the emergency required a much larger response. After assessing the affected piping, the team rapidly mobilized for operations and ultimately deployed more than 120 consoles to support the work all while maintaining the rest of global scope requirements during a busy TA season.
In addition to adding more equipment, the team leveraged the efficiency advantages of the Superheat SmartWay™ service model. By using a series-parallel configuration that enabled substantially more heaters to be operated from a single console, Superheat maximized coverage while minimizing equipment requirements in comparison to the industry average needed to complete the work. As Marvin explains, where traditional configurations might utilize three heaters per cable lead, this project saw as many as twelve heaters operating from the same setup.
The result was a faster, more optimized approach to heat treatment that enabled the project team to address extensive emergency scope while maintaining momentum throughout the turnaround.
Delivering More with Less
The ability to do more with less is a defining characteristic of Superheat’s SmartWay™ technology and execution model.
By increasing heater coverage per console, the team reduced the amount of equipment required in the field when compared to traditional heat treatment consol outputs, minimized the number of leads to run, and streamlined heat treatment activities. This approach not only accelerated execution but also helped deliver significant cost savings for the client.
When unexpected scope emerges during a turnaround, every hour matters. The ability to quickly mobilize resources, efficiently deploy equipment, and safely execute work can make the difference between maintaining a schedule and experiencing costly delays.
Project Highlights
- 120+ SmartPoint™ Consoles Mobilized
- 4,000 kW Heating Capacity Deployed
- 4X Greater Heating Efficiency with SmartWay™ Series Parallel Set Up (12 Heaters Per Cable)
- 0 Safety Incidents
Ready When the Unexpected Happens
Large industrial projects often require teams to adapt quickly when new challenges emerge; however, heat treatment vendors typically lack the assets or labor resources to do so. In this case, what began as a planned turnaround expanded to include a significant volume of emergency scope, requiring a rapid response and the ability to scale operations quickly. Whether supporting planned maintenance, responding to emergency scope, or helping clients overcome critical operational challenges, Superheat has the manpower, equipment, and proven processes to mobilize quickly and execute safely.
