Critical path for petro-chemical plants

Depends upon the unit and what matinenance is required for the major equipment. I typically see furnace/heater overhauls (including tube replacement/repairs), FCC reactor replacements, retraying towers, catalyst regeneration, etc. on the critical path.

Bernard Ertl
InterPlan Systems

Dear Pete,

You will need to determine the "Shut Down" Period as Bernard mentioned. Then you need to figure out how to complete all your scope within that period.

With kind regards,

Samer

Thanks Bernard and Samer for your replies. Your information is valuable to me, but I am more interested in knowing what is the critical path for a NEW plant (new construction, rather that a maintenance job).

Hi Pete

You are asking for the holy grail of planning.

If you can’t build it you can’t plan it.

And those who can build it are not going to be able to tell you how in a PP thread.

The critical path will start at the beginning and will be the shortest possible path to the end.

Good luck & best regards

Mike Testro

Maybe my question is too generic. I would like to ask the experienced guys if the critical path for this kind of job could be the fabrication / delivery of a long lead equipment on the procurement portion of the schedule or the piping erection on the construction portion of the schedule (juts to put an example). So, according to your experience, what disciplines or main tasks are more probable to fall under the critical path? Thanks.

Hi Pete

How long is a piece of string?

It all depends on every thing else.

My guess is that the longest lead time would be getting permission to build the thing in the first place - in the UK 5 to 10 years minimum.

Best regards

Mike Testro

Best regards

Mike Testro

Dear Pete,

It took us 12-14 months to Fabricate and ship two crude and 1 vacuum heaters with radiant and convection sections (176MT heaviest piece) and 5m dia stacks 35meters long. We had 2500 6" P9 material joints to weld and test.

Erection on the other had took three months using 1200MT crane.

Hope that these duration assist you in your estimates and planning.

Best Regards,

Samer