Becht Completes Onsite RCA Support for Client Hydrotreater
Last April Becht Engineering worked with an Arkansas-based refinery client to evaluate the reliability and operational challenges with a Naphtha Hydrotreater (NHT). Becht Engineering was requested by the client to investigate the NHT’s series of reliability failures that included everything from stripper overhead corrosion and recycle compressor repairs, to feed/effluent exchanger leaks and stripper feed/bottoms exchanger repairs.
– And all of these issues after the NHT catalyst had been replaced multiple times –
The client had been actively pursuing internal Root Cause Analyses (RCA) before requesting Becht Engineering to look into the problem. That this client came directly to Becht Engineering for solutions speaks to our success and experience conducting Root Cause Analyses, providing hundreds of clients worldwide with recommendations for the improvement of bad actors and mal-design.
Becht Engineering – How We Solve Problems
Becht outlined a straightforward, three-pronged approach to tackle this problem. First, we utilized a senior hydroprocessing specialist with over 30 years of experience in the industry to review and analyze data and documents we requested from the client.
Second, this senior engineer was deployed to the site for a 3-week visit to engage with the client personnel to better understand what was happening with the NHT and the operations that interface with that piece of equipment. Additional remote Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) were kept on call to provide any support the client needed.
Results
Finally, after a thorough investigation of the NHT, our senior engineer was able to pinpoint the issue and began developing a report and presentation that was delivered to the client. This detailed report included consolidated data, analysis of that data, contributions to the problem and technical recommendations to eliminate and/or mitigate the failures.
The process is completely streamlined to support our clients to manage their problems quickly and efficiently. Our SMEs are always available to consult on problems such as these – and that’s why Becht Engineering continues to be a leader in solving some of heavy industry’s most unique challenges.
Please see our broad range of capabilities at Becht Services.
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