In the wake of ever-present terrorist threats and potentially large-scale disasters, security and safety have become major concerns that also pose greater challenges for refineries. One main challenge is managing the identity of the independent contractors who have become increasingly important for refineries, which routinely undertake turnarounds (TARs) or scheduled shutdowns or outages.
During a TAR, for example, the entire process unit of a refinery is taken offline for inspection and testing, de-bottlenecking projects, revamps, catalyst regeneration or other necessary projects. In terms of lost production and direct costs such as labor, tools, equipment and materials, these projects are very expensive. Because they can be hired for a specific project or period of time and are paid only for the work they do within those parameters, contractors are a more flexible, budget-friendly alternative to full-time employees. Therefore, refineries bring in contractors – sometimes numbering in the thousands – to assist with the execution of a TAR.