This South African refinery was already in the middle of an ongoing turnaround when several tight repair zones required fast SpeedHex® installation and close international coordination. With minimal notice and limited preparation time, personnel and equipment were urgently mobilized to support the emergency repair and keep the turnaround on schedule.
“This refinery already knew us from the Turnaround repair in 2018, so when this emergency came up,
they knew who to call. They had seen how we work under pressure and trusted us to respond quickly.”- Carlos Aires, RAW Operating Supervisor
Mobilised at the end of March, the team consisted of 8 people, including a Project Manager, RAW Operating Supervisors, and 5 RAW Operators. Supported by three D20 machines, the setup helped the crew work efficiently across multiple tight repair zones.
The main focus of the emergency was on the primary and secondary cyclones, where most of the repair work had to be completed under tight time pressure. Alongside this major scope, the crew also supported several smaller but important areas, including the J-bend, slide valves, impingement plates, standpipe, thermocouple shields and other related units.
“When the extra scope came up, we were ready. We had the refractory anchors, the machines and the people on site, so we could take it on without losing time. Some areas were extremely tight to work in, but with our guns we could still reach the repair zones and keep the work moving.”
- Joel van Steijn, RAW Operating Supervisor
In an emergency turnaround, speed matters, but trust matters just as much. The customer had previous experience with companies that made large promises but struggled to deliver in practice. On this project, they could experience a different emergency installation: the RAW team committed to what they could realistically complete, and when they said something would be done that day, it was done that day.
That reliability quickly became one of the strongest advantages on site. As more work came up, the team became the first choice for additional scope because the customer knew they could count on both speed and follow-through. With the right materials ready, experienced operators on site and clear communication between shifts, the project could move forward efficiently even under emergency conditions.
