Petrobras’ Abreu e Lima Refinery Begins 45-Day Maintenance Shutdown in Pernambuco

Petrobras Announced That The Refinery Started Its First Scheduled Maintenance Shutdown Since The Unit Began Operating In 2014

According to a statement released today (07/15), Petrobras announced that Abreu e Lima Refinery (RNEST) starts its first scheduled maintenance shutdown since the unit began operating in 2014. According to the state company, approximately 3,000 people will be working at various units and areas of the refinery. See also: To Adapt And Modernize The Paulínia Refinery, Petrobras Opens Bidding Process For Equipment

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Details About The Maintenance Shutdown At Petrobras Refinery

Petrobras says that the maintenance shutdown is scheduled to meet regulatory standards, essential for the operational safety of the refinery, and will involve maintenance of almost all the refinery’s equipment, such as compressors, motors, vessels, heat exchangers, valves, reactors, and others, totaling about 3,000 pieces of equipment in all units of train 1 of RNEST.

The expected duration is about 45 days, where planning began two years ago, according to Petrobras. To execute the maintenance shutdown, several companies were contracted, which estimate to employ approximately 3,000 people, who will work at various units and areas of the refinery, divided into shifts and following all safety protocols and COVID-19 prevention measures.

Work During The COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the statement released by Petrobras, the company focuses on operational safety with SMS performance indicators in the first quartile of the industry. The maintenance shutdown at the refinery aims to maintain safety and operational reliability, restore operational capacities, and also promote improvements in its facilities.

Petrobras also disclosed that it promotes the pursuit of excellence in health and safety, and therefore, maintenance shutdowns at the refinery are carried out in accordance with the health ministry’s protocols and various internal Petrobras protocols, including the use of protective masks, adaptation of environments and means of transportation to facilitate social distancing, reinforcement of cleaning and sanitization actions in environments and equipment, abundant provision of hand sanitizing gel, and daily temperature measurement of all workers before entering the refinery, as well as awareness actions.

Additionally, rapid tests are conducted on 100% of the candidates presented by contractors before entering the refinery, which are repeated every 14 days for the entire workforce, promoting removal when necessary, says Petrobras.

Check Also: Petrobras Halts Production At The Paulínia Refinery (Replan) Due To Lack Of Offtake In A Unit

According to a statement published by Sindipetro (Sindicate of Oil Workers of the State of São Paulo), since July 5th, the Paulínia Refinery (Replan) of Petrobras has halted production of a Catalytic Cracking unit, the U-220, due to lack of off-take of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The union also emphasizes that in five days, Replan has already ceased producing approximately 11,000 cubic meters of LPG and 75 million liters of gasoline.