Motiva Sour Water Stripper Project, Norco

The goal of Motiva's Sour Water Stripper Project was to perform the intricate process of converting outdated pneumatic process controls to a more efficient electronic system while adhering to the approved budget and the contractual timeframe during two simultaneous turnarounds.

Triad Electric & Controls Inc. of Baton Rouge successfully performed the assigned tasks, even though the scope of work increased by 24 percent midway through the project.

During execution of the project's two major contracts, eight subprojects were added to the scope of work five months into the schedule.

The Triad team was able to overcome a number of obstacles encountered during the project due to the vast experience and creativity of its team members. Particular attention must be directed to Triad's performance of inaugural tasks during the project and the cumbersome scheduling task that was further complicated by two simultaneous Motiva turnarounds.

Triad was initially faced with meeting independent project analysis standards so as to comply with new Motiva policy. In conjunction with a skilled Motiva project team, Triad conducted comprehensive research to define procedures required to prevent any disturbance to the operating plant during the project.

Each portion of the project included major interface points between existing operating units and hundreds of tie-in points for work being performed. Phases included mounting instruments, pulling wire, installing cable tray raceway, articulating with associated contractors, storing bulk materials, preparation for hot cutovers and demolition.

Field surveys were performed to expedite the design and installation of:

• 48,949 ft. of conduit
  
• 272,747 ft. of wire
  
• 870 instruments to install
  
• 1,151 instruments cut over "hot"

Although there is always the potential for disturbance to a facility when performing such intricate tasks under continuing operating conditions, Triad's primary mission was to consistently maintain standards of quality and safety and to ensure that plant production was not interrupted.