The oil refining assets of JSC Kazmunaigas Oil Company, Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant and Atyrau Refinery, have been successfully using GE Meridium APM since mid-2018 to manage the efficiency and reliability of process equipment. Maintex was involved in the implementation of solution from the onset of the project:
- In November 2016, the GE Meridium APM solution was chosen as a platform, and in May 2017, the implementation of a solution for centralized management of reliability and mechanical integrity of the equipment began. Maintex was selected as a contractor for implementation of this system and provision of related consulting services.
- In July 2018, Maintex organized training workshops on working in GE Meridium APM software for the management of JSC Kazmunaigas Oil Company and enterprises as a part of the final stage of overhaul interval increasing program at oil refineries.
- In September 2018, implementation of GE Meridium APM solution at JSC Kazmunaigas Oil Company refineries was completed which was another stage of “Transition to an increased overhaul interval by implementing leading global practices and experience in managing maintenance and repair and ensuring reliability and mechanical integrity” project.
The results of almost a year of solution operation and application of novel approaches showed the need for more in-depth training in the methodical foundations of reliability and risk managing. Practice has proven that even the best-in-class solution in itself is not able to guarantee 100% achievement of goals set for the project. The platform itself is a solid foundation, but still just one of the success components. A detailed analysis of the current situation showed that the greatest potential for increasing efficiency in the field of asset management lies in a wider and deeper application of RCM, FMECA, RCA and RBI analysis techniques. The audit resulted in a training program on reliability management techniques and practices which will be accompanied by the Maintex team mentorship.
In October and November 2019, Maintex consultants held seminars for the Reliability and Mechanical Integrity (RMI) departments personnel at Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant and Atyrau Refinery. The seminars focused on theoretical foundations of managing the efficiency of production assets, reliability of process equipment and basics of work planning.
On completing the training, the employees were able to take a fresh look at the familiar processes, rethink them, take a different approach to analysis of data accumulated in GE Meridium APM and find new, more effective solutions to everyday tasks. The Kazmunaigas employees' improved proficiency in using GE Meridium APM instantly provided better concentration on solving business problems.
The next long-term phase of interaction between Kazmunaigas Oil company and Maintex is continued mentoring, joint remote work and control, routine audits of business progress and assessments of current state, and expansion of mastered functionality of the GE Meridium APM platform.
