The Shale Oil Company contains several operating units that comprise its Aston, Ohio, manufacturing complex. These units process the crude oil that is pumped through and transform it into a multitude of hydrocarbon products. The units run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and must be shut down for maintenance on a pre-determined schedule. One such unit is Distillation Unit No. 5, or DU5. Studies have shown that DU5 can operate only 3.5 years without major equipment breakdowns and excessive loss of efficiency. Document Preview:
Shale Oil Company Internet Case Study: Shale Oil Company The Shale Oil Company contains several operating units that comprise its Aston, Ohio, manufacturing complex. These units process the crude oil that is pumped through and transform it into a multitude of hydrocarbon products. The units run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and must be shut down for maintenance on a pre-determined schedule. One such unit is Distillation Unit No. 5, or DU5. Studies have shown that DU5 can operate only 3.5 years without major equipment breakdowns and excessive loss of efficiency. Therefore, DU5 is shut down every 3.5 years for cleaning, inspection, and repairs. DU5 is the only distillation unit for crude oil in the Aston complex, and its shut down severely affects all other operating units. Some of the production can be compensated by Shale refineries in other locations, but the rest must be processed before the shutdown and stored. Without proper planning, a nationwide shortage of Shale gasoline could occur. The timing of DU5's shutdown is critical, and the length of time the unit is down must be kept to a minimum to limit production loss. Shale uses PERT as a planning and controlling tool to minimize shut-down time. The preventive maintenance for DU5 is as follows. Time Estimates (days) ActivitiesOptMost LikelyPess Pred(s)1. Circulate wash water throughout unit122.5 -2. Install blinds1.522.5 13. Open and clean vessels and columns234 24. Open and clean heat exchangers, remove tube bundles123 25. Open and clean furnaces124 26. Open and clean mechanical equipment22.53 27. Inspect instrumentation245 28. Inspect vessels and columns123 39. Inspect heat exchanger shells11.52 410. Inspect tube bundles11.52 411. Inspect furnaces22.53 512. Retube furnaces152030 513. Inspect mechanical equipment11.52 614. Install new pump mechanical seals358 615. Repair...