Providing Specialized Support Services for a Turnaround in Pascagoula

Overview

Our client’s refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is one of the top petroleum refineries in the United States and the company’s largest and most complex refinery worldwide, producing an average of 350,000 barrels of petroleum liquids per day. In January 2022, the 6,000-acre refinery slowed down production for a planned major turnaround, the second largest in its 60-year history. Sodexo's on-site presence was beneficial in cost and time savings. Over the course of three months, our team kept the schedule on track by delivering a range of services for an additional 4,800 workers on-site and solving large-scale logistical projects.

At this refinery turnaround, Sodexo played a key role in supporting our client with many aspects of the large-scale project — from catering to sanitation and janitorial services, to putting together lunch and office installations, to supplies and appliance purchase. In addition, our team was tasked with removing and reinstalling security gate equipment to facilitate transportation and deliveries of oversized equipment.

Sodexo has been offering facilities management to this site since 2019. This turnaround was the first project of its scale that the team was tasked with.

By the Numbers

• 24/7 operations for 11 weeks
• 6,000 acres refinery
• Up to 4,800 additional contractors on site
• 65 Sodexo employees

Challenge

With up to 4,800 additional workers on-site, the Sodexo team in Pascagoula had their work cut out for them. Some challenges included:

• Providing janitorial and cleaning services for double the workforce on-site
• Provided internal catering to a total of 13,537 guests in a three-month period, as well as assisting the refinery to facilitate external caterers for approximately 2,000 meals daily
• Installing three different lunch tents with a total of 1,200 seats
• Facilitating the purchase of 120 microwaves
• Supplying furniture for and installing 25 modular offices
• Providing the audio system in the control tent
• Facilitating and managing the inventory for 18 vending machines, triple the usual inventory at this site
• Supplying and servicing temporary 50% more portable restrooms throughout the site
• Facilitating the transportation logistics of a 2,500-ton crane brought in for a 1 million-pound module assembly

Solution

Despite the nationwide supply chain disruptions experienced, the team rose to the challenge and provided uninterrupted support without compromising service excellence.

One of the main factors in the success of the team was being part of the planning meetings from the get-go. The team was able to understand the scope of needs and plan accordingly, especially with regard to supply chain disruptions. So, despite delays in deliveries and unusually high numbers in some supplies, the team was ready and operational on January 10, the start date of the turnaround.

Leveraging Sodexo’s Supply Management
When one vendor ran out of the requested product for the modular offices, our team built the missing inventory specifically for that project.

To cover all needs throughout the 11-week project, the Sodexo team worked a combined 1,400 hours of overtime across all departments. Most of these hours were provided by the janitorial team, going from five to seven days a week to keep up with the increase in personnel on-site.

Tackling a Special Project with Expertise

The team modified existing refinery infrastructure for the transportation logistics of a 2,500-ton crane mobilization/demobilization from site. This crane was brought to the site for a specialized 1 million-pound module assembly. Taking down the truck gate meant our technical team had to remove all badge readers and security cameras. This operation was to happen three times throughout the 11-week period of the turnaround. It took hundreds of 18-wheelers going back and forth to bring all the pieces in.

Results

Despite the significant challenges faced, the team maintained their daily service with no additional staff. Their success in accomplishing this enormous project is a testament to their operational excellence.

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