The Abreu e Lima Refinery (RNEST) begins its first scheduled maintenance shutdown since the unit began operating in 2014. Planned to meet regulatory standards, and essential for the refinery’s operational safety, the shutdown will include the maintenance of practically all of the refinery’s equipment, such as compressors, engines, vessels, heat exchangers, valves, reactors and others, which total about 3 thousand pieces of equipment in all units of train 1 of RNEST.
The stoppage is expected to last about 45 days and the planning started two years ago. To carry out the maintenance shutdown, several companies were contracted, which estimate to employ approximately 3,000 people, who will work in the various units and areas of the refinery, divided into shifts and following all safety and prevention protocols established by covid-19.
Petrobras focuses on operational safety with HSE performance indicators in the first quartile of the industry. Maintenance shutdowns are intended to maintain the refinery’s operational safety and reliability, reestablish operational capabilities, and promote improvements in its facilities. The services also comply with NR-13 – Regulatory Standard of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, which establishes a maximum period of six years for the units to operate without interruption.
Production analysis and refining logistics are carried out for the event, which guarantees the fulfillment of commercial commitments for all derivatives. Regarding the local market, diesel oil will be supplied with planned inventories available at the refinery. Any needs can be met by receiving cabotage or even imports. Other products such as gasoline, LPG and QAV will not be impacted by the general shutdown of the refinery.
Petrobras promotes the search for excellence in health and safety and, therefore, the stops are carried out in compliance with the protocols of the Ministry of Health and the various internal protocols of Petrobras, including the use of protective masks, adaptation of environments and means transport to facilitate social distancing, reinforcement of cleaning and sanitizing actions of environments and equipment, abundant supply of alcohol gel for hand cleaning and daily temperature measurement for all workers before entering the refinery, as well as awareness actions . In addition, quick tests are carried out on 100% of the candidates presented by the contractors before entering the refinery, which are repeated every 14 days in the entire contingent, promoting removal when necessary.
About RNEST
The Abreu e Lima Refinery has a current installed capacity of 130 thousand barrels per day, which corresponds to 5% of the country’s total oil refining capacity.
It currently produces diesel with low sulfur content (69% of production), naphtha, fuel oil, green coke, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and, in 2020, it started to produce gasoline A, after receiving authorization from the National Agency of Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) for operation of the petrochemical naphtha pipeline also with gasoline.
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