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End User Interview
Air test after tubesheet reparation in boiler water preheater. Photo courtesy of YPF.
castable refractory. However, due to the complexity of the design and limited expertise in refractory maintenance, heat has, over time, penetrated the tubesheet( A 182 P11), causing severe cracking. This has extended turnaround times from 10 to 30 days.”
What are the main difficulties you’ ve encountered over the last ten years from a maintenance perspective?“ From a maintenance standpoint, one of our greatest difficulties is that the plant’ s original design did not prioritize ease of repair. The need for frequent inspections and maintenance is at odds with the plant’ s design constraints. Furthermore, our remote location adds another layer of complexity, as sourcing specialized labour for inspections and repairs is both challenging and costly.”
What solutions have you implemented to address these challenges?“ Given the design limitations of our plant, we’ ve had to adapt and optimize our approach to maintenance and reliability. With over 20 years of operational experience, we’ ve leveraged our accumulated knowledge and data to prevent failures and mitigate equipment damage. We actively develop and implement risk-based inspection( RBI) strategies, integrity operating windows( IOW), and corrosion control documents( CCD) to improve predictive maintenance.”“ To bridge the experience gap, we also work closely with our maintenance contractors, ensuring that best practices are followed. Additionally, we’ ve taken steps to enhance the design of equipment nearing replacement by incorporating lessons learned from past issues.”“ One of our major improvements has been upgrading materials in key heat exchangers. We have replaced certain components with advanced alloys that provide greater corrosion resistance
and durability under high-temperature conditions. For example, in our vertical exhaust gas duct heat exchangers, we are evaluating alternatives such as stainless steel to better withstand the extreme heat and chemical exposure.”“ For instance, we’ ve replaced brick refractory linings with gunning refractory in our process gas boiler to make maintenance more efficient, leveraging our experience in contractor-based gunning applications. We are also in the process of procuring a new water preheater designed with inner bore welding for the tubesheet-tube joint, which will improve durability. Moreover, we are evaluating material changes in our vertical exhaust gas duct heat exchangers to better accommodate high temperatures.”“ In summary, our methanol plant relies on a highly integrated system of stationary equipment operating under extreme conditions. A single equipment failure can disrupt the entire process. Balancing process efficiency, personnel safety, regulatory compliance, and budget constraints is no easy task, but our goal remains clear: continuously improve our approach to reliability and maintenance to achieve long-term operational success. At the same time, we are mindful of the plant’ s significance to the local economy and community, ensuring that our operations continue to provide jobs and support regional development.”
Reparation of distribution pipe inside casing of vertical exchanger place in the exhaust gas duct. This configuration makes it difficult to perform a reparation. Photo courtesy of YPF.
18 Heat Exchanger World June 2025 www. heat-exchanger-world. com