Neste’s refinery in Kilpilahti, Porvoo is one of Europe’s most versatile refineries. Some of the company’s most important oil products are being made here, as well as renewable diesel. FSP has operated in the Kilpilahti area for decades.
The refinery complex of Neste Oyj in Kilpilahti, Porvoo is awe-inspiring. The area, comprising several production lines, distribution terminal, sewage treatment plant, harbour and a technology centre, has around two thousand people working there continuously, periodically even thousands more. FSP has operated in the area since the 1960s.
– FSP does for example maintenance painting and fireproof coating in the entire refinery area, says Jyri Hyttinen, Area Technician at the Neste Porvoo refinery. – On top of that, there are individual coating projects such as the surface treatment of new production facilities and tanks.
Hyttinen’s areas of responsibility are surface treatment and passive fireproofing.
– Every year, we do some tank maintenance, supplementary painting of welded seams and maintenance painting of worn steel structures and pipelines, Hyttinen says.
SELF-DIRECTED COOPERATION
Jyri Hyttinen pleased with the cooperation with FSP.
– We see FSP as a long-standing, reliable partner. Their work is well-managed, and Supervisor Jori Keronen is a true superman, he complements. – Working is smooth, even though the circumstances at the refinery are quite special. We have extensive permit processes and safety requirements: in addition to a general occupational safety certification, every employee must go through Neste’s own training. We have regular exchange with FSP’s supervisors and personnel on safety matters.
Otherwise, work flows on, both together and individually.
– We have phone calls with the FSP people every day and occasionally see each other on the field, but they are so self-directed that there is no need for daily meetings. We trust them a lot, Hyttinen sums up.
He says that, in the future, especially passive fireproofing will be used more and more. Passive fireproofing means using surface treatment as a method for preventing a fire from spreading.
– We use a special coating that swells with heat, slowing the fire down. The new chemical regulations compel us to protect our equipment, both new and old. That is why we install pipe supports also for new pipes, and we fireproof them.
Kilpilahti is currently concentrating on planning and resourcing the major stoppage planned for spring 2020.
PRE-TREATMENT INDOORS, COATING IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES
Some of the maintenance painting and servicing are done onsite in the refinery area, other works at FSP’s surface treatment facilities in Kilpilahti.
– Indoor conditions are not only good for new projects. Maintenance pre-treatment, for example, is better to do at a facility rather than onsite. The desired level of pre-treatment can be difficult to achieve in the field. Work permits might be hard to get for process conditions due to safety hazards or dust. When indoors, we can work in a more controlled way, Hyttinen describes.
Pre-treatment also varies along with different paint types. Sometimes, the desired class is “very precise cleaning by hand” or “very thorough shot blasting”. On the other hand, with advances in products and methods, more and more work can be done in the field.
– We are just about to test a fire-insulating coating that could be spread in subzero temperatures. Many of today’s surface paints are also suitable for painting even though it is freezing.
New materials and methods are researched cooperatively.
– We discuss our needs, and often the suggestion comes from FSP.
QUALITY CONTROL WITH ELECTRONIC MEASUREMENT REPORTS AND SPOT CHECKS
Quality control is very strict in all works done at the Porvoo refinery.
– All tasks are completed according to Neste’s own specifications, which are based on industry standards, Jyri Hyttinen describes the requirements.
FSP conducts film thickness measurements and fills electronic reports that allow returning to the measurement results at a later time. Neste also makes occasional spot checks.
– More thorough checks are performed jointly on tank coatings, but we trust FSP’s own measurements and reports on those as well, Hyttinen says.
In addition to the Porvoo refinery, FSP also operates in Neste’s refinery area in Naantali. There, too, FSP does maintenance and project painting work.
Also read the article:
Long and extensive experience from the energy industry
