Delivering Excellence Under Pressure

As the UK’s largest integrated petrochemical complex, the site is one of Europe’s leading refining and manufacturing hubs, encompassing ethylene production at Fife, a 700km pipeline network, five fuel terminals and offshore assets, while producing essential energy products, lubricants and chemicals that support everyday life.

As part of the 2024 Lionheart Turnaround Campaign, our client’s most extensive and multi-faceted turnaround in over 20 years, we were entrusted with delivering 24/7 NDT coverage, totalling approximately 26,000 man-hours, with a comprehensive range of inspection methods. This £120 million investment, in total involved over 1,400 personnel and more than one million work hours, underscoring the scale and significance of the operation.

The Challenge

Delivering this critical campaign required balancing two major priorities; fulfilling our ongoing contractual obligations while efficiently executing a high-intensity, time‑sensitive campaign. To achieve this, we mobilised an additional dedicated team of experts ensuring both streams of work progressed safely without compromising quality.

With multiple contractors operating simultaneously across the site, coordination was key. Our teams had to maintain constant communication with third party welders, specialist cleaning crews, and other stakeholders to ensure inspections could be conducted swiftly as and when work fronts became available. Inspection delays could have led to bottlenecks, affecting both the project timeline and safety compliance.

The Solution

We deployed multi-disciplined NDT teams across rotating day and night shifts to ensure continuous inspection coverage, delivering the highest levels of service and operational excellence. This included both conventional techniques such as Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) and Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI), as well as advanced methods like Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT), Time of Flight Diffraction (ToFD), and radiography.

Our NDT Technical Manager also spent four weeks on-site during the turnaround, working night shifts alongside our technicians. His presence provided hands-on leadership and ensured immediate support for any technical queries.

Photo: Our site teams were twice awarded ‘Company of the Week’ by our client, with charitable donations being made on their behalf to causes of their choice.

The Conclusion

The Lionheart Turnaround Campaign was a resounding success, demonstrating our ability to deliver high-quality NDT services under intense operational and logistical pressure.

Through proactive planning and seamless coordination, our teams delivered round-the-clock support, enabling the safe and efficient completion of ExxonMobil Fawley’s most significant turnaround in over two decades.

Delivering high-quality inspection services during a campaign or turnaround is essential to helping clients achieve safe, efficient and compliant operations. Our proactive support reduces downtime, keeps projects on schedule and ensures critical assets are inspected to the highest standards. By providing timely, accurate data, we enable confident decision-making and help clients meet regulatory requirements. Strong performance during these high-pressure periods also reinforces trust and ensures seamless coordination with other workstreams, all contributing to a successful turnaround outcome.

Our team’s performance, marked by precision, resilience, and professionalism, was recognised twice as “Company of the Week” by ExxonMobil for their outstanding contributions.

Through our partnership approach, we deliver comprehensive support and a complete range of inspection and Non‑Destructive Testing (NDT) services during every stage of an asset’s lifetime – from fabrication through to decommissioning.

We focus on utilising innovative techniques that meet the evolving needs of our clients. Our team of level 3 qualified technical experts explore new ideas and transform them into operational solutions.