10189 Non-Technical Solutions for Technical Challenges

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Product Number: 51300-10189-SG

ISBN: 10189 2010 CP

Author: Martyn G. B. Cooper and John Fletcher

Publication Date: 2010

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This paper discusses the process followed to justify a corrosion management solution affecting a CO2 removal plant in Moomba Central Australia. CO₂ removal is via Benfield units which have suffered significant corrosion events since the early 1980’s. These events have been hard to detect, have consumed vast quantities of engineering time and have led to expensive and time consuming repairs. Engineering solutions to stop the corrosion events were identified but for valid reasons were not implemented.

The reasons why the engineering solutions were not implemented is discussed along with how this corrosion problem was successfully addressed in 2006 through a process of continual improvement. The cause of the corrosion was seen mainly as an asset integrity or corrosion engineering (technical) issue, which meant the human or organizational cultural issues associated with implementing a solution were not identified and addressed. Once these cultural factors were addressed the solution was planned, scheduled and implemented and is used here as an example to illustrate how these (non technical) cultural barriers can be overcome.

Keywords: organizational culture, change enablers, change barriers, continuous improvement