Why refinery turnarounds need a multi-discipline contractor
A refinery turnaround is the highest-intensity construction event in the process industry. Hundreds of workers execute thousands of tasks simultaneously inside a depressured unit — vessels open, exchangers pulled, columns de-internalled, piping cut and replaced, electrical cables re-routed, instruments calibrated — all against a fixed shutdown window where every extra day costs the refinery Rs 5-15 crore in lost production.
The #1 cause of TAR schedule overrun is interface gaps between contractors. When separate contractors handle mechanical, piping, electrical, and painting, no one owns the sequence. Scaffolding goes up for the mechanical crew and blocks the painter. The piping spool arrives but the structural modification isn't ready. The E&I crew waits for the piping crew to finish hydrotest.
HAIL eliminates this by self-performing all twelve disciplines under one contract — the same single-point EPC model that works for capital projects, applied to the compressed timeline of a refinery turnaround.
Turnaround disciplines we self-perform
Mechanical maintenance
Vessel entry and inspection support, exchanger bundle pulling, pump and compressor overhaul, column internals (tray/packing) replacement, catalyst handling, and reactor maintenance.
Piping — spool replacement & tie-ins
Corroded piping cut-out, pre-fabricated spool installation, new tie-ins for capital modifications, field welding, NDT, hydrotest, and flange management per ASME PCC-1. Full piping capability.
Heavy lift & equipment change-out
Column change-out, reactor head removal, exchanger bundle extraction, pump and compressor swap-out using HAIL's owned 200/100/50/20 MT crane fleet. Column erection detail.
Structural steel modifications
Platform extensions, pipe rack modifications, equipment foundation alterations, fireproofing repairs, and structural steel fabrication for capital modification scope within the TAR.
Electrical & instrumentation
Cable replacement, motor overhaul, switchgear servicing, transmitter calibration, control valve overhaul, safety system testing, and loop verification before start-up.
Painting & coatings
SA 2.5 blast and repaint of corroded piping, structural steel and equipment. Intumescent fireproofing repair. NACE/SSPC compliant coating systems with DFT verification.
Turnaround vs shutdown vs capital revamp
| Type | Duration | Typical scope | HAIL's role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnaround (TAR) | 30-60 days | Major overhaul + capital modifications, catalyst change, column re-tray, equipment upgrade | Multi-discipline execution contractor — all mechanical, piping, E&I, painting, heavy lift |
| Planned shutdown | 7-21 days | Routine maintenance, inspection, gasket replacement, minor piping repairs | Mechanical + piping + painting contractor |
| Capital revamp | 12-36 months | Unit upgrade/expansion — new equipment, additional capacity, debottlenecking | Full EPC contractor with brownfield execution inside operating refinery |
| Online maintenance | Ongoing | Running repairs, leak rectification, instrument calibration during normal operation | Supplementary maintenance crew under refinery PTW system |
Refinery units we service
- Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) — column internals, overhead condenser, atmospheric and vacuum heaters, crude piping.
- Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU) — vacuum column re-packing, ejector overhaul, vacuum residue piping.
- Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) — reactor/regenerator internals, cyclone repair, slide valve overhaul, flue gas system.
- Delayed Coker — coke drums, fractionator internals, heavy-lift of coke drum heads, HP piping. Currently executing at IOCL Barauni Coker-B.
- Hydrocracker / Hydrotreater — reactor catalyst change-out, HP separator inspection, hydrogen piping integrity.
- Reformer (CCR / Semi-Regen) — reactor re-catalyst, regenerator maintenance, net gas compressor overhaul.
- Sulphur Recovery Unit (SRU) — reactor catalyst change, Claus converter internals, amine system maintenance.
- Tank farm & terminals — storage tank internal inspection, floor replacement, roof repair, nozzle reinforcement pads.
- Utilities — boiler overhaul, cooling tower repair, flare system maintenance, fire water network.
Active turnaround reference — IOCL Barauni Coker-B Revamp
HAIL is currently executing a Rs 105 Crore multi-discipline EPCC contract at IOCL Barauni Refinery — the Coker-B Unit Revamp. This project combines capital revamp scope with turnaround-grade execution discipline inside a live refinery:
- Process piping fabrication & erection — high-pressure hydrocarbon piping per ASME B31.3.
- Industrial painting & coating — SA 2.5 surface preparation, NACE-compliant systems.
- Electrical works — cable laying, terminations, motor connections, earthing.
- Cathodic protection — for buried vessels and pipelines.
- Heavy equipment erection — column and vessel placement using 200 MT crane fleet.
- Civil construction — foundations, equipment platforms, drainage.
- Instrumentation — field instrument installation, cable tray, junction boxes, loop checking.
- Pre-commissioning & commissioning support — system testing inside live refinery operating environment.
All disciplines delivered by a single integrated HAIL team under one PO for UPS Constructions Pvt. Ltd. This project proves HAIL's ability to coordinate complex multi-disciplinary work inside a running refinery — the core competence required for turnaround execution.
Pre-TAR fabrication — compressing the critical path
Every day saved on the turnaround critical path saves the refinery Rs 5-15 crore in lost throughput. HAIL's 33,000 sq.ft. fabrication workshop in Vadodara is the key to compressing turnaround schedules:
- Piping spools: All replacement and modification spools fabricated, fit-up verified, NDT'd and painted at workshop — ready for bolt-in during the TAR window.
- Structural modifications: Platform extensions, stairway modifications, and pipe rack changes fabricated and trial-assembled at workshop.
- Vessel components: Nozzle assemblies, manway frames, internal support rings, and distributor trays fabricated to drawing.
- Pressure vessel components: Shell sections, heads, and reinforcement pads for weld overlay or replacement scope.
Refineries we serve
| Refinery | Location | HAIL status |
|---|---|---|
| IOCL Barauni | Bihar | Active — Rs 105 Cr Coker-B Revamp (ongoing) |
| IOCL Gujarat Refinery | Koyali, Gujarat | Approved contractor, past execution |
| Nayara Energy | Vadinar, Gujarat | Approved contractor |
| IOCL terminals | Pan India + Nepal | Registered IOCL vendor Gujarat, executed Amlekhgunj Nepal terminal |
| BPCL / HPCL / Reliance | Various | Leadership experience at multiple facilities |
HSE for refinery turnarounds
Turnaround safety is non-negotiable — one incident can stop the entire TAR and add weeks to the schedule. HAIL's turnaround HSE system:
- Safety officer ratio: 1:50 workers during TAR (higher than standard construction).
- Permit-to-Work: Fully integrated with refinery PTW system — hot work, confined space, height work, excavation, radiography permits.
- Daily toolbox talks — task-specific JSA review before every shift.
- Confined space entry protocol: Atmospheric testing, rescue standby, continuous monitoring for vessel entry work.
- Hot work management: Fire watch, LEL monitoring, fire blankets, and emergency response team on standby.
- Fall protection: 100% tie-off policy above 1.8m, scaffold inspection tags, and work-at-height rescue plan.
- Track record: Zero major incidents inside live IOCL refineries (Barauni, Gujarat).
Why HAIL for your refinery turnaround
- 12 disciplines, one contractor — no interface gaps between mechanical, piping, E&I, and painting crews.
- Owned crane fleet: 200/100/50/20 MT — no rental dependency during the TAR window when crane demand peaks across all Indian refineries.
- Pre-fabrication workshop: 33,000 sq.ft. facility in Vadodara for piping spools, structural modifications, and vessel components — compressing the critical path.
- Live refinery experience: Active Rs 105 Cr contract inside IOCL Barauni; approved at Nayara Vadinar and IOCL Gujarat Koyali.
- Zero major incidents: Proven safety record inside operating refineries.
- WPS/PQR qualified: ASME Section IX welding procedures for all refinery metallurgies including chrome-moly and stainless steel.
- 24/7 shift capability: Experienced in continuous turnaround shift patterns to meet the shutdown window.
- Gujarat location: Vadodara is within 300 km of Jamnagar (Reliance), Vadinar (Nayara), Koyali (IOCL), and Hazira — enabling rapid mobilisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is a refinery turnaround (TAR)?
A turnaround is a planned shutdown of a refinery processing unit for inspection, maintenance, repair and capital modification. TARs happen every 3-5 years per unit and last 20-60 days, requiring hundreds of workers executing all disciplines simultaneously.
What is the difference between a turnaround and a shutdown?
A turnaround (TAR) includes major overhaul and capital modifications (30-60 days). A planned shutdown is routine maintenance without major capital work (7-21 days). HAIL executes both.
Which refineries has HAIL worked at?
Active at IOCL Barauni (Rs 105 Cr Coker-B Revamp). Approved contractor at Nayara Energy Vadinar and IOCL Gujarat Koyali. Registered IOCL vendor Gujarat. Leadership experience across BPCL, HPCL, and Reliance.
What disciplines does HAIL self-perform during a TAR?
Mechanical, piping, structural steel, electrical, instrumentation, painting, heavy lift, and pre-commissioning — all twelve disciplines under one contract with single-point accountability.
How does HAIL manage turnaround safety?
Safety officer ratio of 1:50, PTW integrated with refinery system, daily toolbox talks, JSA per task, confined-space protocol, hot-work management, 100% tie-off above 1.8m. Zero major incidents inside live IOCL refineries.
Does HAIL do pre-fabrication before the TAR?
Yes — piping spools, structural modifications, vessel components, and painting all done at our 33,000 sq.ft. Vadodara workshop before the TAR window opens. Pre-fabrication is the single biggest schedule compression tool.
Does HAIL handle brownfield revamps during turnarounds?
Yes — turnarounds are the only window for capital modifications inside operating refineries. We execute equipment upgrades, piping modifications, new tie-ins, and column internals replacement during the TAR window alongside maintenance scope.
What is HAIL's largest refinery project?
Rs 105 Crore IOCL Barauni Coker-B Revamp — multi-discipline EPCC covering piping, painting, electrical, cathodic protection, heavy equipment erection, civil, instrumentation, and pre-commissioning.