Revamps and Retrofits: A Path to Evergreen Facilities

An intelligent approach to developing the scope of retrofit projects can allow facilities to remain competitive in the marketplace and meet regulatory requirements Timely and well executed retrofit projects are critical for most facilities in the chemical process industries (CPI) as they strive to remain competitive players in the marketplace, meet the owner’s business needs and maintain regulatory compliance. Retrofit projects and new-facility projects lie on a spectrum, with the two having many similar requirements and qualities (Figure 1). With a sustainable plan and schedule, retrofit projects can be accomplished incrementally. The benefit of this approach is an “evergreen” facility that is responsive to business needs. This article focuses on scope development for revamp and retrofit projects, and presents many of the important considerations for undertaking a retrofit project. FIGURE 1. It is often the case that making improvements to CPI facilities is more cost-effective than replacing them[/caption] Retrofit versus revamp A “revamp project” replaces or upgrades equipment or systems to increase production capability or performance in an existing facility or industrial site. A “retrofit project” modifies, enhances,…