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The current decision of the Unipetrol Crisis Committee is to reduce the planned shutdown of the Litvínov plant by 60 percent

20-03-2020  

We fully realize the seriousness of the current situation and the sanitary risks associated with the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, following a thorough assessment of the situation and discussions with the competent state administration authorities, Unipetrol’s Crisis Team has decided to reduce the volume of work on the scheduled turnaround at our Litvínov plant by 60% in the planned period between 9 April and 10 June 2020. We have submitted this measure to the Central Crisis Staff through the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
 
With this alternative, we can meet the existing statutory requirements and minimise the risks associated with the potential spread of the infection. The health of our employees, employees of supplier companies, inhabitants of the towns and municipalities in the vicinity of our plant is our priority. Equally, we want to secure seamless supplies of strategic products, especially fuels, on the Czech market.
 
The turnaround implemented in the proposed extent will allow us:
 
  • to reduce the scope of maintenance work by 60% from about 5,800 activities to approx. 2,300 activities;
  • to reduce the number of people working on the turnaround by 55% from 2,800 to 1,260;
  • to reduce the number of workers of other nationalities by 48% from 1,090 to 570. The planned involvement of workers of other nationalities is as follows:
     Slovakia: 270
     Poland: 230
     Serbia: 50 (these people have a long-term residence in the Czech Republic)
     Germany: 20 + individuals, specialists from France, Belgium and the Netherlands

 

The main reasons to implement the turnaround in this extent:
  • To meet the legislative requirements for the dedicated gas equipment, dedicated pressure equipment, dedicated electrical equipment – statutory requirements, operational safety;
  • To perform activities/repairs to ensure integrity, i.e. safe operation of the equipment – replacement of piping and appliances with thinned walls or material’s degradation under the respective limit;
  • To make inspections and potential repairs of safety elements in all production operations (especially emergency torches, safety valves, emergency call-down systems);
  • To clean the clogged equipment – to ensure technological safety and functionality (heat exchange, circulation);
  • To perform repairs of internal fittings (parts) in appliances – to ensure technological safety and functionality;
  • To replace catalysers – to ensure technological functionality of the equipment.
 
During the turnaround, the central production units that are necessary for the continued operation and production of strategic products for the Czech Republic will be inspected:
  • Production of hydrogen for the refinery and ammonia – replacement of the critically thinned pipe manifolds, replacement of the underground distribution system for cooling water, completion of the production unit’s revitalisation;
  • Ammonia production – replacement of the internal pressure fitting in the reactor, catalyser replacement;
  • Oil distilling – distilling furnace repairs, replacement of pins for oil gasification (the refinery cannot operate without this);
  • Field burner/refinery’s emergency torch – repairs of the field burner body for incineration of excessive gases
  • Polypropylene production – replacement of high-pressure propylene coolers
 
Current measures:
 
As one of the crucial actions, we recommend that, for example, the Ministry of Health assigns an expert or team of experts to Unipetrol during the turnaround. They would supervise or even control the measures minimising the risks of the spread of the virus during the turnaround. This could, for example, involve the introduction of SARS-CoV-2a tests of workers from abroad.
 
The adopted and planned health protection measures focus on the defragmentation of bigger groups of people (initial training sessions, entrances, smoking areas, turnaround staffs, catering, issuance of work permits), increased hygiene (higher frequency of cleaning of individual spaces and equipment) and provision of a sufficient number of aids for the respiratory protection:
 
1. Provision of own entrance/exit to/from the premises for the contractors and their vehicles;
2. The entry of the contractors will be adjusted to prevent any accumulation of people;
3. Temperature measurements and, if possible, contractor testing for the presence of COVID-19;
4. Any contractors with symptoms of the disease will not be allowed to the premises;
5. The contractors will be divided into zones – each zone will be marked and each contractor will have the same mark on a card;
6. Any movements of people beyond the work performed and the designated zones will be prohibited;
7. We will introduce increased disinfection of hands at busy locations in Chempark (gates, card and training centre), including increased disinfection of surfaces;
8. Individual sites will be equipped with sanitary, catering and relaxation facilities;
9. The food-dispensing system will separate the staff from the customers;
10. There will be several dispensing points to minimise groupings;
11. Only packaged food, including a schedule, will be provided;
12. It will be prohibited to eat food on the site; it will be possible only in the space of external suppliers (Portakabins);
13.  The premises will be regularly disinfected and equipped with disinfectants and information materials;
14. All persons must be equipped with means to eliminate the spread of the infection (facemasks, respirators, half-masks);
15. The premises will be subject to regular supervision. Sanitary facilities will be increasingly disinfected, and the use by different entities will be restricted to the maximum;
16. The operation of smoking rooms in closed areas will be limited;
17. Generally, total operations will be adjusted to restrict any groupings (work coordination, minimisation of movement of external suppliers on the closed employer premises, minimisation of contact when delivering work permits, the limited activity of staffs, skype meetings, teleconferences, etc.).
18. Other measures include the adjustment of training sessions for external suppliers (limited capacity, use of facemasks, respirators, disinfection of spaces, more dates to provide training to employees of independent entities).
 
In conclusion, allow me to repeat and emphasise that we are making every effort to be ready to protect our employees and employees of external companies from infection in case the turnaround is implemented. We are aware of our responsibility to the inhabitants of the towns and municipalities in our vicinity. As a company making strategic products that are necessary for the full functioning of the Czech Republic, we are taking steps to ensure safety and continuity of production.
 
Tomáš Herink
Member of the Board of Directors of the Unipetrol Group responsible for the production
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
The Unipetrol Group is the largest refinery and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude-oil processing and on the production, distribution and sale of vehicle fuels and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. In all these areas, it belongs among the important players on the Czech and Central European market. The Unipetrol Group encompasses refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo with its Mogul brand in Pardubice and Kolín, Spolana Neratovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. Unipetrol also includes a network of Benzina filling stations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With 416 filling stations, Benzina is the largest chain in the Czech Republic. Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in terms of turnover in the Czech Republic. It earned CZK 129 billion last year and employs more than 4,800 persons. In addition to its business development, Unipetrol is proud to be a socially responsible corporation. Therefore, it pays an equal amount of attention to initiatives which focus on the cultivation and support of sustainable development, education, local communities, and the environment. In 2005, Unipetrol became a member of the PKN Orlen Group, the largest crude-oil processor in Central Europe.

Contact: Pavel Kaidl, spokesman, Telephone No.: +420 736 502 520, e-mail: pavel.kaidl@unipetrol.cz
 

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