Structural repairs to a sponge coker unit at this CITGO petroleum refinery required years of planning because of a narrow window of just 30 days to execute the $9.4-million project, which involved modifications to coke chutes, coke pit walls and floors, and head decks as well as supporting columns and beams.
Preparations included extensive training for each crew member—from labor to management—in the key areas of safety, task training and execution.