Marsden Point refinery is all set for an $85 million maintenance shutdown.
The work is needed for statutory inspections of equipment located across the Refining NZ site.
Work will start this week which will see hundreds of more people on site each day on top of 350 permanent staff. Engineering work will start on May 7.
The total number of staff on site will increase to 800-plus during the preparation for the shutdown.
Another 400 will be will be needed for the duration of the shutdown, taking the total to approximately 1,200 people working on site daily.
The utilities systems will be shut for a 10-day period for the first time in 14 years.
This allows for work on critical equipment and piping.
“The opportunity will also be taken to perform maintenance works, internal cleaning, and capital project works that cannot be carried out on the run,” Refining NZ says.
Other major work is on the hydrogen manufacturing unit, with work scheduled to “re-life” it for the next 20 years.
Refining NZ says a large proportion of the money spent on the maintenance will go back into the Northland community “through payments for employment, contracting, equipment, accommodation and other services”.
Contractors on site during the shutdown will include 110 labourers, 80 rigger/scaffolders, 50 water blasters, 85 safety watches, 80 inspection staff, 60 crane drivers and other drivers, 80 supervision and administration staff.
Crude oil bought by Refining NZ’s company customers (BP, Mobil, Z Energy) is shipped to the deep-water port at Marsden Point for refining into high-quality transport fuels for New Zealand.
It supplies around 85% of New Zealand’s demand for jet fuel, around 67% of its diesel, around 58% of its petrol and all its fuel oil for ships.
The refinery will produce fuel at lower volumes during the shutdown with fuel companies’ importing more refined fuel for the period.
