2003 - Petrobras, Fertilizers Plant (Fafen Laranjeiras), Brazil
Summary
The Fafen Laranjeiras plant was a critical part of Petrobras’ strategy to increase domestic fertilizer production, reducing reliance on imports. The facility was designed to produce ammonia and urea, essential components for agricultural fertilizers.
Challanges
Ensuring continuous production while managing the high risks associated with chemical processing and ammonia handling was a primary challenge. Given the plant’s high operational demands, unplanned shutdowns could lead to major economic and safety concerns.
Solution
Performed RAM studies to identify bottlenecks in production and improve system uptime.
Applied process hazard analysis (PHA) techniques, including HAZOP, to mitigate safety risks in ammonia production.
Developed SIL assessments for critical instrumentation and control systems, ensuring compliance with IEC 61511.
Established a predictive maintenance program to monitor critical rotating equipment and prevent failures.
