On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida, a Category 4, made landfall. The aftermath was devastating, and the impact of Hurricane Ida is still being felt across the Gulf Coast.
Over 96% of crude oil production and 94% of natural gas production in the United States are handled by Gulf Coast refineries and purification plants. When the pandemic started, many of these refineries had to shut down or downsize to essential personnel, causing many scheduled turnarounds to be placed on hold until further notice. Once new protocols were put in place, many oil refineries could reopen at partial capacity, but with no sign of a much-needed turnaround.
As soon as refineries seemed to be getting back to the “new normal” of the pandemic, Hurricane Ida ravaged the Gulf Coast. At least nine of the largest refineries in the country had to completely shut down for repair, and a few have yet to reach full recovery. Gulf Coast oil refineries had to shift focus from required turnarounds to repairing the damage from the recent hurricane. Each day a new problem arises for refineries in the Gulf Coast, and we acknowledge how difficult these problems can be to overcome.
Turnarounds can already be tough to orchestrate and manage without the added natural disaster factor. With a strict budget, timeline, and standards to follow, there are many moving parts needed to complete a successful turnaround. Click here for more resources on orchestrating a refinery turnaround and the challenges you might face.
PPE for Turnarounds & Gulf Coast Refineries
Although we cannot predict what adversities will come with the next turnaround, Lakeland can promise to help you keep your people protected on the job. With available inventory of superior chemical disposable products such as MicroMax® NS Global, ChemMax®, and Pyrolon®, along with FR coveralls commonly utilized by contractors, you can focus on the larger scale this turnaround season.
To make things even easier for our Gulf Coast customers, Lakeland has an assortment of warehouses that we own strategically located around the United States, allowing for better shipment times and insight into your order.
We also make it a priority to keep these items in the pipeline through a team of distributors near you, so you receive the PPE you need from a local contact. If you are not sure where to start, chat with one of our product specialists and request a free sample of eligible PPE.
