As the destruction and disruption caused by Hurricane Ida sadly illustrate, hurricanes can put a major hurt on the oil and petroleum facilities located along the coast. As Aura Engineering works to help our neighbors and clients in Louisiana recover from the devastation, a discussion about how to prepare for major storms and recover quickly and efficiently afterward doesn’t get much timelier than right now.
Ida is only the latest disaster to disrupt the petroleum and petrochemical industries of late. The COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented freezing weather across the U.S., pipeline cancellations, and unprecedented shipping delays in just the last couple years have led many of our clients to reevaluate what it means to be prepared. At Aura, we are no strangers to dealing with disasters, and we are honored to share our expertise with facilities across the United States.
Often, we recommend that our partners in the industry begin with an inventory of spare parts. While it’s certainly wise to keep plenty of spare parts on hand under any circumstances, following a disaster, shipments often slow down and maintenance workers are occupied with their own families and property. For this reason, many of our clients discover too late that getting the spare parts and replacement parts they need to keep systems functioning in compliance with the law is no easy task following a hurricane landfall.
The time to inventory and order the spare parts you’re most likely to need is before the storm hits. Our seasoned engineering staff is standing by not only to help make recommendations, but also to source and even install the parts you need. Sometimes, the damage from a hurricane is so great that replacement parts simply won’t get the job done. In such cases, we can design and build new vapor control systems, chemical storage, control panels, and other equipment you need to start up operations again.
The best way to keep your equipment safe, of course, is to avoid getting hit by a hurricane at all. While we can’t control the weather (yet), Aura Engineering can perform services just as remarkable. Our crews can actually move your sensitive equipment, such as control panels, from your facility to a safer inland location away from the storm. Once the danger has passed, we can quickly return your equipment and get everything set up again for startup.
Once again, the key to success is planning ahead. Don’t wait for the next storm to appear on radar! Contact Aura Engineering today for assistance with putting a smart, efficient plan together just in case a major storm comes your way. With many decades of combined engineering experience along the Gulf Coast, Team Aura has the expertise to help you prepare for hurricanes—and make repairs after they hit.
A little preparation before the storm goes a long way. Give us a call today to begin making ready. If you need our assistance after the storm, we’ll be here for you then, too. Working together, we can make your facility’s operations safer than ever before.