Background: Phillips 66, operating a refinery in Carson, CA, faced challenges related to inventory tracking and transparency during Turnaround projects. Despite using various contractors for inventory management, there was a lack of clarity regarding material movement, arrival status, and usage. The absence of real-time updates and delayed reporting hindered efficiency, resulting in potential material shortages, delays, and inconsistencies across Turnarounds.
Challenges:
- Lack of Transparency: Phillips 66 managers struggled with the inability to track material in real-time. They received reports late, sometimes months after a Turnaround, leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in material management.
- Inconsistent Contractors: Different contractors provided varying levels of service, which led to differences in reporting quality, communication, and accountability. Relying on only a few individuals for expertise posed risks.
- Material Shortages: The absence of a centralized system made it difficult to account for materials received, outstanding, and issued to contractors. This sometimes resulted in material shortages impacting critical path work.
- Lack of Visibility: There was no system in place to monitor material use on consignment trailers, leading to uncertainty about the materials’ status and location.
Solution: EZTRAK Implementation: During a major Turnaround, Phillips 66 decided to introduce EZTRAK’s inventory tracking software to address these challenges:
- Transparency and Visibility: EZTRAK provided a centralized platform for material tracking, offering real-time updates on material arrival, staging locations, and usage.
- Uniform Processes: By standardizing material management through EZTRAK, contractors were held accountable for their scope of work, eliminating inconsistencies and dependency on a few key individuals.
- Real-time Reports: EZTRAK enabled planners to view material status, location, transaction history, and even images of specialty items. This real-time information empowered efficient decision-making.
- Material Swapping: EZTRAK’s database facilitated material sharing across Turnarounds. In one instance, a valve needed on another project was identified and sourced from an ongoing Turnaround, preventing delays and optimizing resource utilization.
- User-Friendly Interface: EZTRAK’s intuitive design allowed quick adoption, enabling all involved parties to learn and use the system within minutes.
Results and Benefits: The implementation of EZTRAK brought significant improvements and benefits to Phillips 66:
- Enhanced Transparency: The real-time tracking capabilities of EZTRAK provided managers and planners with unprecedented visibility into material movement, minimizing delays and ensuring timely decision-making.
- Efficient Material Management: By centralizing material data, planners could accurately track what had arrived, what was in staging yards, and what had been issued to contractors, optimizing resource allocation.
- Consignment Trailer Visibility: EZTRAK enabled the refinery to effectively monitor materials on consignment trailers, eliminating uncertainties and ensuring accurate material allocation.
- Uniform Reporting: Standardized processes and real-time reporting resulted in consistent and reliable reporting across Turnarounds, regardless of the contractor involved.
- Improved Collaboration: The database-driven approach enabled material sharing and swapping, demonstrating that equipping contractors with EZTRAK enhanced collaboration and efficiency.
- Quick Learning Curve: EZTRAK’s user-friendly nature ensured that all parties involved could learn the system within minutes, reducing training time and enhancing adoption.
Conclusion: The implementation of EZTRAK’s inventory tracking software revolutionized material management during Turnaround projects at the Phillips 66 refinery in Carson, CA. By offering real-time transparency, consistency, and accountability, EZTRAK enabled efficient decision-making, optimized material allocation, and eliminated delays. The ability to quickly search and identify materials across Turnarounds showcased the power of cutting-edge technology in enhancing operational efficiency and collaboration. EZTRAK provided Phillips 66 with the transparency and reporting capabilities they sought, ultimately contributing to a more streamlined and successful Turnaround process.