I’m currently involved in the Start Up and Commissioning of what is going to be the largest Oil Refinery in North America and we are having too many problems concerning honesty and integrity. By now if you have not realized the economy and job market are in the toilet your probably not breathing either, but the course you take and how you react to those conditions is the only part of that equation you can control.

The project has been fraught with procedural short cutting and the general integrity within the application of many of the instruments involved. A lot of people are working diligently to correct the short comings and lapses of engineering as the units are being started up but we are running into a significant road block now.

Folks are beginning to sacrifice the integrity and performance of the instrument and control system in lieu of what they believe to be job security. Rather than work to ensure the proper performance of the control system, they are sacrificing accuracy and reliability to assume for what they believe a controlling position or job longevity.

I've have already quit one group back in December and came back out here in late February attached to yet another group attempting avoid these issues, but now it has resurfaced again. I’ve already seen quite few folks find other employment rather than be "part of the problem" and to have a "clear conscience".

I have had personal friends injured and disabled in this line of work - but most of all - I would not want to be a part of something wrong that caused some control element to stroke and kill someone. Not sure any job is worth having that on my conscious for the rest of my life.

 

Where do you think the problem lies
- Financial?
- Competence?
- Political?

 

>Where do you think the problem lies
>- Financial?
>- Competence?
>- Political?

At this point Financial primarily from several perspectives.

The bulk of the construction has been completed hence the really big money has been paid out. What is at stake now are very lucrative maintenance agreements. The tendency of construction management to sweep items under the carpet that end up under the maintenance budget is common throughout many industries but not petroleum refining and not to the extent and possible severity that I’m seeing now.

"Flying Blind" would be my description of the position the operators are being placed in.