Comprehensive supply of lubrication systems and standardization program for the expansion of the largest refinery in Spain

• CUSTOMER
  Flowserve, Elliott and others
• FINAL DESTINATION
  Industrial Complex of Cartagena (Spain)
• PLANT TYPE
  Refinery (petrochemical complex)
• YEAR
  2008

The challenge

The expansion plan of the Cartagena Industrial Complex carried out by REPSOL at the beginning of this century represented, in global terms, what continues to be the largest industrial investment in the history of Spain. This complex was renovated with state-of-the-art technology and has become one of the most environmentally friendly European petrochemical plants. For this modernization project, REPSOL requested an optimized and homogeneous solution for all the lubrication systems of the pumps, turbines and compressors that were going to be installed in the plant.

The solution

NORTEK was solely responsible for the supply of the 32 lubrication systems and sealing plans required for the plant expansion, which had to be designed and manufactured under tight delivery times and in compliance with the most demanding API standards. In addition, at REPSOL’s request, we developed a comprehensive standardization program, based on customer requirements, whose objective was the simplification of REPSOL’s engineering criteria in terms of lubrication, as well as the homogenization and optimization of spare parts lists, to ensure future savings and facilitate equipment maintenance.

The result

Currently, more than 75% of the components installed in the Complex’s lubrication centers are common and interchangeable, even if they come from different intermediaries. In addition, all systems were supplied with a common filter element, which is also interchangeable with references from other suppliers.

This project has been one of the most demanding challenges that NORTEK has faced in its history, and its success paved the way for a fruitful technical-commercial collaboration with REPSOL, which continues to this day.