The trend in investment in the processing industries has been gradually shifting from new construction to retrofits. This trend has been particularly clear in North America and Europe. The same trend will develop in Asia as the installed base of existing plants increases in the region. Execution of a revamp or a retrofit project is fundamentally different from new construction. New construction in a grass-roots field can take advantage of the latest management and technical advances. Retrofit construction must integrate new and modified equipment and processes with existing organizations and facilities. Among the most difficult to manage and execute retrofit projects are those involving critical subsystems of an operating plant. In addition, projects scheduled for completion in the short time span of a maintenance turnaround add another level of complexity. In spite of the complexity of these projects, retrofits can be effectively executed to achieve technical and economic goals. We present a proven approach to meeting retrofit project goals. Examples of two projects are presented. The first project was a success in meeting both process and economic objectives in spite of a cost overrun. The second project meet process objectives, but at a severe economic penalty due to unplanned production losses due to excessive construction time. The differences between these projects highlight the importance of proper retrofit project execution.
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