Exxonmobil Awards Multi-Year Maintenance Contract At Fife Ethylene Plant To Bilfinger UK

Leading engineering and maintenance provider Bilfinger UK has secured a seven-year partnership with ExxonMobil Chemical Limited (‘ExxonMobil’) to provide preventative maintenance at its Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP).

“This seven-year agreement is testament to the strong relationship we’ve formed with ExxonMobil and is a significant addition to our portfolio of support partnerships at major facilities across the UK,” said Phill Maurer, Managing Director at Bilfinger UK.

The multi-million-pound agreement will see Bilfinger UK become the embedded provider of maintenance services at the Mossmorran facility and the Braefoot Bay tanker terminal on the Forth.

“Preventative maintenance is key to the safe and reliable operations at FEP,” said Jacob McAlister, plant manager of the Fife Ethylene Plant. “ExxonMobil’s Fife Ethylene Plant operates under the most demanding of engineering standards and it is vital that we chose a contractor with the knowledge, expertise and innovative solutions to ensure these are met the first time, every time.”

It is estimated that the contract – part of ExxonMobil’s £20m annual maintenance spend at the facility – will see Bilfinger UK deploy up to 100,000 man-hours annually on inspection programmes as well as mechanical, process and infrastructure maintenance.

Bilfinger UK, which has a base in Grangemouth, has taken over from the incumbent provider with around 55 personnel transferring under TUPE arrangements.

“Many contract personnel have worked with us for a long time and have extensive knowledge of the plant,” said McAlister. “We are delighted they will transfer over to the new supplier and continue their relationship within FEP.”

The FEP contract extends the existing relationship between ExxonMobil and Bilfinger UK, which also provides specialist services to the ExxonMobil facility in Fawley, Hampshire.

FEP began operations in 1984 and produces over 800,000 tonnes of ethylene annually.

A major employer in the area for more than 30 years, over 270 employees and core contractors work at FEP with more than 60 percent living within ten miles of the plant.

“Our experience and breadth of expertise means we’re ideally placed to deliver a well-managed maintenance strategy focused on achieving the best possible outcome for ExxonMobil,” said Maurer. “We look forward to welcoming our new Fife colleagues to Bilfinger UK.”

Bilfinger UK provides its partners with unified, multidisciplinary support across the asset lifecycle to drive new efficiencies and reduce costs. Its expertise includes design and build, automated control and electrical systems, installation, commissioning, and operations and maintenance.

The company is one of the UK’s leading providers of integrated engineering and technical services to the process industry and the energy sector and employs more than 2,500 people. It is part of German engineering and service group, Bilfinger SE.