Case: Elgas, Australia

Remote commissioning

The customer’s challenge

Elgas needed a full replacement and optimisation of old filling equipment. The project had to be done within 3 weeks, while production was shut down – a challenge in relation to the COVID-19 circumstances of the time.

Our solution

Due to COVID-19 conditions, we decided to partner up with Australian ENGV. They were locally present and could send out qualified people to the Elgas site. While a supervisor in Malaysia and the project manager in Denmark remotely managed the project, they could carry out the work and be our eyes at the site, ensuring that everything went as planned.

The outcome

Despite COVID-19, Elgas got a new and optimised LPG filling system, all up and running within the planned 3 weeks. This would not have been possible if it was not for both Elgas’ and ENGV’s flexibility and proactive approach.

No worries!

That was what we told the Australian energy company Elgas, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) broke out and affected the process of optimising and replacing their old filling equipment. However, working during COVID-19 was not an easy task, and we sure also had to think outside the box to come up with a solution to succeed with this project – and the one we found was with a long-term competent Australian partner.

The Elgas project included a full replacement of their old liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling equipment. More specifically, a remote installation and commissioning of an 18-post carrousel with 13 filling machines for side entry valves.

Since production at the Elgas site in Melbourne had to be shut down while conducting the work, it was important to finish on time. All had to be done within 3 weeks, and that was definitely a challenge during COVID-19 conditions.

Finding new solutions in troubled times

Initially, our team in Malaysia should have been in charge of this project, sending out people to manage and conduct the work. However, due to COVID-19 and all the resultant restrictions both locally and globally, it was not possible to send our own people to the Elgas site. In order for us to still deliver as planned and successfully complete the project, we had to find other ways and solutions.

Since the project was located in Australia, we therefore decided to partner up with Australian ENGV to ensure a timely and competent installation plan. ENGV are also locally present in Melbourne, and they could therefore refocus their staff to complete the installation and be our eyes at the site – ensuring that everything went as planned.

An overview of  of LPG filling carrousel

Remote supervision

To handle the project the best way possible, a qualified team from ENGV were sent out to the Elgas site. A supervisor in Malaysia was remotely responsible for the installation and commissioning and coordinated constantly with ENGV at the site.

Since the project had to be completed within only 3 weeks, a detailed plan with daily deadlines was carried out, and it had to be followed very closely. Every day, the ENGV team on-site and the MAKEEN Energy supervisor in Malaysia had online meetings to go through technicalities and to make sure that everything went as it should. Despite the time difference, the project manager at MAKEEN Energy’s headquarters in Denmark was also available every day by phone or online, if any complications arose.

Teamwork makes the dream work

With the rapid adaptability, the detailed plan and great coordination skills we managed to get the new Elgas filling equipment up and running within the planned 3 weeks, and therefore succeeded in completing the project on time after all. However, getting a job done half the world away during COVID-19, was certainly a new challenge for us. And we could not have succeeded if it was not for both Elgas’ and ENGV’s flexibility and proactive approach.