Agenda

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Pre-Conference Workshops
Workshop A – The A to Z of Dynamic Planning and Scheduling for Turnarounds
Dec 11, 2023 8:30am – 12:00 PM
Speakers

Laszlo Kardos
Senior Advisor
Advando Americas

Peter Reier
Senior Advisor
Advando Americas
Workshop B – Managing the Execution Window of a Turnaround with an Effective Critical Path
Dec 11, 2023 1:00pm – 04:30 PM
Speakers

Colin Xander
North America Turnaround Director
INEOS Styrolution (USA)
Icebreaker Welcome Reception
Sponsored by 
Dec 11, 2023 6:00pm – 08:00 PM
Day 1 - Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Day 2 - Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Owners/Operators Breakfast Briefing*
Dec 13, 2023 7:00am – 08:15 AM
Day 1 - Tuesday, December 12, 2023
7:30 |
Registration – Coffee and Refreshments Available in Exhibit Area |
8:30 |
Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs |
8:45 |
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONPursuing Excellence and Learning Resiliency – Why Turnaround Events are like Running the Iditarod Sled Dog Race![]() Ron Bettin ![]() Aaron Peck The historic Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is known as “The Last Great Race,” where man and dog race 1,510 kilometers across the remote Alaska wilderness from Anchorage to Nome. Racing the Iditarod has many similarities with a turnaround event. Planning starts early and includes getting a team together to support the many tasks to plan, schedule and prepare for the race. The process includes long-lead ordering, complicated logistics to get the dogs and sled to Alaska, and stage supplies for use during the event. The dog sled and equipment must be in top condition for the race, with all contingencies thought through. Much like a shutdown, the year of planning climaxes with 8 to 15 days of intense execution when the musher will find out if all the hard work of preparation will pay off. And not unlike a shutdown event, the musher must deal with uncontrollable factors like weather, equipment issues, hazards, and other “found” tasks that require real-time decision-making to ensure that the team can stay on their critical path. Aaron and Ron will use storytelling from the Iditarod Race to explore experiences and lessons learned that will inform and inspire anyone involved in the remarkably similar journey of planning and preparation for these short and intense events. |
9:30 |
FOCUSED SESSIONCost Control – How to Accurately Forecast Project Spending and Minimize Costs![]() Colin Xander
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10:15 |
Networking Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall
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10:45 |
FOCUSED SESSIONControlling Turnaround Scope – Essential Steps to Running a Leaner Shutdown![]() Ian Farrell ![]() André Moffett ![]() Eric Michaud
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11:30 |
CASE STUDYLessons Learned from a Highly Successful Refinery Turnaround![]() Erik Sullivan This session will discuss the challenges and lessons learned from a highly successful turnaround at the Tidewater Prince George refinery. Scheduled on a four-year cycle, the turnaround was completed on time and on budget, with the maintenance investment representing the majority of Tidewater’s 2023 capital budget. |
12:00 |
CASE STUDYA Mental Health Journey During a Challenging Turnaround Event![]() Jason Woodward This session will discuss how the team at Shell Canada’s Sarnia Manufacturing Centre (Shell Corunna Refinery) coped with a challenging turnaround following the 2-year pandemic.
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12:30 |
Networking Luncheon
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1:30 |
PANELEngaging Your Contractors to Develop and Review Turnaround Plans – Assuring Readiness to Execute Work Scopes
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2:00 |
SPONSOR INNOVATION SPOTLIGHTThe Future of Industrial Safety: Leveraging Technology to Improve Safety Culture![]() Tadeo Huerta
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2:30 |
Networking Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall |
3:00 |
INTERACTIVE SESSIONEffective Risk Management and Developing a Successful Risk Assessment Plan![]() Ron Harry ![]() Frank Engli
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3:45 |
SPONSOR INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT |
4:15 |
PRACTICAL LEARNINGTurnaround Postmortem – Capturing Lessons Learned to Improve Turnaround Performance![]() Kevin Best ![]() Scott Curry ![]() Paul Kristensen ![]() Colin Xander
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5:00 |
Closing Remarks from the Co-Chairs and Conference Adjourns |
Day 2 - Wednesday, December 13, 2023
7:30 |
Registration – Coffee and Refreshments Available |
8:45 |
Opening Remarks from the Conference Co-Chairs |
8:50 |
FOCUSED SESSIONThe Energy Transition: Best Practices for Reducing the Carbon Footprint in a Turnaround![]() Walter Pesenti This session will discuss what turnaround managers can do to extend the life of an asset to become more efficient, use less fuel and create fewer emissions.
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9:30 |
CASE STUDYIntroducing Structure and Documented Work Practices to Support Turnaround Effectiveness in an Expanding Facility![]() Les Barber ![]() Paul Kristensen In this session, we will discuss:
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10:15 |
SPONSOR INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT |
10:30 |
Networking Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall |
11:00 |
Finding Solutions to Your Labour Resource Challenge: Case Study from Women Building Futures and Dow Chemical![]() Carol Moen ![]() Ragen Dvernichuk In this session WBF will share how they partnered with Dow on their last turnaround to prepare 10 women to work in various roles on their turnaround and then connect them to full time opportunity with Dow and their contractors. |
11:30 |
PANELTackling the Labour Resource Challenge and Developing Initiatives to Retain Talent![]() Grace Corry ![]() Paul De Jong ![]() Shandra Linder ![]() Carol Moen |
12:30 |
Networking Luncheon for Speakers and Delegates |
1:30 |
CASE STUDYPreparation for Startup and Planning for Unplanned Events at a New LNG Processing Facility![]() Pedro Rangel Learn the strategies and plans for a turnaround at a new facility currently under construction. This session will discuss:
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2:00 |
Networking Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall |
2:30 |
CASE STUDYThe Journey of Converting Coal Facilities to Natural Gas and What This Means for Maintenance and Turnarounds![]() Dale Peck ![]() Marina Van Koughnett Exploring the steps taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the closure of coal assets and conversion to natural gas and how this has impacted asset management, operations, maintenance and turnarounds.
This session will discuss how to manage your organization’s large-scale change, the impact on employees and on asset management practices. |
3:15 |
Closing Remarks from the Chair and Conference Adjourns |
Icebreaker Welcome Reception
Sponsored by 
Workshop A – The A to Z of Dynamic Planning and Scheduling for Turnarounds

Laszlo Kardos
Senior Advisor
Advando Americas

Peter Reier
Senior Advisor
Advando Americas
What is it about?
- Leveraging the synergies of planning and scheduling
- Focus on the cross functional dependencies, and opportunities for collaboration between the planning team and scheduling team
- How to tame your dynamic Turnaround schedule and strategies for dynamic execution management
Workshop B – Managing the Execution Window of a Turnaround with an Effective Critical Path

Colin Xander
North America Turnaround Director
INEOS Styrolution (USA)
What is it about?
Key steps, process, deliverables, documents, schedule, cost estimate of TAR for new/intermediate employees.
- Ensuring all stakeholders have approved the execution plan before the unit is shut down
- What essential steps are necessary for schedule control during the execution phase?
- Reviewing the details of the daily execution schedule
- Ensuring all plans and objectives are discussed at critical meetings: Kick off, morning update, safety meeting, schedule update meeting
- Managing emergent and unforeseen obstacles
- Balancing discovery work with the turnaround duration