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Addressing varnish to reduce downtime and support $180,000 in annual savings

Addressing varnish to reduce downtime and save $180,000 annually

The Customer: 

Shell Canada

The Challenge: 

Excessive varnish was contributing to bearing issues and reduced uptime across three Elliott compressors at Shell Canada’s Scotford upgrader. 

The Solution:

To address the issue, the company reduced compressor varnish and extended maintenance intervals, resulting in an annual cost saving of $180,0001.

They transitioned to Shell Turbo S4 X 32, a lubricant designed for improved oxidation and thermal stability under demanding operating conditions. This change supported equipment reliability and helped lower the likelihood of future failures.

Since the switch, the three centrifugal compressors have shown more consistent performance, with fewer deposits and a noticeable decline in bearing-related issues.

Avoiding equipment failure resulted in annual savings of $850,000¹

Addressing varnish to reduce downtime and save $180,000 annually

The Customer: 

U.S. Oil refinery 

The Challenge:

A U.S. oil refinery experienced lubricant flow challenges in its Dresser Rand compressor because of deposit buildup, which contributed to gas end failures and unexpected shutdowns.

The Solution:

Shell’s technical team identified contamination and oil degradation as contributing factors and recommended cleaning the system along with switching to Shell Morlina S3 BA 460.

Following these actions, the refinery reported an annual cost savings of $850,000 through reduced deposits and fewer system shutdowns. Lubricant flow improved, deposit levels decreased, and a recurring compressor failure was avoided—helping the site prevent approximately three days of unplanned downtime each year. 

Optimising lubrication to extend oil-drain intervals and support $5,000 in annual savings

Optimising lubrication to extend oil-drain intervals and save $5,000 annually

The Customer: 

Indian petrochemical plant

The Challenge:

A petrochemical plant in India operated CAT G 3406 and Cummins GTA-855-C-BC engines continuously at full load and sought to improve its lubrication setup to enhance reliability and protect key components. 

The Solution:

The Shell technical team recommended Shell Mysella S5 N 40, based on its use in similar engine applications. A field trial was carried out with oil condition monitored through Shell LubeAnalyst to help establish optimal oil-drain intervals (ODI).

Following the change, engine reliability improved, and runtime was extended by up to 500 hours, resulting in annual savings of approximately $5,000¹. 

1The savings indicated are specific to the calculation date and mentioned site. These calculations may vary from site to site and from time to time, depending on, for example, the application, the operating conditions, the current products being used, the condition of the equipment and the maintenance practices.

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). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this content and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this content. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this content.

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Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

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