Towards an Alternative Organizational Structure for Plant Turnaround Maintenance: An Experience of PETRONAS Gas Berhad, Malaysia

Abstract

Plant turnaround maintenance is central to asset management in capital intensive process-based industries. The need for large amount of man-hours on a temporary basis for planning and execution has made organizational structure as the essential element in managing this event. Previous studies was contemplative with the temporary nature of the event and the temporary organizational structure created to execute the event. Unfortunately, these studies failed to draw attention to an alternative model of stable and permanent organizational structure in managing the planning and execution of the turnaround maintenance. A plant turnaround organization established by PETRONAS Gas Berhad, Malaysia (PGB) is a case in point. This paper highlights an organizational unit called Plant Turnaround Services Department (PTS), established with permanent organizational structure, solely dedicated to manage the planning, preparation, and execution of the turnaround maintenance activities in PGB. In addition, the study reveals two temporary organizational structures created and centered on PTS to carry out the turnaround events. It is the objective of this paper to look at this turnaround organizational model which has facilitated the delivery of successful plant turnaround maintenance in PGB.

Keywords: Plant Turnaround Maintenance, Organizational Structure, Permanent Organization, Temporary Organization, Malaysia