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Teesside Terminal / New Integrated Control Building enhances operations

Space brings modern touch to 50-year-old oil terminal
A view of the new control room.

Teesside employees celebrate the opening of the terminal’s new control room, a light-filled space located on the second floor of the new Integrated Control Building.

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Built to deliver a workspace that is bright and ergonomically designed, the new control room at the Teesside Oil Terminal is as beautiful as it is functional.

It's situated on the second floor of the terminal’s new Integrated Control Building (ICB), which opened in late February.

The new control room is staffed 24/7 365 by process control operators.

ConocoPhillips built the ICB after a cost-benefit analysis revealed that refurbishing the Central Control Building, which housed the original control room, wasn't a feasible option.

In addition to housing the new control room, the ICB provides additional office, meeting and social spaces for the Teesside workforce. 

“The old control room was at the end of its operational life and in need of significant refurbishment,” said Teesside Plant Manager Dylan Rees. 

Featuring a state-of-the-art HVAC system and advanced lighting solutions, the new control room has been a highly appreciated addition by the operational shift teams who occupy the room 24/7. It’s a notable upgrade from the terminal’s original control room, a windowless and blast-proof space designed in the 1970s.

“It has significantly improved the working environment for the shift teams,” he said. “The new control room allows the teams to work in a space that has natural light, the first time since the terminal was built almost 50 years ago.”

The new control room is now located adjacent to the operations center, further strengthening the integration of activities, improving safety, planning efficiency and contributing towards reduced execution via timely communication and improved collaboration with the work teams.

The new control room at Teesside features a modern environment, offering a fresh and contemporary feel. 

The ICB was built adjacent to the terminal's Integrated Operations Centre (IOC). These two buildings are linked via a skybridge, making it easy for workers to move back and forth between them, enhancing collaboration. 

Built to be blast resistant, the terminal's old control room didn't have windows. This space will be repurposed and used for storage.

The new ICB is expected to substantially lower facilities management costs.

With increased building capacity, many workers stationed in temporary, blast-proof cabins at the terminal are being relocated to the ICB. In time, these temporary cabins will be removed from the site, reducing maintenance and operational costs.

In late February, the Teesside project team seamlessly transitioned operations from the existing Central Control Building to the ICB.

Engineering and Project Manager Andy Rees said the online cutover of the terminal’s emergency shutdown system and plant control system went smoothly, with no disruption to the terminal’s operations.

“It was an exceptional achievement," he said.

 

Teesside

New control room

Control room

A view of the control room in the Integrated Control Building (ICB). The ICB has improved communication, collaboration and integration between the shift teams and the day teams. That's because the previous Central Control Building was remote and solely occupied by the shift teams, which posed challenges for integration and communications. 

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Lee Murray addresses workers during an opening event for the Integrated Control Building, which houses the terminal's new control room. 

Milestone moment

Teesside General Manager Lee Murray addresses workers during an opening event for the Integrated Control Building (ICB), which houses the terminal's new control room. The ICB replaces the terminal's existing Central Control Building, which was commissioned in the early 1970s and was at the end of its operational life. 

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Office space

Office space

The Integrated Control Building features modern offices and meeting rooms.

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Electronic control room

Ground floor

The ground floor of the Integrated Control Building houses the building's electronic control system; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; locker rooms; and messing facilities. 

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New office space

Office space

The Integrated Control Building offers modern office spaces, enhancing the work environment for the Teesside workforce. 

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Locker room

Locker room

A view of the locker room on the first floor of the new Integrated Control Building. 

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A view of the break room in the Integrated Control Building.

Breakroom

A view of the breakroom in the Integrated Control Building.

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Meeting room

Meeting room

The Integrated Control Building features modern meeting rooms and more.

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shower room

Shower room

A view of the showers, which are located on the first floor of the Integrated Control Building.

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Meeting room

Meeting room

The Integrated Control Building features meeting rooms with the latest communications equipment.

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A view of the kitchen area in the Integrated Control Building.

Kitchen area

A view of the kitchen area in the Integrated Control Building.

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New control room
A view of the control room in the Integrated Control Building (ICB). The ICB has improved communication, collaboration and integration between the shift teams and the day teams. That's because the previous Central Control Building was remote and solely occupied by the shift teams, which posed challenges for integration and communications. 
1 / 11
Lee Murray addresses workers during an opening event for the Integrated Control Building, which houses the terminal's new control room. 
Teesside General Manager Lee Murray addresses workers during an opening event for the Integrated Control Building (ICB), which houses the terminal's new control room. The ICB replaces the terminal's existing Central Control Building, which was commissioned in the early 1970s and was at the end of its operational life. 
2 / 11
Office space
The Integrated Control Building features modern offices and meeting rooms.
3 / 11
Electronic control room
The ground floor of the Integrated Control Building houses the building's electronic control system; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; locker rooms; and messing facilities. 
4 / 11
New office space
The Integrated Control Building offers modern office spaces, enhancing the work environment for the Teesside workforce. 
5 / 11
Locker room
A view of the locker room on the first floor of the new Integrated Control Building. 
6 / 11
A view of the break room in the Integrated Control Building.
A view of the breakroom in the Integrated Control Building.
7 / 11
Meeting room
The Integrated Control Building features modern meeting rooms and more.
8 / 11
shower room
A view of the showers, which are located on the first floor of the Integrated Control Building.
9 / 11
Meeting room
The Integrated Control Building features meeting rooms with the latest communications equipment.
10 / 11
A view of the kitchen area in the Integrated Control Building.
A view of the kitchen area in the Integrated Control Building.
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About Teesside

Operational since 1975, the Teesside Oil Terminal plays a key infrastructure role in the energy supply chain. It currently receives, processes and exports approximately 250,000 barrels per day of crude oil from the Greater Ekofisk Area and other third-party shippers, enabling safe and reliable production from the North Sea.

The Teesside Oil Terminal, located on the east coast of the United Kingdom, handles production from the North Sea.

The terminal, which currently loads around 360 vessels a year, is known for its exceptional availability record. Over the past 50 years of operation, the oil terminal has maintained a 99.98% availability uptime.

“The terminal's availability record is something we are very proud of and is achieved through the dedication and commitment from everybody who works at the facility,” Dylan Rees said.

 

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