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.

 

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.