GS Caltex said Thursday it completed a 200 billion won ($135 million) turnaround at its Yeosu refinery, using robots, artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve safety and operational efficiency.
A turnaround is a large-scale maintenance operation where refining and petrochemical plants halt operations for intensive inspections of key production facilities. By replacing aged components and consumables, the process serves as a foundation for safe and efficient plant operations.
GS Caltex said it had implemented turnarounds across nine processes since May, deploying an average of 3,000 personnel daily.
In particular, this turnaround integrated various digital and AI solutions based on the group’s digital and AI transformation strategies. By digitalizing fundamental operation systems, the technologies are expected to shift workplace practices and enhance overall competitiveness.
While the electric motor-operated valves require regular maintenance, identifying their locations was difficult due to their sheer volume and widespread distribution. To address this, GS Caltex developed MOVision, an application that uses Google Earth and 3D modeling to speed up the search process and changes colors to indicate a finished operation.
Another problem was decreased thermal efficiency due to difficulties in cleaning heater tubes with complex structures. To resolve this, GS Caltex introduced a tube-cleaning robot to cover blind spots and minimize fuel usage.
Moreover, GS Caltex incorporated AI-powered CCTVs to advance turnaround safety management systems. The cameras detect various risk factors in real time, including whether staff members are wearing protective gear and when they approach heavy equipment, increasing the efficiency of on-site management.
“Our latest TA combines on-site expertise and digital and AI technologies to enhance both efficiency and safety,” said Hur Sae-hong, vice chairman of GS Caltex. “We will continue innovating the manufacturing sector based on DAX strategies.”
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