By integrating the services of its Baytown Refinery and Chemical Plants, ExxonMobil’s Complex in Baytown, Texas, is forging a new path in the energy industry — one which allows the two facilities to share more than just processes, streams and utilities.
“Our main responsibilities are to lead our facilities to run safely, reliably and in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Baytown Refinery Manager Matt Crocker.
“Our goal is to continuously improve in all we do,” added Baytown Chemical Plant Manager Rob Tully. “And we achieve that through our great employees. We invest time to develop our people.”
Sharing utilities and processes offers inherent economic benefits, but the complex’s integration extends far deeper than the physical plant facilities. All key interfaces for both sites are shared and run as one organization, including maintenance, safety, security, health, environment, emergency response, lab services, engineering and turnaround departments. This unique approach also includes the sharing of one operations site superintendent role always on shift for the more than 5,000 employees and contractors working at the complex.
“As plant managers, our organization sees our desire to work together and ultimately this integration and spirit of cooperation extends throughout the organization,” said Tully, who has been the complex’s chemical plant manager for the past year and a half.
Individually, the Baytown Refinery — which Crocker has managed for the past six months — has a capacity of 584,000 bpd of crude oil, making it the second largest refinery in the country and the Baytown Chemical Plant manufactures more than 7.2 billion pounds of petrochemical products each year. Together, ExxonMobil’s Baytown Complex, which was originally founded in 1919, is now the largest integrated refining and petrochemical complex in the U.S. The complex holds weekly joint leadership meetings where key issues are handled as one organization. This approach keeps leadership teams working together and fully integrated.
Crocker and Tully agree the benefits of full integration of joint leadership teams and shared services include an organization that runs smoother, issues are resolved quickly and best practices are managed as one process. One common message is cascaded throughout the complex along with one set of procedures and work practices. This practice enables the organization to capture the knowledge and experience from across the Baytown complex to operate efficiently and ultimately safer.
Outstanding safety performance
The people of the Baytown complex have developed an exceptional safety culture, which has consistently delivered an industry-leading safety performance. A primary goal for the leadership duo is having no injuries as every employee at the complex believes this is achievable and recognizes all accidents and injuries are preventable.
“We take the time and initiative to care for each other through our behavior-based safety program,” Crocker stated.
Tully also gives credit to their employees for being the most valuable resource in making their facilities successful.
“Investing time and energy in leadership is a key focus,” he explained. “It’s taking the time to make a difference and demonstrating vision, ethics and courage. We set out to create an environment where everyone believes they are a valued member of the team and will contribute to their full abilities.”
“Our roles as leaders are to ensure team members are doing the right things and understand how their roles impact performance and, ultimately, the success of the plant,” Crocker added.
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (formerly National Petrochemical & Refiners Association) has recognized both the Baytown Refinery and the Baytown Chemical Plant with a number of safety awards, including the Merit Safety Award, Gold Award and Million Hours Award. ExxonMobil is dedicated to earning the Baytown community’s respect and trust by operating safely and through active involvement in the community.
Community respect
ExxonMobil’s Baytown Complex currently partners with several local schools to help provide funding and volunteers in the classroom. Employees volunteer as tutors and mentors, teach classes and assist the neighboring schools with student activities while maintaining a special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The volunteerism and financial commitments of this partnership make a tremendous difference in the lives of many Baytown-area students.
“We are more than near neighbors to our community, its residents and businesses,” said Crocker. “We are community partners because Baytown is our home, too. ExxonMobil has a history of giving in the Baytown area because we know and understand the importance of being a good neighbor.”
The Baytown Complex also partners with Lee College, the area’s local community college, to provide resources and funding, as well as opportunities for students to study and learn more about the oil and gas industry. ExxonMobil worked with Lee College to create the ExxonMobil Process Technology Program on the school’s campus to prepare students for careers such as process, research and laboratory technicians in the petrochemical industry.
“ExxonMobil believes today’s students will be tomorrow’s industry leaders,” Tully stated. “Baytown has been supportive of our company and we are honored to give back to the city through volunteerism and contributions — doing our part to build a stronger community.”
Annually, Baytown-area employees, retirees and their families contribute more than 50,000 volunteer hours at more than 200 organizations. In recognition of these volunteer involvement activities, ExxonMobil awarded more than $500,000 in grants to Baytown organizations. ExxonMobil donations are especially critical to the United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County as company contributions account for nearly two-thirds of their funding. A record $2 million was contributed to the 2014 United Way Campaign, and last year marked the 13th consecutive year pledges from ExxonMobil Baytown area employees and retirees, along with the ExxonMobil Foundation donation, topped the $1 million mark. Baytown Complex employee giving goes well beyond funding as the United Way Day of Caring is set aside annually for employees to work on various community projects at United Way agencies. Employees are also on the boards of directors for the United Way and participating agencies, volunteers for Communities in School projects, the American Red Cross and serve as Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors, among numerous other endeavors.
“Volunteerism remains an important aspect of our community outreach as our employees are dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Baytown area,” Crocker said.
Industry leading
The Baytown Complex’s integrated, shared services and joint leadership team, much like the oil and gas industry as a whole, is experiencing a dynamic market environment. The overall growth in the industry is resulting in numerous projects and the opportunity to send products to the export market to compete globally. As they look to what’s ahead, Tully and Crocker realize ExxonMobil and the rest of the industry are aware of their progress, but the duo have a simple goal for their world-class facilities: to operate safer, more efficiently and reliably.
“Our experience is integration to this magnitude is not common, and we believe that gives us a real competitive advantage,” Crocker explained. “It has taken time and a strong resolve to work both issues and opportunities together.”
“Many sites see the value of integration, but at Baytown, our people have put this value into practice,” Tully added.
--
ExxonMobil Baytown Complex
5000 Bayway Drive
Baytown, Texas 77520
www.exxonmobil.com
Employees: Approximately 2,150 employees with an average of 3,000 contractors
Refinery products: Distillates, gas, gas oils, lubricating, naphthas and residuum
Chemical products: Polypropylene, butyl, EXXPRO®, bromobutyl, paraxylene, benzene, orthoxylene, propylene, butene-1, isobutylene and solvents
Size: 3,400 acres
