Shell Canada

In 2005, Shell Canada faced a variety of arc flash challenges at its Burnt Timber gas processing plant - most importantly, employee safety. Shell’s search and ultimate success in finding a solution to its arc flash challenges began with a request to Eaton’s Calgary Engineering Services and Systems office for a short circuit, coordination and arc flash study at the facility. Eaton stepped in to provide a comprehensive PowerChain Management solution to update Shell’s equipment to meet and exceed the safety standards. .

Shell’s solution was a comprehensive program to install Eaton’s Cutler-Hammer Arc Flash Reduction Maintenance System™ units and Digitrip 510 retrofit conversion packages to existing equipment. The unit lowers arc flash incident energy levels by temporarily lowering trip settings during the maintenance cycle. To date, the service engineers have completed installation of Arc Flash Reduction Maintenance System units on all six DS breakers at the facility. This solution will allow for the future safe removal of Motor Control Center buckets without the need to power the system offline, and all the MCC buckets will be retrofitted over a two-year period.

As a result of Eaton’s work at their facility, Shell ordered 15 DT 510 conversion kits with the Arc Flash Reduction Maintenance System and Class 2 reconditioning for their Scotford facility. Service engineers installed the units within a two-week period, against an extremely tight schedule. The units are easy to install on existing breakers, and as many as two to three breakers can be field-modified each day, minimizing downtime.

Shell has committed to 15 additional units to be installed in 2006 to complete one section of the facility, engineers have also recommended that similar work be performed in the remainder of the plant – which would involve 45 additional units. These changes mean a safer work environment for Shell employees.