40%
Reduction in overall tank workflow time
Optimizing OPEX and CAPEX Through Lean Capital Execution: Streamlining Tank Management to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Costs
Industry: Oil & Gas, Sustainable Energy
Service: Cost and Value Engineering
Service: Manufacturing
Service: Procurement
Our Client
A 200 Mbpd (thousand barrels per day) refinery and midstream operation facing inefficiencies and high costs in its tank management program.
The Challenge
The refinery was experiencing major inefficiencies in tank maintenance and execution, resulting in extended downtime and high costs. EFESO was engaged to improve planning, streamline contractor management, and enhance operational discipline.
- Inefficient inspection planning: Frequent scheduling delays and poor coordination.
- Quality and rework issues: Repeated repair failures increasing OPEX and CAPEX.
- Contractor performance gaps: Weak accountability and visibility in execution.
- Cost overruns: Ineffective bidding and scope control driving excess costs.
- EHS risks: Insufficient field planning and supervision.
- Communication breakdowns: Limited alignment between refinery teams and contractors.
Real Results Achieved Together
The Lean Capital and Tank Management Program enabled the refinery to enhance coordination, reduce labor intensity, and achieve measurable financial and operational improvements.
25%
Reduction in tank out-of-service duration
$8M
annual value impact from sustained efficiency gains
Transformation Impact
- Dramatically reduced downtime and improved planning reliability.
- Established contractor command center for daily communication and progress tracking.
- Streamlined workflows by eliminating 55 contractor FTEs and 35+ process barriers.
- Strengthened safety, visibility, and accountability across all tank operations.
- Sustained performance through leadership engagement and field discipline.
- 18% reduction in contractor labor
- 100% adherence to tank maintenance schedule
Our Approach
EFESO deployed its Lean Capital and Tank Management Program to introduce disciplined planning, contractor alignment, and structured daily management.
Program Implementation
- Launched Lean Capital and Tank Management framework to instill workflow discipline.
- Established a core group of nested contractors for execution consistency.
- Appointed a full-time tank planner and project controls resource for continuous oversight.
Daily Management and Visual Controls
- Created a contractor command center with 20-minute daily huddles and real-time dashboards.
- Designed execution lanes ensuring continuous progress across at least three tanks simultaneously.
Field Optimization and Operational Excellence
- Conducted field observations to identify and remove non–value-added activities.
- Streamlined tasks to eliminate redundant work and reduce contractor headcount.
- Introduced Leader Walks to embed best practices and sustain behavioral change.
Related Services
Cost and Value Engineering
Rising costs demand optimization from design through production. We apply cross-functional value engineering, zero-based redesign, and continuous cost tracking to protect margins.
Manufacturing
Aging equipment meets rising costs and technology disruption. We transform operations through smart factory integration, predictive maintenance, and workforce capability building.
Procurement
Material costs and supplier volatility threaten profitability. We unlock savings through strategic sourcing, supplier collaboration, and digital procurement transformation.
Facing Similar Challenges?
- Struggling to reduce contractor costs and improve maintenance execution discipline.
- Seeking to optimize tank or asset management workflows.
- Aiming to minimize downtime and operational inefficiencies.
- Looking to strengthen coordination and accountability in capital execution.
Discover More Clients Results
46%
Reduction in processing time
Industrial Manufacturing
Driving Output Growth Through Operational Excellence at Sif
EFESO supported Sif in improving operational performance at its offshore foundation facility by strengthening machine reliability, reducing defects, and implementing structured performance management.
20%
Downtime reduction
Industrial Manufacturing
Improving OEE and Production Oversight Through Digital Transformation
A die-cast metal manufacturer improved equipment effectiveness, reduced downtime, and increased operational visibility through predictive maintenance, IoT integration, and real-time production monitoring.
15%
Operating cost reduction
Resources Mining and Processing
Reducing Mining Operating Costs Through Operational Excellence
A mining company reduced operating costs by 15% by improving pit-to-plant coordination, maintenance effectiveness, supply chain performance, and operational accountability through a high-performance operating system.
25%
Reduction in project delays
Industrial Manufacturing
Resources Mining and Processing
Building a Digitally Enabled CAPEX PMO for Better Project Performance
A major mining company implemented a centralized CAPEX PMO with digital reporting tools to improve governance, cost control, project visibility, and execution consistency across its capital project portfolio.
45K m²
Optimized factory layout (reduced from 52K m²)
Industrial Manufacturing
Restarting a Greenfield Factory Planning Process: Reassessing a Multi-Story Plant Design Under Extreme Time Pressure
Creating a solid, structured plan for the material flow of its production and validated the static forecast, enabling the factory to increase the output with the existing machinery.
$12M
Projected annual savings
Retail
Redesigning Warehouse Operations to Cut Cycle Time by 87% and Boost Throughput by 30%
Redesigned omni-channel warehouse operations, cutting order-to-ship cycle time by 87% and increasing throughput capacity by 30%.
$6.5M
Annual margin gain through increased crude throughput
Oil & Gas, Sustainable Energy
Improving Crude Throughput by 25% via Lean Process Optimization
Eliminated naphtha bottleneck through lean optimization, accelerating crude throughput 25% and capturing $6.5M margin gain.
60%
Reduction in start-up time
Food & Beverage
Vertical Start-Up Reduces CAPEX Project Time by 60%
Accelerated CAPEX execution through Vertical Start-Up methodology, reducing project timelines by 60% across European operations.