Diesel Exhaust Fluid Distribution System Research and Recommendation Project

Abstract

ConocoPhillips Alaska needed a solution to distribute Diesel Exhaust Fluid to Tier 4 heavy equipment throughout its 400 square mile Kuparuk Business Unit. At first glance, there were not any immediate and viable solutions that fit the business need and aligned with the company’s strategic goals. Additionally, the Diesel Exhaust Fluid industry is emerging following an Environmental Protection Agency mandate that engine manufacturers reduce their Carbon Monoxide emissions to near zero levels after November 2012. The researcher conducted a variety of searches and defined the true issues regarding Diesel Exhaust Fluid and distribution of the product by finding, customizing and creating a distribution system that would be a viable solution. Through research and analysis of the products, legalities, environmental impacts, logistics, and operations and maintenance procedures, the researcher provided an initial proposal to the client that satisfied the sponsor’s need to show senior management that a solution was in the works. The problem that ConocoPhillips was challenged with had not been taken on before by any other organization on the North Slope. There were no subject matter experts or business as usual examples to follow. The project team had to write the manual for how to take on such a new problem threatening the reliability of the Heavy Equipment fleet to its Kuparuk operation. The researcher provided a solution, satisfied the client and created a custom system currently in production in Anchorage, Alaska that is a completely new concept. © 2015,