Client Background

A major refining and petrochemical company prepared for a large-scale, 90-day turnaround event at its Gulf Coast facility. The outage involved inspections, maintenance, and upgrades across multiple units including hydrocrackers, reformers, and distillation towers. With limited in-house resources, the company partnered with Advastar to handle the full scope of turnaround staffing.

The Challenge

Meeting the turnaround schedule required high volumes of specialized labor—fast. Key challenges included:

  • Labor Surge: Required over 200 tradespeople with turnaround and refinery experience, ready for deployment within 30 days.
  • Specialized Crafts: Needed certified welders, millwrights, NCCCO crane operators, NCCER riggers, and lift directors with current refinery certifications.
  • Strict Compliance Requirements: Workers needed TWIC, DISA background/drug screens, Basic Plus, and OSHA 30 to enter the site.
  • 24/7 Operations: Required day and night shifts with full pay administration including overtime, shift differentials, and travel stipends.

The Solution: Advastar Industrial Staffing

Advastar delivered a full-scale, refinery-specific staffing solution under tight deadlines. Our approach included:

  • Skilled Trades Staffing: Deployed over 200 vetted tradespeople including certified welders, millwrights, crane operators, riggers, and lift directors.
  • Compliance Management: Ensured 100% credential verification for TWIC, DISA, Basic Plus, OSHA, and other client-specific requirements.
  • Shift & Pay Management: Managed all scheduling, payroll, and premium tracking to match shift structures and labor contracts.
  • On-Call Support: Provided responsive backup for last-minute fill-ins and mid-event labor fluctuations.

The Outcome

Advastar’s skilled labor solution helped the refinery execute a high-impact turnaround on schedule:

  • No Staffing Gaps: All craft labor requirements met ahead of the outage window.
  • Zero Lost-Time Incidents: Fully screened workforce contributed to a safe and compliant project.
  • Cost Transparency: Accurate billing, premium tracking, and timekeeping maintained budget integrity.
  • Preferred Vendor Status: The client retained Advastar for future turnarounds and CAPEX construction projects.

Why Use Advastar Energy Staffing & Recruiting?

Turnarounds are high-risk, high-pressure events—and Advastar delivers the skilled professionals and logistics expertise needed to make them run smoothly. From welders to riggers, we’ve got your critical path covered.