This method of heating is called steam tracing. Poor insulation or steam leaks mean a loss of heat energy, but frequently and systematically checking every pipe and repairing any minor leak right away reduces the problem significantly. The process is simple enough, but it's by no means easy to execute. The Sarnia refinery alone has more than 10,000 such steam tracing units. You must have a comprehensive set of procedures and standards, work schedules, training programs and so on, so that everyone in the plant understands what has to be done and focuses on the need to save energy.
Optimum usage involves mixing only as much air as necessary to ensure that all the gas gets burned.
By carefully monitoring and measuring the excess air, we've been able to maximize the gas-burning efficiency of the furnaces. In the past, the excess air has been as high as 30 percent. Today we operate with less than half that. Seeking out such opportunities for incremental energy-efficiency improvements in a mature industry isn't glamorous work, admits Roach, but with constant attention from management and operating personnel alike, the commitment to continue to improve can be met. The challenge to conserve energy in Imperial's upstream operations is in some ways similar to that faced in the downstream.