Overview
As a major supplier in the southern U.S. fuel market, Delek US Holdings’ El Dorado, Arkansas facility could not afford extended downtime when it experienced a significant issue with its main air blower.
With production immediately at risk and only cumbersome backup systems available, the refinery brought in 20 diesel air compressors to temporarily maintain airflow and prevent a shutdown.
While this kept operations running, it was expensive and labor-intensive. Fuel deliveries were constant, technicians were pulled from critical tasks to keep the units running, and the setup required around-the-clock oversight.
Delek needed a single, reliable, and more immediate solution that could be deployed quickly to reduce operational strain and deliver stable, oil-free compressed air to provide time for a long-term solution to be found.
- Customer: Delek US Holdings
- Industry: Refining
- Facility Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
- Length of Relationship: 4 Months
Challenge
The diesel air compressor workaround was not sustainable. Running 20 compressors 24/7 drove up fuel costs, and on-site staff had to perform constant equipment checks, filter changes, and troubleshooting. The system’s complexity increased the risk of failure and made it harder to keep production stable.
The refinery needed an electric, oil-free compressed air system that could replace the diesel air compressor fleet entirely, reducing maintenance demands, improving efficiency, and restoring stability. They needed an industrial air compressor rental to provide an immediate solution to stabilize production.
Solution
OTC Rental responded immediately, dispatching a Frame 5 centrifugal, electric, oil-free compressed air system from OTC’s Houston facility. The Frame 5 centrifugal compressor is one of the largest rental air compressor solutions available in the market and a capability few competitors can match. The system was engineered to meet the refinery’s exact airflow and high-pressure air compressor requirements.
Within a week of the first call, the OTC Rental team was on-site with the equipment and crew. Once the agreement was finalized, the system was transported nearly 300 miles to El Dorado and was installed and operational within 24 hours. OTC technicians handled startup, commissioning, and operational monitoring ensuring a smooth transition from diesel power and provide support throughout the air compressor rental period.
By consolidating the refinery’s air needs into one centralized system, daily fuel deliveries were eliminated, labor demands dropped significantly, and operational complexity was reduced.
Results
The refinery restored stable operations within 24 hours of the air compressor rental system’s arrival. Over the four-month rental period, the Frame 5 centrifugal compressor delivered continuous, oil-free air that supported full production without the cost and maintenance burden of the diesel units.
High fuel expenses were eliminated, maintenance demands decreased, and plant staff were able to focus on core operations. The simplified setup also improved safety by reducing on-site equipment interactions and minimizing potential failure points.
When a critical air supply failure threatened production, OTC Rental delivered the speed, scale, and expertise to restore operations quickly and reliably.
Be Ready Before Downtime Strikes
If your facility depends on compressed air, don’t wait for an outage to hit. Contact OTC Rental today to discuss your air compressor rental options, from air compressors to, boosters, blowers, and other accessories so you can keep production running, no matter what.
