The Italian job
The API-owned and operated refinery at Falconara Marittima, close to Ancona in central Italy, has recently been equipped with a new automated bitumen loading system from Milan headquartered Loginet. Fully integrated with the refinery’s pre-existing architecture, the new system controls six loading lanes and offers API full compliance and control over a weight-based loading process. Reliability of the system and security of operations were the refinery management’s two main prerequisites when it was scanning the market for a suitable solution.
“Prior to the Loginet system’s installation, our bitumen loading was completely manual,” says Giovanni Lamenza, the refinery’s oil movement and shipment manager. “The loading of the trucks was done ‘visually’ by the truck driver, who stopped the loading arm when the product reached a presumed quantity, by looking at the level of the product in the tank while it was loading.”
Looking for more reliability, heightened accuracy and efficiency and greater safety during the loading of bitumen, the API management found that Loginet’s loading management and automation system – PETROL –, in conjunction with the loading bay terminals - IBIS-XP – best suited its needs. This solution allows full control and supervision of all loading operations, from initial setup all the way to the printing of the loading documents and includes a remote assistance module through which Loginet’s dedicated call centre can intervene to solve any problem related to the functioning of the system.
