Fiction

Lubricants used outside their design working conditions can bite you in unexpectedly painful ways. The morning of Monday, December 1, found Marnie Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow and Associates

Plant wastewater is not only an increasing environmental concern, but improper monitoring and treatment may lead to unexpected operations and maintenance problems as well. “I have a question Mrs

Maya and Marnie troubleshoot air-cooled condenser performance issues at a New Mexico power plant. Bad sensor data contributes to poor decisions, making the problem more complex. “Air-cooled condensers [ACCs]

Not everyone has to be an expert. Having a goal to do the right thing, listening to your team, and seeking experienced help often results in an expert solution. Wayne Fritz, the manager of a struggling ammonia

Everything happens for a reason, and fantastic events often have mundane causes. Two women silently waited in their rental car next to a guard hut, sheltered under spreading banana tree leaves. Sunlight

Marnie and Maya answer real questions from readers. “Ma’am, don’t you think you should take a rest?” asked Maya Sharma, lead field engineer of Surfaceblow & Associates International. “But how can

Negativity can push you off your course in life. This is when Marnie first pushed back. “Any signal, Maya?” asked Marnie Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow & Associates International, as she

Never forget the human factors that can impact safety and success at every level of a project. Marnie Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow & Associates International, watched the Maharashtra

Big data holds many secrets to help operate your power plant safer and more efficiently. But are you really seeing the entire landscape of your problem? Don’t miss the forest while focusing on the trees

Small clues can sometimes help reveal larger problems. Don’t ignore unusual events and remember not to let history repeat. “One unit’s offline, and it’s about to become two, right as power prices and

Cutting maintenance costs can make you penny-wise and pound-foolish, unless you evolve your maintenance practices with the times. A lone car traveled an empty road through a bleak snow-scattered field. The

Regardless of what you think you know, when outside of your field of expertise, call for the experts. Marnie Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow & Associates International, carefully wrapped the

Don’t fall prey to preconceived notions—investigate all possibilities when searching for an answer to your operations and maintenance problems. “It’s sodium,” pronounced Marnie Surfaceblow, vice

Providing employees with a safe and healthy workplace is paramount. Never dismiss persistent workplace environmental complaints, no matter how “crazy” they may seem. A lone SUV motored through wooded hills

Just because something hasn’t failed doesn’t mean it won’t—especially when an “old dog” of a plant is taught new tricks. Two women wearing personal protective equipment waited impatiently in the

Sometimes fixing one problem causes another or leads to a chain of failures that can be difficult to diagnose. Consider all of the upstream and downstream impacts when changing equipment and/or operations

Ultra-low loads may be necessary for large coal plant survival, but they represent uncharted territory for operations and maintenance staff. Stay informed on the latest trends for success and expect the

Every power plant requires diligence for safe, efficient, reliable, and economic operation—especially when you mix old and new technologies. Never neglect showing care and respect toward even your “old

When investigating any potential problem, keep your eyes and your mind open to other possible dangers. “I am starting to wonder if you accepted this assignment because of … that,” stated Maya Sharma

As new energy technologies are employed to solve today’s renewable energy challenges, think flexibly while relying upon established safety measures. “Is this your first time in the Philippines, ma’am?”

New technology requires new ways of thinking, especially because safety is paramount. This is even more true for any situation where an established industry experience base is lacking. “Did you have a good

A change in fuel can lead to several other changes in a power plant. Change can be good, except when it’s not. Operators and engineers must be alert to both positive and negative effects, and act to remedy

With her plant preparing to demonstrate a new selective catalytic reduction and desulfurization system to visiting VIPs, Maya identifies a serious problem and halts the work. See how stepping up for safety led

When facing the unknown, power professionals must use their skills, draw from their experience, and think creatively. Marnie and Maya do just that while off the clock at Marnie’s high school reunion. “Hi

Steadily increasing demands leading to excessive cycling and starts/stops can cause heat rate loss, poor unit performance, and increased plant outages. See as Marnie and Maya demonstrate that even relatively

Small problems can lead to large impacts on a long-term basis. Heat rate surveys, improved instrumentation, and utilizing real-time monitoring and diagnostics can help recover plant efficiency and save money

When seeking answers to critical operations problems, consider that multiple root causes may be at play—thus requiring many different solutions. Watch as our heroines track down the culprits! As they trudged

Incessant trivial alarms can drown out important warnings and cause headaches for control room operators. In this installment of Marnie Surfaceblow, our fearless heroine wades through all the noise to identify