By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

CONVENT – Several elected officials from both St. James and Ascension parishes gathered at the Motiva Convent Refinery in Convent this week for the unveiling of its new Consolidated Control Building.

The 25,000 square-foot facility will consolidate and update the refineries control stations, which had previously been scattered throughout the refinery.

“Today is a great day for the Motiva Convent Refinery and the community,” said Motiva Convent President David Brignac.

He said the state-of-the-art structure stands as proof of the refinery’s commitment to the area. Motiva Convent straddles the St. James/Ascension parish line.

“We’re here for the long haul,” he said.

According to Production Specialist Nathan Falgoust, who led the group on a short tour, the facility not only brings together the technology that controls and monitors the refinery’s operations, but it also brings together the various control operators to a central location to streamline communication.

Daily and weekly meetings to discuss the needs, concerns and goals of the refinery will be held in the CCB, which will be manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

After walking through the meeting space, the group headed into the main attraction, the console-filled control center.

“Welcome to mission control,” said Falgoust, referring to the room’s NASA-like appearance.

The control center houses 17 consoles, all equipped with large warning lights, and has 20-foot ceilings.

“Everything is to deflect the sound into the floor or absorb it,” said Falgoust.

Such measures, he said, are an effort to cut down on emergency response time.

In constructing the facility, Motiva also took into account the physical and mental demands of manning the control center.

Said Falgoust, “It’s very conducive, ergonomic, friendly.”

Additionally, there is an adjacent exercise facility as well as a kitchen/break room and a shower and changing room for employees.

In the event of an air-quality emergency, the center will also serve as a place where employees can shelter in place.

“These guys can’t just get up and leave,” said Falgoust.

He said control operators will be able to remain in the building for several, should such an emergency arise.

Although all the equipment in the center is currently operational, Falgoust said the transition to the new CCB will not occur for a couple of weeks.