Blast-Resistant Door Replacement at Hess Tioga Gas Plant

Client: Hess Corporation
Location: Tioga Gas Plant – North Dakota
Completion Date: May 2025

The Challenge: High-Traffic Area, Heavy-Duty Demands

At the Hess Tioga Gas Plant, the main control room is a hub of continuous activity and the blast-resistant door separating the plant from this critical area bore the brunt of it. Designed for safety but not optimized for functionality, the original door was too heavy for the existing hardware, leading to repeated issues: difficulty opening and closing, latching problems, and overall wear.

This is a common issue in industrial environments when blast doors are mismatched with their hardware or improperly specified. Hess needed more than a vendor, they needed an experienced partner to engineer the right solution, source the appropriate materials, and manage installation without compromising safety, budget, or schedule.

The Solution: Engineered to Fit, Built to Last

FORTRESS Protective Buildings partnered with Hess and a structural engineering team to deliver a fully integrated blast-resistant door upgrade. Our team:

• Conducted an on-site evaluation of the control room entrance
• Developed a custom blast door specification to ensure compatibility and performance
• Sourced the new blast-rated door through DeanSteel Manufacturing, a trusted FORTRESS partner
• Inspected and approved the product prior to delivery

FORTRESS then coordinated with Frontline Services to remove the outdated door and execute the new installation, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations.

The Result: Improved Safety, Functionality, and Compliance

Installed in May 2025, the upgraded blast-resistant door now provides:

• Enhanced durability and smoother operation
• Safer and more secure access to the main control room
• Full compliance with blast protection standards

This turnkey upgrade underscores FORTRESS’s ability to deliver high-performance industrial safety solutions with speed, precision, and professionalism.