At the very heart of the refinery
 

Department I was the heart of the whole plant. Everything began there. Crude oil was delivered to Czechowice-Dziedzice, where it was separated into individual fractions during the distillation process. These were later used to produce petrol, diesel, engine oil, hydraulic oil, gear oil, bitumen, paraffin and many other products. Working in the department carried a great deal of responsibility. The systems operated continuously, around the clock. Every day, we analysed the equipment’s operating parameters, the plant’s performance and product yields. It was a world of constant monitoring, technology and collaboration among many people.

After a few years, I was put in charge of Department IV, where commercial products were developed. It was there that petrol, diesel and a wide range of engine, hydraulic and gear oils were produced. Finished products were loaded into rail tankers and barrels, and then sent to the packaging line, where they were filled into containers intended for customers.

The refinery underwent continuous modernisation, adapting its production to new market requirements. At the same time, the raw materials themselves were changing. Over time, increasing attention was paid to fuel quality and reducing sulphur content. This forced us to seek new types of oil and new technological solutions.

Working on the production line taught me humility. The plant operated around the clock, seven days a week. All it took was a brief power cut or a failure in the process steam supply to set off a whole chain of events. At times like these, people’s experience counted most. Mechanics, power engineers, electricians, automation engineers and operators were able to work as a single unit.

Responsibility for the entire production process
 

I progressed up the career ladder in a natural way. At the refinery, promotions were based primarily on experience. No outsiders were brought in; posts were filled by people who knew the business inside out. In 1991, I became head of production. I was in charge of all the refinery’s departments. Each day began with a morning briefing, during which managers presented their reports on the previous 24 hours. We discussed production volumes, the condition of the equipment, safety issues, environmental protection and any events that might have affected the plant’s operations.

After seven years, I took up the post of production director and later that of chief operating officer. I was no longer responsible solely for production, but also for technical services, energy management, environmental protection and maintenance. Despite my ever-increasing responsibilities, I never stopped making my daily rounds of the plant. I could not imagine managing production from behind a desk. Every day, I would walk through the departments, observe people at work, talk to managers and make a note of anything that needed improvement. Only then did I feel I really knew what was going on at the plant.

A refinery that thrived on its people
 

Although the plant is primarily associated with equipment, tanks and technology, its greatest strength lay in its people. I recall an atmosphere of cooperation, mutual trust and responsibility. Of course, there were differences of opinion and heated discussions from time to time, but we all knew we were working towards a common goal. Whenever a problem arose, nobody stopped to think about whether it was after hours. We stayed, found a solution and saw it through to the end.

I remember Director Alojzy Wasyl with the utmost respect. He was a man who trusted his staff and knew how to support them. I will never forget the time when I was applying for permission to travel to the United States. I received a rejection from the head office in Kraków. Director Wasyl took the letter, travelled to Kraków in person and returned with the signed authorisation.

I also have very fond memories of working with Marek Lesisz. Over the years, our career paths ran almost in parallel. He was calm, matter-of-fact and extremely competent. You could always have a sensible discussion with him, without any unnecessary emotion.

I also remember many department heads and specialists: Stefan Blecha, Jan Gomułka, Aleksander Martyniszyn, Wiesław Szczypka, Jan Rachwał, Piotr Dudek, Bronka Kaplita, Wojciech Szczypka, Leszek Pawlik and dozens of others who helped build the refinery over the years. Each had their own personality and way of working, but they were all part of the same team.

The factory was also active beyond production. Events were organised, including Chemists’ Days and gatherings for staff, their families and their children. Many people travelled from nearby towns. At every shift change, a veritable river of people flowed from the station to the refinery gates. Some walked; others cycled. It was a sight that is hard to imagine today.

When the installations fell silent
 

The most difficult moment of my professional life was not a fire or any kind of breakdown. The most painful moment was the decision to cease oil refining in Czechowice-Dziedzice. I fully understood the economic reasons. The refinery was too small to compete with modern plants. Every tonne of crude oil had to be transported by rail, while other refineries used pipelines or seaports. There was also a lack of modern facilities capable of processing crude oil more extensively and meeting the new fuel quality standards. I knew that, from an economic point of view, the decision was inevitable.

Even so, it was very difficult to come to terms with it. My entire working life had been in manufacturing. I worked my way up through the ranks: from deputy head of department to head of department, production manager and director. Suddenly, the systems that had been running non-stop for decades fell silent. I remember that silence. For years, I had been constantly accompanied by the hum of pumps, machinery and equipment. When everything went quiet, I felt as though part of my life had come to a standstill.

A few years later, I was put in charge of overseeing the decommissioning of part of the plant. I watched as the tall distillation tower — the symbol of the refinery to which I had devoted my entire working life — was knocked down. It would have been hard to imagine a more heart-wrenching sight. It marked the definitive end of an era.

A place that stays in the memory
 

When I look back today on more than three decades of work, I do not think about the equipment or the technology. What I remember most are the people I had the chance to work with every day. They created the atmosphere of this place, worked together to solve problems and ensured that the refinery was much more than just a production plant.

For me, it will always remain a place whose rhythm was set by the operating systems and by the people who, day in and day out, ensured that this complex organism never ceased to function.