A lone-wolf oil refinery worker battles himself, his maniac co-workers, and the refinery itself, for one last shot at redemption on a job that could be do-or-die.

SYNOPSIS:

WORLD: An oil refinery shutdown is when they power off the plants to perform maintenance on equipment, requiring many screwball Trades workers over a couple months.

FORMAT: Feature | Dramedy

COMPS: DEEP WATER HORIZON meets SLAPSHOT (1977)

LOGLINE: After a lone wolf inspector loses his job, he signs up to supervise a shutdown three thousand miles from home. Now, he must repair, not only the damage to the refinery, but the rift his absence created with his pre-teen daughter.

Atop the tallest Fractionator column, CONNOR (40, LIFE CRISIS), peers down at the carnage from a recent explosion at his home-town refinery on Canada’s east coast. We see him descend into the LIVE ROARING PLANT. You can HEAR IT. FEEL IT.

His shift over, Connor’s informed he’ll lose half his pension from his upcoming divorce, inciting Connor. Heading to his car, he confronts the refinery owner’s grandson about a parking spot. They brawl. Connor is site-banned. For life.

After a 24-hour jail stint, he now faces the heat for financial support and divorce papers from INGRID (35’s, TYPE A). When she shares her pregnancy with her new, top 30 under 30, lawyer boyfriend, Connor slow burns.

Their daughter, MARLIE (pre-teen, ABASHED), is sad, confused why her dad can’t let go, and move on. Her dad’s missed most of her gymnastics competitions and hasn’t made an Easter in six years, due to work. This crushes Connor. Marlie’s his life.

Connor struggles due to his reputation, but digs up shutdown work out West, recruiting his semi-retired mentor and other renegade, QC welding inspectors. Off they go to Alberta.

Now, onsite at Huron, past the OIL SANDS PROTESTERS, at the SUPPOSED dry camp, Connor must redeem himself, and emerge unscathed, to rebuild his reputation. He wants to be respected by his work peers. He needs to better himself, to be a healthier dad to his daughter.

Connor’s retiring mentor warns him about the people and situations to avoid at this Huron. The refinery’s mandate is to make money.

As the shutdown progresses, the crew tracks two separate saboteurs onsite. First, a disgruntled WELDER, performing shoddy work. Second, THE MADD SHITTER. The prankster has defecated in refinery plants for two decades, never been caught (based on true story).

Connor guns for both.

The inspectors discover issues with certain piping system welds. Something’s not right. This sets up an ongoing clash with the lead engineer, TROY (50’s, FIRM). Connor believes the integrity of the refinery is at stake, while Troy commands Connor to pass the inspections to allow the refinery to restart. As neither budge, Troy suspends Connor, putting Connor’s career on the block.

When Troy is fired as a secret from his past is revealed, Connor is re-instated. However, he’s lost much of the confidence of his crew, due to his former wars with Troy. Troy was the one that gave them the work.

The threat of jeopardy builds within the refinery machinery. Culminating. Into what every person involved, turned a blind eye toward. Everybody, but Connor.

When a system pressure test goes wrong, setting off a chain of explosions, workers flee. But two of Connor’s people are missing. Connor beelines into the fire, hunting amidst the fires and chaos, to search for his guys.

Back home, battered and bruised, Connor’s work reputation has been restored. In the gym, Marlie lands her dismount, spots him- She runs and leaps into her daddy’s arms.