It doesn't make any difference what part of a refinery, it WILL be possible to use repair robots. The refinery was designed by men for a time when robots did not exist. Those designs can be altered or made anew to facilitate robot activity. The robots themselves can be specifically designed to work in present refineries.
It won't happen until it is economically feasible to do so.
It won't happen until it is economically feasible to do so.You haven't a clue. The functionality is what is critical, not the economic feasibility and a redesign can't change the functional process.
Do you even know what an internal tray is inside of those towers and how they function much less what it takes to change them out during maintenance?
Refineries may be able to OPERATE with limited people, but the minute something has to be repaired or maintained you need people.
Protest all you want and make all of the ignorant, uninformed comments you want, but it isn't going to change anything. Robots simply can't do the jobs humans do in refineries.