Customer: Esso Fawley Refinery

Problem: Esso's unit 1 boiler at Fawley was shutdown for repair. The unit 2 boiler had developed a superheater tube leak. The challenge was to carry out a repair, the alternative was a shutdown of the major processing units.

There was more bad news for the Furmanite team. The primary superheater tube leak was directed in the worst possible place - in dead space 102ft above ground level. Plus it was directing 1690psi of steam on to an adjoining tube.

Solution: An erosion shield was installed by crawling into this lethal confined space, protected by an air-cooled suit. After three days of planning and just two hours the process was complete.

Outcome: The result, the world's first repair of this type to an on-line boiler and a multi-million pound saving for Esso.