N E W S R E L E A S E from FURMANITE ASIA PACIFIC
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FAP/021:OGG
November 22, 2004
Petronas Gas Bhd turns to new technology from Furmanite Malaysia for liquid line repair without shutdown
Shutdown was avoided, representing significant savings, when Petronas Gas Bhd selected advanced composites technology from Furmanite (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to provide permanent repairs to a critical 10 inch feed condensate liquid line near the Gas Processing Plants (GPP) 5 and 6 at Kerteh, Terengganu in Malaysia. The decision avoided the need to cut and replace sections of the line.
Some 22 metres of the line were repaired at 20 different remote locations over a stretch of some 7km along the line, all while production continued uninterrupted.
Internal corrosion had been identified by Petronas Gas during a Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) pigging inspection on the 10 inch line, running underground over a distance of 15.1 km and operating at 75 to 90 barg and a temperature of 33°C. The internal corrosion had been measured and identified using NDT (C-Scanning Inspection), following excavation.
Seeking to avoid shutdown – which would have been required to remove and replace the damaged sections – Petronas Gas turned to Furmanite Malaysia for a permanent composites technology repair. Being applied on-line, with no hotwork required, this offered considerable savings, and restored both pressure integrity (hoop load) and structural strength (axial load).
The repairs, using epoxy resin and carbon fibre layers, were designed against a design pressure of 153 barg and temperature of 40°C (well within the current upper reaches of Furmanite composites repairs, which extend to 209 barg and 200°C), and were applied to lengths of up to 900mm of pipe, according to the size of the defect in each area. Just 13mm thickness of carbon was all that was required to provide the required pressure and structural integrity.
Moreover, the light weight and flexibility of the materials, making them easily handled and transportable, was a significant advantage given the remote locations and awkward access to some of the repairs.
Installed by highly qualified Furmanite technicians (accurate, skilled installation being vital to a successful, lasting repair), the process involved thorough surface preparation (critical to achieving a durable bond, and therefore to the long term performance and reliability of the repair), followed by a layering process of resin-impregnated carbon fibre plies, building up to the specified thickness, overlap and taper, in line with the design calculations.
Furmanite Malaysia operations manager Chris Lord added: “One of the challenges of the job was the intense heat, reaching as high as 47°C at times. This meant the humidity readings had to be monitored at all times to ensure the levels didn’t exceed 80%, as this could have affected the integrity of the repair.”
The resulting repairs, which are corrosion-free, are up to ten times as strong as steel at less than a quarter the density. The full workscope was completed in just ten days.
Commenting on the work Petronas Gas Pipeline Engineer Mohd Nazir said: “By being able to carry out the necessary repairs for both internal and external corrosion without having to shut down the plant and within the required timescale, Furmanite’s composites route provided excellent value. We are now looking at using the technology for further repair work, particularly onshore high pressure pipelines, to repair corrosion damage on critical lines.”
Lord cited this project as typical of the service Furmanite is able to offer. “We specialise in engineering services and technologies geared to maximising asset uptime, helping our customers keep their assets earning,” he said.
For further press information contact:
Sarah Manwaring-White
Keep in Touch Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1451 844 488
Email: sarah_mw@keepintouch.co.uk