N E W S R E L E A S E from FURMANITE AUSTRALIA
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Furmanite joint integrity selected for LNG plant construction
A pressurised systems integrity management service from Furmanite, the speciality services company geared to maximising asset uptime, has been selected by Bechtel Corporation in the construction of an LNG plant for ConocoPhillips at Darwin, in Australia’s Northern Territory, to enable critical joint bolting and machining work to be undertaken with an assurance of no delays thanks to Furmanite’s guarantee of a leak-free start-up.
Furmanite was appointed to work on the construction project of the LNG plant, which will be directly linked to ConocoPhillips’ Bayu-Undan field 500km north west of Darwin in the Timor Sea, on the basis of its proven experience, reliability and quality of work on projects of this stature. Furmanite is providing its Pressurized Systems Integrity (PSI) Management services involving joint inspection, gasket installation and controlled bolting of flanged joints on the plant (with bolt sizes from 1.25 to 3.5 inches), including supervision of Bechtel technicians, provision of specialist tools and equipment, and full documentation.
290 raised face ANSI flanged joints on lines connected to the offshore main gas line, ranging in size from 15 through 54 inches with an operating pressure of 190 bar, are currently being worked on by Furmanite under the contract, which is due to complete in December this year.
Furmanite’s PSI Management service is designed to eliminate critical joint failure to deliver an on-schedule zero-leak start-up, by addressing all factors known to cause leaking joints. Among the key benefits are avoidance of costly delays, reduced equipment and testing costs and need for re-work, and earlier demobilisation of labour. Whether applied within a new-build or scheduled maintenance programme, the service both drives down costs and removes risk.
Typically flange distortion, sealing surface damage, incorrect bolt loads and uncontrolled tightening methods are among the primary causes of leaking flanged joints. Furmanite’s service addresses these, by inspecting all joints, machining any damaged pipe and flange faces undertaken to ensure a positive seal when the flange is bolted, and tightening the bolts to the required preload using hydraulic tensioning.
The full service also involves logging all data relating to each joint into the PSI Management system (bespoke software, held and managed by Furmanite and requiring no purchase by the client, offering real-time reporting including all mechanical and work data for each joint). This is accessible to both the Furmanite site manager and also the customer, who can access the system remotely via the internet with a secure passcode entry system, providing a full, user-friendly overview of workscope status and progress. As work proceeds a detailed history of each joint is built up to create a comprehensive, easily accessed record for full traceability and assistance in future maintenance planning.
Ensuring leak-free joints is not simply a matter of tightening the bolts, and requires specialist skills and experience, hence the importance of Furmanite’s supervision of Bechtel’s technicians as part of the contract.
Furmanite sales manager David Arnold commented: “Knowing that the penalties for overrunning on this project are high, the fact that our service is designed to deliver a leak-free start, avoiding any expensive delays, was a critical factor to Bechtel. Work is now underway and we will be on-site for 8 months to undertake this project.”
For further press information contact:
Sarah Manwaring-White
Keep in Touch Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1451 844 488
Email: sarah_mw@keepintouch.co.uk