Planning, preparation, safety and scheduling – just four of the many critical aspects that need to be focused on during a planned shutdown. With our clients gearing up for one of the biggest pipeline shutdowns in the North Sea, the importance of minimising delays and ensuring a smooth return to normal production is a huge focus. The implications of a shutdown are widespread and most likely will also lead to operators using this time to carry out simultaneous inspection and maintenance of their own assets too.
Planning
With huge complexity and expense associated with shutdown projects, and even more so when unexpected situations arise leading to postponed start-up, the planning stage must be a priority. Minimising risk and ensuring safety starts with pre-training of crews, pre-inspection of assets and having a multiskilled partner with a complete integrity package. Unexpected issues can impact on the project schedule and budgets so it is essential the integrity partner can not only prepare effectively but also adapt and resolve issues quickly.
Integrated Approach
An integrated approach can add significant value to a shutdown campaign – from review, design to a managed service. Addressing the monitoring challenges associated with a shutdown in advance can ensure safe, timely and efficient operations. Having multiskilled engineering teams along with combined reports and data acquisition reduces the challenges that are associated with campaign work whilst also increasing productivity and safety.
Utilising Technology
With a strong track record of performing permanent repair solutions, we have achieved 80% time reduction for operators through our Quickflange weldless flange to pipe connection solutions. This highlights how technology has an essential role in ensuring flexible and quick integrity solutions during a shutdown process. From drone technology for pre-inspection, weldless Quickflange solutions to engineered composite repair technology, the industry needs to ensure it has adopted recognised solutions ahead of a planned shutdown.
With a focus on resourcing and proactive preparation, a shutdown presents the opportunity to safeguard an asset’s reliability as well as utilise the range of technology and expertise the industry has to offer. With a multiskilled team and suite of repair methods that have achieved an approved industry track record, ICR Integrity is on-hand to support our clients with the challenges that lie ahead of a planned shutdown.
This article was published in OGV Magazine Issue #28 -
here
INTEGRATED MAINTENANCE & INTEGRITY SOLUTIONS
