Platform shutdown costing in excess of $5,000,000 avoided
Plasma® seals a leaking main oil line critical valve
- Client Major Operator
- Leak Location Lubricated Plug Valve
- Location North Sea Location
- Nominal Bore 12 inch
Challenge
The operator had a 12-inch main oil line (MOL) pump isolation valve which was passing, and as a result they could not carry out a pump seal replacement. If the isolation could not be achieved, a platform shutdown would be required to allow the work to be carried out safely.
Solution
Brinker analysed the information supplied by the operator to identify the optimal Plasma® grade for the application. Brinker’s engineer and equipment, including a hydraulic Plasma® gun, was mobilised offshore and Plasma® was injected into the valve sealant port. The valve was cycled a number of times to distribute the Plasma® over the surface of the valve plug. A subsequent pressure build-up test indicated that the valve was no longer passing against an export oil pressure of 90 bar.
Outcome
Plasma® was successfully injected into the isolation plug valve and a complete seal was achieved against the crude export pressure of 90 bar. The pump seal replacement was carried out with the Plasma® seal in place and the pump was successfully brought back online.
The upside
The pump seal replacement was completed without the requirement for a 12-hour platform shut-down, which resulted in savings of more than $5,000,000 in lost production.
