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TDW completed testing in early November and mobilized a crew of technicians and equipment to assist a refinery in Hawaii meet an EPA-driven Consent Decree requiring the limitation of H2S gas flare emissions to a level below 160 ppm before the end of the year. The project marks the first time a hot tapping and plugging procedure has been performed at this particular Hawaiian refinery. In order for the refinery to move forward with the installation of a new knock-out unit to remove impurities flowing through a 42-inch flare line, |
TDW first inserted 36"x 42" folding plugging heads into the line at each end of the pipe adjacent to the section to be removed. A bypass line consisting of 36-inch piping was installed prior to insertion of the plugging heads to assure the flare system and the refinery would not experience an undesirable shut-down during equipment installation.
Prior to departure, TDW performed a non-pressurized mock-up of the plugging head arrangement on a section of test line in front of the TDW Services facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The mock-up gave the customer an opportunity to directly observe precise plugging head placement and confirm the effectiveness of the plugging heads being utilized prior to implementation in Hawaii.
The end result of the TDW testing and installation process has been a complete success. The Hawaiian refinery never missed a minute of production, and well short of the government imposed deadline, they now enjoy emissions compliance with the EPA.
The folding plugging head (lower right) standing at the ready while the
cutter completes its task.
The Hawaiian refinery project has been a true team performance with contributions coming from a broad range of TDW resources including Central Services Group, Sales, technical services from Engineering, and added support from Mid-Continent Region and the West Coast Region personnel. Special acknowledgement goes out to sales representative Jerry O’Connor and engineer Paul Hatch who have orchestrated many of the details that have lead directly to a successful and timely project completion.
Working in concert, each TDW division involved with the Hawaiian refinery project delivered their respective portion of a unified capability and demonstrated the extraordinary depth of TDW technical expertise. It is the total package of products, services, innovative technologies and over 80 years of hands-on, in-the-field problem solving capability that sets T.D.Williamson apart from the rest as the Partner of Choice for operators of pressurized pipelines the world over.
It May Be Cold Up North, But It's Hot in Houston!
Flow station on North American transit line
TDW Offshore Services provided a 30" SmartPlug™ tool to successfully isolate a North American transit line on land. The line was located in the farthest northern latitude and the coldest weather (minus 13 degrees Celsius) to date for TDW Offshore. Like most companies, the client required a double block system when working on their pipelines. After review of several options, the client determined that TDW Offshore Services' SmartPlug technology was, not only the safest way to provide a second block to repair their leaking pipeline, but the most economical way as well.
Thanks to the smooth teamwork involved with this project, the client was pleased that TDW Offshore was able to deliver the tool two days earlier than the scheduled delivery date of October 27th. The letter of intent was received on September 25th, the tool was mobilized from Norway on the 19th of October and arrived on site on October 25th. Work commenced as originally scheduled.
For additional information about SmartPlug technology and applications, www.TDWOffshore.com
Minus 13 degrees Celsius,
it's even cold inside
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Our thanks to everyone who participated in the online Web assessment survey. From our long list of participants, two names were randomly selected to receive a spectacular fifth generation, 30-gig, audio/video iPod.
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