Injecting New Life Into an Oil Rig Pump
Sulzer water injection pump brought back to life to maintain productivity after seven years lying dormant.
Leaving large pieces of rotating equipment dormant for long periods of time is routine when you work in an industry with a high level of mechanical redundancy. If they are not preserved correctly, then getting them back into service quickly can be a challenge. For one offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico, calling the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) was the deciding factor in getting a water injection pump in this situation back up and running in time to start operating when it was needed.
We all feel the effects of fluctuating global oil prices; it is, however, still a highly competitive market and profitability for the producers is dependent on the efficiency with which oil is extracted. By optimising process and maintenance schedules, oil companies aim to prolong the viability of wells by operating cost efficiently, but this gets harder out at sea.
Offshore drilling rigs aim to maintain peak performance throughout their production life cycle. One of the crucial pieces of equipment in this process is the water injection pump, which is used to pressurize the well and maximize production rates. It is therefore important to carry out periodic maintenance of these key assets to ensure they continue to perform reliably. All is not lost if the maintenance schedule is somewhat overlooked, as shown in a recent project that involved Sulzer revitalizing one of its injection pumps that had remained dormant for seven years.
The water injection pump rejuvenated by experts from Sulzer.
Borrowed Parts The history of what exactly happened prior to the need for recommissioning this standby water injection pump had been lost during various changes in personnel working on the platform. From what information could be gathered, it appeared that of the two water injection pumps on the rig, #2, developed a leak in a Graylock fitting in a piping spool, downstream of the pump itself.
To resolve this issue, pump #1 was shut down and the necessary parts removed to keep #2 operational. Since that time, pump #1 had remained out of service, without any preservation actions – while pump #2 operated continuously. However, after seven years use, it had begun to drop in efficiency, to the point that the platform operator needed to overhaul the pump to ensure continued productivity.
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www.sosmagazine.biz February 2020
To achieve the overhaul of pump #2 it was necessary to assess the condition of pump #1, resolve any issues and return it to normal operation. This would enable pump #2 to be shut down and overhauled, without an interruption to the productivity of the platform.
Call The Experts Both of the pumps were designed and manufactured by Sulzer who, as the OEM, was the first port of call for the platform operator. Realizing the importance of delivering a rapid response, an offshore-qualified pump engineer was dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico, where he completed the initial inspection of pump #1.
Working in the tight confines of an oil platform takes experience and close cooperation with the other personnel. Mark Lindsley, Field Service Engineer for Sulzer, explains: “We work closely
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