CRANES, LIFTING & UNDERWATER SERVICES
shock absorption in loading, and at hardness levels that enable the steel in the product to withstand extreme conditions of the offshore environment.”
Correct materials selection is critical, especially when it comes to problems such as HE. Operators need to ensure that despite commercial pressures, the products used in the offshore environment are fully appropriate for their intended use, and that the environmental conditions, mechanical stresses and material susceptibility have all been assessed rigorously.
Dr Martínez-Pañeda noted that while the scientific community has achieved great progress in using simulation tools to predict the behaviour of components exposed to hydrogen, challenges remain and “the materials to be used and the manufacturing process has to be tested and assessed to minimise the risks as much as possible.”
The report looks at key areas around HE including causal factors, best practice methods to reduce risk
and recommendations around specific product groups and key performance requirements.
“Managing the risks of HE and SICC requires a change of mindset,” says Burgess. “The advancement towards higher and higher grades of steel should be treated with caution. In an offshore environment, procurement and quality assurance policies should include comprehensive details of the material’s properties, as well as standard compliance. Without the proper understanding of the material and its use offshore, the end result is increased risk to operations,” he added.
The company is taking further steps to help minimise the risks of HE and extend the life-span of master links with the introduction of Zinc-ToughTM – an innovation that applies a zinc layer to the product which significantly reduces the speed at which corrosion occurs. It extends the product lifespan and also reduces the risk of HE in comparison to other coating processes such as galvanising and electroplating.
William Hackett has delivered more than 550,000 master links. Burgess says, “We are immensely proud of our track record in the supply of HA links to Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, TechnipFMC, Saipem, Subsea 7, Oceaneering and every other major offshore operator. We have not had one suspected case of HE to-date, which reinforces the quality approach we take in how our products are manufactured.”
q 01665 604200 E
liftingsales@williamhackett.co.uk H
williamhackett.co.uk
November 2020
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