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Compression train performance increased by over 10% |
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$800/hr increased gas export production following identification of a faulty compression train recycle valve |
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Identified poor performance of a centrifugal compressor operating on a parallel train |
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Detected process limiting instrumentation drift |
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Challenge
The Triton FPSO is critical to Amerada Hess for upstream petroleum
that forms part of the field's subsea infrastructure. The efficient
operation of centrifugal compressors and seawater injection pumps
are crucial to maintain a constant stream of export gas that produce
the equivalent of 7% of UK oil and gas requirements.Wood Group
Engineering handles the overall maintenance management for the FPSO
from an onshore base in Aberdeen, with Sulzer Wood handling the
maintenance of the equipment. The customer's well defined requirement was a proven performance
solution, to pinpoint degradations in equipment performance from a
remote location with the goal of reducing downtime, scheduling
maintenance and ultimately increasing annual export production.
Solution
AMS Performance Monitor was selected as the preferred solution by
Amerada Hess, Wood Group Engineering and Sulzer Wood. It provides
equipment operational data and performance monitoring results, from
the FPSO, for remote analysis by operators, on and offshore. AMS
Performance Monitor allows operators to assess the effect of
equipment performance in terms of throughput, downtime and stability
- assisting operators to move to predictive and proactive
maintenance programs.Immediately, AMS Performance Monitor
realized true process benefits by the identification of performance
shortfalls. The centrifugal compressor train was operating below
expected levels, when compared to manufacturer's design data,
showing a substantial level of lost production. Using AMS
Performance Monitor, the individual bottleneck compressor was
singled out for targeted maintenance. This allowed engineers to
focus attention on a solitary compressor, vastly reducing the
required downtime. The resultant +10% polytropic efficiency
performance recovery permitted a further 10% increase in throughput,
directly impacting the overall gas export levels.
Compression trains rely upon accurate temperature instrumentation
as performance indicators and for effective control scheme
implementation. Accurate readings directly impact the performance
interpretation and volume of gas compressed/flowed by the machine.
Using the thermodynamic based models to characterize performance,
AMS Performance Monitor's ability to distinguish between performance
deviations and instrumentation drift, for all sections of the
compression trains, allows true evaluation of performance. Early
identification of instrumentation error, immediately communicated by
Emerson’s support team, considerably reduced the total loss of
production.
Using AMS Performance Monitor to diagnose declining equipment
performance allows engineers to rely upon the accuracy of results.
Complex performance attributes are broken down to individual
components, permitting swift identification of problems. AMS
Performance Monitor helped to identify a faulty recycle valve on the
second compression stage of a train. The additional recycle flow
reduced the total gas export from the train such that production levels fell dramatically.
With AMS Performance Monitor, personnel were able to promptly identify the root cause and take immediate
corrective action.
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