Sabratha Platform

ENI GAS BV

SICES HP Production Coolers

Tripoli 14/06/2006
 INDEX
Contractual SoW & Technical details
Actual Status of the Coolers
Laboratory analysis of the defect
Plugging procedure
Plan to get in service last Cooler
Tube bundle replacement procedure
Loss of production risk analysis
Conclusions
Improvement of Sabratha Platform contractual
design to reduce the risk of loss of production
 4 HP PRODUCTION COOLERS

61-300-HA-101A Second failure

62-300-HA-101B First failure

 CONTRACTUAL SOW (FEED) REQUIREMENTS
4 Heat Exchangers: No Spare Capacity (6 MMSCMD each)
Tube sheet: Cladded C.S. plate (FEED design oriented to the
project cost optimisation)
 SABRATHA HP PRODUCTION COOLERS STATUS
HP PRODUCTION COOLER 62-300-HA-101-B
Start Up: 20/11/05,
Failure detected on 27/1/06 and isolated (shutdown)
Repair works for the removed coupon are ongoing

HP PRODUCTION COOLER 61-300-HA-101-A

Start Up: 27/9/05,
Failure detected on 19/2/06
Repair work completed, presently in service
HP PRODUCTION COOLER 61-300-HA-101-B
Start Up: 04/08/05,
NO Failure Detected; presently under normal operations
HP PRODUCTION COOLER 62-300-HA-101-A
Start Up: 20/11/05,
NO Failure Detected; presently under normal operations
Contractor immediately activated a task force to investigate
and solve the problem together with the vendor.
DETAIL OF WELD OVER LAY

Bevelling for
internal bore
welding

C.S

ALLOY 625
DETAIL OF INTERNAL BORE WELDING
LEAKING POINT FOUND AFTER THE LABORATORY
TEST INVESTIGATION

GAS
 CONSOLIDATED TECHNOLOGY USED
FOR SABRATHA DESIGN

Internal Bore Welding (IBW) Consolidated Technology

It is used on the Heat Exchangers application whenever the
crevice between Tube and Tube sheet must be protected
against corrosion or foreign materials.
(Ex. Gasification plant in Refinery Industry)

Weld Overlay Cladding Consolidated Technology

The weld overlay cladding is a consolidated technology
actually applied on Pressure Vessels, Flanges, Heat
Exchangers, Fittings, Pipe (Pipelines and Sealines), etc
 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES
Previous experiences and many papers are available for
Internal Bore Welding (IBW) and Weld Overlay Cladding

A notable example of what applied on Sabratha, is the

WELD OVERLAY CLADDING applied on the Tube sheet for
the MARATHON EAST BRAE coolers which were in
contact with untreated seawater at 80C. This Heat
Exchangers were manufactured by STRACHAN &
HENSHAW.
They were fabricated before 1990 and they are still
in service.

Another example are the Heat Exchangers with the Tube

sheet in low alloy steel (CR-Mo) with weld overlay
cladding produced for ONISCO (OMAN) before 1990
and still in service.
 LABORATORY TEST ON THE EXTRACTED COUPON &
IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAILURE

Two tests were carried out in Bodycote Laboratory at the

presence of Company, Lloyds, Contractor and Vendor.

The target was to define of leakage by NDT (Dye Penetrant

and X Ray)
First coupon
The test was carried out in Bodycote Laboratory in April 2006
without any result: leaking point not found.

Second coupon
The test was carried out in Bodycote Laboratory in May 2006
with the following results:
The leakage was a welding defect between the layers of weld
overlay.
RESULTS OF LAB. TEST & IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAILURE
Identification of the defect

Tube inside surface

Tube outside surface

RESULTS OF LAB. TEST & IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAILURE
Detail of defect/leakage

Tube outside surface

Tube inside surface

Tube inside surface

Tube outside surface

Tube inside surface

Tube inside surface
PLUGGING OF LEAKING TUBE
First method: C.S. Plug Preliminary solution

WATER Side GAS Side

Tube

Plug Inconel 625

Cap
 PLUGGING OF LEAKING TUBE
Second method: Inconel 625 Sleeve

Cap
Inconel 625 Sleeve
TEST COUPON REMOVAL FOR ANALISYS
 Plugging of tube where the sample coupon
was extracted-First Method
C.S

Inconel 625

Cap Inconel 625 Sleeve

Plugging of tube where the sample coupon
was extracted-Second Method
Location of Padeyes for tube bundles removal
 SAFETY STUDY FOR THE TUBE
BUNDLE SUBSTITUTION

Very high attention have been dedicated to the safety

study for the Tube Bundle removal activities.
A tube bundle of 14 Tons shall be extracted from the
Platform meanwhile the platform is in operation.
A dropped object study have been done and submitted to
evaluate and reduce any risk of damage due to the tube
bundle removal.
All the necessary actions will be implemented in accordance.

All the team involved in the operation shall be trained

on the safety aspect of this operation.
 LOSS OF PRODUCTION RISK ANALYSIS
Contractor has already evaluated the maximum
production that can be obtained in case one of the heat
exchangers is out of service due to repair works or
removal of the tube bundle.
The Platform maximum production capacity already
verified with three heat exchanger is 23.5 MMSCMD
The above has been calculated with the design
parameters (more stringent: fouling factor and
temperatures). The verification with the actual
temperatures when requested, will reasonably allow
to increase the production (with three Heat
Exchangers in service) till the Platform maximum
design capacity of 24 MMSCMD
 Maximum Production with 3 Heat Exchanger
Maximum Capacity for one Deydratation Train:
Maximum Capacity with guaranteed Dew Point:12,5 MMSCMD
Maximum Capacity calculated: 13,8 MMSCMD, (the gas dew point after the column is guaranteed till 16,8MMSCMD, but the glycol regeneration
above 13,8 will require a gas dew point check)

Maximum Capacity for one HP heat Exchanger:

Maximum Capacity with hot wells (Platform):7,5 MMSCMD
Maximum Capacity with cold wells (SubSea):9,7 MMSCMD

Conclusion:
Production of 1st Train: 13,8 MMSCMD (the limitation is due to the Maximum capacity of deydratation Train: 13,8 MMSCMD )
Production of 2nd Train: 9,7 MMSCMD (equivalent to the max. capacity of one HP Heat Exchanger treating gas from SubSea)

MAXIMUM PRODUCTION WITH 3 HEAT EXCHANGERS:

23,5 MMSCMD
 CONCLUSION 1/2

No loss of production expected: Contractor

performed the calculation and verifications (process and
mechanical) necessary to increase the production till the
maximum acceptable values for each heat exchanger, in
order to avoid any loss of production with only three heat
exchangers running.

Permanent plugs: permanent plugs solution has been found

in order to finally solve the problem of leaking tubes. The plugs have
been successfully installed on the leaking tubes. Last Heat Exchanger
will be back in production as soon as the plugs will be installed where
the coupons have been removed (planned within June 22nd).
 CONCLUSION 2/2

Modifications to replace a tube bundle

without shut down: all the necessary material have
been purchased and will be installed during the shut down in
August. After this date a tube bundle can be replaced without
shut down.

Possible evolution of this defects: the

typology of defect found does not appear to be linked to the
production. Some heat exchangers that are working from the
beginning (04/08/2005) have no evident defect. Significant
increase of the number of defects is unlikely in the future due to
the nature of the defect discovered with the laboratory analysis.