Rental instrumentation inspects major UK oil refinery

Rental specialists Ashtead Technology played a key role in providing the latest NDT (Non Destructive Testing) instrumentation for inspection work carried out by SGS Industrial Services during the shutdown of two of Europe’s largest oil refineries. Following an evaluation of SGS's needs, Ashtead increased its stock of Panametrics 37DL Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges so that SGS could hire fourteen of the instruments for month long inspection projects at the BP Europoort site in Rotterdam and Total’s Vlissingen refinery. Inspection and maintenance work at large petrochemical facilities usually involves plant shut down, so it has to be completed as quickly and effectively as possible. A digital gauge combining powerful measurement features with sophisticated data acquisition and output capabilities, the 37DL is ideal for applications involving pipes, tanks and other metal structures subject to corrosion or erosion. It includes innovative features for true metal thickness even when the exposed surface is coated or painted, such as the Oxide/Scale option, which also measures and displays build up of residue inside boiler tubes and helps to predict tube life. For the most recent inspections, SGS technicians used the 37DL to measure the thickness of pipelines, drum vessels and towers on both sites last year during two separate shutdowns. As SGS’s Account Manager Dennis van Elk explains: “It was vital that the instrumentation arrived on time and was ready to use prior to the shutdown of the sites, which only happens once every four years, due to the size of the plants. “Both of these projects required a significant number of the test gauges for the amount of work that had to be undertaken in a short period of time, so we were delighted that Ashtead was prepared to make the extra investment to meet our needs.” he said. “The benefits of renting from Ashtead were that we knew we could rely on the instrumentation to be delivered on time and ready for immediate use. “The project had to be finalised within the shutdown time so we could not afford for there to be any technical or delivery issues and our client was delighted with the speed and efficiency of the inspection programme.” The test gauges identified several maintenance issues at both the plants which enabled immediate remedial action before normal plant operation resumed. Ashtead Technology’s General Manager Alan Hasson added: “This is a great example of our willingness to invest in new equipment in order to meet the needs of our customers – we have a large fleet of the latest instruments, but we are always willing to make specific additions in response to customer demand and if the required instruments meet the highest standards for accuracy and reliability. This case also highlights the financial and service provision benefits of renting.” ENDS Words: 455

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