Paradigm launches game changing fire deluge safety testing technology
Paradigm launches game changing fire deluge safety testing technology
GROOT-AMMERS, Netherlands -- Paradigm Flow Services has unveiled a new technology, which eliminates issues with conventional wet testing for fire deluge safety systems. Forming part of the company’s Deluge Integrity management service for clients, the Dry-Flo testing technology will change the way oil and gas operators carry out fire deluge safety testing for the first time in fifty years.
Wet testing, where firewater is pumped through the deluge system to check flow through nozzles, can cause problems with corrosion under insulation, water ingress to electrical junction boxes, and flooding of the process module drains. These are global issues for oil and gas operators, but a particular concern on ageing assets. Dry-Flo uses conditioned and dehumidified air to assess the functionality of deluge nozzles, with remote sensors strategically placed to pick up the air wave signatures throughout the deluge system.
Rob Bain, MD of Paradigm, said, "Operators are looking for a way to minimize exposure to the problems with current testing methods. With a 20% rise in hydrocarbon releases from April 2013 to March 2014 and a 50% initial test failure rate in UK deluge systems, the importance of effective fire safety systems cannot be underestimated. Now is the right time to introduce these new testing measures which will transform how the industry benchmarks deluge performance for the first time in fifty years."
"The Dry-Flo system dovetails with the Health and Safety Executive’s KP4 initiative, which aims to improve awareness and management of the risks associated with ageing assets in the offshore oil and gas industry, and also the Asset Stewardship & Technology Strategies from the Wood Review UKCS Maximising Recovery Review," added Bain.
The Dry-Flo technology will be demonstrated to clients and industry stakeholders at Paradigm’s new office in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire from Nov. 18 to 20. The site includes a full scale 50 nozzle deluge system which has been specifically designed to replicate an offshore environment.
This is industry's first game-changer for fire safety testing offshore. Not only does it address the risks associated with wet testing and corrosion; it is quicker to set up and complete the testing, it eliminates the need to cover and protect electrical equipment and it can be conducted while the deluge system is live.
This means, it is much less intrusive and there are no risks of accidental shutdown due to seawater ingress, reducing the impact on production. Additional benefits are a reduction in personnel required, compared with conventional wet testing, and it is more cost effective.
The data picked up from the air wave signatures is compared against hydraulic models developed by Paradigm engineers and the sensors detect any deviations from optimum function. This can help to predict and pinpoint any issues with fire equipment and enables Paradigm to make recommendations on the best course of remediation.
