Northey Technologies Ltd
has built up, over many years, a reputation for reliability and workmanship
that is pivotal to a successful partnership offshore. With the ever-increasing
cost of downtime, the use of Northey equipment has enabled our customers to
plan life cycle costs and maintenance schedules with confidence.
The Case Study below helps to emphasise our prominent role within the offshore
industry. A number of compressor options were discussed, but the demands of
the project, and again the need for reliability above all else, resulted in
Northey winning the contract.
Case
Study
The
Problem
Due to environmental pressure our customer has a requirement to limit emissions
of vent gas from TEG boilers. This is natural gas, saturated with water at
about 40 deg. C and containing some HC's.
The Solution
In response to a clients specification, Northey has designed, built and is
currently installing packages on five platforms. The packages recover pollutants
from vent gas and return the gas for use as fuel and for stripping. This has
been achieved through chilling the gas to condense the water and HC's, and
then reheating it - providing a clean source of natural gas with a dew point
of 5°C.
The company believes this approach has not been used offshore before and that
it is the first installation of its kind. The process has been proven by carrying
out acceptance tests using air at 40°C saturated with steam.
Technology for Vent & Flare Gas Recovery
The photos show one of the packages to be used in the Dutch Sector of the
North Sea on a gas production platform.
Based on
the unique Northey compressor design, and combining the highest levels of
reliability and durability with an oil-free lubrication system, the packages
offer the ideal solution to the problem - converting gasses previously vented
to the flare into a reusable resource, whilst removing harmful contaminants.
This helps reduce overall costs for the operator and protects the environment.
Unlike many alternatives, Northey compressors are not lubricated with oil
and so gas pollution is avoided - this was another crucial factor in securing
the order.
Northey has so far built five similar packages, which are being supplied complete,
trace heated, painted and insulated. The flow rates are varied by speed control,
depending upon the supply, the control for this being carried out by a PLC.
Each of the packages has a footprint of 3m by 3m and weighs a little over
7 tons. The compressor is cast iron with stainless 316 rotors, and all pipe
work in contact with wet gas is 316L. The heart of the system is the Northey
'Hook & Claw' compressor which is highly respected by the customer, due
to its oil-free features, rugged reliability and high availability.
Summary
Tony Silk, Project Manager : "Our knowledge and expertise in the design
of bespoke units for a wide range of applications has been pivotal within
this contract. As is to be expected in a project of this sort, the customer
has instigated a number of design changes over the course of the build. I
am delighted with the way our engineering team have been able to respond".
Sales & Marketing Manager, Paul Freeman has been in contact with a number
of companies regarding this process. As the new EU emissions come into effect,
Northey anticipate a demand for many other packages of this kind, both on
and offshore.
"The aim is to take this concept outside of Europe and make it a standard
component Worldwide" - Bernard Whicher, Managing Director.