Key points
The concern for the safety of personnel in pressure testing operations continues to become an ever-greater focus for high pressure equipment manufacturers and operators. When the topic of safety became higher on the agenda for the industry and the high-pressure safety measures began to be implemented, some organisations constructed large concrete or steel pressure test booths, which continue to be utilised by many to this day.
However, as products and capabilities expand, so do the requirements for safety, and in many instances, the initially constructed enclosures may no longer be adequate to contain higher energy projectiles or simply may not be large enough to accommodate newer and larger equipment.
With the growing awareness and adoption of safe practices in the industry, we experience the increasing desire for alternative and superior options to steel or concrete. With volatile oil and gas prices and the negative effects of the global pandemic, the financial commitment to safety has become burdensome, resulting in practices such as exclusion zones, testing on weekends to reduce the quantity of personnel exposed, and simply turning a blind eye to the risks remaining all too prevalent in the industry.
Nevertheless, safety is key and must be practiced without compromise. With personnel and infrastructure safety at the forefront of any operation, BOP/manifold pressure tests are a necessary procedure on an installation, both on and offshore.
In order to mitigate the risk associated with potential failures, including projectile, overpressure or spray hazards, some tests are required to be performed as often as every 2/3 weeks, subsequently increasing the number of hours lost each year due to operation shut down. As operators often work on tight budgets, any operational time lost may have big impact on the project delivery.
The next generation pressure test barriers
For many years, manufacturers of high-pressure equipment have used concrete or steel bunkers to protect personnel during the initial proof testing of the equipment they built. However, when the equipment left manufacturing division to be assembled or repaired, there were no reasonable ways to implement protection in the field.
At best, this led to the use of makeshift wooden barriers, clearing the area of non-essential personnel, hiding behind a service vehicle, or in most cases, simply trusting the equipment’s integrity, hoping that assembly was performed adequately, and no failures would occur.
Long gone are the times when hiding behind a service vehicle or simply trusting the equipment’s integrity during assembly was acceptable. As some industries introduce higher pressure operations to the oilfield and, therefore, increasing the exposure to the risks associated with the high-pressure equipment failures, new technologies are emerging in response, which will not only safeguard the personnel, but also save money and simplify the operations.
The recent innovations in pressure test barriers technology resulted in the introduction of more flexible, mobile and durable alternatives, which not only save money and time, but also improve operational delivery of the hazardous testing.
The alternative solution
In many environments, there simply are no feasible options to apply adequate pressure testing protection by traditional means. On an offshore drilling rig, for example, a steel or concrete barrier cannot be constructed to isolate a high-pressure manifold or BOP during pressure testing, as it would interfere with operations. Also, personnel cannot be evacuated far enough and safe distance away from where a lethal projectile could be launched.
As opposed to traditional permanent steel and concrete enclosures, the flexible nature and mobile, modular design of the safety systems not only save invaluable space on the asset, but also allow for greater application in several operations and locations, both onshore and offshore, including sites inaccessible by current methods.
The materials
The new generation barriers are created using fire resistant and extraordinarily strong materials with an energy absorbing core capable of withstanding 293-foot pounds of energy per square inch, per layer. These innovative textiles not only offer high level of protection but also pliability that allows engineering of a whole product range, including sleeves, blankets and curtains, all adaptable to the needs and specific requirements of a project.
The modular design
As opposed to the traditional methods of permanent steel and concrete enclosures, the flexibility and mobility of safety blast curtains help to save space on an asset and allow for easier application in inaccessible locations, both on and offshore, all due to their modular design.
Additionally, utilising the torque lock systems allows for easy connection of the barriers, whilst reducing the risks of incidents caused by locking system failures, which may pose a serious threat to personnel and the facility.
The customisation
From required suspension of operation and increased non-productive time (NPT) to inability to provide solution for oversized or irregular equipment or areas with restricted access, assuring highest-level of safety often presents several challenges when choosing a fit-for-purpose solution.
Due to the modular design and use of flexible and pliable materials, the new generation blast protection barriers can be engineered to meet specific requirements of a project, providing solutions where none exist.
The functionality
Pressure testing has developed in various facets in the past few years, including increase in pressure, geometrical test article size, and larger projectiles of concern. Traditional steel and concrete buildings are permanently installed and typically left behind; however, the mobile and modular design of the alternative pressure test barriers allow for smarter use of shop floor. If a client changes the size of the test article or moves to a new facility, the barriers can be relocated and changed with accordance to the client’s requirements.
The industry no longer requires to plan a footprint for an archaic concrete bunker or establish large exclusion zones, the new generation pressure test barriers can be utilised to enhance the safety and efficiency of pressure testing operations in any facility or in the field.
Adopting the safety
When you consider the features of the modular barriers – the resistance, flexibility, design, materials used and adaptability – it is clear that using alternative methods would guarantee higher safety levels and mitigate risks of potential incidents.
The innovation in barrier technology also offers the ability to pressure test equipment without shutting down or evacuating an asset, consequently reducing the costs, increasing productivity and simplifying operations, whilst safeguarding personnel at the same time.
High-pressure test safety is still in its infancy, however, as the industry develops introducing higher testing pressure spectrum as well as bigger and nonstandard equipment and testing locations, it is vital to progress with the times and focus on technologies that deliver innovative and customised solutions to the more complex operations, whilst complying with the industry’s strict safety regulations and requirements.
