TDW, Centrica Sign Pipeline Isolation Services Contract

TDW Offshore Services (TDW) announced that it has signed a frame agreement with Centrica Storage Limited (CSL) to provide pipeline isolation services with its SmartPlug® tool.

The tool makes it possible to safely isolate pressure in an active pipeline, and maintain production while necessary maintenance is carried out. By doing so, operators realize significant benefits in the form of reduced downtime and associated costs.

“We are extremely pleased with this development,” said Larry Ryan, Director of SmartPlug® Operations for TDW Offshore Services. “The five-year agreement effectively extends the agreement between TDW and CSL, which the two companies entered into in 2010,” he added.

During the past 10 years, TDW has performed several pipeline isolation operations for CSL on its Rough Gas Storage assets in the Southern North Sea using the SmartPlug isolation system. Recently, CSL isolated the main sea-line that connects the offshore 47/3B platform with its Easington Gas Terminal using a TDW SmartPlug system installed in the riser at the platform end.

“This allowed change-out of the platform Emergency Shutdown Valve (ESDV) without the requirement to vent down the 30km long pipeline, thus minimizing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with natural gas venting,” said Paul Hardy, Integrity Engineer for CSL. “In addition, CSL prefer to keep the pipeline at pressure, thereby reducing the number of pressure cycles and minimizing fatigue life usage. Isolating the pipeline using the TDW SmartPlug achieves this objective,” he added.

“An added advantage of using SmartPlug tools that incorporate a pressure test module is that the new or repaired valve can be service pressure-tested and seat leakage tested in-situ from both sides using nitrogen prior to releasing the isolation and admitting gas, thus ensuring integrity before hydrocarbons are present. This capability is something CSL intends to take advantage of in the future,” he added.

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Press Release, September 04, 2013