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 large oil refineries.
Following an evaluation of SGS's needs, Ashtead increased its stock of Panametrics 37DL Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges so that SGS could rent fourteen of the instruments for this month long BP inspection project.
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 suited for applications involving pipes, tanks, and other metal structures subject to corrosion or erosion. It includes 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 Technology was prepared to make the extra investment to meet our needs.” he said. “The benefits of renting from Ashtead Technology 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 finalized 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 program."
The test gauges identified several maintenance issues at both the plants which enabled immediate remedial action before normal plant operation resumed.
Ashtead Technology’s NDT National Account Manager Ryan Theil 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.”
