Level control is the 'most gruelling offshore application'

London — Level control has been identified as by far the most challenging offshore valve application, according to Severn Unival — citing a study of data from its work in this industry over the past 15 years.

In that time, the engineering company has been commissioned to repair or retrofit more than 1,000 OEM level control valves ranging from 1-inch to 24-inch bore. This is more than double the number of valves in other severe or critical offshore applications that have needed similar attention.

For instance, choke valves are the next most volatile with over 450 repairs or retrofits completed in the same timeframe, explained a company statement.

Level control valves play a vital function on offshore oil platforms. They are used in the process of stripping impurities - usually water and gases - from the oil stream before it is shipped from the platform for sale or production. The stream is sent through a series of separators and it is essential that levels of oil and water are carefully managed.

Certain level control applications can put valves under a lot of stress. They can be exposed to severe flashing and vibration, caused by fluctuations in vapour pressure due to the many constituents of the oil. High velocities of flashing vapour can cause extensive erosion of internal components. This exacerbates the erosive qualities generally associated with offshore oil extraction, due to sand and salt content of the stream. Results can be catastrophic, seriously compromising safety, integrity and reliability.

Severn Unival’s sales manager for North Sea Services, Andy Woodward, advises platform managers to ensure level control valves are a top priority for maintenance strategies.

“Our repair intelligence data clearly indicates that level control valves are the number one ’bad actor’ of North Sea platforms,” said Woodward. “Ageing assets are becoming the norm in this region, so it is more important than ever to take proactive measures to optimise performance.”

According to Severn Unival, timely repair and retrofit activity can cost-effectively raise the performance standard of ageing assets. Technical solutions, it noted, can range from simple overhauls to the use of more sophisticated trim designs for specific level control applications. Improving the trim with higher grade materials such as ceramics or tungsten carbide can also enhance the longevity of valves.

“High-level technical engineering can bring robust, long-term solutions,” concluded Woodward. “Identifying, and focusing attention on, gruelling applications like level control plays an important role in maximising offshore uptime.”