Sand erosion- Shell Sabah Platform

Cyclone piping

For many years, sand erosion is one of the most significant major problems faced in oil and gas industries throughout the world. Many operators will find the easy way to overcome this problem will be a scheduled replacement of the piping, adequate corrosion monitoring & use of expensive alloys which are only a temporary solution to the problem.

Sabah Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd.’s Kinabalu Platform (KN), Labuan could not get more than two to four weeks’ service out of their crude oil cyclone piping. This was a major concern for the operation that would have to routinely replace the piping every month. The process stream is predominantly crude oil with high level of sand content, and small percentage of wax and water. The sand velocity is 16m/s (based on process medium flow rate), the typical pressure in the 1” Sch160 SS316 piping is approximately 90 barg and temperature range between 60°C to 90°C.

A ceramic lined piping was installed on March 10, 2010 to replace the existing Sch 160 SS316 piping. The critical two weeks time (previous installation lifetime) has passed successfully and hence confirms the initial guarantee that the product could withstand at least twice as longer as the current product. Prior to commission of the COTP, the pipe spool has been tested by hydrostatic testing for both P-1310 and P1320. The installation was carried out by Petra crew and witnessed by Shell Operation Crew.

The cost savings study revealed that this was the long term solution for the sand erosion problems often occuring in the oil & gas industry. Ceresist will continue to discover wider potentials in solving corrosion & erosion problems across the globe.