In the oil, gas, and energy industry, collaborations between companies like Woodward, Baker Hughes, and Dana Petroleum are pivotal. These alliances become especially vital when dealing with complex machinery such as gasturbines.
But what is a gasturbine in simple terms? A gasturbine, fundamentally, is an engine that converts natural gas or other liquid fuels into mechanical energy. This energy then drives a generator, producing electricity. It operates through a three-step process: air intake and compression, fuel combustion, and power generation.
Gasturbines serve various purposes, from power generation to mechanical drive applications. They play an essential role in the oil and gas industry, specifically in offshore operations where a company like Dana Petroleum operates a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) installation.
A FPSO is a vessel used in the oil and gas industry to receive fluids like crude oil from nearby platforms or subsea wells, process them, and store the oil until it can be offloaded onto a tanker or transported through a pipeline.
Preventative maintenance in this setting is crucial for ensuring the optimal performance of these gas turbines. It entails regular and systematic inspection, detection, and rectification of potential failures before they occur. An example of preventative maintenance is the replacement of a gas metering valve, a vital component of the gas turbine.
Telic Engineering represented both Woodward and Baker Hughes in performing a series of tasks on a LM6000 PC gas turbine-generator package at the Triton FPSO. These tasks included preventative maintenance, control health checks, replacing a gas metering valve, troubleshooting, and start-up support.
In conclusion, effective partnerships between companies like Woodward, Baker Hughes, supported by Telic Engineering, ensures the smooth operation of the Dana gasturbines and FPSO, contributing significantly to efficient oil and gas production.