Oil containment skid refurbishment

Pump manufacturer Amarinth has been contracted by John Wood Group to overhaul the three oil containment skid packages managed and operated by Oil Spill Response Limited.

Six years ago, Amarinth supplied ten API 610 OH1 pumps with Plan 53B Seal Support systems to the Subsea Well Response Project for a global containment toolkit that can support subsea well incident response if well shut-in is not immediately possible. The equipment helps contain and quickly remove oil from the sea and offload it into tankers for removal from an incident.

The containment equipment is made available through Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) to the international oil and gas industry and is always ready to be deployed anywhere in the world. OSRL is the largest international industry-funded cooperative and exists to respond to oil spills wherever they may occur, providing preparedness, response and intervention services, helping to protect coastlines, wildlife, and communities. OSRL is wholly owned by most of the environmentally responsible oil and gas companies around the globe, and its membership represents the majority of the world’s oil production.
The three skids that form part of the global containment toolkit must always be ready for deployment, which demands a carefully planned overhaul of the skid packages. John Wood Group PLC is tasked with managing this process for OSRL and has contracted Amarinth to undertake the overhaul of the skids based on Amarinth’s ability to deliver reliably and on time against such critical projects.

Amarinth has agreed an overhaul program that will see the three skids, each with three pumps on, come into Amarinth’s facilities in Rendlesham, UK, one by one over a three-month period commencing in June. This ensures that two skid packages are always ready for deployment. Each skid will go through Amarinth’s strip, report and refurbish program. This involves a detailed mechanical and hydraulic assessment of the pumps and the replacement of all important components. Knowledgeable engineers carefully inspect all non-replacement items for wear and to make sure they are within tolerance. The pumps are finally tested at Amarinth’s in-house facility to certify them to the same standards as when they were new, giving peace of mind that they will operate reliably whenever and wherever they are needed until the next planned overhaul.