Parker selected for Encana's Buzzard Project
Posted: 9 December 2003
Parker Instrumentation wins frame agreement for tube fittings
Parker Instrumentation has been selected by EnCana (UK) Limited
to supply exotic-material tube fittings for its recently approved
Buzzard Project in the central North Sea. Parker's ability to supply
exotic-material variants to cope with the reservoir's 'sour gas'
— which contains hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide —
was a factor in the selection process leading to the signature of
the frame agreement.
The tube fittings are twin-ferrule compression types from Parker's
A-LOK family. For all critical equipment areas, the fittings will
be fabricated from C276, a steel alloy with nickel, molybdenum and
chromium. C276 is generally considered to be one of the most versatile
corrosion-resistant alloys available for dealing with aggressive
oil, gas and chemical media.
The use of this advanced material will help to optimise life expectancy
for the instrumentation systems on the three-platform complex that
will make up the Buzzard facility — supporting the project's
environmental goals and minimising maintenance.
"C276-based fittings will help to deliver a trouble-free life
for the instrumentation systems on this massive field, which has
a potential of hundreds of millions of barrels," says Keith
Wood, Parker Instrumentation's UK Project Manager. "Manufacturing
complex instrumentation components from nickel-based alloys can
be problematic, but Parker's European centre has been manufacturing
components from these materials for some 20 years, and has developed
extensive know-how and specialised machining techniques to handle
the volumes required by this very large project."
Another factor in maximising the corrosion resistance offered by
the C276-based fittings is the provision of ferrules treated using
Parker's SuparCase process. SuparCase hardens the back ferrule —
the part of the fitting responsible for ensuring a strong grip on
the tube — without adversely impacting susceptibility to corrosion.
The process additionally extends the lifetime of the fitting, allowing
joints to be re-made for maintenance purposes, helping to minimise
total lifecycle costs
For more information on the Buzzard project see:
www.encana.com/operations_and_projects/buzzard_home.shtml.
For more information on Parker see www.parker.com/ipd.
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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