TPT March 2017

I NSPE C T I ON , T E S T I NG & QUA L I T Y CONT R OL

Sandvik inaugurates fully automated OCTG ultrasonic testing facility

opportunities for Sandvik material grades, especially in the Middle East and Caspian Sea regions. What the new, automated facility provides us with is a much speedier throughput and greatly enhanced testing capabilities which meet the toughest requirements from customers in this segment.”

SANDVIK has inaugurated a new fully automated ultrasonic testing facility for pipes for the oil and gas industry. “Seeing this major investment come on-line is a substantial achievement for all involved, and a key milestone in Sandvik’s enhanced strategic focus on demanding applications within the oil and gas industry, such as OCTG,” said Per Olsson Artberger, Sandvik global product manager for OCTG. “This new ultrasonic testing facility allows us to increase our capabilities and capacity significantly. Despite the current downturn in the oil and gas market, we see continued good business

Sandvik has inaugurated a new ultrasonic testing facility

“The new facility allows us to meet and exceed all customer requirements and puts Sandvik in a world-leading position as a manufacturer of OCTG,” said Mr Olsson Artberger. “It also builds on the strategic alliance between Sandvik and Tenaris on the exclusive joint supply of corrosion-resistant alloy OCTG materials and technology to the oil and gas industry.” Sandvik Materials Technology develops and manufactures products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys for demanding environments, as well as products and systems for industrial heating. Sandvik Materials Technology – Sweden Website: www.smt.sandvik.com “The SPAR project proved a major task for OMS, being one of the largest we have undertaken. Through our agile, robust and versatile service, Aasta Hansteen were able to go ahead with the next stage of the development with confidence in completing the project both on time and in budget. This is further evidence of the innovative measurement and bespoke inspection solutions OMS can offer in addressing challenges faced by businesses on a global scale.”

Sandvik took the decision to invest in the new facility as the energy sector, including oil and gas, is a key focus in the company’s strategic direction.

Ultrasonic testing was the limiting factor in achieving maximum output with the existing facility. To solve this, Sandvik has invested not only in capacity but also in technology to meet the industry’s requirements for defect detection. Michael Andersson, head of product area tube, and Petra Einarsson, president of SandvikMaterials Technology, attend the inauguration of the new facility

Entering new depths with Aasta Hansteen MEASUREMENT and inspection

the steel catenary risers connecting the subsea pipelines to the topside platform. This required OMS to perform a detailed and accurate inspection of the pull tubes, which provide the mechanism to connect production risers, product export lines and pump caissons. Any defects or obstructions within the pull tubes could create major issues once the platform was positioned at sea, where they could not be rectified. Through OMS’s ranged inspection, Aasta Hansteen was able to go ahead with the next development phase without the likelihood of failure and considerable additional project costs. OMS operator Tim Green commented,

technology specialist Optical Metrology Services (OMS) has completed the remote measurement and inspection of a number of 230m-long pull tubes for Statoil’s deep-water Aasta Hansteen SPAR project. Theproject isat 1,300mbelowsea level in the Norwegian Sea. Manufactured by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the SPAR platform is the largest structure of its kind to date, measuring 195m in height and capable of producing 23mn cubic metres of oil and gas per day. Due to the adverse and remote location of the platform, there were a number of considerations regarding

OMS – UK Email: info@omsmeasure.com Website: www.omsmeasure.com

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MARCH 2017