The results are no production loss at all and a much faster – but still very efficient – cleaning.
IKM Ocean Team was contacted by a customer in Oman. Oil analyses had shown that the lube oil systems serving three of their gas compressors at the Yibal site were heavily contaminated and needed to be thoroughly cleaned.
Does the Oil Analysis Tell the Truth?
As a step in IKM Ocean Team’s examination of the contaminated systems, we took out new oil samples and analysed them. Surprisingly our results were quite different from the results from the customers own oil analyses.
After some investigations it turned out, that the first oil samples had been taken from the systems in an inappropriate way, which resulted in misleading results. IKM Ocean Team is thoroughly trained in taking out representative oil samples in accordance with ISO 4021 and ISO 3722 standards as well as analysing the results according to ISO 4406, NAS 1638, AS 4059 (issue E) & ISO 4407.
The Benefits of using High Flow Online Decontamination:
- NO Production Loss – and no extra costs for planning and execution of shutdown and start-up of the systems.
- 3 Times Faster Cleaning – compared to conventional filtration methods.
- Efficient Cleaning – a reduction of 5 ISO 4406 cleanliness levels of the contamination level within one working day.
Yibal site, Oman
Misleading results from oil analyses can result in inefficient and/or insufficient maintenance of your systems.
A reliable contamination monitoring program secures the most optimal maintenance of your systems.
The Usual Procedure:
Conventional Filtration during Shutdown
Even though the first oil samples did not draw the true picture concerning the contamination levels of the lube oil systems, the levels still showed to be undesirable high. Therefore the systems still were to be thoroughly cleaned.
Until now, the customer’s usual procedure in such situations has been to shut down the compressors and change out the oil. However, this procedure would result in huge production losses and would therefore involve huge costs for the customer.
IKM Ocean Team’s Solution:
Online Decontamination = NO Production Loss
As an alternative to the usual cost-intensive oil change and filtration methods, IKM Ocean Team was able to offer both a cost- and time-saving alternative: To clean the lube oil systems online during operation.
By means of special high flow online decontamination techniques IKM Ocean Team was able to clean the 12,000 litres lube oil systems without shutting down the compressors. The results were considerable cost- and time-savings for the customer as a consequence of the eliminated need for system shutdown. This meant absolutely no production loss during cleaning as well as saved costs on new oil, time for planning and execution of shutdown and start-up of the systems.
3 x faster Cleaning
Beside the elimination of production loss, the online decontamination of the lube oil systems also resulted in a much faster cleaning compared to the conventional filtration methods.
Within only 1 working day IKM Ocean Team was able to bring down the contamination level of the systems as much as 5 ISO 4406 classes for each system.
In comparison - an estimated 10 days for the cleaning operation of all three systems was anticipated.
The result was a 3 times faster cleaning of all three systems. Once more this meant cost- and timesavings for the customer.