Looking at the importance of understanding the environment in which you use EX equipment.

1. Aimed at showcasing technologies designed to
handle the harshest conditions faced by
the global oil and gas industry.
Read on to hear from SA Equip and
Subsea Technologies Limited.

2. TAKING BACK
THE POWER
LOUISE GREEN, SA EQUIP, UK, DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF
UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE OPERATIONS ARE TAKING
PLACE AND THE POTENTIAL RISKS INVOLVED.
A
s the global demand for energy continues to increase, oil, gas and coal remain the dominant sources of
energy powering the world economy, and are predicted to account for more than three-quarters of
total energy supplies in 2035. The establishment and maintenance of reliable power transmission
and distribution is vital for daily life and is often overlooked in many cases. In heavy duty industries
and applications, requirements for dependable, uninterrupted and (most importantly) safe power
distribution are even more critical. A reliable power supply is essential in allowing companies
to conduct key processes and to power necessary production machinery. Therefore, operations
must be united to enable clear instruction on uses of necessary power for specific applications.
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3. May 2018 Oilfield Technology | 27
Dependable and robust temporary electrical equipment
that complies with the latest safety and legislative requirements
is frequently sourced to protect against the risk of power supply
issues. In the oil and gas industry application failures can be
disastrous. Therefore, the highest quality of equipment is
required to safeguard companies’ personnel and processes.
UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENT
Potentially explosive atmospheres are defined as locations in
which gases, vapours, mists and dusts combined with air can
form flammable substances. Hazardous area zones in which a
wide range of companies operate in today are classified into
different ‘Ex zones’ depending on the degree of probability and
length of time in which a hazard exists. Increasingly rigorous
health and safety requirements throughout the oil and gas,
petrochemical, and aviation industry continually create demand
for advanced technology designed for use in these environments.
The approach taken in developing equipment intended for
use in potentially explosive areas must ensure it is designed
with integrated explosion safety in mind. Considerations
must be made to strengthen the longevity of the equipment;
materials should be selected that will retain their performance
and not degrade over time. A few of the key factors to focus on
when selecting materials include:
Corrosion and wear resistance.
Electrical conductivity.
Impact strength.
Effects of temperature variations.
The intended functional capability of the equipment must
be transferable across different environments and conditions
including different temperatures, voltages and additional
external effects as specified by the manufacturer and the known
operating scope.
Ex environments usually also present extreme conditions,
which can range from the icy temperatures of Siberia where
it can drop below -20˚C, to the sweltering heat of the middle
east where it can soar as high as 45˚C. Due to the conditions
present in these environments, initial considerations must
be focused on safeguarding the functionality of electrical
equipment and drawing a detailed plan to ensure the removal
of potential faulty equipment. Often the conditions of the work
environment do not receive the attention they deserve, which
can lead to downtime due to power or equipment failures. In
this case, risks need to be assessed, reduced or removed.
CAREFUL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT
Some challenges faced with standard ATEX approved power
equipment is that end users often become frustrated with the
encounters presented by this type of equipment – heavy, bulky
kit that is highly prone to breakages. Companies are continually
looking for ways to reduce their operational costs whilst
maintaining the highest level of safety in work environments.
Practicality and efficiency of equipment should be addressed
at the earliest planning stage of projects; requirements should
be outlined, budgets set and desired equipment should be
purchased or hired early on. The earlier a company understands
their requirements and acts upon them, the longer they will
have to assess the capabilities of the Ex equipment available
and make calculated decisions to achieve the best value and
performance from their investments.
Shutdowns and turnaround operations in the oil and gas
industry are complex and highly expensive projects to conduct,
therefore extensive planning should be carried out to minimise
the potential of downtime being exceeded. One of the major
challenges faced by contractors during a shutdown operation
is the availability of suitable power in large sites classified as
hazardous areas. It is common that 440V power is available via
welding sockets and other supplies, however the ATEX tools and
lighting required for the jobs may require 230V, 110V or even
24V power. Portable Ex power equipment, including transformers
and splitter boxes, are regularly used across projects to provide
suitable power options to facilitate the use of Ex lighting, heating
and ventilation products across the working scope.
SUITABILITY
The correct selection of electrical equipment for use in hazardous
areas is dependent upon several factors. Firstly, the electrical
supply that is available within the hazardous environment
must be assessed to establish the appropriate apparatus that
can be used across the site. Secondly, the different apparatus
types which require selection for particular risks, and finally, the
availability of power sources and the connections made between
several kinds of electrical equipment.
One of the most important decisions in the process of
selecting Ex certified equipment is the knowledge of the
personnel involved. As with every decision that can have
serious consequences across the industry, education must play
an integral role in the development of employees. The ability to
identify electricity as a danger in some cases can occur too late
and result in serious incidents, therefore when conducting work
within a hazardous area whereby gas or combustible dust may
be present, there are increased risks in working with electrical
or mechanical equipment. A high level of skill, knowledge and
competencies across the industry should be maintained and
continually addressed to ensure personnel are trained to work
safely with equipment in an explosive atmosphere.
THE ‘INSIDE OUT’ PERSPECTIVE
Initially costs may appear to be sustainable, however often
the outright purchase of equipment is cheaper than on-going
maintenance costs. Taking the time to look at the true costs will
often highlight the potential savings which can be achieved by
investing in portable, fully Ex certified equipment.
The protection of personnel and equipment from explosions
and fire that could potentially occur due to the operation of hot
work throughout an operational site should be covered by a
hot work permit. The issue of a hot work permit can be a timely

4. 28 | Oilfield Technology May 2018
process as it typically involves multiple individuals in order to
cover many areas of protection. Selecting Ex equipment that
does not require a hot work permit or stand-by man can help to
alleviate costs associated with some work processes. One major
advantage of not requiring a hot work permit is that there will
be a reduced chance of delays in a job as the project team will
be able to position the required equipment exactly where it is
needed without having to arrange it well in advance.
CASE STUDY: TEMPORARY POWER
DISTRIBUTION MORECAMBE BAY
SA Equip provided efficient portable power distribution and
lighting onboard the operator’s normally unmanned platforms
to help reduce costs and increase the life of the Rhyl Field.
ATEX certified products were required as the platform was still
processing gas. Due to limited power supply capacity onboard,
this led to the requirement for portable power solutions.
The operator was looking to minimise operational costs
and extend the life of the platform, SA Equip were able to assess
the power supply available and create a bespoke package that
provided major cost savings. The first challenge was that the
power supply was limited to a small number of 440V sockets
which had not been used for years; these sockets were 63 amp
and in a state of disrepair.
ATEX certified SA POWERNET mains distribution units were
provided in many variations, 32 amp and 16 amp, which provided
usable power to supply welders, and the 3.8 KVA transformer.
This reduced the requirements for hot-work permits or standby
men, which lowered the costs and risks involved in monitoring the
installation.
Once a reliable source of power was established and the
configuration of equipment was decided, extension leads, and
splitter boxes were used extensively to take power to the work
sites to power the SA LUMIN floodlights, which were supplied
for temporary lighting throughout the installation. Due to the
lightweight and portable design this enabled easy transportation
of products around the deck using minimal manpower, reducing
costs which was a requirement as they had limited resources to
spare. The decision to buy the equipment was made because it
had been decided that expenditure would be spread over the five
year period, which equalled a low cost of ownership compared to
the original intention of renting the equipment.
CONCLUSION
The importance of understanding the environment where
operations are taking place, and the potential risks associated,
has never been more important. Time should be taken to
educate employees about the dangers present in potentially
explosive atmospheres in order to train them to select the correct
Ex equipment to identify hazards early and mitigate the risks
involved. Early planning and allocation of resources is integral to
ensuring that a reliable source of power will be present to allow
additional equipment and processes to continue.
REFERENCES
1. ‘ATEX equipment manufacturers and their responsibilities’ – https://www.gov.
uk/guidance/atex-equipment-manufacturers-and-their-responsibilities
2. ‘BP Energy Outlook’ – https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/energy-
economics/energy-outlook-2017/bp-energy-outlook-2017.pdf
3. Eckhoff, R., ‘Explosion hazards in the process industries.’ 2nd ed., (2016).
4. Speegle, M., ‘Safety, health, and environmental concepts for the process
industry.’ Clifton Park, NY: Delmar, Cengage Learning., (2013).Figure 2.SAPOWERNET3.8KVAtransformer.
Figure 1.SALUMINEXLEDFloodlightonboardDP6platform.