Dry Ice Blasting HRSG Fin and Tubes for the Energy Sector
Dry ice blasting has a massive role to play in the oil and energy sectors. There is a myriad of production equipment that needs regular maintenance work. It is recognised that dry ice blasting is ‘best practice’ process for lots of decontamination work at a refinery. Dry ice blasting for HRSG fin and tube cleaning is known to be considered ‘best practice’ throughout the world.
We discovered recently that a client is using a dry ice blasting company from the USA, for dry ice blasting a HRSG fin and tube array. I asked why they were using an oversees firm. They explained that they didn’t think there was a UK company capable of undertaking the work.
We offered him an immediate demonstration of the effectiveness of our dry ice blasting machines and systems on the tubes. Currently the US firm ships all of their dry ice equipment and staff over to the UK. All this costs extra thousands of pounds in haulage costs etc. After a small demo was instigated, our machinery/systems were approved.
A strategy will now begin on a work time-frame. I would like to add that the client is now exploring the possibilities for Optimum Dry Ice Blasting to clean the gas side HRSG tubes and fins during the next planned shutdown (2016) and a comprehensive method plan is being put into place.
Opportunity
This is a massive opportunity for Optimum Dry Ice Blasting. Showcasing to one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers, that we have the technical skills to implement and control the clean down. Blast cleaning the fin and tubes can be tricky. Controls have to be put in place to open a channel to reach the core of the fins by creating a lane to the back of tube arrays.
This is definitely a case of ‘right place at the right time’. While it is never nice taking work from other companies, I think the option to use a UK based company was always in the planning process for HRSG blast cleaning.