Universal Successfully Upgrades Turbine Exhaust System at BP Bruce
Posted: 2012-12-3
Universal Acoustic and Emission Technologies is proud to announce the recent
successful completion of a turbine exhaust system upgrade to the BP Bruce
Platform, approximately 211 miles northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the
North Sea.
In August 2011, Universal was selected to provide a customized solution for an
important oil and gas turbine system on the BP Bruce Platform. The platform
system extracts oil and gas from the Bruce Reservoir, drawing from numerous
subsea and platform wells. Commissioned in 1992, the Bruce Platform is of vital
importance to BP's global oil and gas operations, with production capacities of
620 mmscf of gas and 80 mb of oil per day. Universal's project scope included
the replacement of two existing turbine exhaust systems used for power
generation and compression.
Duncan Kasukonis, Universal AET Project Manager, said "The successful
completion of Universal's scope on this project was a true team effort. This
project had significant and unique challenges, not only in technical "site
specific" requirements, but also in the schedule and budget available to
complete the project. Universal AET was able to deliver the solutions our
customers required on-time and on-budget."
Culmination of Collaborative Efforts
The final project was the culmination of collaborative efforts by Universal's
design, engineering and project management teams working with customers,
contractors and end users. Universal's ability to design, engineer, manufacture
and deliver a customized cool-shell turbine exhaust system to meet exact
customer specifications helped ensure that the exhaust replacement project
remained on time and on budget. Universal expects many years of dependable
performance from the retrofit exhaust systems at the BP Bruce Platform.
The project requirements posed several significant challenges for Universal's
design and implementation teams. The first was the rugged North Sea
environment, which demanded a robust, durable construction for the
replacement exhaust systems. These systems needed to incorporate a resilient
design for a 20-year lifespan, including 1,000 operational turbine start-up and
shut-down cycles. Universal's engineering teams utilized the latest
technological and analytical tools to ensure that the products met the
customer's specification requirements for the project. Sophisticated analytical
methods, including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and stress analyses,
were employed to simulate expected flow distribution and backpressure within
the environmental context. The result was a solid system capable of
withstanding the demanding elements of the North Sea platform's location.
Spatial Constraints Posed Hurdles
The spatial constraints of the exhaust replacement project posed additional
hurdles to this retrofit application. Universal's engineering team used data from
multiple platform surveys and inspections, including the use of cutting-edge
laser technology, to fully understand the site's dimensional requirements and
then design the exhaust system to fit into the existing platform structure and
footprint. The exhaust system's parts were shipped by truck to a staging area
onshore, then subsequently transported by sea barge to the offshore platform,
and finally airlifted via helicopter onto the platform for final installation by use
of cranes. Acoustical baffles were shipped separately and installed on the
platform.
Customized packaging and weight management techniques were used to
prepare the exhaust system components for connection with the existing
platform structure, which included numerous cranes and cable trays adjacent to
the installation site. Universal conducted Non-Destructive Examination (NDE)
and pull tests on lifting lug sets designed for helicopter lifting. These rigorous
procedures ensured that the system placement would proceed smoothly and
comply with the Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) of helicopter lifting
requirements. Once raised into place, the exhaust systems mandated the use of
customized bolt patterns to accommodate the retrofit installation into the
existing platform structure.
The Final Challenge
The final project challenge was the distinct window of time for the retrofit
exhaust systems' installation. With Universal's scope representing only one part
of the larger Bruce Platform updating project undertaken by BP, Universal's
project management team needed to ensure that products were delivered to the
site within a strict time frame. Coordination with other vendors, BP
representatives, contractors, multiple inspection agencies, installation crews
and other project managers was essential to ensure that downtime was
minimized and customer expectations were met. These logistical challenges
were overcome by Universal's team through a combination of superior
communication, coordination and attention to detail. Universal's project
management team employed effective change management techniques to
ensure all parties were aware of new scope requirements throughout the life of
the project.
Universal Acoustic and Emission Technologies is proud to have been selected
for the retrofit exhaust system project at the BP Bruce Platform. The final results
indicate that Universal's design, engineering and project management teams are
fully capable of providing customized solutions for any application challenge.
successful completion of a turbine exhaust system upgrade to the BP Bruce
Platform, approximately 211 miles northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the
North Sea.
In August 2011, Universal was selected to provide a customized solution for an
important oil and gas turbine system on the BP Bruce Platform. The platform
system extracts oil and gas from the Bruce Reservoir, drawing from numerous
subsea and platform wells. Commissioned in 1992, the Bruce Platform is of vital
importance to BP's global oil and gas operations, with production capacities of
620 mmscf of gas and 80 mb of oil per day. Universal's project scope included
the replacement of two existing turbine exhaust systems used for power
generation and compression.
Duncan Kasukonis, Universal AET Project Manager, said "The successful
completion of Universal's scope on this project was a true team effort. This
project had significant and unique challenges, not only in technical "site
specific" requirements, but also in the schedule and budget available to
complete the project. Universal AET was able to deliver the solutions our
customers required on-time and on-budget."
Culmination of Collaborative Efforts
The final project was the culmination of collaborative efforts by Universal's
design, engineering and project management teams working with customers,
contractors and end users. Universal's ability to design, engineer, manufacture
and deliver a customized cool-shell turbine exhaust system to meet exact
customer specifications helped ensure that the exhaust replacement project
remained on time and on budget. Universal expects many years of dependable
performance from the retrofit exhaust systems at the BP Bruce Platform.
The project requirements posed several significant challenges for Universal's
design and implementation teams. The first was the rugged North Sea
environment, which demanded a robust, durable construction for the
replacement exhaust systems. These systems needed to incorporate a resilient
design for a 20-year lifespan, including 1,000 operational turbine start-up and
shut-down cycles. Universal's engineering teams utilized the latest
technological and analytical tools to ensure that the products met the
customer's specification requirements for the project. Sophisticated analytical
methods, including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and stress analyses,
were employed to simulate expected flow distribution and backpressure within
the environmental context. The result was a solid system capable of
withstanding the demanding elements of the North Sea platform's location.
Spatial Constraints Posed Hurdles
The spatial constraints of the exhaust replacement project posed additional
hurdles to this retrofit application. Universal's engineering team used data from
multiple platform surveys and inspections, including the use of cutting-edge
laser technology, to fully understand the site's dimensional requirements and
then design the exhaust system to fit into the existing platform structure and
footprint. The exhaust system's parts were shipped by truck to a staging area
onshore, then subsequently transported by sea barge to the offshore platform,
and finally airlifted via helicopter onto the platform for final installation by use
of cranes. Acoustical baffles were shipped separately and installed on the
platform.
Customized packaging and weight management techniques were used to
prepare the exhaust system components for connection with the existing
platform structure, which included numerous cranes and cable trays adjacent to
the installation site. Universal conducted Non-Destructive Examination (NDE)
and pull tests on lifting lug sets designed for helicopter lifting. These rigorous
procedures ensured that the system placement would proceed smoothly and
comply with the Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) of helicopter lifting
requirements. Once raised into place, the exhaust systems mandated the use of
customized bolt patterns to accommodate the retrofit installation into the
existing platform structure.
The Final Challenge
The final project challenge was the distinct window of time for the retrofit
exhaust systems' installation. With Universal's scope representing only one part
of the larger Bruce Platform updating project undertaken by BP, Universal's
project management team needed to ensure that products were delivered to the
site within a strict time frame. Coordination with other vendors, BP
representatives, contractors, multiple inspection agencies, installation crews
and other project managers was essential to ensure that downtime was
minimized and customer expectations were met. These logistical challenges
were overcome by Universal's team through a combination of superior
communication, coordination and attention to detail. Universal's project
management team employed effective change management techniques to
ensure all parties were aware of new scope requirements throughout the life of
the project.
Universal Acoustic and Emission Technologies is proud to have been selected
for the retrofit exhaust system project at the BP Bruce Platform. The final results
indicate that Universal's design, engineering and project management teams are
fully capable of providing customized solutions for any application challenge.
