Effectiveness of Safe Welding Systems in Eliminating Shut-in on OffshoreOil and Gas Platforms

摘要

Installations used in oil and gas industry are usuallylarge metal structures. These structures are affected byenvironmental factors, and are in need of constantmaintenance and repair.HAZTEC, which stands for Hazardous AtmosphericZone Telemetry for Environmental Control, is anautomated Monitoring and Control System that utilizes acustom automated program and a Safe WeldingEnclosure. Together these elements create an isolatedsafe zone around the work area, allowing hot work totake place in hazardous-rated locations by monitoringand controlling all hot works.Each HAZTEC Safe Welding Enclosure is custom-designed and built to fit each particular situation withoutdisrupting or altering the area or existing equipment.The HAZTEC enclosure is built using fire-retardantwood, and each element of the HAZTEC enclosure isconstructed according to OSHA and MMS standards.The flooring of the HAZTEC enclosure is further linedwith a fire-resistant blanket, rated at a maximum of3,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and a layer of light-gaugestainless steel that dissipates heat by dispersing slagand sparks. This process and material may also beused on walls or other areas of the enclosure whereheavy overspray from welding or metal washing mayoccur.Before any hot work begins, all openings of theHAZTEC enclosure are sealed, filtered, or closed tocreate a positive pressure over balance in the interior ofthe enclosure, protecting the inside atmosphere fromexposure to the potential dangers of the outsideatmosphere. A minimum positive pressure differentiawater column is maintained and monitored inside theenclosure throughout the hot work procedure. A filtered-air discharge outlet allows smoke to vent whilemaintaining no less than the minimum requirement ofthe positive pressure over balance.The overall benefits of using the HAZTEC enclosureinclude retained production, optimized scheduling,safety and shared tasks.