Offspring International has announced a rapid response, surge protection system, called the Oiltech Surge Protector for terminal loading hoses.
The hose monitoring system is claimed to offer a smarter and more sensitive way of detecting hose overpressure during tanker loading. If a pressure surge is detected, pumping operations are automatically shut down.
By monitoring pressure at the tanker’s camlocks, Oiltech’s Surge Protector aims to provide a rapid response to surge events for conventional, single-point (SPM) and multi-buoy moorings. The portable, self-contained Manifold Pressure Monitoring System transmits encrypted telemetry from the pressure sensor unit to a terminal-based control station connected to the pumping station. Once pressure exceeds a pre-set threshold, the Oiltech system will automatically shut down loading operations.
The highest incidence of tanker-related oil spills is during loading operations. When a surge event occurs, a single-point moored buoy’s safety valve will divert oil into a dump tank if present, preventing damage to the loading system but incurring a high clean-up cost.
Without a dump tank there is little protection against potential damage to the pipeline and hoses, other than the pressure monitoring system on the SPM, which will shut down the pumps when a high pressure is recorded and damage has potentially already occurred.
Dave Rowley, director of Offspring International said: “The Oiltech Surge Protector will significantly reduce the time taken to respond to surge events. It will also allow crews to work in a safer environment, prevent damage to hoses, buoy, pipeline end manifold and pipeline, and avoid loading disruption from damaged hoses requiring repair, replacement and recertification.”
