How to save on cost, time and weight in FPSO, FLNG, Onshore & Offshore Facilities

on Hydrocarbon Gas Detection Project?

Low levels of commodity prices have increased the emphasis on cost saving in many of the
projects, be it onshore or offshore, or be it Greenfield or brownfield. With many project’s cost,
over-running by estimates significantly, any saving can help the bottom line & the viability of
the project.

Where does the cost arise?

In a typical hydrocarbon gas detection project, the following cost are involved
 Gas Detectors
 Controllers
 Cables, Glands and Junction Boxes
 Cable trays & associated supports including mechanical & civil work.
 Engineering of the system
 Installation cost of all the above.
 Inspection, Commissioning & Testing of the system.

What takes time?

 Design & Engineering

 Procurement of all equipment
 Fabrication of cable trays & associated structures
 Installation
 Testing & Commissioning

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What are the implications of Cables on weight & practicality in Platforms, Vessels &
Processing Plants?

 Weight can be contributed by detectors & junction boxes, however the major
contributor to weight is Cables & cable trays and associated supports. In brownfield
projects, if existing cable trays are full, then duplication of trays have to be done;
and it may become extremely challenging where space is also an issue (e.g.
FPSO/FLNG).

 With FPSO designs growing larger in size (approx 500 m long x 80m wide),
average cable run for detectors can be approx. 500 m long. At weight of Steel Wired
Armored cables at approx. 1Kg/meter, this adds up to approx. 0.5 tones per
detector. This also implies that for approx. 400 hydrocarbon detectors, you have
an approx. weight of 200 tonnes. Reduction of this weight and space of cable trays
can make the instrument cable system less congested, easier to maintain. Less
cables also mean less time and cost testing & maintaining them.

 Though weight may not be an issue on many onshore facilities, space in existing
cables trays can be an issue and may require additional cable trays. Trenching &
removal of concrete for trenches to lay new cables can be a very expensive
exercise in an existing plant that is operational and could decide if the project is
economically practical or justifiable.

So what is the solution to save on cost, weight, space & time?

Wireless!, yes it can eliminate the need for extensive cable trays, cables, glands & junction
boxes, while at the same time it reduces the time required for engineering, installation &
testing to a fraction. With significantly increased project cost in most of the Oil & Gas sector
and projects running over time & estimate, thus causing significant loss in revenue,
Wireless can truly be the solution.

Industrial wireless systems for instrumentation such as ISA 100 can provide reliable &
guaranteed communication and allay any fears of the loss of signal strength &
communications during operations. ISA100 Wireless solutions can be used in monitoring
& detection applications including functional safety applications (SIS/SIF) that requires
SIL2 integrity levels.

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GasSecure GS01 has a very fast 5 seconds response time and is the first truly wireless
hydrocarbon gas detector with an approximate two year operating battery life and a
reliability of SIL2 for the detector as well as for the wireless communication. SIL2 redundant
wireless networks can easily be implemented using approved field wireless Access-points
& SIL2 Gateways where needed. GS01 can help reduce cost of hydrocarbon gas detection
projects by approx. 60-80% and cut Project time by 90-95%.

GS01 detector is calibration free for life (unique MEMS technology) with bump testing
interval of 2 years in SIL2 applications and the battery packs are field replaceable, thus
saving time & money over the life-cycle of the product.

For more information about GasSecure’s GS01, please click here.

To learn more about GasSecure’s GS01, please contact Mr. Andy Fam on +65 6872 9288,
or email your enquiry to sales.singapore@draeger.com.