TPT March 2017

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I NSPE C T I ON , T E S T I NG & QUA L I T Y CONT R OL
MARCH 2017 75
Sandvik inaugurates
fully automated OCTG
ultrasonic testing facility
SANDVIK has inaugurated a new fully
automated ultrasonic testing facility for
pipes for the oil and gas industry.
“Seeing this major investment come
on-line is a substantial achievement
for all involved, and a key milestone in
Sandvik’s enhanced strategic focus on
demanding applications within the oil
and gas industry, such as OCTG,” said
Per Olsson Artberger, Sandvik global
product manager for OCTG. “This new
ultrasonic testing facility allows us to
increase our capabilities and capacity
significantly. Despite the current
downturn in the oil and gas market,
we see continued good business
opportunities for Sandvik
material grades, especially
in the Middle East and
Caspian Sea regions. What
the new, automated facility
provides us with is a much
speedier throughput and
greatly enhanced testing
capabilities which meet
the toughest requirements
from customers in this
segment.”
Sandvik took the decision to invest
in the new facility as the energy sector,
including oil and gas, is a key focus
in the company’s strategic direction.
Ultrasonic testing was the
limiting factor in achieving
maximum output with the
existing facility. To solve
this, Sandvik has invested
not only in capacity but also
in technology to meet the
industry’s requirements for
defect detection.
“The new facility allows us to meet
and exceed all customer requirements
and puts Sandvik in a world-leading
position as a manufacturer of OCTG,”
said Mr Olsson Artberger. “It also
builds on the strategic alliance between
Sandvik and Tenaris on the exclusive
joint supply of corrosion-resistant alloy
OCTG materials and technology to the
oil and gas industry.”
Sandvik Materials Technology
develops and manufactures products in
advanced stainless steels and special
alloys for demanding environments,
as well as products and systems for
industrial heating.
Sandvik Materials Technology –
Sweden
Website:
Michael Andersson, head
of product area tube, and
Petra Einarsson, president of
SandvikMaterials Technology,
attend the inauguration of the
new facility
Sandvik has inaugurated a new ultrasonic testing facility
Entering new depths with Aasta Hansteen
MEASUREMENT and inspection
technology specialist Optical Metrology
Services (OMS) has completed the
remote measurement and inspection
of a number of 230m-long pull tubes
for Statoil’s deep-water Aasta Hansteen
SPAR project.
Theproject isat 1,300mbelowsea level
in the Norwegian Sea. Manufactured by
Hyundai Heavy Industries, the SPAR
platform is the largest structure of its
kind to date, measuring 195m in height
and capable of producing 23mn cubic
metres of oil and gas per day.
Due to the adverse and remote
location of the platform, there were a
number of considerations regarding
the steel catenary risers connecting the
subsea pipelines to the topside platform.
This required OMS to perform a detailed
and accurate inspection of the pull
tubes, which provide the mechanism
to connect production risers, product
export lines and pump caissons.
Any defects or obstructions within the
pull tubes could create major issues
once the platform was positioned at
sea, where they could not be rectified.
Through OMS’s ranged inspection,
Aasta Hansteen was able to go ahead
with the next development phase
without the likelihood of failure and
considerable additional project costs.
OMS operator Tim Green commented,
“The SPAR project proved a major task
for OMS, being one of the largest we
have undertaken. Through our agile,
robust and versatile service, Aasta
Hansteen were able to go ahead with
the next stage of the development with
confidence in completing the project
both on time and in budget. This is
further evidence of the innovative
measurement and bespoke inspection
solutions OMS can offer in addressing
challenges faced by businesses on a
global scale.”
OMS – UK
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