World Pipelines - June 2015 - page 123

THE
BUSINESS OF
Amidst the current
low oil prices,
one area where
savings can be
made is in pipeline
maintenance,
as
Jack Wallin,
Principal Engineer
with Stoody (an
ESAB brand),
explains.
O
il producers know all too well the stifling impact that falling global
oil prices have had on the industry, especially for those involved in
more labour and time-intensive upstream recovery and processing
methods. Since mid-2014, world oil prices have dipped by more than
50%, putting a significant strain on producers in the oilsands regions of Canada
as well as US shale oil and gas operations. In short, while consumers are happier at
the pumps these days, oil producers are being squeezed to reduce operating costs
where they can, or face the possibility of closing operations altogether.
For many, maintenance is a crucial area for controlling cost and never has it been
so important. The key is identifying and repairing components to achieve the longest
serviceable life versus the often more costly replacement option. That definitely holds
true for petroleum operators and contractors responsible for maintaining hundreds of
thousands of miles of Canadian pipeline currently transporting oilsand slurry to various
processing facilities throughout the region.
As discussed in the article, ‘Finding the right formula’ (
World Pipelines
, February 2014)
various types of hardfacing overlay wires have been developed to address or abate, as
maintenance
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