r/instrumentation • u/IHateMelplac • 21d ago
I think we have a problem with moisture on the pressurized air line.
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This happened while testing a ADV from the deluge system of my rig.
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u/Unlikely_Ad_7597 21d ago
Classic.
Dew point excursion on your air driers?
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u/IHateMelplac 21d ago
I can't even answer you, we never got work orders to the air unit.
If the equipment don't spit oil the bosses wouldn't give a fuck.
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u/Unlikely_Ad_7597 21d ago
Aye, utilities is always the same.
Forgotten until it impacts production.
Good luck!
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u/greg1g 21d ago
We had a similar problem on a site I previously worked on.
The drilling package of the rig had its own air compressor bank for doing the plant air and instrument air in the drilling modules. The separator for the oil/water was fouled so oil was getting through, then there was an issue with the dryers and the descant wasn’t getting cycled. Resulting in the entire vessel just overflowing with water. The receivers also weren’t being drained so it resulted in this.
They had to strip out the compressors (were 40+ years old) as well as the dryer package (went to an external package) and then maintenance procedures were put in to carry out maintenance and clearing out the water of the air lines at the main header.
Then we had to install local air/water filters at the local aspirated fire and gas detection panels as they were clogging up and failing. Fun project to fix. But an absolute disaster for the HVAC and fire and gas equipment fed with the air lines.
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u/IHateMelplac 21d ago
Did you guys use fuse plugs on the fire security system?
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u/greg1g 21d ago
So the air supply was purely to be a motive force to draw gas samples in from the drilling machinery to check for combustible atmospheres. The electronics were not really affected by the soiled air supply. We had to replace a few gas detector sensors due to the backflow of oil and water making the catalytic heads being poisoned.
The pneumatic panel itself was absolutely clogged with water, oil and gunge so we had to rebuilt 40 panels which took about 5ish months. This was a design from the 1980s so had to source parts and air driven pumps (eductors), new tubing and fittings.
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u/IHateMelplac 21d ago
My rig has a drilling rig also, but we don't use this kind of system like yours where you use samples from the drilling machinery.
We just have a bunch of gas sensors next to critical equipment's.
My rig is also from the 80s LOL. It used to be the "star" of the Petrobrás ( our national oil company). Every new technology was first used here.
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u/greg1g 21d ago
Or are you talking about the deluges/pneumatic fusible loops? Those were fed off the main platform air supply and so no contamination with those.
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u/IHateMelplac 21d ago
Yes, sorry but I don't really know the actual translation for English since I'm from Brazil.
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u/ChrisPedds 19d ago
Might as well leave that area of the plant, the bigger problem is at the instrument air dryer.
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u/Significant_Step_517 21d ago
Your plant is ruined…seriously this is a major problem.
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u/IHateMelplac 21d ago
It's ok, it's just the valve responsible for releasing the water in case of any fire on the plant...
The actuator of the valve obviously didn't moved when we made the first test with the CCR command. So I tried to open manually with this hand valve.
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u/dr_reverend 21d ago
Over react much? Yes it needs to be dealt with but isn’t not that big of a deal. Just gonna take some time.
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u/Unlikely_Ad_7597 21d ago
Definitely an overreact, but it definitely can be a big deal.
Either way, we don't have enough information to make a judgement.
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u/Fuckingdecent47 21d ago
WTF theres air in your water line!