It was very challenging to undertake the work of making a highly safety-oriented and high-end incinerator for incinerating hydrocarbon condensate generated in a deep sea oil & gas drilling site in South India. The specifications called for Ex-d hazardous area rated type control panels, motors, instruments, etc. The incinerator was to be designed and built for a minimum working life of 20 years, which means sufficient design inputs for corrosion allowance, refractory life, paint life and reliability of all the instruments, fans, motors, burners, etc.

The contract was won against stiff competition and work started in right earnest. The client is a big name in the industry and had all the resources at his disposal to make sure he got what he wanted. There were inspectors breathing down your neck constantly and there was an expeditor who flew once every 15 days from Mumbai to Bangalore to check if the progress was as per the agreed project schedule.

Even the preparation and painting process was witnessed 100% by a NACE qualified inspector to make sure the ambient temperature was right, the blasting was as per SA 2 ½ and the wet film thickness and dry film thickness of the coating was as agreed.

There was inspection at the premises of our sub-vendors for the flame proof control panel, cable glands and local control stations; traceability of steel and stainless steel was to be established and refractory tested for its compressive strength and so on.

The quality assurance plan made specifically for this project was reviewed from time to time, documents verified and the client satisfied with the role of the QC engineers in making their incinerator.

The incinerator with its APC and stack was assembled, shop-tested and was offered for inspection to the client and TPI. On the date fixed, a team of about 10 inspectors landed at our factory. The team comprised of specialists from mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, quality, painting, etc. and a full 3 day inspection was carried out, when the FAT was conducted to the full satisfaction of all concerned.

After the inspection and dispatch clearance, the customer deputed another team of escorts to go with the trucks to the site so that no mishap occurred en route.

The incinerator package was installed under our supervision and commissioned. It was a long time ago and the incinerator is still functioning to the satisfaction of the client meeting our commitment to its performance and life.

We have since executed many contracts for incinerator packages for the oil & gas sector in the Middle East, Far East and in India but this first one was an experience to savour at all times.