Martek to Supply Specialized Gas Monitoring System to HHI for Oil Major's FPSO

Martek Marine, manufacturer of specialist gas and emissions monitoring equipment, is building a large scale, bespoke gas monitoring system for a Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) for Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea, which will be delivered for use by one of the oil majors in the North Sea.

The MM5001 system was commissioned to continuously sample and monitor a total of 60 ballast tanks and void spaces. The size of the project requires two separate gas monitoring systems to be connected and operate as one to provide full coverage, while infra-red sensor analysis of all sampling lines will be included to increase accuracy. A blowback facility will clear potential blockages in sampling lines, while central and local audiovisual alarms will immediately warn of any issues.

The bespoke installation requires the detector cabinets to be sited in a zone one hazardous area, which places very strict limitations on the material which can safely be used, including very high grade stainless steel and fittings with the highest possible ingress protection rating. The monitoring interface is also custom-made for this project because it will be required to connect with the FPSO’s own centralized ICS PAS system.

Phil Riggs, Martek Marine’s Project Engineering Manager says “This project has presented a unique challenge as this has never been done before on this size and scale. The system is completely bespoke for this project, requiring non-standard components and a re-design of our standard arrangement.”

The system is due to be delivered to HHI during the last quarter of 2013.