…Fiery flames didn’t break out from oil wells, people invented security rules. The security rules are a strict system regulating technical requirements to aerial vehicles, railroad transport, building constructions and other potentially hazardous things used in human activity. While nobody seems to need explanations about the repercussions of the use of imitative spare parts in civil aviation, the other fields of human life can not boast of such unanimous sense of gravity of the problem.

 

O&G industry also has strict security rules. Oil and gas wells and the technological equipment involved in production are regulated by the federal law “On Industrial Safety of Hazardous Manufacturing Sites”. The equipment used at a hazardous site (like oil and gas wells) also falls within “Security Rules in Oil and Gas Industry” (SR 08-624-03) and are controlled by Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Atomic Supervision (RTN).

 

The principal instrument of RTN in preventing the inconsistent equipment from getting to hazardous industrial sites is requirement of two important documents (code certificate and permit for every type of equipment) from manufacturer or supplier. The regional RTN bodies register and approve the use of equipment, only when these two documents are presented. The approval of equipment inconsistent with requirements of technological safety can lead to environmental catastrophes, human victims and substantial financial losses.

 

Yet, there are cases, when these abiding rules are ignored. We’d like to tell you a tangled case story, which started in 2005 and is still unfinished.

 

It began, an O&G company signed a contract with dealer on supply of 2 sets of preventers, produced by one of the leading producer of O&G equipment. Due to the emergence of a mediating company, there appeared a muddy pond, where

somebody tried to catch “a fish”…

 

After supply it found out that the preventers were unworkable. It should be noted that blowout equipment is always tested before launch. The very first test showed that preventers don’t maintain the pressure. Naturally, a question of returning the money or replacing the product came up. An independent expertise was invited, which gave the following conclusion. “During visual check of the preventer it was found out that:

1.  All the rams have deep scorings (up to 0.8 mm) on their working areas.

2.  All the working areas of the preventers’ bodies, adjoined to the rams, have scorings with metal flow from the rams’ bodies.

3.  The joints of the blind and pipe rams are destroyed.

 

The technical administration decided to make physical and chemical testing of the bodies of the rams and preventer body. The tests showed that all the bodies of the rams installed in the preventer are made of material 10Х23Н18 and the hardness of the bodies is 18 points according to HRC classification. The body of the preventer is made of material 35ХГСА, and its harness according to НRC classification is 9 points. The bodies of SPTA rams are made of material 35ХГСА and their NRC hardness is 34–38. The data are confirmed by the test certificate”. In compliance with the design documentation, the hardness of the material should fall within the range of 18–23 points according to HRC scale.

 

Naturally, an inquiry to the producers was sent. That is where the interesting part begins. The producer consulted its archives and found out that preventers with such specifications have never been documented!

 

Unfortunately, the expertise and hearings lasted very long, but the customer hasn’t received the ordered preventers so far.

 

The forgeries resemble the original details only in appearance, but not in their functions. The original mounting assemblies and important details have the marking of the producer (a neck label or numbers impacted in the details).

 

The data usually include the unit initials, the sequential production number and year of manufacture. There is also a passport (form, label) for the assembly, specifying the necessary technical information, providing guarantees of the producer and operational capability statement. All this is confirmed by the signature of the head of the producing company and sealed. The passport should be original. Copies of passport are invalid and are not acceptable. Passports for important details and assemblies operating under high pressure should have a

note of testing with trial hydraulic pressure. The level of the trail pressure and injection boost time should be specified. The important original mounting assemblies and details have certificates of correspondence to the regulation standards of oil and gas industry in GOST certification system. But in case of any doubts, the best way to act is to inquire the producer, whether the given equipment was really produced.

 

We asked RTN, how state authorities respond to cases of finding forgeries in O&G equipment and application of unlicensed spare parts for equipment service. The designated responsible employee replied that upon discovery of forged spare parts in O&G equipment service (violation of p. 1.5.10 of the Security rules in oil and gas industry), the case is classified as item design change with all the arising circumstances that is an order to stop the operation and hold an expertise. Yet, in some cases such facts can be hardly revealed without assistance of the equipment producers, expert organizations or any information from the site.

 

What shall we do? If it is possible to buy the equipment directly from well-reputed producers and not some mediators, especially when the record of the latter is unknown and their reputation isn’t confirmed by heavyweight recommendations and official documents. And if you happen to learn about such cases, don’t conceal them, but show the unfair partners in their true colors. The history is interested not only for its participants. Because it is not typical for a manufacturer and client we didn’t tell their names here. We also believe that such problem will not happen again.

 

If the case recurs, write us to the adress cttimes@cttimes.org and we start new column “Without disguise” about untrusted partners.

 

Galina YAKHONTOVA, Coiled Tubing Times