Rob Bain, MD of Paradigm Flow Services
Pure-Flow can be injected into fire mains systems while pressurised making it possible, for the first time, to deal with corrosion accumulation without shutting down operations.
Corrosion and marine growth in offshore fire mains is an industry-wide issue, particularly in ageing assets where the pipework can be more than 25 years old. Paradigm has launched Pure-Flow to tackle corrosion caused by bacteria, which can restrict water flow, thin pipeline walls and also cause blockages in deluge nozzles.
Pure-Flow is a practical-to-use chemical for the remediation of fire mains, and is also environmentally friendly. Using a pioneering deployment method, Paradigm can inject the chemical treatment and take debris from a live fire mains system whilst maintaining the system pressure.
Rob Bain, Managing Director of Paradigm Flow Services said: “Pure-Flow was developed to tackle corrosion and marine debris in fire mains which is a problem faced by many ageing assets globally. Fire mains systems can become ineffective due to marine growth and corrosion and this safety-critical equipment needs to be in full working order to ensure the safety of personnel and assets.
“Pure-Flow is relevant to both offshore and onshore facilities as many installations and plants have similar problems, but it is difficult to get into the pipework to treat tuberculation and biofilms which accumulate in fire mains and sea water systems.”
Paradigm has developed a unique method of generating the chemical solution in-situ which is then injected into the live fire mains in low concentrations. The chemical then rapidly removes biofilm and marine growth deposits with no need for dismantling the pipework, as is the case in traditional methods of fire mains remediation, such as high pressure jetting. If there are instances where isolation vales don’t work, these would have to be removed and treated separately before treatment of the fire mains could commence. This new solution from Paradigm can be injected live into the system at any time throughout operations even where the ring main valves no longer isolate.
This provides a cost-effective solution as deluge and fire mains systems can be maintained online and even operated if required during the work. The Pure-Flow solution degrades quickly into sea-salt after use and is approved for use in environmentally sensitive areas.
Pure-Flow is part of a firewater deluge lifetime solutions service from Paradigm which also offers internal video inspections backed up with deluge testing results, providing operators with the robust evidence needed to demonstrate that blockages and restrictions have been eliminated and helping them to comply with HSE inspections.
The company last year launched its Deluge Preservation technology which tackles the persistent problem of blockages in ageing water deluge systems. The process uses a unique mechanical micro-power system which is deployed at the deluge nozzles and moves through the internal small bore pipework.
Paradigm Flow Services is an Aberdeenshire-based company and a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Paradigm Group. The company is developing a range of technologies for detecting, remediating and preventing subsea and topside blockages and plans to target the USA and Asia, which are experiencing similar problems with older platforms.
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