Installation start-up and shutdown assistance 

Prevent deterioration of industrial equipment

In industrial plants, process or utility network equipment such as valves, flanges, pumps, and compressors are exposed to harsh operating conditions and inevitably suffer from ageing. Seals deteriorate over time and generate leaks, which may turn out to be very costly and hazardous in terms of safety (creating an ATEX zone) or health (CMR products). 
Leaks represent significant production losses, so controlling them is a strategic issue. 

Analysis also shows that: 

• firstly, a leak degrades over time and develops exponentially, potentially becoming unstoppable,
• secondly, a ‘recent’ leak can be reduced by simply re-tightening, but repairing an old leak is much more difficult.

Detect leaks during industrial unit shutdowns or restarts

When industrial units are being shut down and restarted, LDAR operations come into their own in terms of effectiveness and return on investment.

Our solution is to implement a maintenance strategy. This consists in: 

• eradicating unstoppable leaks during a Shutdown (change gaskets or mechanical seals) insofar that it is practically the only moment when these leaking devices can be repaired 
• stop new leaks that inevitably occur on restart before they develop and become unstoppable. It is therefore most judicious to detect and repair new leaks caused by the shutdown-restart phase as soon as the installation is restarted. 

Conducting LDAR programmes around a shutdown enables industrial facilities to enjoy the foundations of a “zero plant leak” approach for several years. It can also generate significant savings.