ENERGY
Boldman Aluminium Test Cell Allows 360° View
Boldman Aluminium Test Cell Allows 360° View
The modern world relies on oil and gas to fuel energy-intensive lifestyles.
08 April, 2016
Finding that oil and gas—and transporting it to where it can be refined and used—poses many challenges.
Oil and gas developers are being called upon to explore ever more remote and inhospitable undersea locations in their search for these precious resources. In these remote locations, the reliability of equipment is of paramount importance. Failure can prove very costly–potentially disastrous.
To ensure that the equipment keeping workers and the surrounding environment safe is capable of withstanding the pressure it will be exposed to, the companies who use that equipment traditionally test it to the point of failure in a large metal enclosure or cell. CCTV captures the resulting destruction of the equipment.
To ensure that the equipment keeping workers and the surrounding environment safe is capable of withstanding the pressure it will be exposed to, the companies who use that equipment traditionally test it to the point of failure in a large metal enclosure or cell. CCTV captures the resulting destruction of the equipment.
While this testing process is well established, it does present its own set of challenges. The steel cells are very heavy and difficult to transport to where they are needed, and the CCTV cameras that allow for test monitoring do not allow a complete 360˚ view of what is happening inside the cell.
Boldman, the UK-based specialist in aluminium profile systems, has recently completed delivery of the largest ballistic glass test cell in the world. The high-pressure cell, which measures 8m x 8m x 8m, is now in Scandinavia and will be used to test offshore equipment.
Boldman, the UK-based specialist in aluminium profile systems, has recently completed delivery of the largest ballistic glass test cell in the world. The high-pressure cell, which measures 8m x 8m x 8m, is now in Scandinavia and will be used to test offshore equipment.
The new modular cell design was announced in 2015. Since that time, there has been a growing worldwide demand for test cells that can operate under ever more extreme pressures and contain ever-bigger structures.
Unlike traditional steel cells, the new Boldman design has been constructed from the Boldman Aluminium Profile System and uses patented BR2 safety glass, created by bonding glass and polycarbonate together under heat and pressure. This results in high optical quality and anti-spall protection (projecting operators that could otherwise be injured by spall, or small fragments, during testing). According to Boldman, this glass is capable of withstanding some serious projectiles: even when hit by a stainless steel Butec fitting weighing 160g (6 oz) at up to 200 metres per second (440 mph), the outer panel of glass remained intact.
Image by Boldman.
Unlike traditional steel cells, the new Boldman design has been constructed from the Boldman Aluminium Profile System and uses patented BR2 safety glass, created by bonding glass and polycarbonate together under heat and pressure. This results in high optical quality and anti-spall protection (projecting operators that could otherwise be injured by spall, or small fragments, during testing). According to Boldman, this glass is capable of withstanding some serious projectiles: even when hit by a stainless steel Butec fitting weighing 160g (6 oz) at up to 200 metres per second (440 mph), the outer panel of glass remained intact.
Image by Boldman.
The aluminium construction of this model is much lighter (and therefore easier to ship) than the previous steel model. The new design also allows vastly superior visibility. The 360° view offered by this design enables the equipment being tested to be viewed live by customers during the test. Boldman has seen healthy demand for the aluminium and ballistic glass test cell: it is already being used in Nigeria, Angola, Norway, Malaysia, Ivory Coast, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Our ballistic glass and aluminium structure means that high pressure testing can be clearly and safely viewed by test engineers. Steel structures by comparison rely on cameras and have poor visibility. Our structure brings the tester in front of the cell allowing them to view the pressure testing from all angles. We have tested the impact of projectiles to the extreme and we believe our product is the future of test cells.
Nigel Clarke
CEO, Boldman
The Scandinavian project where the new cell is being employed required the cell to be large enough to contain substantial subsea equipment. This reflects a worldwide trend within the offshore industry towards larger assets with much greater complexity to cope with the more extreme conditions found in remote and inhospitable oilfields.
Boldman's cells are presently tested to 50,000 psi, meaning that clients are able to use them for tree test pressures of up to 34,000 psi. It is anticipated that test pressures will soon be raised to 60,000 psi to remain ahead of industry requirements.
Boldman's cells are presently tested to 50,000 psi, meaning that clients are able to use them for tree test pressures of up to 34,000 psi. It is anticipated that test pressures will soon be raised to 60,000 psi to remain ahead of industry requirements.
Banner image by TSP.