METRODE PRODUCTS news September 2007 - … CD 2011/Newsletters/Sept07.pdf · METRODE PRODUCTS news September 2007 ... well established in the upsteam hydrocarbon processing, ... Back

METRODE PRODUCTS news September 2007

Metrode Products Limited, Hanworth Lane, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 9LL, UK – September 2007 Newsletter Page - 1

The Heat is on in Dorset

Metrode have been supplying high qualitywelding consumables to Heatric Limited ofPoole in Dorset for many years now for themanufacture of their unique range of heatexchangers.

Diffusion-bonded heat exchangers are highlycompact, highly robust exchangers that arewell established in the upsteam hydrocarbonprocessing, petrochemical and refiningindustries. With customers such as BP, Shelland ExxonMobil, they have supplied hundredsof heat transfer products to projects all overthe world and continue to develop heatexchange solutions for a wide range of newmarket sectors.

Recently we supplied a range of 308Lconsumables for the manufacture of two ofthe largest Heatric of manufactured, oneweighing in at an impressive 48 tonnes.

Heatric Trunkline Heat Exchangers welded with MetrodeSupermig 308LSi, Sub Arc 308S92 and SSB Flux

New Project, New Markets -but traditional Metrode technicalsupport.

With the help of Metrode’s Alex Ong, we recentlysupplied our first order of Duplex weldingconsumables into the Vietnam Oil and Gas market.This was through the join effort of Fuji Industryand Metrode. The fabricator is located in Vung TauCity, this is the home of PetroVietnam.

Project information : BUNGA ORKID B/C/D/ WHRPThe structure is a compression module.Owner : Talisman Malaysia Limited (TML)Fabrication Specification : ASME Section IX/ASMEB31.1 & Talisman Spec:BOA-SP-P-0100

Work started on the project started back inOctober 2006 and the load for the entire structurewas in July’2007. Welding commenced in midApril’07 upon arrival of the pipes.

Material specification : A790 S32750 (SAF 2507)Ferrite requirement (E562) : 30 to 60 %Corrosion test (G48A) : 25 deg.C. (surprisinglylow for Superduplex)Impact test : minus 50 deg.C.

All testing was out carried in Vietnam as therewere professional testing house that could handlethe ferrite and corrosion tests.

This is the first time for PTSC to under take aSuperduplex job, they requested for our technicalsupport in the welding procedure qualification onthe Superduplex pipes. On site, we were givensafety briefing as part of the company policybefore we could proceed into the fabrication shop.The testing date has been postponed due to delayof the Superduplex pipes.

Action on site is first check on the weldingprocedure and amend according to ourrecommendation on the welding parameter, inter-pass temperature, shielding and purging gas flowrates, heat input control, etc. and welding site.The welders were trained and qualified by BureauVaritas inspector. The pipes wall thickness hasbeen increased from 10.97 mm to 18 mm due toits availability and for the thinner wall, thethickness remained at 5.54 mm. The welding testis carried in their Stainless Steel workshop, this isaway from their general fabrication shop.

During the fiiler and capping weld, Mr. Vuongcommented that the usability of the 2507XKS is



very good. This is on the arc starting and arcstability

SMAW and TIG welding, Metrode 2507 consumables

Alex Ong with PTSC Welding Engineer Mr. Vuong

L-R – Edgardo Remo, Ramil Gualberto, Alex Ong

Metrode were originally called into the fabricatorto offer technical support in the welding procedurequalification on the Superduplex pipes.

Client representative Mr. Edgardo Remocommented that they should have also usedMetrode for the standard duplex material for theBP project after our professional expertise on thesuperduplex. They will now review the oldprocedures for their next duplex stainless steelproject and Metrode offered to assist inestablishing new welding procedures.

The pipework is being installed using Zeron 100XTIG wire on the platform to be positioned in theBunga Orkid/Bunga Pakma gas field complex inthe north end of Block PM-3.

Bunga Orkid Platform under construction

625 Consumables for Tunisia Gas Project

Earlier this year Metrode supplied over a tonne ofNimrod 625KS electrodes and 62-50 TIG to weldIncolloy 825 pipe for use on a sour gas applicationfor the Miskar project to extract natural gasoffshore from the Tunisian coast for the BG Group.

BG Group is in the process of drilling six wells aspart of the Miskar infill drilling campaign. The wellswill be drilled in phases, with two wells expectedto be completed in each of 2007, 2008 and 2009.These wells will further extend the field productionplateau. Related projects are underway to upgradethe production facilities to process varyingcompositions of gas and to de-bottleneck thefacilities.

BG Group is the largest producer of gas in Tunisia,supplying approximately 50% of the domestic gasdemand from the Miskar field. In addition, BGGroup holds two exploration permits in the Gulf ofGabes with a combined surface area of 4 088square kilometres.



Welding underway in the workshops of fabricator Pireco

The second phase of the project is due to start inthe near future and we can expect to receivefurther orders as the construction of the newHasrubel Gas Processing Plant continues.

Hasdrubal Gas Processing Plant, Tunisia

The new Hasdrubal onshore gas processing facilityand the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) productionfacility will be located on the Tunisian coastbetween La Skhira and Sfax in Tunisia and isscheduled for completion in 2009.

"Hasdrubal is an onshore gas processing facilityand liquefied petroleum gas production facility."

The plant is being constructed in a 50/50 jointventure by British Gas Tunisia Limited (BGT) andEntreprise Tunisienne D'Activités Pétrolières(ETAP), the Tunisian state-owned oil and gasexploration and production company, to exploitthe Hasdrubal field, which is situated in the Gulf ofGabes about 110km east of Sfax at a depth of62m. The project is intended to increaseproduction levels to meet the demand of thedomestic gas supply in Tunisia, while stillmaintaining supplies for generation of electricity.

Founded in 1969, the Offshore TechnologyConference is the world’s foremost event for the

Joint Lincoln Electric/Metrode stand

development of offshore resources in the fields ofdrilling, exploration, production, and environmentalprotection. OTC is held annually at Reliant Centerin Houston.

OTC ranks among the largest 200 trade showsheld annually in the United States and is amongthe 10 largest meetings in terms of attendance.Attendance consistently exceeds 50,000, andmore than 2,000 companies participate in theexhibition. OTC includes attendees from aroundthe globe, with more than 110 countriesrepresented at recent conferences.

More than 67,000 people visited OTC .07 — a 25-year high and increase of 13% over 2006. OTC’sexhibition expanded for the first time into theadjacent Reliant Stadium and added more outdoorexhibit space. Nearly 2,400 companies from morethan 30 countries participated in the show.

This was the first time Metrode had joined Lincolnon an exhibition stand, the first of many more inthe future! Graham Holloway and MalcolmSetchfield were carrying the flag for Metrode andreported they were made very welcome and theshow resulted in some useful leads.

It’s not all work!

In July the UK Sales Team gathered at Metrodeand on the Monday night they and other membersof staff travelled down to Windlesham in Surreyfor an evening of traditional indoor skittles.

The following picture shows Gareth Jenkins andClaire Jenkins (no relation!) picking the names outfor the team game, whilst some of the others lookon.



Later, after dinner a very hard fought ‘last manstanding’ individual game took place and the lastman standing turned out to be Peter (Dr.Duplex)Gough.

The picture shows Peter after the presentation oftrophy and in the process of making hisacceptance speech.

Back in March Sarah Spiller who works in the UKsales office got married and became Mrs. Watson.All her friends made a collection and the pictureshows Customer Care Manager Diana Colepresenting Sarah (on the left) with the card andgift.

Power Generation and Industrial ProcessSeminarLincoln Regional Training Centre AtlantaMay 22nd – 23rd 2007

Following a successful event last year in ClevelandLincoln arranged a second seminar in Atlantacovering welding consumables, processes andpower sources relevant to the power generationindustry.Numerous different consumables and machineswere discussed and demonstrated, Metrode’scontribution covered duplex and P91/P92 alloys.Graham Holloway gave presentations on both theduplex and P91/P92 alloys and there were



practical demonstrations of Metrode’s electrodesand flux cored wires.The P91 creep resisting alloy is now being widelyused and the new Chromet 91VNB root weldingelectrode was demonstrated along with the nowwell established Supercore F91 flux cored wire.For the duplex stainless steels Metrode’selectrodes and Supercore 2205P flux cored wirewere demonstrated, highlighting the all-positionalcapability of the wire.About 30 customers attended the seminar mainlyfrom the USA but also a couple from Brazil. RogerSwain, A representative of Metrode’s USAdistributor Euroweld, was also present.

Metrode Dubai Seminar June 2007

A combined Metrode and Lincoln seminar wasarranged in Dubai at Lincoln’s facility in the JebelAli Free Zone. The event covered duplex andsuperduplex stainless steels with presentations onavailable Metrode consumables, weld proceduresand also the latest Lincoln equipment. Metrode’slocal agent, Technical Parts Co, also participatedand about 25 customers visited the Lincoln facilityin Dubai over the two days.

There were a number of practical demonstrationsshowing the capability of electrodes and flux coredwires as well as the latest pulsed MIG machinesand AC/DC PowerWave sub-arc machines.

The event was considered to be a great successand it is planned to hold similar events in Dubai inthe future.

Middle East Success Continues

In July

Alan Jones, Dr.Tarak Al Akeel, Alex Morton, Mark Golding



Once again Metrode……………….

Lincoln Plant in perfect harmony with MetrodeMIG

In some recent welding trials to ascertain the bestmachine/wire combination for a high volume of stainlesssteel pipework to be installed in the distillation area atthe ESSO Fawley Refinery, Neil Matthews, SeniorInspection Engineer, specified Lincoln PowerWave®455M STT and Metrode Supermig 316LSi.

Technical backup from Lincoln combined with the bestwire won the day and both companies can look forwardto some good orders on future projects and a widerrange of materials.

Fawley Refinery viewed from Southampton Water

Superoot Flux Cored TIG Wire

SUPEROOT 316L is a flux cored TIG rodspecifically designed for root pass welding in



stainless steel pipework. This unique productavoids the need for complex back purging gasrequired by conventional solid wire TIG. Excellentbead profile is achieved whilst the thin slag coverprevents root underbead oxidation. Goodoperability is achieved in all welding positions.

SUPEROOT 316L is available in the 316L gradeonly, allowing use on 304L, 347 and 316L gradesof pipe and plate. Only a single diameter, 2.2mmØ, is required which has been optimised forefficiency and operating conditions. SUPEROOT316L is manufactured using a seamless tube toavoid moisture pick-up and contaminationensuring a consistent, even burn-off, essential fordefect-free welding.

Flux Cored TIG offers unique features for rootpass welding where gas purging is impractical:

A slag cover which acts to preventoxidation on the underbead surfacewithout the need for external purging.

The TIG process allows the independentcontrol of the heat source and the fillermaterial.

Designed for single-sided root welding inmaterial down to about 4mm (it is notrecommended for single run welds).

Suitable for all-positional pipe welding,although horizontal joints (2G) prove moreproblematic owing to the increaseddifficulty in maintaining the keyhole.

Used in maintenance environments wheregas purging is impractical.

Superoot Application Studies

AWS A5.22 R316LT1-5BS EN ISO 17633-B TS316L-RI1

1) Use of Metrode Superoot in theconstruction and repair of limpet coils onfood oil processing vessels at Leon FrenkelLimited of Kent has completely eliminatedthe requirement for back purging. Withconventional TIG techniques, a total purgevolume of 15m3 would have beennecessary.

Full penetration, single sided welds weresuccessfully carried out using the 316L grade tofull X-ray standards.

Excellent profiles were obtained in the verticalposition. Branches and flanges on headers, whereaccess and manipulation were restricted, werewelded with Metrode Ultramet 316L all positional

electrodes.

2) Heatfab Services of Ossett, WestYorkshire, found Metrode’s Superoot316L Flux Cored TIG Wire enabled themsuccessfully to undertake a particularlycomplex stainless steel fabrication forBritish Nuclear Fuels Plc.

In eight rows, along the 7.5m length of a400mmø, 12mm wall thickness pipe, a total of 180stainless steel bars were to be positioned, eachone extending right through the pipe. 360 bevelledholes had been provided for the precision fixing ofeach 24mmø bar. Due to the length and diameterof the pipe, it was acknowledged right from theoutset that welding could only be undertaken fromthe outside of the pipe, with full root fusion and anadequate root bead profile being a primaryrequirement.

However, two major difficulties were encountered.Firstly, the solid bars dissipated heat, resulting inpoor root fusion and lack of root bead; andsecondly, standard purging procedures would beimpossible.

To purge the entire pipe was not practical, as thiswould prevent internal inspection of each rootpass until all welding had been completed andweld integrity could therefore not be guaranteed.Individually purging each weld would necessitate



awkward and time-consuming use of a specialpurge box on the root of every weld.

To overcome the first problem, Heatfab Servicesdeveloped a weld penetration designed toovercome the heat dissipation problem, allowingfull fusion welding of the solid bars into the pipe,ensuring good root profile. The purging problemwas tackled in a joint venture with MetrodeProducts Limited. The use of Metrode’s Flux CoredTIG wire was tested and its suitability for usecompletely without purging established.

After mechanical tests both the joint design andthe use of flux cored TIG were approved by BNFL.

Metrode’s 2.2mmø Superoot 316L Flux CoredTIG filler wire consistently produced the requiredroot profile, enabling the fabrication to progressefficiently and cost effectively to a successfulcompletion.

Training Course at Chertsey

In early July we were pleased to welcome sixLincoln Electric personnel from around Europe toChertsey for 3 days of training. The course wasdesigned to introduce some key people to theMetrode product range. The course was run byPeter Gough, the best man for the job! The pictureshows that despite the pressure, they were all stillsmiling!

From left to right going around the table: Alan Jones (Metrodestanding), Pablo Ozaeta, Grzegorz Welke, Stefano Angelotti,Graham Holloway (Metrode standing), Jordi Donate Hernández,Peter Van Erk, Harm Meelker

Peter by the way was behind the camera!

Documents

METRODE PRODUCTS news September 2007 - … CD 2011/Newsletters/Sept07.pdf · METRODE PRODUCTS news September 2007 ... well established in the upsteam hydrocarbon processing, ... Back