We at Chemipetro supply flanges and pipe fittings made to rigorous, modern industrial standards. Precision manufactured from highly resistant alloys, they are guaranteed to give quality service. However, not all petrochemical plants are of recent construction, and this can bring major problems – especially when site owners incorporate new components, such as flanges, with legacy materials, i.e. those installed when the plant was built.

Mixing old with new material makes plant management an extremely complex task. Personnel and management must know exactly what goes where, and have set procedures for each component that they must memorise and adhere to. This was brought to the fore at many old planets, such as Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery, located on a remote Singaporean island. The site was reportedly rife with leaking flanges, unreliable pipe fittings and other problems. Under or over-tightening flanges was often the cause – pipe flanges have to be tightened to specific torques. Insufficient inspection of older pipe fittings was another problem – and it was costing Shell dearly. Their answer was to implement a training program to give personnel a better understanding of tightening and inspection of flanges.

Shell’s Total Flange Assurance program was a short course aimed at the 200 existing staff and contractors, which became part of the induction procedure for new staff as well. Lasting one day, it included basic elements of inspecting pipe flanges; methods for assembly and hand-tightening; the importance of using the right lubricant following flange face inspection, and hand torque wrench usage and safety. By the end of the day, staff were proficient in the breaking out, inspection and reinstallation of a range of pipe flanges, using the right tightening technique. The scheme went live in May 2008 and has been a success for Shell and testament to their safety awareness.