Chemicals & Refinery

A flare stack in an oil and gas plant was in need of exterior repairs due to gradual deterioration. Industrial Access was contracted to paint the stack and perform additional repairs and replacements to its platforms, ladders, AWL and other appurtenances. Strategic solutions were developed and applied to fit the client’s needs and maximize the structure’s longevity.

An oil and gas refinery facility in the southern US was in need of painting and repair services for their 320’ steel flare stack. The operating conditions within and around a flare stack are very severe, with high temperatures, intense thermal cycling, corrosion and other environmental hazards at hand. Industrial Access (IA) mobilized to replace the current deteriorating coating system with a fresh one for maximum resistance, as well as perform any additional repairs necessary to ensure the safety of the structure.

IA’s engineers and technicians are experts in providing rigging and unique access solutions for industrial work at height. For this project, IA chose the most efficient and economical solution to use a swing stage approach to stack exterior access in combination with rope access techniques, utilized as fit. The crew set up two swing stages that were mobile vertically across the working area of the stack.

The sequence of the repairs was coordinated to facilitate the construction for best efficiency. Before any work was performed, appropriate safety measures were taken to ensure the site area was secured against hazards and in accordance to all safety regulations. Then, the surface of the flare stack had to be cleaned and prepared for coating. The crew utilized hydro-blasting and any additional power tools as needed to remove dirt, top corrosion and loose dust and paint from the steel surface.

Then, a new coating system was installed on the entire flare stack as well as the platforms. Two coats of Tnemec Series 1528 were applied to the top 25’ of the stack. This provides advanced protection against high temperatures, cyclic conditions and corrosion. A coat of Tnemec Series 135 was used as a primer and applied to the rest of the stack, platforms, ladder and utility lines brackets. This was followed up by additional two coats of Tnemec Series 1075 top coats. These coatings render the stack resistant to abrasion, wet conditions, corrosive fumes and exterior weathering, excellent for this particular structure and conditions.

Once the stack had dried, AWL system was removed and new lights, dual markers, conduit and wiring were installed for the mid and top platforms. Top 10’ of the damaged ladder was replaced by a new ladder to match the existing one. IA upgraded the safety conditions by replacing the damaged Saf-T-Climb system with a TUF-TUG ladder mount cable climb system and by installing new self-closing safety gates at both platforms’ ladder landings. In addition, severely degraded and corroded grating of the top platform was replaced with a new serrated galvanized grating.

IA completed this project safely, on time and within the given budget. The AWL and safety system repairs will ensure the plant is kept up to code. The high-performance Tnemec coating products IA used in this project will provide advanced resistance to heat, abrasion, chemicals and moisture, well-suited for a steel flare stack. This and similar maintenance repairs are a necessary consideration for every plant in order to preserve a structure’s longevity, meet regulations and eliminate the potential of safety hazards as well as extensive future repairs.