This equipment supplies electric power to the OPF and the Lunskoye-A platform to ensure safe natural gas transmission from the offshore field, as well as reliable gas processing.
The Hitachi H-25 gas turbine unit was overhauled for the first time since its commissioning. To perform the job, original consumables and components were required for replacement. The list contains about 1,000 items, including bearings, combustion chambers, three-stage nozzle assemblies and the custom-made rotor. To deliver these spares from abroad in time, the asset began procurement process in October 2019.
Maintenance activities began on the asset in September 2020. In addition to replacing gas turbine unit elements, they included a high-voltage generator test, as well as control system upgrade that brings into action the entire gas turbine generator (GTG).
GTG is a complex equipment so to provide the reliability of work performed some activities could not be done without mobilising key expatriate representatives of original equipment manufacturers, whose presence was mandatory. Facing the pandemic and entry restrictions imposed by the Russian government company logistics group explored and established special logistical arrangements to mobilise contractor representatives simultaneously. Prior to arriving at Sakhalin Energy’s virus-free asset, all the participants had to undergo mandatory 14-day self-isolation to rule out COVID-19 spread.
This year, some of work was performed with direct virtual participation of some OEM representatives. Using a real-time video connection, they were able to evaluate the progress and give advice to Sakhalin Energy specialists. Prior to this, the company established high-speed Wi-Fi coverage throughout the work area to ensure that video helmets and field tablet computers would function properly.
Thanks to these efforts, the project was successfully completed with minimal expatriate presence (only 10 people). Overall, 36 specialists were involved in these activities, including contractor representatives. Facing strict limitations and global challenges, company managed to complete all the work elements safely, with good quality and meeting the schedule.
According to Denis Lutsev, Sakhalin Energy’s Onshore Assets Manager, what has been done is extremely important, and not just from the point of view of production reliability along the entire Sakhalin-2 oil and gas production chain. “Even at the end of July, in the conditions of increasing external restrictions and risks, it seemed that in order to hold it, some miracle was needed. We took it on as a big team. The miracle happened, and it has a name-teamwork, commitment to results and professionalism inherent in our employees”, added Denis Lutsev.