Two SA companies continue their success in Indonesian energy sector
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PRESS RELEASE
Two SA companies continue their success in Indonesian energy sector
09 July, 2013: Leading rope access specialist Skyriders and plant care engineering consulting expert Carab Tekniva have successfully completed the inspection of a 210 m high smoke stack and various boiler pressure components at the Paiton power station in Indonesia.
Skyriders specialises in providing rope access inspection, non-destructive testing and work-at-height maintenance solutions to numerous industries, while Carab Tekniva is a multi-faceted engineering software solution and service provider that specialises in plant care and physical asset management.
The two South African-based companies have undertaken inspection and maintenance work at the Paiton power station through a joint partnership since 2004, and recently completed the latest project on the smoke stack and the 700 MW Unit 7 boiler within ten days in May 2013.
Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn believes that the two companies continue to be selected to undertake inspection work on international projects such as Paiton, due to the fact that they offer a world class service at highly competitive prices.
"Although similar services are provided by companies based in Europe, North America and Australia, Skyriders and Carab Tekniva provide the same internationally recognised and accredited offering at a rate that is substantially lower than our international competitors, without ever compromising on safety or quality," he explains.
Zinn notes that a team of six rope access technicians and boiler inspectors from Skyriders worked together with a boiler engineer and engineering technician from Carab Tekniva to undertake inspections on the wall blowers, water wall tube, superheater, reheater tubes and screen tubes, in addition to other mechanical components located inside the boilers and the 210 m smoke stack.
"This was a highly demanding project that had to be completed within ten days. Skyriders was responsible for all physical inspection work, while Carab Tekniva captured and analysed the data, before dictating the required scope of work and advising on a maintenance strategy. As a result of a strong working relationship and mutual understanding between the two companies, the project was successfully completed within the specified timeframe," he says.
Carab Tekniva boiler engineer Jan Hendrik Fourie, who acted as project manager for the duration of the inspection process, indicates that the company's Boiler Health Care Programme software solution was utilised to monitor the condition of the boiler components, and to proactively monitor the condition of the plant through trend analysis in order to implement maintenance strategies. "What's more, the solution also provides a legacy for future engineers to build onto and to work from."
Fourie explains that the wear experienced in Indonesian boilers are mostly due to rubbing or fretting of tubes, as a result of retaining lugs or support plates that have broken loose, causing the pressure parts to fret during operation. “Compared to South African boilers where fly ash erosion and sootblower erosion are large contributors to tube failures, the coal used by Paiton has a far lower fly ash content compared to South African coal. This means that less sootblowing is required on the superheater, economiser and reheater elements, which decreases tube material loss rates considerably due to less sootblowing. The calorific value of the Indonesian coal is higher than South African coal, with the result being that coal consumption is less in their boilers to produce the same amount of heat,” explains Fourie.
The humid climate and close proximity of the Paiton power station to the ocean proved to be challenging for the inspection team, notes Skyriders rope access team leader Progress Malang. "The close proximity to the ocean results in a large amount of corrosion that has to be dealt with on a regular basis, while the high humidity is physically draining. These challenges were, however, overcome thanks to the in-depth experience and commitment from the entire team."
Although the language barrier also had an impact on effective communication, Malang points out that this bridge was gapped with the assistance of a translator, in addition to two Indonesian inspection assistants. Skyriders and Carab Tekniva have formed a unique partnership that has provided value-added services to various power generation projects worldwide for more than nine years, and Zinn is confident of the potential future outlook for the partnership moving forward.
"Skyriders and Carab Tekniva have proven capabilities that have resulted in both companies being commissioned to undertake regular inspection and maintenance services for projects across Africa and Asia. The economic boom taking place in both these regions has resulted in the demand for more energy, and ultimately more power plants. Having established an unrivalled track record in this industry, I am optimistic of achieving measurable growth in the long term future," he concludes.
Ends
Notes to the Editor
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the Carab Tekniva or Skyriders link.
About Carab Tekniva
Through due diligence, the Carab Tekniva Group has developed into a multifaceted engineering solution and service provider. The Carab Tekniva Group's experience base covers both the theoretical and practical design aspects of power generation, process plants, industrial boiler and steam installations, refineries, sugar boilers and utility plants.
About Skyriders
Skyriders (Pty) Ltd, established in 1998, is a leader in the South African rope access industry, providing cost and time-saving solutions to clients in the power generation and petrochemical industries who require rope access aided inspection, NDT and maintenance work to be done in difficult to reach, high-up locations.
Media Contact
Kelly Farthing
NGAGE Public Relations
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