Keeping the Crew Comfortable at ADNOC

Oilfields are notoriously harsh working environments, with many field staff putting in long hours and living on-site. The need for high-quality worker health and safety on these sites is key – mistakes can be fatal – so it’s paramount that the accommodation blocks allow for proper rest and recuperation, so the workforce is fit for duty on their next shift.

At one of ADNOC’s sites in Abu Dhabi, the air conditioning units weren’t functioning well, ultimately overheating and tripping the power. This led to an adverse situation for workers staying in that accommodation, as well as increased energy costs for ADNOC due to both inefficient chillers, and the knock-on effects of the power trips and surges.

They called Serck because of our expertise in air conditioning equipment for these unique environments.

Being an oil field, the general area contains corrosive acidic gases of sulphur and hydrocarbons. In this particular case the acidic environment and a maintenance program that didn’t adequately account for the volatility had accelerated galvanic corrosion (corrosion due to dissimilar metals) of the aluminum fins, which are mechanically bonded to the copper tubes of the air-cooled heat exchanger. This considerably reduced heat transfer, and in turn built up high pressure on the compressor, causing it to trip.

We proposed replacing these condenser coils with new units more suited to the environment, adding Heresite coating to mitigate the corrosion process. The more efficient running of the air conditioning units reduced the load on the compressors, eliminating the power-tripping problem, restoring field-worker comfort, and reducing overall energy consumption.

Serck also consulted on an optimal maintenance process and schedule, to protect their capital investment and ensure worry-free functioning for years to come.

To learn more about how Serck can help optimise your cooling needs in volatile environments, contact us today.