Valves and manifolds help make isolation units more compact

Parker Instrumentation's valves, manifolds and tube fittings have helped Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions to build compact Topside Umbilical Termination Units (TUTUs). These are destined for a North African offshore oil and gas platform to provide the operator with a means of isolating the hydraulic and chemical injection services to the well.

Compact size – combined with easy access for operations and maintenance – is critical for this application; the TUTU cabinets mount on the platform deck, in the limited space available adjacent to the umbilical hang-off.

To help minimise the equipment size, Parker Instrumentation recommended manifolds from its HiPro family for the isolation functions. These provide the required double-block-and-bleed functionality in a compact, in-line format. In combination with Tyco's specialist tube-bending skills, these manifolds helped to pack a lot of functionality into each TUTU cabinet, without restricting access during operation or maintenance.

Simplifying the project

Parker also supplied Tyco with the additional valve components needed for the TUTU cabinets, including high-integrity fire-safe valves for the methanol injection lines. This helped to simplify the project execution.

Matthew Watts, Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions' Contracts Manager, comments: "We select the valves we require mainly on the basis of their quality, integrity and pricing but, in this instance, Parker Instrumentation's components also helped us to reduce the size of the system and enhance reliability by eliminating several leak paths."

The pressure ratings required for this offshore platform project are up to 517bar (7500psi). For the critical isolation points in this equipment, Parker's HiPro manifolds provide a double ball valve assembly inside a single-piece in-line body, with a needle valve assembly for bleeding. Rated at up to 689bar (10,000psi), the manifolds were designed expressly for limited-space applications requiring lower weight, and to be particularly compact for offshore projects such as TUTUs. Before shipping the equipment, Tyco tests the integrity of each flow line assembly to pressures that are at least 50 per cent higher than the maximum working pressure.

For more information, visit www.tycofis.co.uk or www.parker.com/ipd.