Case Study

Glycol Dehydration Unit (GDU) Fuel Gas Reliability Project

Challenge:

The fuel gas system at a large refinery had experienced numerous problems with leakage and fouling with sludge. A reliability team of experts identified water as a main precursor of corrosion and sludge formation throughout the fuel gas system. It was determined that a Glycol Dehydration Unit (GDU) needed to be installed to treat the fuel gas supplied to all plant-wide users to improve the fuel gas reliability and to maintain the integrity of the existing fuel gas system.

Solution:

Valdes provided the front-end and detail engineering for the project. We contributed our in-house 3D laser scanning capabilities to capture the as-built condition of the existing foundations and equipment. The scans were turned into a 3D model to determine how the new process unit would fit into the existing foundation. The 3D design model was also used for the demolition plans, mapping the new equipment and determining the piping route in the existing racks.

Impact:

This was a multi-discipline project that successfully saved the refinery time, money and rework by using the high-definition laser scanning and 3D design model.