Refractory Failure in the SRU Tail Gas Incinerator

The Tail Gas Incinerator is part of a single-train plant which accounts for approximately half of the entire field’s production. The field’s total production for the first 9 months was 634,065 barrels per day, with 317,032 from the single-train plant. This incinerator plays a crucial role in the plant’s sulfur recovery operations.

The incinerator had 13 critical hot spots and thermal breakthroughs, leading to thermal ruptures in multiple areas. With a planned turnaround not scheduled for another 3 years, they were confronted with the urgent need for online repairs while the unit remained in operation. Due to the plant being a single train, there were no options to bypass or divert to other trains. The lack of alternative solutions left them with no option but to address the issue on live equipment while the SRU remained in operation.

Project Execution: IGS Hot Spot Repair During Operation

The repair project involved addressing 13 known hot spots in the Tail Gas Incinerator.

It was essential to confirm that all necessary gas tests have been conducted and the unit was operating under negative pressure. A fire watch was present before and after any hot work. Fire blankets and Insulated Blankets were installed to protect personnel and cover hot areas. A 20″ x 2″ slot was marked on the furnace wall shell and cut using a plasma cutter, with precautions taken to prevent metal pieces from entering the furnace. Special attention was given to avoiding any impact on boiler tubes and the mud drum.

Following Hot Access Creation (HAC) on the live unit, proprietary Hot-tek baskets and anchors were inserted into the openings and welded in place. Missing refractory was replaced with pumpable refractory, with the Infrared (IR) camera used to verify external temperatures. The steel shell was then replaced and welded in place.