Composite Repair of Equipment and The Practical Applicability of ASME PCC-2

Unplanned outages or shutdowns can cost plant operators millions of dollars a day in lost production opportunities. Repair practices in hydrocarbon processing facilities have been evolving ever since these plants went into operation, especially those repairs that can be accomplished on-stream. Unplanned shutdowns can often be avoided by implementing in-situ repair techniques that are reliable, proven, and provide acceptable safety margins.

There was a time in the past when welding repairs were the only option to get pressurized or static equipment, including piping and piping components, back into service. As such, the industry has historically depended on welding as a means to repair equipment. Unfortunately, welding typically requires taking the equipment out of service to perform repairs. Furthermore, there are additional requirements related to safety such as hot work (making sure the area is free of flammable or other certain gases and vapors).

Now, with advancements in materials technology and the development of advanced analytical tools, modeling, simulation, and research, the hydrocarbon processing industry can take advantage of standardized alternative solutions to welding involving composite repairs. Composite repair approaches may, in the right cases, replace welding and its associated inherent safety risk due to the hot work involved.