Measuring Oxygen Levels in Offshore Extracted Natural Gas

In March 2013, one of Teekay's largest projects, the Voyageur Spirit FPSO, achieved the first oil extraction on the Huntington field in the United Kingdom. The production unit was installed for its new charter contract with E.ON Ruhrgas UK E&P (E.ON) and is expected to last for five years, with extension options. Designed with a storage capacity of 270,000 bbls, the Voyageur Spirit FPSO offers a processing capacity of 30,000 bopd and a total liquids (oil and water) processing capacity of 60,000 bpd.

As part of their quality control process, Teekay compile and send monthly sample results to The Central Area Transmission System Terminal (also known as the CATS Terminal). This is the connection point and processing facility for the CATS pipeline. Based in the middle of Teesmouth’s petrochemical area on the North Sea coast, where approximately 12% of the North Sea’s gas is processed and stored.

Originally, Teekay had to send samples of the gas to be analysed at their laboratory at the CATs terminal but due to instances of air contamination the results were masking the inherent oxygen level in the gas. To combat this issue, Teekay now use the EC92DIS portable oxygen analyser on board the Voyageur to measure the oxygen levels in the gas.

The EC92DIS portable gas analyser from Systech Illinois (UK) has been designed to measure and detect oxygen levels as low as 1ppm up to high percentages. Ideal for use in hazardous areas, it is approved for EEx ia IIc T4 - Zone 0 (ATEX) and can be used on most industrial gases and atmospheres.