Abstract
In 2013, there were situations that altered the normal operation of the turbines, attributed mainly to the fuel used (diesel) that is produced in the "Topping" atmospheric distillation plant located in the Northern Production Facility (NPF).
There is evidence that there is a continuous presence of significant amounts of highly viscous substances throughout the diesel system that feeds the General Electric turbines located in the oil separation plants of the NPF and the oil re-pumping station of Shushufindi.
Diesel from the "Topping" plant receives a monthly biocide chemical treatment against fungi and bacteria in storage tanks. However, agents such as moisture and oxygen have interacted with minority compounds (0.024% S and 0.015% P) of the biocide, producing highly viscous substances.
High viscosity substances resulting from oxidation and polymerization reactions in the aqueous phase formed from sulfur and phosphorus compounds cause clogging of the control valves of fuel entrance to the injectors, thus, reducing the reliability and availability of the turbine.
Based on the analysis performed, it was determined that the cause of the generation of highly viscous substances was the monthly dosages of biocide in the storage tanks of diesel (300 and 476 mg/l). To solve this problem, the dosage of biocide has a conditional restriction, i.e., whenever the proliferation of fungi and bacteria reach 103 and 104 col/ml, respectively, in the tanks, the biocide is added.
As a result, the availability of the turbines in NPF (General Electric) and Shushufindi (Solar) increased from 96.51% and 97.98% to 100.00% and 99.53% respectively.
