The operator had two primary turbine compressors operating in parallel on an offshore facility and wanted earlier visibility of
deteriorating performance so the team could intervene before an unplanned shutdown.
The challenge became particularly important when multiple wells on remote platforms tripped, reducing gas flow to the
compressors. Monsoon conditions made it difficult to deploy personnel offshore, meaning the low-flow condition could not be
immediately resolved at the source.
For the operations team, knowing simply that the compressor was still running was not enough. They needed visibility into whether flow
and related operating conditions were remaining on target or progressively moving toward an undesirable operating state.
VROC trained a Time to Failure model using historical operating data to monitor the developing compressor condition ahead of the
conventional trip point.
The model used turbine compressor discharge pressure to identify increasing probability of undesirable performance at below 9,000
kPag pre-alarm threshold, well ahead of the compressor's 5,500 kPag low-low trip limit.
As upstream well trips reduced available gas flow, VROC provided the offshore team with continuous trending of gas flowrate, anti
surge valve (ASV) opening and compressor discharge pressure-control valve (PCV) opening. This gave operators remote visibility
into whether compressor performance was moving above or below the desired operating condition while access to the affected wells
remained limited.
VROC continuously compared compressor discharge pressure with the required operating condition, showing when flow and related
process variables began moving away from target. This allowed the offshore team to monitor the developing condition remotely and
track the risk of a low-flow compressor trip until the upstream issue could be addressed.
Continuous performance visibility
Operators could see when compressor operating conditions were moving away from the
desired target rather than waiting for a conventional low-low trip alarm.
Remote operational awareness
VROC provided ongoing visibility of compressor flow and related control parameters while
monsoon conditions restricted physical access to the remote platforms.
Reduced shutdown risk
The Time to Failure trend helped the offshore team closely monitor the developing low-flow condition
and manage operations to avoid a turbine compressor trip while the upstream well issue was being resolved.
VROC continuously monitors asset and process behavior against expected operating conditions, helping teams identify performance above or below target and respond before conditions escalate
Explore Time to Failure Prediction | Talk to Our Team
Industry: Oil and Gas
Solution: Real-Time Monitoring & Operations
Use Case: Time to Failure Prediction
Facility: Offshore Platform
Asset: Turbine Compressor
Gain real-time visibility, predict failure earlier, optimize performance, and take control of your operations with VROC’s integrated solutions.