Commissioning and Startup in Canada’s Oil and Gas Sector: Expert Insights on Ensuring Safe and Efficient Operations with Advanced Services and Technologies

An extensive commissioning and startup procedure is necessary to guarantee that oil and gas facilities function safely and efficiently. This article describes the commissioning and startup phases in the Canadian oil and gas industry, along with examples of advanced services such as electrical and instrumentation, compressor seal vent testing, MSAPR engine testing, mobile boilers, construction and project management, and the use of project management software.

An Overview of Commissioning and Startup

In the life cycle of an oil and gas facility, such as refineries, processing plants, and offshore platforms, commissioning and startup are two distinct but closely related phases. While commissioning involves confirming that the design, construction, and installation of the facility meet the required standards and specifications, startup entails bringing the facility up to full operating capacity.

To ensure the safety and well-being of workers, the environment, and the general public in Canada, the oil and gas industry is subject to stringent regulations and guidelines. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA), the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER), and provincial regulatory bodies have established guidelines and requirements for the commissioning and startup of oil and gas facilities.

commissioning startup 700x700 - Commissioning and Startup in Canada's Oil and Gas Sector: Expert Insights on Ensuring Safe and Efficient Operations with Advanced Services and TechnologiesAdvanced Services and Technologies in Commissioning and Startup

  1. Electrical and Instrumentation

Electrical and instrumentation services are vital in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas facilities. These services include the design, installation, calibration, and testing of electrical systems, control systems, and field instruments. Properly executed electrical and instrumentation services ensure that facilities operate optimally and comply with regulatory requirements.

  1. Compressor Seal Vent Testing

Compressor seal vent testing is a crucial service that verifies the integrity of compressor seals in gas processing and handling facilities. This testing ensures that seals are functioning correctly, preventing gas leaks and reducing the risk of environmental incidents or equipment damage.

  1. MSAPR Engine Testing

The Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (MSAPR) in Canada require regular testing of stationary engines used in the oil and gas industry to ensure compliance with emissions limits. MSAPR engine testing services help identify potential issues and optimize engine performance to meet regulatory requirements and minimize environmental impact.

  1. Mobile Boilers

Mobile boilers provide temporary steam or hot water supply during the commissioning and startup phases. These boilers are essential in maintaining process operations and ensuring equipment testing can be performed under various conditions, enabling facilities to become fully operational more efficiently.

  1. Construction and Project Management

Effective construction and project management are crucial in ensuring the successful completion of commissioning and startup projects. These services involve the planning, coordination, and control of resources to deliver projects on time and within budget. Experienced project managers oversee various aspects, such as procurement, scheduling, and stakeholder communication, to ensure a smooth transition from construction to operation.

  1. Project Management Software

commissioning startup2 300x300 - Commissioning and Startup in Canada's Oil and Gas Sector: Expert Insights on Ensuring Safe and Efficient Operations with Advanced Services and TechnologiesProject management software is a powerful tool that streamlines construction and project management processes. This software facilitates collaboration, communication, and real-time tracking of project progress, enabling project teams to make informed decisions and optimize resource allocation. By using project management software, oil and gas companies can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the overall success of their commissioning and startup projects.

The commissioning and startup process plays a pivotal role in the oil and gas industry, laying the foundation for the safe and efficient operation of facilities across Canada. This comprehensive process involves a meticulous examination of every aspect of the facility, ensuring that design, construction, and installation conform to the highest industry standards and regulatory requirements. By effectively managing and executing the commissioning and startup phases, oil and gas companies can optimize their facilities’ performance, minimize potential risks, and demonstrate their commitment to operating in a responsible and sustainable manner. In turn, this fosters a greater understanding and appreciation among industry stakeholders and the general public for the diligent efforts made by the Canadian oil and gas sector to prioritize safety, environmental protection, and overall operational excellence.

A Look At The Alberta Methane Emissions Program

AMEP is short for Alberta Methane Emissions Program and is slated to be worth some $17 million. The government of Alberta, with the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER), will fund the initiative. In an attempt to meet climate targets of the Canadian Federal Government by the year 2030, the provincial government announced the AMEP initiative.

AMEP 700x587 - A Look At The Alberta Methane Emissions ProgramThe effort aims to promote government regulation updates, lower expenses for business, and assure recommendations for methane detection and control whilst which allows decreases in methane pollutants in Alberta’s energy sector. Financing for the Alberta Methane Emissions Reduction Program (AMEP) is offered by the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Fund of Alberta. The AMEP program is handled by the Delivery Agent Partnership (DAP), which had been launched by the Carbon Management Canada (CMC) and the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG). AMEP will serve as a global showcase for environmental and economic benefits that are being generated by innovation in the private sector, research and development in academic organizations, and pro-active policy and regulation. This effort would be executed in combination with the Alberta Energy Regulator, and it will be sponsored by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), that’ll also be involved in its financial backing (AER). The Alberta Environment and Parks Department will give financial support to AMEP.

The reduction of methane emissions from oil and gas extraction activity in the upstream market is the primary focus of the AMEP. To assure that industry and their regulators generate the very best management solutions, a detailed understanding of all contributions within the fugitive emissions sector is essential. During the AMEP, it’s definitely a possibility that additional sources of methane are likely to be found; the information that may be uncovered will be employed by the AEP to build a improved understanding of the broader spectrum of methane contributors, not to mention the strategies available to moderate these by-products.

One company that is currently working in this space and is incredibly knowledgeable on how to receive funding from participation in the Alberta Methane Emissions Program, is Intricate Group. With their head office in Sherwood Park, Alberta and field offices throughout the Western Provinces of Canada, Intricate has become the top choice to help companies receive funding from programs like this one and others as well like BROA and even Carbon Credits.

 

Energy Service Providers Rising in Popularity Despite Energy Woes Post-COVID

After the early 90’s we have seen the emergence of energy service providers. The start of the energy solutions company can be credited to the energy crisis of the late 70s, as entrepreneurs produced techniques to tackle the escalating energy expenses. An ESCO is a company that provides wide-ranging energy solutions to their clients, which include auditing, upgrading and developing changes to the ways the consumer consumes energy, the main mission being elevated efficiency.

As the world emerges from the gripes of the COVID-19 we’re witness to the advancement of the energy service company. Innovation has performed a vital part in the evolution of the energy service industry.

As we’ve earlier mentioned, the top objective for energy service firms boils down to cutting spending and produce maintainable solutions in the future. All through the nineties we got a tide of private energy service companies due largely to deregulation and the escalating price of energy. Presently we’re witness to certainly one of the greatest deregulating governments the U . S . has ever experienced which is only getting better with recent statements from the Trump Administration made in Texas this past week.

In 2006 the sector group NAESCO stated energy service organizations grew by 22% and stated $2.6 billion in revenues marking a paramount moment for energy services companies through the United States. In Canada the popularity of energy services companies also grew significantly mainly in the oil full province of Alberta.

Energy Service Providers 700x379 - Energy Service Providers Rising in Popularity Despite Energy Woes Post-COVIDWith such a wide range of O&G service providers these providers offer, it is difficult to list only a few whilst excluding a great number of other relevant ones. However it is worth stating that within this industry, technological innovations has performed a top role in encouraging the sector progression. A couple of other providers include water treatment, transportation, pipeline monitoring, well restoration, midstream & downstream solutions and energy cost savings and management.

Energy consultant firms are going up as rates fluctuate we see a demand for energy consulting agencies to make a deal for reduced energy costs. The fundamental focus of energy consultants should be to save their customers cash by negotiating energy costs and making current operations more energy-efficient. These service technicians begin with undertaking what is recognized as a base line of initial energy assessment. Energy consultants have a defined start task which is generally to undertake a wholesale and thorough energy audit to be later employed as a measurement of future energy cost savings. The added benefits of operating closely with top organizational directors is that when a decision must be made its made right away. For this reason energy consultants work with and are accountable to, corporate directors. While energy management businesses operate singularly of the organization employing them, it is a reality that energy consultants work closely with officials for a multitude of reasons.

Field energy service providers offer a wide array of providers this includes meter proving, sampling and analysis, electrical and instrumentation, construction, automation and controls and even software solutions. Overall though we’re on the cusp of a paradigm shift within this sector due largely in part to the pandemic that has gripped the world over the past 6 months.

We spoke with Solomon Salgero, an operations executive with Lightspeed Energy service providers and here’s what he had to say.

“What else can I say beyond it has been a damaging shock to the industry however we do know things will get better and we are planning for that now.”

Energy services companies typically use performance contracting, which means that if the undertaking does not produce ROI, the ESCO is liable to settle the difference, therefore assuring their valued clients of the energy and cost cost savings.

Since its creation in the 90s, a single U. S. governmental program named “Super-ESPC” (ESPC stands for Energy Savings Performance Contracts) has-been accountable for $2.9B in energy services companies contracts. With it being revived and changed in late 2008 they have awarded 16 companies with what is regarded as Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity or IDIQ contracts priced at a minimum of $5 billion each on average. While it is true there is undeniably a great deal of assorted providers delivered under the energy providers array, one thing is certainly, cost and efficiency as their primary focus.

Danny Bilot of Intricate Group, an energy services company in Alberta, Canada.

Although COVID was a really kick to the economy here in Alberta, we at Intricate are on the other side of it all and looking for a great 2021.

You have probably noticed that utility providers have, for sometime now, been grouping service providers. That’s the progress of these energy utility firms we earlier spoke about. It’s become prevalent in Canada and the USA that energy providers are now providing bundled providers like television, Internet and home phone but in actual fact there is a lot more of this going on in the B2B (business to business) side whereas public surveillance and security systems are also being supplied. From a solely financial/company understanding this marriage of utility company and service company is brilliance.

So I know what you are thinking. Wouldn’t this make energy solutions companies go the way of the dinosaur? Nope. Think of this like the battle of the Titans whereas the big utility firms are the ones who will negotiate for the energy consumer dough. There are lots of solutions encompassed by the term energy providers company. Many, if not most, all relate to boots on the ground industrial services like those in the oilfields. Having said that we hope that 2021 brings much prosperity to the energy sector and we can look back at 2020 as a year of lessons.