Fire Test Facility for Offshore Field Equipment - Success Achieved with Systems Engineering Practice

Abstract

The Advanced Technology Lab has developed a Fire Test Facility that became operational in spring 2015. This paper describes a fresh approach to the systems engineering process path taken during development to capture new capabilities and opportunities for such a system. New functions and safety features are discussed, as compared to the original system that was replaced. Recent fire incidents on offshore rigs have increased interest in meeting rigorous standards for fire safety. As a result of a needs assessment, a replacement Fire Test Facility (FTF) was developed in order to test offshore equipment. Offshore valves and connectors on rigs must be certified to withstand sustained fire conditions per American Petroleum Institute (API) standards 6FA/B/C. The requirements include surviving fire temperatures up to 1800 F for a period of 30 minutes, while holding internal pressure and even withstanding bending loads. Updated safety regulations at the company led to a review of the original Fire Test Facility, and it was determined that a new system was necessary to incorporate blast protection, controls automation, and situational awareness. After establishing needs and goals from our internal customer, derived requirements were generated. Using the company’s system engineering "engine", this led to a design that met customer requirements and enhanced safety. Improvements over the original system include a 6-sided bunker structure, passive ventilation, gas safety purges, remote operation to keep workers outside the hot zone, and real-time charting to assess test performance. After integration of the facility, a verification matrix was used to assess system functionality and performance. The improved system allows for quicker test turnaround, and more refined burn tests at reduced costs compared to using external test facilities. Mock fire tests can be performed to assess "what-if" conditions prior to actual testing of equipment. Several tests were successfully performed to API standards. Results and observations throughout the systems engineering process, including systems integration and checkout of the Fire Test Facility are provided.