Oil & Gas applications
The oil and gas market is split into three sectors: Upstream, Midstream and Downstream. Kopex-Ex flexible conduit systems can provide solutions for all three hazardous areas.
Upstream consists of exploration and production. Midstream relates to the transportation, storage and partial processing of crude oil and gas from the wellheads to the refining plants. This brings another set of challenges to overcome. The term downstream relates to the processing and delivery of finished carbon related product to the end-user.
First there are offshore applications such as the drilling rigs and production platforms; these are always opened to extreme weather conditions so equipment used here needs to be able to withstand a salty environment. This is achieved through either manufacturing product from stainless steel or by ensuring that the product is coated to withstand marine environments as in all our Kopex-Ex® conduit systems.
Product Selection
- Salt water corrosion (offshore platforms)
- Oil and chemical resistance (drilling rig mud)
- Extreme ambient temperature
- Protection level
- Connectivity to other pieces of equipment
- Consequence of downtime
- Approval level required (Ex e, Ex d, etc.)
- Approval specification required e.g. ATEX, IECEx
- Where product will be positioned, e.g. Zone 1 or Zone 2