The massive $200 billion construction phase for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Australia is nearing its end. This is welcome news for suppliers who are committed to supporting industry over the long haul as it signals these projects are moving into operational phase. For ABB, having successfully supplied hazardous area protected power and automaton equipment for many of the oil and gas projects, it means we are now mobilizing our team to provide operational, maintenance and repair services to enhance the reliability and productivity of these LNG operations.
One such service offering is our motor and rotating machine repair and refurbishment workshop which recently attained accreditation under the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Ex Certified Service Facility Scheme.
Equipment manufactured to IECEx standards must be serviced by an accredited IECEx certified service facility. Utilising its national service network, ABB is able to provide service events that allow for hazardous area protected equipment certification to be maintained.
After successfully passing audits in early 2016, ABB's rotating machines facility located in Eagle Farm, Brisbane became the first workshop in Australia to attain IEC certification for maintenance, repairs and refurbishment of all third party repairable hazardous area protected techniques.
ABB is now offering these services on all makes of IECEx rotating machines. The company is providing this locally, without the need to send equipment overseas, and providing documented certification that the equipment is safe for the explosive atmosphere or hazardous area for which it was designed.
"We understood the value industry places on using an IECEx competent motor repairer so moved early to ensure service work could be carried-out safely and quickly in an accredited Australian-based workshop," said John Hamlin who manages ABB's Motor and Generator Service workshops in Australia. "Equipment uptime is critical in achieving optimum operational efficiency so having local service facilities and capabilities to minimize any repair costs and potential down-time is crucial to our customers."
IECEx certification involves auditing of our safety, quality and environmental systems with intensive scrutiny of the procedures and documentation for these service activities. The intensity and depth of audit is essential to ensure that the serviced equipment is verifiably assessed against the design by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and applicable IEC standards. Ensuring that the unit is safe for the hazardous area for which it is intended and operates. ABB provides this assurance by supplying an Overhaul Test and Inspection Certificate in accordance with IEC 60079-19.
The workshop has since undertaken a considerable number of Ex motor maintenance and repair projects, working with both local and overseas customers. By using a certified service facility, like ABB, it ensures that only highly trained operatives accredited within the IEC Certification Scheme for Explosive Atmospheres that are part of an IECEx certified service facility are used to complete the service work. It is the role of the IECEx accredited service provider to ensure the equipment is safe to operate within the hazardous area for which its protection technique is designed after a service event.
IEC is the world's leading organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
