INTERNATIONAL engineering solutions specialist Furmanite considers Adnoc its most important client.

Furmanite has worked as a site service provider on a number of its refineries and process plants.

''The high technical requirement and top quality services that Adnoc always require from their suppliers, put the onus on us to demonstrate our unique capabilities, '' says Khairy Ahmed, regional manager of Furmanite, UAE.

The main activities of Furmanite UAE are on-site machining services.

This is a specialised service that could save a considerable time during shutdowns, whether planed or emergency ones.

Furmanite UAE Ltd has a full range of portable machines that can be mobilised to do the required machining work on the job itself without the need to take the job from the site to the workshop as has been conventionally done.

There will be no need to cut pipes/flanges and then weld them and do all the NDT work on the joints and vessels.

For instance, the firm has machines that could do flange facing on site from 1/2" to 120" flange's sizes in the UAE at its Mussafah warehouse. In addition, it has milling-rail machines, boring machines, pipe cutting machines and drilling machines.

All are portable, lightweight, high quality and produce excellent finishing as good as workshop machines.

This service is run by UK experts based in Abu Dhabi supported by well trained local engineers and technicians. From its UK-based parent company, all the engineering back-up and required large size machines are available.

The "Furmaniting" on line leak sealing service is a specialised service that can potentially save clients trouble in shutting down plants and isolating systems for leaks developing while normally running on-line.

Furmanite has accumulated over 70 years an excellent experience in sealing leaks on-line. High quality service techniques and well trained technicians all over the world are able to carry out leak sealing on-line for different applications and products.

The company boasts the capacity to seal leaks on flanges, joints, manholes,vessels, heat exchangers, pipes welds, pinholes, valve bonnets and valve glands.

This could be through water leaks, saturated/ superheated steam, oil, gas, hydrocarbons, chemicals and so forth.

Work is done on a wide range of temperature ranging from -160 degrees centigrade to +900 degrees centigrade. The leak sealing service is supported with engineering assessment, procedures, design to ASME / BS / API standards, risk-assessment and HSE procedures, Chem-Check policy to specify required materials for each application.

It is a service that accurately projects the engineering capabilities that Furmanite has accumulated over the years, sys the firm, so much so that the process of stopping leaks itself is now known as "Furmaniting" worldover.

Product offerings include: "Trevitest" on-line testing of safety relief valves, a service launched by Furmanite after it has been invented by Dr Trivia, the Italian scientist.

By testing the safety relief valves on-line, under pressure, without the need of shutting down or the need to shift the valves to the workshop, this has added value to cutting inspection time and saved a lot of effort and time in scheduling any shutdown.

This method is accepted by most international inspection and insurance companies. In the Middle East, it is regularly supplied by Furmanite teams to all the plants on different applications, on regular planned scheduled inspection,and on an emergency basis, where a SRV has popped erratically and requires to be inspected on-line.

For experienced operators, the method was also found to be very useful to indicate the mechanical condition of each valves like, the freeness movement of the spindle, the spring stiffness response to the lifting force, the displacement rate as well as the blowdown rings positions and performance.

Furmanite also possesses capabilities for hot tapping and line plugging, pipe freezing and hydraulic bolting.

Furmanite International Ltd started to deal with Adnoc companies in the early eighties when services were provided from the UK. In 1990, the joint venture between Al Masaood Oil Industry Supplies and Services Co and Furmanite International Ltd was established.

Since then, all services provided to Adnoc have been from the UAE, with only very specialised techniques, new developed services and large size equipments still supplied from the UK.

From doing adhoc jobs where required at the various plants, Furmanite has gone on to forge a strong relationship with Adnoc, with five service contracts in place.

Three of these contracts are multi-service contracts covering leak sealing,on-site machining and trevitesting while the other two are for leak sealing.

These contracts have developed the relationships with Furmanite enormously and has improved the response and delivery of services, having cut short the preparation time before mobilisation.

Amongst the major milestones in Furmanite's development as a company, the company lists the establishment of the Dubai and Northern Emirates Branch. A new manager has been appointed and associated company, Al Masaood's infrastructure will be used as a leverage for the new branch.

The new branch will have two Dubai based field technicians and different full sets of equipments.

''We are intending to make it gradually as good as the Abu Dhabi base,'' says Ahmed.

Amongst other goals being pursued, Ahmed says that ''since the end of year 2000, we are working against a 10-Year Plan for developing in the Middle East. At this time after successfully completing the second year, we are confident that after the sixth year of the plan, we would need to revise the schedule having been completed the entire requirement of the 10-Years Plan.''

The firm has developed its services in three categories. In the manpower category, two additional UK experts, a field service engineer, a technical support engineer and six field service technicians have been employed.

''This has boosted our labour force categorically and kept us in a good position to response to our clients 24 hours a day 365 days a year,' says Ahmed. ''Also, it is enabling us to expand to other Middle East areas.''

In the equipment category, two additional on-site machines were purchased to increase and develop the range of applications. Also purchased two additional hot tapping machines with full accessories. This service can now be provided for sizes up to 24" branches from the company's local workshop."

"We have purchased the latest Trevitest Chart Recorder from Furmanite UK for use in hazardous areas to avoid high frequency electronic computer,'' says Ahmed. ''As part of our Middle East business plan, we have already started our operation in Oman and Yemen, leveraging off our parent company, Al Masaood OISS Co,'' he adds.