Minimizing Equipment Downtime with In-situ Seal Welding Technology

As FPSO vessels have increased in size and complexity, downtime has become more costly. The replacement of large diameter seals, vital to ensure the efficient operation of equipment, such as a swivel stack, usually requires the FPSO to return to port, stopping production. This results in costly downtime and increased CO₂ emissions from the journeys to port and back to the operation site. The ideal solution is for completion of any seal repairs or replacements offshore, in-situ, to speed up the process and minimize equipment downtime. 

Trelleborg has taken a new approach to large diameter seal replacement. SealWelding is a complete in-situ service for seal replacement in high-risk environments that allows other equipment to operate throughout the replacement process to reduce the impact on production. 

Manufactured at a Trelleborg facility, replacement seals are taken onboard the FPSO ready for the welding process to begin. Seal welding is the basis for this process, modified and optimized to provide a specialized solution for working in the small spaces of a swivel stack in the high-risk environment on an FPSO.