The Challenge

MB Engineering Services (MB) is similar to many service providers today – MB staff have to bring the right people and tools together at the right time in order to get a job done. As if this challenge wasn’t large enough, MB is also faced with demanding financial and time constraints. After months of preparation, it is imperative that MB has troublefree equipment that is guaranteed to work on the job.

MB Engineering Services is an engineering services company that repairs heat exchangers for the offshore oil and gas industry. When exchangers are shut down, it is MB’s job to carry out the necessary repair work to get the heat exchanger back online as soon as possible.

Because shutdowns are often planned a year in advance and downtime is expensive, it is imperative that MB Engineering Services chooses the right tools that will do the fastest, safest, most reliable job.

Welding is the preferred method to plug leaking tubes but this is usually impossible for MB Engineering Services and all offshore operators for safety reasons. Even when the heat exchanger is offline, offshore platforms do not allow hot work because of the associated risks.

Therefore, MB Engineering Services’ only other option is high pressure, mechanically installed tube plugs.

The Solution

Considering all the time, hassle, and equipment costs associated with getting the tube plug ready to plug leaking tubes, MB Engineering Services was looking for a more convenient way. After using the Elliott Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs, they were pleased to have found an effective solution to plugging tubes.

They immediately appreciated these important features:

• Positive sealing for leaky tubes! Seals in excess of 6500 psi.
• No bulky equipment required! Only need a torque wrench and tube plug.
• Simple to use! Limited training required.
• Safe and quick to get exchanger back online.
• One plug covers a range of tolerances! No need to carry many sizes to the site.

The Results

Some shutdowns are planned a year ahead but as a service provider, MB Engineering Services may only have several months’ notice. As a result, the MB staff must prepare for the job in a short time. They also know that the job must be done as quickly as possible because downtime is very costly for operators.

For these reasons, MB Engineering Services uses Elliott Torq N’ Seal® tube plugs. With a torque wrench and one or two plug sizes, MB is ready to plug tubes, even at short notice. The simple, trouble-free installation is performed quickly to get the exchanger up and running as soon as possible.

And with that, MB Engineering Services knows they have made an excellent decision with Elliott’s mechanical tube plugs.

Elliott’s assumptions based on job investigations found that Torq N’ Seal® Mechanical Tube Plugs save both money and hassle.