EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION
Amazon Filters Ensure Continuous
Operation of FPSO in West Africa
Guaranteed supply of critical filtration consumables is paramount
The filtration of produced water and injection water is critical to the continuous operation of the FPSO.
While stocks are carried on board to replace elements should blockage occur, the lifetime of the filters
is difficult to predict due to fluctuating inlet water quality over the year. Environmental upsets such as
seasonal algal blooms can result in rapid blockage of dead-end filters. This can continue over a period of
day or weeks with the result that buffer stocks are quickly exhausted.
T
his situation occurred in October this
year on an FPSO in West Africa capable
of processing more than 120,000 barrels of oil
per day. Logistics for ensuring consumables
are delivered quickly to an FPSO are difficult at
the best of times but when supplies are needed
urgently the problems are magnified. The
operator turned to Amazon Filters when the
incumbent supplier of filters could not deliver
the required volume in time.
Amazon Filters, headquartered in Camberley,
Surrey, in the UK shipped 200 high-flow water
filters to the FPSO 5,000 miles away in the Gulf
of Guinea, completing and dispatching the
whole order in less than a week.
The key to successfully supplying this emergency
order was Amazon’s 24/7 manufacturing
capability, with all production processes under
one roof. State of the art machinery, coupled
with Scada systems to guarantee quality and
expedite production, resulted in the full order
being completed in the minimum amount of
time.
Manufacturing the product was not the end of
the story. In parallel with the manufacture of
the cartridges, the dispatch team prepared all
the necessary paperwork and worked with the
logistics contractor to ensure there were no
delays on export or import clearances and the
required freight provisions could be made in
advance.
This all demonstrates one of the core values
of Amazon filters; Quick and Able, the ability
to respond to our customers’ unforeseen
emergencies in order to ensure their
businesses can keep doing what they do best,
whether it is keeping the world’s oil supplies
flowing, drinking water available at the tap, or
ensuring vital pharmaceuticals make it to the
shelf on time.
While guaranteeing deliveries in short time
frames is extremely important, so is ensuring
the correct filtration specification for the
application. Poor quality and inefficient filter
cartridges will allow contaminant to reach
expensive downstream process equipment,
risking costly repairs and production
downtime.
Amazon Filters are continually looking to
innovate to further improve our customers’
processes. Recent projects have involved the
installation of filters incorporating anti-algal
technology to protect SRP membranes when
the inlet water had elevated concentrations of
contamination from localised algae blooms.
This treatment prevents the growth of algae on
the surface of the filtration media, extending
the lifetime to blockage.
For more information on how Amazon
Filters can help you maintain critical filtration
processes please visit:
Amazon Filters
Phone: +44 (0) 1276 670600
www.amazonfilters.com/industry/oil-and-gas
Amazon Filters cartridge production.