Trace Oxygen Analysis in Critical Oil & Gas Applications

Axis Solutions Limited successfully engineered and deployed a specialized analytical solution for a major Oil & Gas industry client. The project centered on the critical measurement of trace Oxygen in a demanding vent gas application where past system was unreliable on account of conventional Sampling System due to high moisture and heavy hydrocarbon content.

The Axis solution provided an innovative, custom-built Three-Stage Sample Handling System (SHS) integrated with a Panametrics XMO2 Analyzer with XDP Display, along with Permapure Nafion Module with Auto Drain Facility. This system was designed for extreme sample conditioning, ensuring precision dew point control to safeguard the analyzer. The entire skid was PESO Certified and compliant with Zone 2, Group II C Hazardous Area Norms. The resulting analytical reliability led to enhanced plant safety, improved operational efficiency, and a subsequent repeat order from the client.

Application Criticality and Technical Challenge

The application required the continuous monitoring of Oxygen (range 0-25%) in the vent gas feeding critical crude heaters. Maintaining O2 levels within tight tolerances is essential for:

Safety: Prevent the formation of explosive mixtures and mitigate potential combustion hazards within the heater.
Efficiency: Optimize combustion dynamics and throughput efficiency of the heater unit.

The primary challenge was the process gas’ inherent matrix, characterized by high levels of moisture and high-boiling-point hydrocarbons. Standard sampling systems consistently failed due to uncontrolled condensation, leading to capillary blockages and corrosion. The existing system was unable to achieve the required dew point depression necessary to protect the XMO2 sensor from fouling, resulting in compromised accuracy and low system uptime.

The Differentiating Analytical Solution:

Three-Stage SHS by Axis Solutions

Axis Solutions, leveraging its status as a one-stop solution provider and a Panametrics distributor, engineered a fully integrated and certified analytical package. The core solution was the cascading Three-Stage Sample Handling System (SHS), specifically designed to address the challenges of phase change and hydrocarbon dropout systematically. This process begins with the proprietary Axis Kinetic Separator, which utilizes inertial separation to remove bulk liquids and heavy aerosols at the tap-off point.

Finally, the dual Permapure Nafion Module, equipped with an Auto Drain Facility, acts as a final moisture removal stage, utilizing ion exchange membrane technology to achieve the necessary ultra-low dew point specification, thus delivering an exceptionally dry, clean sample to the analyzer. To maintain the analyser in its operating temperature range Panel is equipped with Axis make Vortex cooler.

Analyzer: Panametrics Oxygen Analyzer XMO2 with XDP Display.
Materials of Construction (MoC): The SHS tubing was constructed from corrosion-resistant SS316L, while analyzer wetted parts included SS316, glass, and Viton O-rings.
Compliance: The entire analytical system was PESO Certified and approved for use in Zone 2, Group II C Hazardous Areas.

Quantifiable Results and Strategic Impact

The fully integrated system was delivered on time following successful FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) procedures by the client’s project and operations team, which included calibration testing and a dedicated cooling performance test for the vortex cooler.

Reliability & Uptime: The robust three-stage conditioning process successfully mitigated hydrocarbon dropout and condensation issues, resulting in maximum uptime and sustained high accuracy of the measurement.
Safety & Efficiency: Reliable data enabled plant operations to maintain optimal combustion parameters, directly leading to enhanced unit efficiency and strict safety compliance, which significantly exceeded the client’s original expectations.
Value-Based TCO: The strategic integration of robust, in-house Axis-make components (Axis Kinetic Separator and Vortex Cooler) contributed to a favorable Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to relying solely on costlier imported components.
Client Confidence: The technical success and operational reliability resulted in the client issuing a repeat order for a replica SHS system at another facility, confirming Axis’s status as a trusted analytical partner.

Axis’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

This project stands as a benchmark for multi-vendor, fully integrated analytical systems in the region, positioning Axis as a specialist in complex sample conditioning:

Custom Built Conditioning Expertise: The custom-engineered three-stage SHS, utilizing the Axis Kinetic Separator and precise thermal components (Snowind Vortex Cooler), proves Axis’s unique ability to engineer a solution that actively manages sample phase change and dew point control in the most challenging process streams.
Single-Source Integration: Axis acts as a one-stop solution provider, seamlessly integrating world-class analyzers (Panametrics) and specialized dryers (Permapure) with its own certified SHS, ensuring system-wide performance accountability.
Regulatory Competence: Expertise in delivering certified analytical solutions that comply with the highest regional safety standards (PESO, Zone 2) for hazardous industrial environments.

Alternate Applications for Oxygen Analysis Systems

The need for highly reliable combustion measurement combined with advanced sample conditioning extends across several industries:

Chemical Manufacturing: Monitoring inerting gases in storage tanks and reactor blankets to prevent oxidation and ensure product purity and process safety.
Air Separation Units (ASU): Measuring ultra-trace in high-purity industrial gases like Nitrogen or Argon to meet stringent customer specifications.
Pharmaceutical and Biotech: Monitoring oxygen levels in controlled environments, fermentation tanks, or during product packaging to maintain quality and shelf life.

Axis Solutions Limited provides specialized analytical systems where standard solutions fail. Contact us to engineer a reliable solution for your mission-critical process measurement.