New ROMAR Packer Management Technology proves vital to clean ocean operations.

With growing pressure on operators and service providers to adhere to the highest possible environmental standards, ROMAR’s Packer Management System (PMS) is fast becoming the go-to technology to reduce the risk of a fluid spill through proactive monitoring and preparation.

Fluid spills are a worst-case scenario for many operators resulting in damage to the environment as well as carrying the financial risk and reputational damage. Some of the greatest risks are present on semi-submersible rigs and drill ships operating in harsh Deepwater environments, such as the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic. To compensate for the vertical movement of floating rigs, slip joint packers are applied to keep circulating fluid within the riser. However, these elastomer seals progressively wear under the action of rig heave. This is a particular concern in areas where harsh weather is more frequent. If packer wear is unchecked, leakage will occur, resulting in a spill of drilling mud to the ocean and an environmental incident.

To combat this ROMAR International has developed a sophisticated packer management system as a solution to this challenge. This PMS monitors the pressure on an active slip joint packer, instantaneously detecting leakage. This detection then automatically energises the back-up packer to prevent a spill. This industry-proven technology has already been applied on over 140 rigs and platform around the world with an exemplary reliability record.

Recent additions to the System have significantly increased the PMS’ capability, including the ability to actively monitor packer wear, determine seal life remaining - and thus predict the point of packer failure.

All data is recorded digitally and transmitted back to the operator in real-time, giving the capability to schedule preventative maintenance. Previous processes have been dependent upon waiting for failure, and potentially a spill to occur before reacting. This new technology greatly reduces the threat to the environment in harsh offshore applications and is of major benefit to operators across the world.

With public perception, brand positioning and environmental concerns increasingly a factor in corporate decision-making, the ROMAR PMS is an innovative solution that will provide reassurance offshore, in the office and in the boardroom.