There is no consensus on how to manage industrial freeze prevention or protection. But we can agree there are common best practices: a good plan typically consists of heating and insulation. The right system is highly dependent on your equipment, your operation, the fluids being transported, the personnel exposed and the volatile or inert elements in the ambient environment. The complexity of these variables means that there is no one perfect solution that fits everyone. 

In the oil and gas industry, the costs associated with a frozen pipeline grow exponentially every minute the disruption continues. Finding an optimal solution for you and your business is imperative and can mean the difference between minimal downtime and catastrophic damages. 

What is a Freeze Prevention Plan?

Freeze prevention or freeze protection is a plan, system or infrastructure set-up to prevent the loss of operations at a facility due to a freezing event, often caused by fluctuations in temperature or pressure.

A strong freeze prevention plan has three components

• A method or system for insulating
• A method or system for heating
• An emergency SOP/checklist

While a business might have the right people on-site to inspect and audit their freeze prevention system, it may not have the right people with the right skills on-site to fix, assess a failure or develop a solution when things go wrong. In this case, you need a freeze prevention partner in the plan. 

A freeze prevention partner will help you implement a solution designed to create energy resilience and minimize disruption. They are both a resource, an industry expert and a proactive consultant in your back pocket, ensuring you have the right solution for your unique needs.

Top Things to Consider

Finding the right partner is a combination of expertise, equipment and service. Expertise and equipment will dictate how the partnership begins, and the service provided will impact if the partnership continues or how it ends.

If you’re on the journey to source the right product or solution, here’s a short list of things to consider:

1. Speed of Service

Out of the gate, it is critical to understand the vendor’s actual lead time and the values driving their customer service. We are all forced into unexpected situations where we need a solution fast, and every minute counts. Consider how the potential vendor responds to you and assess how long it will take to go from inquiry to solution on-site.

• What is the response time of the team to a product inquiry?
• What type of response should you expect from the customer service team? Are they quickly equipped to help design a solution, or are you being diverted to an online catalog? 
• What is the availability of the customer service team to support a crisis? 
• Do they understand the true cost of downtime to your business?

2. Unique Solutions

Consider all the factors that make your operation unique and make sure your potential vendor has the expertise and desire to address them. Preventing freezing, maintaining energy resilience and/or protecting operational workflows are all unique challenges that differ by industry and company.

• What are the conditions of your ambient environment? If you have electrical or explosive gas concerns, speak with a partner that can walk you through a non-incendiary solution.
• Can you afford some heat loss, or do you require a directed heating solution? 
• Who on your staff is skilled and available for maintenance? If none, speak with a partner that can guide you with maintenance solutions.
• What are your budget constraints, ongoing and in an emergency?

The complexity of these factors may not fit perfectly with products that are in stock and ready to ship. In that situation, you want to look for a vendor specializing in custom solutions.

3. Partnership, not Fulfillment

There is a vast difference between a supplier that fulfills orders and a partner that creates solutions. Choose a partner that will first ask if it’s the right solution before selling you a product. Most importantly, choose a partner that you can speak to quickly. When the stakes are high, the most important thing isn’t knowing there’s a website where you can search a company’s inventory. The most important thing is knowing that when I call, someone will answer and help me solve my problem.

As you sit through sales decks and elevator pitches, ask yourself, “who is going to be the best partner for my team on our worst day?”

The world will continue to engineer innovative new products to solve the freezing issues of today. As the options continue to grow in complexity and sophistication, having the right partner to guide you in future planning and crisis management is a critical and strategic decision.

About Catco

Catco helps companies in the oil and gas industry build energy resilience by ensuring their natural gas production, processing, transportation and distribution continue in any condition. Learn how our products can support your business by scheduling your discovery call today.