Steam has been a longtime player in the offshore and marine industry, being utilized in a wide range of applications. While its most common use is typically reserved for warming of the heavy oil fuel utilized in propulsion engines, steam is also used for what is commonly referred to as “hotel services” onboard a ship. This typically includes heating of cabin quarters, provision of hot water, and cooking, as well as a desalinization process to create a supply of fresh water.
Another unique application for the marine industry is the use of Exhaust Gas Boilers, also commonly referred to as EGBs. Exhaust Gas Boilers are able to be utilized with regularly on ocean going vessels, capturing the radiant heat and exhaust fumes of a ship’s propulsion engines and transferring it into a regular supply of steam. EGBs are commonly used in conjunction with a back up boiler of a more traditional design, to provide steam when a ship is at port.
In the case of the offshore drill rigs, steam also plays a vital role. In addition to the heating of fuel and hotel services mentioned above, steam can be used for Thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery (TEOR) as part of the production process, as well as both stimulation and dewaxing of oil wells. The industry also makes use of immersion heaters during this process to heat natural gas or crude oil, which is crucial to separating water from the oil or gas as it is pumped out. Steam is also used as part of the deicing process on oil wells, preventing the dangerous buildup of ice in colder weather locations.
Clayton has long been the boiler of choice of the offshore and marine industry. Claytons Exhaust Gas technology has been specifically designed for use on the diesel and heavy oil engines that are so common to the industry. In addition, the Clayton design takes up less than one third the floor space of a traditional boiler, making it an ideal choice for ships and oil rigs where physical space is at a premium. Clayton’s coil tube design also does away with a boiler’s traditional water level, ensuring smooth operation and reliability on rough seas.