Latest News

The future ISO 50001 standard for energy management was recently approved as a Draft International Standard (DIS).

ISO 50001 will establish a framework for industrial plants, commercial facilities or entire organizations to manage energy. Targeting broad applicability across national economic sectors, it is estimated that the standard could influence up to 60% of the world’s energy use.

The document is based on the common elements found in all of ISO’s management system standards, assuring a high level of compatibility with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management). ISO 50001 will provide the following benefits:

• A framework for integrating energy efficiency into management practices
• Making better use of existing energy-consuming assets
• Benchmarking, measuring, documenting, and reporting energy intensity improvements and their projected impact on reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
• Transparency and communication on the management of energy resources
• Energy management best practices and good energy management behaviours
• Evaluating and prioritizing the implementation of new energy-efficient technologies
• A framework for promoting energy efficiency throughout the supply chain
• Energy management improvements in the context of GHG emission reduction projects.

ISO 50001 is being developed by ISO project committee ISO/PC 242, Energy management. The secretariat of ISO/PC 242 is provided by the partnership of the ISO members for the USA (ANSI) and Brazil (ABNT). Forty-two ISO member countries are participating in its development, with another 10 as observers.

Now that ISO 50001 has advanced to the DIS stage, national member bodies of ISO have been invited to vote and comment on the text of the standard during the five-month balloting period.

If the outcome of the DIS voting is positive,

In March this year, SGS Korea was assigned a contract to provide leak testing of a heat exchanger tube and tube-tube sheet in a refinery in Ulsan, Korea. SGS used this NDT method for the very first time on a heat exchanger.

FLIR, the world leader in infrared technology, has created a new UK Manager's post and filled it with someone who really needs no introduction to the industry. The man chosen to head the UK sales operation is Andy Baker, who has just completed 20 years in the industry.

AGR Field Operations software is now available in English, French, German and Chinese. Easy to use MS Windows®-based software provides a fully integrated TOFD, pulse echo and phased array capability in AGR's tough, feature-rich portable ultrasonic acquisition units.

Eaton Corp. in the U.S. and Linde Hydraulics in Germany have entered into a global strategic alliance. The agreement strengthens product lines, market distribution channels and regional coverage for both companies.

Customers worldwide in construction, agriculture, vocational vehicles, civil engineering, processing and other industrial markets will benefit from expanded access to hydraulic system technologies and services through the new alliance. Eaton will add Linde's range of high-pressure piston pumps, motors and valves to its portfolio, and Linde will offer Eaton's medium-pressure piston products.

In North, Central and South America and in Asia Pacific, Eaton's Hydraulics business will supply Linde Hydraulics products through Eaton's comprehensive sales and services networks and distribution partners. Linde Hydraulics will continue to operate in these regions by providing application support, technical services and cooperation with major international customers. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, sales organizations and distributors for both companies will continue to focus on their core businesses with the mutually expanded product range.

"This important strategic alliance is complementary from a portfolio, market and regional perspective, and we look forward to the opportunities ahead," said William VanArsdale, president, Eaton's hydraulics business. "Both companies bring a wealth of hydraulics experience and industry knowledge into this partnership and will have the opportunity to offer our global customers unique systems solutions by leveraging Eaton's broad portfolio and channel network with Linde's outstanding technologies."
www.linde-hydraulics.com
www.eaton.com

NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada presents an intensive three-day course on the design, application and maintenance of anti-friction bearings from Oct. 19 to 21, 2010, using lectures and hands-on workshops. The workshops have been selected to highlight common maintenance problems which result in premature bearing failure.

In conjunction with classroom lectures, the participants will learn, in a hands-on environment, the correct procedures for mounting the following types of bearings:

• large bore spherical roller bearings (including the use of hydraulics)
• tapered roller bearings (mounting and setting end play)
• deep groove ball bearings
• cylindrical roller bearings
• bearing units
• small bore spherical roller bearing pillow blocks

The participants will learn the fundamentals of current bearing technology including:

• bearing design and materials
• cage configurations and materials: features and benefits
• extra precision: what is required
• bearing life: theory vs. reality

The program ideally is suited to anyone involved in the maintenance of machinery and specifically, those whose duties include the installation and maintenance of anti-friction bearings. The program is structured so that it is not specific to any industry. For more information contact NTN Bearing Corporation of Canada, Rolling Bearing Application and Maintenance Seminar, tel. (905) 564-2700, fax (905) 564-9023, or email us using the following form:

>> Download NTN Roller Bearing Application and Maintenance Seminar Brochure (PDF)

If you have any questions, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

While completing maintenance on a pumpjack in Alberta, a contractor was killed when the arm of the counter weight struck the worker on the side of the head, according to a Safety Alert released last month by Enform, the safety association for Canada's upstream oil and gas industry. No details about the employer were released.

According to the incident description, a contract oilfield maintenance company was hired by the operator to install insulation around the pumpjack header system and fuel gas line. The insulation was to be installed on the piping prior to winter freezing. The fuel gas line that was to be insulated was positioned below the pumpjack base. The pumpjack was elevated above ground level due to ground elevation issues and wellhead placement.

However, during the installation, the worker entered the danger zone and was struck on the head by the pumpjack counter-weight arm.
 
Enform made recommendation for corrective actions to prevent such incidents in the future:

• Maintenance must not be performed on moving equipment.
• Pumpjacks must be properly shut down and locked out prior to any maintenance operations that occur on a pumpjack or in close proximity to the pumpjack. 
• During any maintenance or hazardous tasks being completed by workers, all hazards need to be addressed and properly eliminated or controlled. 
• Recommended equipment modifications: Pumpjacks that are elevated in the field must have additional guarding installed on them to prevent workers from entering the zone where the weights swing. 
• In the case of elevated pumpjacks, the guarding must be positioned so that no worker can access the zone from below. All companies must ensure there are procedures for locking out and securing energy sources and these procedures

The name 'OIS' will be familiar to many readers of NDT News. The final resting place of Incon, Oilfield Inspection Services, MTS, QIS, BIX, Unit Inspection and Inspectorate to mention but a few, OIS is now, of course, known as Oceaneering International.

Software benefits are hard to convey in printed matter so FLIR Systems has posted on its website an introductory video tour of its new FLIR BuildIR for the advanced analysis of building structures.