Paper: Using Infrared Imaging In The Oil And Gas Industry

Infrared imaging (IR) can be a useful tool in the oil and gas industry. At ChevronTexaco, IR is used as a proactive maintenance tool in our oil and gas producing facilities and plants. IR was first introduced in the 1980's as a tool to inspect electrical systems for loose or bad connections on overhead distribution systems and overheating equipment, mainly motors and transformers. In the past we have primarily used IR for electrical inspections, but have also found that it is useful in finding anomalies on mechanical equipment as well, such as belt alignment and tension on rod pumping units or overheating bearings on a transfer pump to name a few. In the last two years we have found that IR can help tremendously in finding tank and vessel level and interface problems. It is also useful as an aid in identifying and scheduling tank maintenance, such as tank cleanouts and chemical treatment procedures and dosages. In this paper we will discuss these different applications of IR technology at ChevronTexaco.