This saved project time and secured important contracts for two manufacturing sites.
Local support is always appreciated by engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies and it was key to success in the project. In this case, a new production platform is destined to operate off the coast of Mexico and the EPC was keen to receive a fast response because it was in the process of creating the platform design.
The initial enquiry for the four water injection pumps came to Sulzer’s sales team in Mexico. These pumps are often matched with corresponding seawater lift pumps, which in Sulzer’s case are produced in Spain. As part of the tender, Sulzer’s design and sales teams started to collect all the necessary technical details requested by the EPC.
Sergio Periz, head of tendering at Sulzer Pumps Spain, said: “Speed was essential to stay ahead in this race and it required the seamless cooperation of the engineering design and sales teams. Thanks to the hard work of all involved, Sulzer was able to demonstrate that it could deliver the contract on time, ahead of a local manufacturer and the usual international competition. I’m pleased to say that all our key project milestones have been achieved.
Sulzer’s SJS pump is an engineered design that is tailored to each application. In this case, Sulzer offered two 2-stage, 35-meter-long pumps manufactured in super duplex stainless steel.
According to Sulzer, these pumps are designed for extended reliability in marine environments, and they are frequently specified for seawater lift applications.
Local support
Manufacturing of the SJS is located in Spain, where other vertical pumps in Sulzer’s portfolio are also produced. This location offers several benefits, including the design and manufacturing expertise already in place as well as approved suppliers for ancillary parts, such as the drive motor, being local to the pump plant.
Periz continued: “The EPC was keen for an expedited delivery on this project. Our experience and the proximity of our suppliers has enabled us to cut the expected delivery time by almost 25% to just 40 weeks. We were even able to organise for the pumps to be air-freighted to Mexico to save over three weeks in delivery time.”
At the same time, Sulzer has also delivered four water injection pumps, which are used to pressurise the oil well and improve extraction efficiency. These have been manufactured locally at Sulzer’s facility in Mexico, which will also provide product support in the future. All of the pumps have been delivered on time and installed on the platform, ready for commissioning.
As a result of Sulzer’s global network of design and manufacturing facilities, operators of offshore platforms can be assured of a fast response from initial inquiry to equipment delivery.