NDT for preventative maintenance

Trinidad and Tobago

Kishore Sobie, branch manager at TesTex, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s strategic approach to providing non-destructive testing (NDT) services. TesTex provides NDT for industrial plant equipment such as boilers, heat exchangers, piping, pressure vessels, condensers and storage tanks.

What type of services does TesTex provide to the Trinidadian energy industry?
The services that we offer default into two categories of non-destructive testing: conventional and advanced. Although TesTex offers conventional testing methods, we are driven to provide more advanced testing services. The advanced services simply mean that we expanded upon conventional testing methods and they were developed at our head office in the US, along with the technologies that we use to perform them.
TesTex is consistent in the services it provides globally. The range of services that you will find here in Trinidad is the same as that of any of the other branches around the globe. We operate in the region as well, in countries such as Guyana and Suriname, from our main regional branch located here in Trinidad.

What sector of the energy industry do you receive the most demand from?
We service the majority of the downstream companies in the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.
The demand for non-destructive testing services has been consistent for a number of years at the ammonia and methanol plants. Some of the companies we work with are the Proman Group, Phoenix Park Gas Processors, Yara and Methanex.
We do work for some of the upstream companies as well, but that involves working under another service company since very few companies are registered to work with the multinational producers.

Why is it important for the downstream sector to regularly invest in NDT services?
General NDT and inspections allow the end user to gather information on their assets which then drives their preventative maintenance programme in an overall effort to reduce or minimise a failure. TesTex’s proprietary ET [eddy current testing] technology has been supporting customers internationally in this effort and very often we can see the clear results when equipment is taken offline for maintenance, etc.
On the failure side, with equipment undergoing premature failure, NDT provides the means for reliable repair and also allows the customer to be code compliant. These services are very critical in today’s industry and investment by our downstream sector is critical.

What are the latest trends in demand for products and services that TesTex has to offer in our region that would add value to our industry?
Electromagnetic testing involves a specialised technology and the demand for the service has grown tremendously over the years. TesTex is able to maintain an ability to meet the demand for both the service and relevant products and can supply all customers within the region in a quick timeframe. Our turnaround time has surpassed international standards and customers have benefited from reliable and quick delivery.
With our continuous R&D into ET/UT [ultrasonic testing] technologies with associated equipment design, etc., we have been able to steadily improve and increase demand from customers globally. Our customer service is above the rest, and we will continue to surpass expectations.

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