NOTE: The sponsor of this content may contact you with more information on this topic. Click here to opt-out from sharing your email address with this sponsor. (This link will not unsubscribe you from any other BIC email list).
Suspended hundreds of feet in the air, a technician maneuvers with precision along the curved surface of a massive storage tank. This highly skilled worker is performing a critical inspection without the need for scaffolding or cranes. This is rope access in action, a method increasingly relied on in the oil and gas industry for safe and efficient maintenance in hard-to-reach locations.
Elevating rope access services in critical operations
Rope access uses ropes and specialized climbing equipment to allow trained professionals to reach difficult areas at height or in confined spaces. In the oil and gas sector, this method is gaining momentum as companies seek to reduce downtime, control costs and maintain the highest safety standards. Many rope access providers take it a step further by cross-training experienced tradespeople such as welders, pipefitters and ironworkers in rope access techniques.
Meeting the industry’s toughest challenges
Rope access delivers measurable benefits to oil and gas operators:
- Cost control: By minimizing the need for scaffolding or heavy lift equipment, rope access reduces project costs and limits production disruptions. Some facilities have reported multimillion-dollar savings.
- Enhanced safety: With fewer personnel on the ground and less equipment congestion, rope access reduces risks while maintaining strict compliance standards.
- Adaptability: Rope access can be deployed in refineries, offshore platforms, LNG terminals and upstream production facilities. It performs reliably in varied weather and complex operating environments.
Performance in the field
Elevating rope access services in critical operations
Turner Specialty Services operates the Gulf Coast’s largest rope access team, offering certified multi-craft technicians who perform pipefitting, boilermaking, welding, valve maintenance, electrical work and more. Their capabilities also include inspection services like ultrasonic thickness testing and API/AWS inspections.
TSS’ expertise is highlighted in projects such as:
- Mechanical repairs: At a Texas chemical plant, TSS demolished 200 feet of steam line and completed external inspections and welding repairs safely and efficiently.
- Emergency response: A four-person team stabilized a storage dome by installing over 500 concrete anchors following a high-wind event.
- Construction support: On a polyethylene plant project, 22 technicians logged 100,000 safe work hours, performing fabrication and structural installations.
- Fireproofing removal: At a refinery in Louisiana, TSS safely removed over 100,000 pounds of deteriorated fireproofing from structures in an active unit.
Raising industry standards
As industries continue to seek more efficient and safer ways to maintain their facilities, rope access services offer a solution that combines cost savings, safety, and quality.
For more information about Turner Industries, visit www.turner-industries.com.
