Induction heating for oil, gas and offshore energy
Applying heat is often the only way to repair, remove or install equipment on offshore installations — but traditional heating methods and offshore operations don’t mix well. Open flames are prohibited in many hazard zones, equipment often has to withstand harsh, hard-to-reach conditions, and even minutes of production downtime can cost thousands of dollars. Induction heating solves all three problems: it’s completely flame-free, precisely controllable, and available in mobile systems built for platform, land-based and subsea use.
Why induction heating for offshore operations
- Flameless — heat is generated internally within the workpiece itself, not applied externally, making it viable in hazard zones where gas torches and open flames are prohibited
- Precise — heating cycles can be pre-programmed and repeated automatically with virtually zero deviation
- Mobile — compact systems (as light as 60 kg for on-platform shrink-fitting work) deliver substantial power output — up to 40 kW intermittent — in a footprint that can be flown or shipped to remote sites
- Versatile — a single mobile unit can be reconfigured with different coils to handle brazing, shrink-fitting, hardening, curing, straightening and heat treatment on the same job
On-platform applications
- Pre-weld and post-weld heat treatment
- Shrink-fitting and removal of components such as thrust collars, auxiliary gears and coupling hubs on turbine shafts
- Bolt expansion
- Straightening and tube bending
Land-based applications
- Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) of corrosion-resistant alloy pipelines, including dissimilar-material welds such as 13% chrome to duplex steel, to minimise the risk of hydrogen-induced stress cracking
- Removal of paint and coatings, and curing of coatings
For pipe pre-heating before coating, see Tube and pipe.
Subsea applications
- Pre-heating for subsea “hot tapping” — welding a branch connection onto a live, high-pressure pipeline without interrupting flow
- Purpose-built profiled coils that generate heat directly at the pipe surface, overcoming the heat-sink effect caused by fast-flowing gas inside the main line, without the intolerable radiated heat that heating mats would create for divers working nearby
- Systems engineered for extended subsea deployment, with automated and topside-controlled operation to minimise diver manual handling
Related products
Minac®: Mobile induction heating equipment
Minac is our family of mobile induction heating equipment for brazing, curing, hardening, shrink-fitting and straightening, in the workshop or on site
Sinac®: Stationary induction heating systems
Sinac is our family of stationary, universal heat generator systems, customised with coils, cables and cooling to fit your heating process
Ventac: Air-cooled induction heating system
Ventac is our portable air-cooled induction heating system that combines high continuous output with small size and low weight
Induction heating coils
Conventional, machined, 3D printed or hybrid coils, customised to your application and documented so we can always produce an identical one
ENRX On Demand
Rent induction heating equipment
Related applications
Induction pre-heating
Flame-free heating of weld areas on platforms and for subsea hot tapping, with mobile systems that work safely in hazard zones.
Induction post-heating
Post-weld heat treatment of corrosion-resistant alloy pipelines, including dissimilar-material welds, to reduce the risk of hydrogen-induced stress cracking.
Induction shrink-fitting
Flame-free removal and refitting of thrust collars, auxiliary gears and coupling hubs on turbine shafts, with compact mobile systems that can be used inside hazard zones.
Induction bolt heating
Fast, flame-free bolt expansion for maintenance work on offshore installations, using mobile systems that can be taken to the work.
Induction straightening
Localised, flame-free heat for straightening work on offshore installations, with a mobile system that avoids open flames in the hazard zone.
Paint and coating removal
Flame-free removal of paint and coatings, and curing of coatings, with mobile induction systems for land-based work.
Frequently asked questions
Image gallery
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Induction heating is characterized by features that make it ideal for offshore-related tasks: flameless, precise, mobile and versatile.
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A Sinac being used to heat treat oil and gas pipelines
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A proven solution in a tough environment. An ENRX PWHT unit in use on advanced, corrosion-resistant alloy pipe in the Sahara desert.
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Mobile Minac systems bring induction solutions to offshore platforms
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An operator replaces a bearing that has been heated with an ENRX mobile Minac system
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The “Safe Concordia” accommodation and support platform. A mobile ENRX Minac system was used to pre-heat the weld area during the welding of a patch onto a crane tower.
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An example of induction pre-heating: the pipe is being heated prior to receiving an anti-corrosive coating.
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An induction coil specially designed and built for offshore industry requirements. Once heated by the coil (in red) the pipe can receive an anti-corrosion covering.
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ENRX systems have been used for hot tap welding on the bed of the North Sea: Photo: Technip Norge AS.
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Specialist coils being tested for the Tampen subsea hot tapping project. Photo: Technip Norge AS
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A medium-frequency ENRX Sinac pre-heats seamless offshore pipe prior to coating.
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Minac units are frequently flown to oil platforms to perform repairs and maintenance.
