Geo Therm Thermal Imaging Surveying Services

Geo Therm is a leading thermal imaging survey company with a proven track record of delivering quality survey inspections worldwide. Geo Therm provides invaluable and immediate data for a variety of applications, from the marine super yacht markets to the oil and gas production and drilling industries and even the domestic housing market.

Thermal imaging services

Thermal imaging is a non-invasive technique used to identify the condition of building envelopes, machine types and electrical systems to reveal potential problems that the human eye cannot detect.

As an associate member of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) we serve the offshore drilling and production industries using qualified ASNT thermographers to improve on client predictive and preventative maintenance regimes by detecting temperature anomalies that are indicative of failing equipment.

Our thermal imaging services can improve asset safety and save offshore companies tens of thousands of pounds in rig and installation downtime by the early detection and prevention of electrical and mechanical incidents.

Offshore thermographic surveys

Our offshore thermographic surveys are best undertaken while equipment is operational at a minimum of 40% load. Some examples of previous offshore thermographic surveys include:

• Identifying loose busbar bolts and faulty SCR units
• Locate loose terminal block connections, failing fuses and load imbalances to reduce accidental shut down and fire risk through wire insulation ignition
• Monitor bearing temperature at mud pump shafts during high-pressure pumping
• Determine loose or incorrectly tensioned mud pump motor brushes
• Assess connections in mud pump and draw work terminal boxes
• Determine equipment suffering from drive shaft misalignment problems
• Identify passing valves in high-pressure process piping and poorly torqued bolts at pipe flanges

Handheld thermal imaging cameras

Our handheld thermal imaging cameras can non-invasively detect temperatures ranging from -40°C to 1,500°C with minimal interference to on-going operations. Our cameras have saved service crews, drilling and production companies many hundreds of thousands of pounds with each survey.

Offshore preventative maintenance

Geo Therm’s thermal imaging services are an asset to any offshore preventative maintenance department. Our exception-based interim reports provide a rapid turnaround of information after each survey completion, and a further two finalised reports are sent to your company headquarters within five working days on return to our UK office.

Thermal infrared inspections

Within the pipe and process industries thermal infrared inspections are used as a condition monitoring tool and process evaluation technique, remotely gathering thermal information for monitoring the condition of virtually any component or process operation. The differences in physical properties and / or defects of various materials will result in temperature variations on the surface of the body or within the process.

If the object is in good operating condition a ‘normal’ thermal pattern or signature is displayed; however, thermal properties change with corrosion, cracking, erosion, leaks blockages, varying fluid levels, coking, scale build up, flow restrictions, blockages, channelling, leaks, lubricant deficiencies, deposit formations, and thinning. By monitoring the operating condition of the object proactive decisions can be made.

Infrared thermography for offshore electrical systems

Many problems in electrical systems are caused by abnormal heating associated with high resistance (poor contact) or excessive current flow. Infrared thermography allows us to see this elevated temperature before the component ‘glows’ in the visible spectrum and contributes to fire ignition. By using our thermographic services we will quickly locate abnormal thermal signatures, pinpointing problems among the hundreds of thousands of electrical connections aboard your rig or process facility, saving downtime and encouraging better electrical PM and operational safety. A properly instituted electrical IR inspection programme will help indicate:

• Phase imbalances, broken insulation and inductive heating
• Hot spots in bushings, breakers and busbar retaining bolts
• High resistance / poor connections in low and high voltage switch gear, fuses and knife blade connects
• Overloads in power systems, breakers, lighting panels and SCR units
• Mud-pump and draw-work brush problems