Izomax scored a milestone frame agreement with Shell, a deal that will enable Shell to leverage Izomax's patented AOGV technology to reinvent plant maintenance procedures.
The three-year frame agreement allows Shell to fulfill ambitions for executing maintenance and modification work while maintaining production and avoiding unplanned downtime.
Izomax pioneered the Add-On Gate Valve (AOGV) technology, allowing repairs and maintenance in operating plants and installations without the need for shutdowns, hot work, or unplanned downtime. AOGV can be used for valve and component replacements, tie-ins, and module decommissioning without downtime of operating installations.
Izomax has delivered a number of AOGV isolations to Shell installations globally. They range in complexity, from 2” pipe diameters to a 36”/150 isolation to facilitate replacement of a jammed butterfly valve in 2022. AOGV is approved by the Shell Technical Authority.
The non-exclusive enterprise frame agreement will run for three years until August 1st, 2027, and lets Shell and subsidiary companies place Purchase Orders on AOGV isolations with Izomax. Twelve isolations, worth approximately $5 million, are currently in planning stages in various locations worldwide.
"The Izomax AOGV system gives us the opportunity to eliminate risks associated with hot work and substantially reduce downtime as maintenance can be executed while the rest of the plant is operating. We see multiple benefits in AOGV technology and are looking to ramp up AOGV isolations moving forward," said Alfred Kruijer, Principal Technical Expert Piping & Valves and Technical Authority Level 1 at Shell.
Prototype of AOGV technology.
Image courtesy Izomax
