MHT Access Services Inc. (MHT), based in Houston, provides innovative solutions for industrial inspection, maintenance and repair. To create added value and synergy between these distinct services, MHT utilizes its own multiskilled rope access teams. This value-added approach positions MHT as a leader among service providers.

And this value-added approach utilizing multiskilled rope access teams came into play when MHT recently worked on a project for INVISTA™ located in Orange, Texas. The magnitude and work scope of the project was new to MHT. However, it employed its rope access method, which increases efficiency by utilizing multidisciplined teams and increases safety. It completed the project without incident and a week before schedule. By eliminating scaffolding, MHT also saved the customer time, labor and approximately $400,000 by removing those steps of transporting, building, rigging and dismantling that come with traditional scaffolding work.

The project’s steps were varied, intricate and required a high-caliber skill level. First, MHT performed corrosion under insulation inspections on 5,000 feet of the 4-inch ammonia line in a 35-foot high pipe rack running from the tank farm to the process unit. It removed the superfluous insulation, identified nonrejectable and rejectable corrosion areas, and delivered the inspection report. With the inspection data, the client produced a repair work scope and awarded the project to MHT. After it was awarded the project, MHT removed corrosion, abated leadbased paint on nonrejectable corrosion areas totaling 1,000 feet of piping and applied a three-part epoxy coating system. The company’s rope access welders cut out the rejectable areas of piping in the pipe rack, which totaled 800 feet, and welded in new pipe by utilizing a gas tungsten arc welding process that is commonly referred to as a GTAW process. All weld roots received liquid penetrant testing, and welds were inspected using X-rays; the welds passed all X-ray inspections. MHT’s rope access technicians also performed several ancillary repairs to the 5,000-foot ammonia line, which included installing 120 I-Rod™ pipe supports at the pipe rack support beams. This approach eliminated touch point corrosion. Upon completion of all repairs, the pipe was successfully hydrotested.

MHT places great importance upon the training and the certification of its personnel, and all of its personnel on this project underwent formal training and are certified by outside authorities in accordance with the performance standards defined by the certification or licensing authorities. When these professionally trained and experienced workers labored on the project, they approached each step with an advanced knowledge and skillset that is unparalleled.

MHT is recognized by operations and maintenance managers of both onshore and offshore facilities as the “easy button value-added” service provider. Its “easy button value-added” approach eases the budgeting pains, and it also reduces the production and safety concerns that facility managers and engineers feel when they are faced with urgent mechanical integrity issues. MHT showed this approach when it completed a major pipe repair project in four weeks with no safety issues.