Procurement
Sourcing obsolete HVAC parts for ageing offshore assets
When the original part is no longer made, there are still options. A practical approach from remaining stock to engineered equivalents.
, 5 min read
Many offshore platforms and gas plants now run HVAC equipment that is older than the people who maintain it. Controllers, compressors and damper actuators from the 1990s and 2000s are often no longer made. When one fails, the question is not only where to buy a part, but which part to buy.
We use a simple order of options. Each step takes more engineering effort than the one before it, so we move to the next step only when the previous one fails.
Step 1: Find remaining original stock
Original parts often remain in distributor warehouses, surplus stock and other operators’ spares long after production stops. We search these sources first. If we find stock, we check its age, storage condition and documents before we offer it.
Original stock is the fastest route to approval, because nothing changes in the installation.
Step 2: Find the successor part from the same maker
Many makers replace a discontinued part with a successor. The successor is often a drop-in replacement, but not always. Connections, dimensions, software or certification can change between generations. We compare the old and new data and tell you what differs.
Step 3: Propose an equivalent from another maker
If no successor exists, we look for an equivalent that matches form, fit and function. For a compressor, that means capacity, refrigerant, voltage, connections and mounting. For a damper actuator, it means torque, fail-safe action, running time, signal and Ex rating.
We give you a comparison sheet that lists each parameter for the original and the proposed part. Your engineers can use it to support a management of change.
Step 4: Plan a small upgrade
Sometimes the right answer is to replace a small assembly rather than one part. For example, a new controller with a new I/O module and wiring adapter can replace an obsolete controller that has no equivalent. We help you define the scope so the upgrade stays small.
Plan before the failure
The best time to deal with obsolescence is before the part fails. We can review your critical spares list and tell you which items are discontinued, which are near the end of production, and what the replacement path is for each one.
Send us your spares list for an obsolescence review.