Making offshore energy and shipping services safe from Covid-19 and getting business moving.

Protect crews, employees and using PP-L health technology solutions – UV-C kills 35,000 viruses and bacterial infections, including Covid-19

Covid-19 has caused major disruption with losses of revenue and crew confidence

The North Sea offshore sector has responded effectively to the Covid 19 crisis. The focus has been to keep essential workers safe and ensure the UK’s energy needs are met. 

Energy Voice reports the Covid-19 pandemic has cut revenues by nearly a third of Sodexo, the French facilities management firm. This implies a very significant fall in the number of workers offshore during the crisis. As a result, planned maintenance programmes during the early summer have been delayed. If lower manning continues as the norm, operational reliability is likely to suffer, leading to reduced production and deferred oil and gas revenues.

Oil and Gas UK’s HSE director, Trevor Stapleton, identified four key themes in the strategy to manage Covid 19: 

• reduce the risk of Covid-19 being transmitted offshore 
• maintain helicopter operations
• ensure the health and safety of offshore workers 
• deal with the logistics issues

Early in the crisis, medics were dealing with “panic” that workers coming on board were bringing the virus with them. For medics, that meant telling many they had to depart the platform, which would hit their income. The fact is that some workers return with Covid-19 symptoms, “invariably” caused by other companies who “haven’t necessarily followed such strict regimes”. 

It’s a story of continuous improvement and where complacency is dangerous to all who work on platforms and tankers. 

Offshore structures and vessels are highly vulnerable environments for the spread of diseases  

Covid-19 has shown operators that they need to demonstrate corporate responsibility. The industry has to take action, and be seen to be taking action to meet the expectations of passengers over health and sanitation procedures.  This means bringing in experts in medical services, public health and sanitation and, in particular, we propose, in HVAC and sterilization technology solutions.

 The industry must now focus on finding new methods to improve the certainty of a Covid-secure workplace, and raise levels of trust amongst its workforce. 

TenBroeke & PP-L – delivering proven technology that kills Covid-19 and keeps crews safe 

We have operated for many years in the Offshore Energy and Shipping services industry, delivering projects in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia such as offshore oil and gas field developments, and product transport by pipelines, and LNG and oil tankers.

Today, we believe it is critical for the industry to demonstrate that it is doing all it can to keep employees safe from Covid-19. 

We have recently formed a strategic partnership with Pathogen Prevention Ltd (PP-L) – a Health Technology specialist in solutions that kill bacteria, micro-organisms, coronaviruses and deadly pathogens in the air, on surfaces and in liquids. PP-L sterilisation technology has been designed and manufactured in Switzerland for over 80 years and is proven to kill 99.99% of all pathogens.

TenBroekeCo Ltd is the sole agent for PP-L in the upstream and midstream energy sectors. We provide advisory services to design a tailor-made solution for each client’s environment and oversee the supply, install and maintenance of the UV-C equipment. Critically, the PP-L system can undertake deep cleaning and air filtration without reducing revenue earning services.

Together, we will help you to create a safer working environment to protect your staff, crews, and contractors from coronavirus, both offshore and onshore, as well as any similar future viruses that might arise further down the line. 

Protect today, future-proof for tomorrow. 

PP-L – high quality products that meet compliance regulations 

• Fast tracked onto the British Government’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) response group of key suppliers compiled by the Crown Commercial Service under the Medical Services category due to our UV-C products and their Germicidal capabilities
• CE marked for conformity and compliance with all relevant European Laws and Regulations
• FDA approved in the USA 
• The only disinfection systems manufacturer to be ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 certified
• Typical cost of £1 per hour for an average office   

Platform, rig and ship accommodation and workspaces, terminal buildings

Crowded accommodation is probably the perfect environment for the propagation of microbial hazards. With crews closely packed into small offices, cabins and recreation areas, and with low air circulation throughout, the transmission of microbes through breathing another person’s infected exhaled air or touching a contaminated surface such as a seat or table is likely. Undisturbed air could allow harmful microbes to linger for up to 3 hours. 

So, without effective air and surface sterilisation, viruses will continue to pose a serious threat to crews, and staff in terminal buildings and offices. 

However, with a PP-L solution installed, air can be sterilised through HVAC vents. Surfaces can be cleaned through light treatment once a workspace, cabin or recreation room is empty so as to prevent the spread of infection and mitigate the risk of disease transmission. This will leave crews feeling safe and at ease when offshore, transiting through a terminal building or onboard. 

Oil tankers, LNG carriers, FPSOs and supply vessels 

Oil tankers, LNG carriers, FPSOs and supply vessels are key for the delivery of energy products across the world. Crews tend to stay at sea for several months between crew changes, which are an expensive part of operating costs. 

To prevent workers developing respiratory problems, such as those caused by Covid-19, surfaces should be sterilised inside and out. PP-L technology can also be deployed in communal areas such as bridges, control and engine rooms, canteens and toilets, and with motion sensors and timers to ensure that crews are fully protected. Additionally, air can be continuously sterilised throughout the day via HVAC systems with PP-L installations in place. 

Our sterilisation technology enables workers to feel safe without the worry of contracting disease 

Helicopter terminals, ports and crew change facilities 

Helicopter terminals, ports and crew change boats can be a huge transmission risk, as many people use them every day – touching surfaces and breathing recycled air. Whilst airports tend to have better air recirculation systems than confined vessels, key areas of concern are check-in queues, lifts, crowded waiting rooms, cafes, and washrooms – all of which have surface areas and less air flow.  

PP-L UV-C solutions can be used to clean any area used by crews and staff. The PP-L system can be fitted to continually clean the air whilst facilities are in service by either being fitted in passenger occupied areas or installed within the heating and ventilation system. If fitted into a HVAC system, the air is sterilised before it is circulated whilst also keeping key components within the circulation system free from microbes. Our bespoke solutions, tailored for specific environments, include two different sizes of retrofit compacts; one to suit smaller rooms and the other equipped to service larger areas such as enclosed waiting lounges. 

Surfaces present unique challenges due to their shapes that can be difficult to clean thoroughly using conventional methods. PP-L has a solution using a fixed UV-C surface disinfectant system so that rooms can be cleaned efficiently and quickly either between services overnight or during periods of low crew usage during the day.  

Critically, PP-L systems can be used to undertake deep cleaning and air filtration without interrupting essential services and potentially impacting revenue. 

Our technology sterilises surfaces and rooms quickly and effectively 

Products

Surface Disinfection 

The PP-L products use UV-C to ensure constant hygienic disinfection of surfaces. Note: direct UV-C will only be used while rooms are unoccupied by humans. Hence, work surfaces are specifically treated at agreed times and during crew and passenger interchanges with strategically located overhead UV-C lighting, making rooms safe and sterilized and ready for usage.

Ventilation & Air Conditioning

The PP-L UV-C disinfection systems for air and surfaces destroy germs 24/7, eradicating viruses even before surfaces can be colonized, and ensuring consistent quality of air over the entire working day as people enter the room they are utilising. 

• The UV-C disinfection significantly reduces the number of germs in the supply and recirculation of air through installation modules in air ducts and air-conditioning centres 
• Installation and add-on modules for evaporators ensure hygienic surfaces and cooling fans, combined with room air disinfection
• The Coil Disinfection System uses high-output UV-C lamps in close proximity to the cooling coil and drain pan within the AHU of an HVAC system to eradicate biofilm and prevent its regrowth. It can be fitted to new or existing AHUs (Air Handler Unit) in a matter of hours   and the ducting system will be cleaner as a direct result of the UVGI disinfecting the airstream

Water Disinfection

The various possibilities of UV-C disinfection in water result from different designs. 

• Flow reactors are installed in pipelines designed for certain volume flows and are particularly suitable for disinfection of cooling towers, hot and cold water systems and bore holes
• In hot water systems, immersion heaters are used to combat bio-films, combined with effective water treatment in the tank. If the water quality is very poor, PP-L UV-C emitters, thanks to their non-contact design and thin treatment layers, offer water treatment for industrial process water. Pp-L water UV-C emitters are made of the highest quality materials, are reliable and easy to integrate into systems for the safe disinfection of service and drinking water 

Wall & Ceiling Units 

PP-L wall and ceiling units protect product stored in cold rooms, and people starting their day at work, server rooms and warehouses. 

• Optional supply of a removable protective cover
• The system is made entirely of corrosion-resistant materials, while the casing in which the electronics are housed is made of brushed stainless steel
• Special tubes are available for cold, wet and dry rooms

Due to the open distribution UV tubes, the standard system can only be used in rooms with minimal personnel frequency and UV-C-resistant materials. The power control reduces the system’s UV-C emissions to a prescribed non-critical value whenever movement is detected in the room.

• For night-time use with no personnel frequency
• Indoor air and surface disinfection in unoccupied spaces
• Easy to install and service

Fixed and mobile products 

Parcels, stethoscopes, face masks, mobile phones, tablets etc. can be effectively cleaned of viruses and germs in disinfection chambers.

Two minutes of 240 mJ/cm² UV-C being delivered is a value which kills everything of viral and bacterial origin even in tissue or on rough surfaces. Sluices or entire rooms can be equipped with UV-C to disinfect incoming or outgoing goods.

Swiss quality products 

• Each unit hand assembled and double checked with calibrated equipment 
• In-house developed electronic parts 
• 2 year warranty  
• Lifespan warranty on tubes: 12,000 (75%) or 18,000 ignitions 
• Error ratio <0.1% on tubes (incoming), outgoing 0% due to in-house double-checking 
• Most energy efficient systems on the market 

PP-L & TenBroekeCo  

This is a significant partnership between a world-leading bio-technology company and a renowned expert infrastructure advisory company. Together we provide a suite of quality-approved germicidal UV-C solutions that will allow services to resume in a safer ‘new normal’ environment and help to future proof operations. 

Underpinned by a combined set of values which includes exceptional quality, steadfast reliability, unbeatable performance, pro-active support and cost-effective pricing, our solutions have been specifically designed for key industry sectors. 

Our partnership can support you with:

• Operational Health Risk Assessment with respect to “Covid-Secure” spaces 
• Design and Specify UV-C disinfection solutions 
• Procurement and purchasing options 
• Programme Management 
• Installation and technical support 
• Commissioning
• Covid-secure inspections and Certification  

PP-L technology and compliance certifications 

For more information, contact: 

Sales.pplpro@tenbroekeco.com

Tel: 07738 544703