Whether in upstream production and LNG facilities or gas transmission and storage networks, mechanical asset integrity is often the key determinant of operational reliability, writes Trevor Fleming, director of global integrity solutions, Score.
While digital monitoring and predictive analytics are increasingly used to understand asset health, physical intervention remains critical. In-situ engineering services, including leak sealing, actuator calibration, and on-site mechanical work, allow operators to address degradation before it escalates into unplanned downtime or safety incidents.
Structured in-situ interventions can protect reliability, reduce operational risk, and extend asset life across diverse energy infrastructure. This article will explore how.
The challenge: maintaining critical asset performance over long time frames
Operators rely on a wide range of mechanical assemblies, such as valves, actuators, and associated control packages, to maintain continuous operation.
Common challenges include:
- Ageing valves and actuators approaching end-of-life
- Actuation drift or control misalignment
- Pressure-boundary leaks and seal degradation
- Equipment subject to thermal cycling, corrosion, or vibration
- Limited shutdown windows for maintenance
Without timely intervention, minor mechanical issues can quickly escalate into operational disruptions, safety hazards, or costly emergency repairs. Digital diagnostics tell operators what is happening, but in-situ intervention ensures the problems are handled.
Key benefits of effective in-situ engineering services include:
1. Rapid containment of leaks
Leak sealing in-situ prevents small issues from escalating into system-wide failures, reducing downtime, flaring, or product loss.
2. Minimal production impact
Performing repairs without removing assets from service allows operations to continue while work is completed, maximising uptime.
3. Quality execution
Skilled on-site engineers deliver solutions that address root causes, ensuring fixes are durable and reducing repeat interventions. In many cases, we prevent unplanned shutdowns simply by intervening early on the valve seat or actuator while the system remains live. It’s faster, safer, and more reliable than waiting for a planned outage.
Modern in-situ engineering: full on-site capabilities
In-situ intervention now extends far beyond emergency response, combining diagnostics, precision mechanical expertise, and practical engineering delivery to resolve issues quickly, safely, and reliably; often without removing assets from service.
Examples of engineering services that can be achieved on site:
- Diagnostics and digital surveys: comprehensive data capture, including digital emissions surveys, to identify degradation and prioritise interventions.
- In-situ valve repair: repairing or refurbishing valves directly on site
- Safety valve recertification and PSV management: on-site pressure safety valve testing, recertification, and benchmarking to ensure compliance and reliability.
- Flange and joint integrity management: controlled bolting, torquing, tensioning, and joint inspection to prevent leaks and maintain pressure boundary integrity.
- Leak sealing: engineered, online sealing of valves, flanges, and other pressurised components to stop emissions and product loss immediately.
- Mechanical integrity clamps and on-site machining: rapid, precise mechanical repairs, including clamps, machining, and retrofits, minimising downtime.
- Turnaround support and asset overhaul: coordinated planning and execution during scheduled shutdowns or turnarounds to optimise repair scope and reduce critical path impact.
Case study: major on-site valve intervention at a petrochemical plant
At a petrochemical plant, 40 Score technicians and machinists were mobilised with fully equipped workshop containers to service more than 700 valves. More than 200 valves were removed from service and flange faces re-machined to specification on site. Valves were reinstated through a structured joint integrity programme.
The intervention achieved an 84% reduction in fugitive emissions, demonstrating the effectiveness and scale of coordinated in-situ services. This approach positions in-situ intervention as a strategic operational capability, protecting production, strengthening safety performance, and preserving the integrity of critical assets across upstream, midstream, and storage operations.
Case patterns observed across facilities
Experience across upstream, LNG, and storage sites highlights several recurring operational patterns:
- Delayed intervention escalates risk: minor leaks or actuator drift can trigger emergency shutdowns if not addressed promptly.
- Temporary fixes fail quickly: Repeat interventions occur when root causes such as flange distortion or packing wear are not resolved.
- Diagnostics alone are insufficient: Remote monitoring identifies degradation, but without immediate in-situ action, downtime persists.
Structured in-situ services address these patterns, closing the gap between asset insight and operational execution.
Delivering operational reliability
A robust in-situ intervention programme ensures:
- Prioritisation of critical assets: interventions are focused on components that most affect uptime and safety.
- Rapid mobilisation: Teams, tools, and parts are pre-planned for immediate deployment.
- Integrated technical expertise: Engineers combine mechanical, control, and process knowledge to resolve issues effectively.
- Verification and documentation: Every intervention is validated and recorded, supporting audits, compliance, and continuous improvement.
By embedding these practices, operators can significantly reduce unplanned downtime while enhancing asset life and safety performance.
In-situ intervention as a strategic asset
In-situ intervention is not simply a tactical response; it is a strategic capability. It enables operators to:
- Maintain uptime in ageing and high-demand assets
- Reduce the frequency and severity of unplanned shutdowns
- Optimise maintenance schedules and resource allocation
- Extend the operational life of critical equipment
- Achieve better overall reliability and safety performance
In an environment where downtime directly affects production and revenue, this capability becomes a core operational differentiator. Mechanical asset health remains a critical factor in energy infrastructure performance. While digital tools provide visibility into degradation, in-situ engineering and on-site services are the enablers of action.
Leak sealing, actuator/positioner calibration, functional testing, and mechanical intervention performed in-situ allow operators to resolve issues safely, efficiently, and with minimal impact on production.
Operators that invest in structured, high-quality on-site engineering capability gain measurable improvements in reliability, safety, and operational resilience. In-situ intervention is not just maintenance; it is the bridge between insight and action, protecting critical assets when it matters most.
Score has detected and eliminated tens of thousands of valve emissions failures for clients around the world. Download this whitepaper to discover one of the main culprits of fugitive emissions – and how to find the leaks before they shut you down.
