BP has placed a contract worth £8m with AEA Technology Energy for inspection support activities for pressure plant and equipment in its oil refineries, oil terminals and chemical plants throughout the world. This also includes plant of those companies with whom BP is in association.

AEA Technology Energy's experienced and highly qualified plant inspection engineers will assist BP during periods of high plant inspection activity such as shutdowns and special service work. Teams of inspection engineers will inspect pressure vessels and piping at onshore sites operated by BP Exploration, BP Oil and BP Chemicals, and together with BP inspectors may make recommendations to repair, refurbish, or replace the plant depending on the severity of any defects found. BP will also have access to other AEA Technology services such as non-destructive testing, corrosion management, and welding technology, which all contribute to plant integrity assessment and failure prediction.

We were chosen because of our commitment to provide a comprehensive training scheme to produce the next generation of highly qualified inspection engineers, and the distinct added value of access to extensive additional technical resources and expertise elsewhere within the business. We have a UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accreditation to BS EN 45004, which allows us to carry out inspections on pressure plant.

We are already carrying out similar work at BP Chemicals in Hull, the BP Oil Croydon refinery in Essex, and BP Chemicals in Sichuan, China.

Dr Peter Watson, Chief Executive of AEA Technology, said: "We have access to excellent facilities and we can transfer our know-how from one industrial sector to another. This means we are now very well placed to take advantage of the trend towards technical outsourcing. This contract is another move in this direction."

AEA Technology plc
Sonomatic Products and Services
RD9, Risley, Warrington, WA3 6AT, UK
Phone: +44 1925 253442
Fax: +44 1925 253676
Email: Sonomatic@aeat.co.uk