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CPP Singa is a gas processing plant in South Sumatra that treats sour gas from High Pressure and High Temperature (HPHT) wells, containing 200 ppmv H2S and 31% mole CO2. The sour gas undergoes processing in the AGRU (Acid Gas Removal Unit – Amine System) to produce sales gas.

The diagnostic and corrective measures implemented to address the recurrent flooding issues in the Amine Flash Column at CPP Singa, leading to several unplanned unit shutdowns (USD) and process shutdowns (PSD) between December 2023 and January 2024. The flooding phenomenon, triggered by high-high (HH) level event in the Accumulator, caused significant production disruptions. A comprehensive approach, including Gamma Ray Scanning, was adopted to identify and mitigate the flooding. The Gamma Ray Scanning revealed significant deposition in the lower 3 meters of the Amine Flash Column packing, prompting a series of shutdown interventions and cleaning procedures.

Between June 2023 and January 2024, several mitigation measures were introduced, such as reducing feed gas rates, optimizing amine circulation, and increasing operational temperatures. Despite these efforts, the frequency of flooding events continued to rise. In response, a proactive shutdown intervention in May 2024 facilitated chemical and mechanical cleaning of the Amine Flash Column and Amine Filtration Systems, which successfully improved the operational performance. Following these interventions, CPP Singa resumed operations with enhanced monitoring and management protocols, ensuring continued production under optimized conditions.

Post-intervention performance monitoring showed improvements in key parameters, including Amine Reboiler temperature, H2S levels, and amine circulation rates. However, challenges such as low amine strength, strainer clogging, and foaming events persisted, requiring ongoing operational adjustments. This case demonstrates the importance of combining advanced diagnostic techniques like Gamma Ray Scanning with rigorous cleaning and optimization efforts to resolve complex operational issues in critical Amine Systems, ensuring improved operational stability and production efficiency at CPP Singa.