Houston Gas Contactor Tower Chemical Cleaning
Overview
Frontline Global Services was contracted by a company based in Houston, TX to provide pre-commissioning decontamination and chemical cleaning services on eight identical gas contactor towers. The project required turnkey execution with minimal plant support and targeted fast, safe, and complete vessel cleaning. Despite light-tomoderate internal corrosion and some environmental residue, Frontline successfully completed the work ahead of critical commissioning deadlines.
Project Objectives
Safety and Efficiency
Efficiently minimize equipment downtime while ensuring all operations are conducted safely, protecting personnel and equipment.
Perform Decontamination and Chemical Cleaning:
Fully clean internal tower surfaces from corrosion and external contaminants.
OEM and Industry Cleanliness Standards
Offline vessel decontamination on all 8 towers.
Purify Existing System Fluids
Ensure that any remaining fluids meet OEM cleanliness specifications.
Methodology
Frontline deployed a mobile field unit and experienced personnel to perform internal tower decontamination using engineered chemical cleaning. The method prioritized flow through techniques for internal surfaces without requiring disassembly. Real-time monitoring and verification ensured that system cleanliness met or exceeded client and OEM expectations. The work was executed in pairs (2 towers at a time) to allow for simultaneous progress across the site.
Process
Manual Borescope Pre Inspection
High-Velocity Chemical Cleaning: Towers were chemically treated using a chelating agent specifically formulated to bind with metal ions and corrosion. The application involved a combination of static soaking— filling the towers to immerse internal surfaces—and a cascading method from top to bottom to simulate a controlled waterfall effect. This approach helped develop a protective passivation layer inside the towers. Once the cleaning phase was completed, soda ash was introduced to neutralize the low-pH solution and restore a final tower pH near 7. Manual borescope inspections were conducted before and after chemical cleaning to verify efficacy
Manual Borescope Post Inspection
Project Summary
Efficient & Safe
Timely execution, proven methodology, and delivery of a thoroughly cleaned and tested system satisfied our customer’s operational and cleanliness standards, all done in a safe and fast manner.
Increased Equipment Reliability
By removing built-up contaminants, the assets are now better positioned to operate at optimum efficiency and reduce the risk of downstream issues.
OEM and Industry Cleanliness Standards Achieved
Offline vessel decontamination completed on all 8 towers.
Performed Decontamination and Chemical Cleaning
Fully clean internal tower surfaces from corrosion and external contaminants.
Conclusion
The project was a complete success. Through methodical planning, skilled execution, and dedicated onsite personnel, Frontline delivered a high-quality result on a challenging multitower cleaning assignment. As a forward thinking team we developed more efficient practices and strategies as we progressed from towers 7 & 8 - 1 & 2. This project demonstrates Frontline’s capabilities in delivering fast, safe, and effective industrial service solutions.
