LED luminaire manufacturer Dialight has introduced its ATEX certified luminaire range which, with various lumen and wattage packages, innovative levels of efficiency and carrying up to 10-year full performance warranties, it says will benefit the Middle East’s oil and gas sector
The unique range of CE-compliant LED luminaires includes products suited to a number of applications, particularly in hard-to-access and high-risk areas. They are specifically designed for use in harsh and hazardous environments where potentially explosive gases and dusts may be present, making them ideal for the oil and gas industry.
Speaking to Oil Review, Dialight’s general manager for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia Region Steve Towler said, “Dialight’s LED lighting is more efficient than conventional lighting and the long-life performance eliminates maintenance costs or vastly extends maintenance schedules, whilst also reducing the health and safety risks associated with accessing hard-to-reach locations.”
He added, “Certainly the oil and gas industry has embraced the products and will continue to because of the superior illumination, energy efficiency and long lasting performance. With health and safety being an imperative issue in oil and gas operations, the benefit of low maintenance and low temperature ratings on the fixtures is also extremely advantageous.”
Working in a competitive market in which many companies still know little about LED lighting, the energy saving aspect of LED lighting is a key selling point for Dialight.
“A lot of our work is education, we’re informing the client what they can do now,” said Towler. “Many companies don’t understand that you can use an LED to replace lighting in oil and gas applications including refineries, oil and gas platforms, drilling rigs and FPSOs.”
According to the hazardous lighting company, LED lighting can save a business between 50-80 per cent in energy and, more specifically, choosing to swap high intensity discharge (HID) lamps to LED can mean a 70-80 per cent power reduction.
One way in which Dialight achieves these levels of energy saving is through heat reduction, which is also valuable when working in the Gulf’s high temperatures.
“You could have 100 HID sources all hitting 400oC and it becomes very uncomfortable for staff to work,” explained Towler. “Our luminaires typically get up to around 50oC, which is a massive difference in temperature.”
Towler added, “The lack of heat given off by LED lighting reduces the risk of injury from contact with the lighting and the better T-rating compared to conventional lighting solutions means they are safer to use in areas where there is risk of explosion.” According to the company, demand for Dialight products is ever-growing in the Middle East Region. Approximately 80 per cent of its regional business is focussed on the oil and gas industry.
Having previously worked closely on projects with Abu Dhabi oil and gas companies, such as ADGAS and ZADCO, Dialight now sees Oman as a strong market for LED lighting and GCC countries, such as Qatar, as emerging potential business areas. Dialight boasts that another benefit of its LED lighting solutions is the considerable space and weight the lighting can save on drilling platforms.
“On an offshore platform if you reduce all your lighting maintenance you can save two beds,” said Towler. “Removing two lighting guys gives them two spaces for mechanical engineering or welding etc., which as a result, improves productivity.”
Towler added, “The products also have instant on/off ability, without compromising on the life of the lamp and this along with the quality of light improves productivity and the safety for the workers.”
He also explained that Dialight, a global company with manufacturing plants in Latin America, the US and Europe, has the technology to reduce 50 per cent of the initial conventional lighting weight on a platform.
“We’re saving tonnes of weight on a platform and that’s a big deal,” said Towler.
He also advised that there are also a variety of product options, including emergency, transportable and stainless steel ranges, available to meet the needs of even more oil and gas applications.
He concluded by saying, “It’s great working for a company where we save customers money, energy and maintenance, while also reducing health and safety risks, there’s so many benefits and there aren’t a lot of products out there in any market that offer that many benefits to a client.”
