Case study: Sour condensate NGL export pumps seal failure

In a facility, a frequent seal failure occurred on two sour condensate natural gas liquids (NGL) export pumps. After dismantling and inspecting one of the seals, it was determined that the seal had high contamination on the inner and the outer seals in addition to high-temperature failure for the outer seal elastomer (dry running seal, mating ring O-ring). The pump owner reported frequent seal failures and requested pump specialists to oversee a comprehensive investigation. A site visit was conducted by the pump specialists to gain a better understanding of the pump and seal systems. Additionally, previous seal failure reports were reviewed covering the period from 2014–2017. This case was