A-LUX Lasers Restoring Offshore Flanges with Laser Precision

Recently, Argento Lux was contracted by an offshore oil and gas fabricator and repair facility to tackle a unique challenge: restoring two massive flanges weighing over 7 tons each. These flanges had spent decades resting on the seafloor before being pulled up and sitting in a repair yard for years. As you might imagine, they were heavily corroded, covered in marine growth, and in no shape to form a reliable seal.

The Challenge

The most critical areas of concern were the metal seal rings and O-ring grooves. After so many years underwater, the grooves had accumulated layers of rust and contamination, making it impossible to achieve a clean metal-to-metal seal. Traditional cleaning methods would have been time-consuming, abrasive, and potentially damaging to the machined sealing surfaces.

Adding to the challenge was the presence of white coral growth that had attached itself firmly to the all-threaded bolts and nuts securing the flange. The customer noted that separating these nuts was extremely difficult, as the coral had essentially fused the hardware together.

Our Approach

For this project, we deployed the A-LUX 1000W-PW laser cleaning system. Its power, precision, and ability to strip corrosion without damaging the base metal made it the ideal choice. Our goal was to clean and restore the O-ring grooves and ensure the flange could once again deliver a reliable, leak-proof seal.

The laser made quick work of the corrosion inside the grooves, vaporizing rust and debris while leaving behind a clean, bright metal surface ready for reassembly.

Surprising Results on Sea Growth

One of the most interesting discoveries during the project was the performance of the laser on the white coral sea growth. While the coral initially had to be chipped down or scraped to a manageable level, once thinned, the laser was able to successfully remove it from the threads and substrate. This was a pleasant surprise not only to our team but also to the customer, who had been struggling with the difficulty of breaking these nuts free.

Why It Matters

This project demonstrates the versatility and capability of laser cleaning in heavy industrial and offshore applications. The ability to clean sealing surfaces and even assist with marine growth removal means reduced downtime, less manual labor, and more reliable repairs—all critical in the oil and gas sector where equipment failure is not an option.

At Argento Lux, we continue to prove that laser cleaning isn’t just a lab technology—it’s a field-tested solution for some of the toughest industrial environments in the world.