Analysis of maintenance methods and developing strategies for optimal maintenance of wellhead power plants at Olkaria geothermal field in Kenya

Abstract

A wellhead power plant (WHP) is a new paradigm shift in geothermal utilisation that has been extensively exploited in Olkaria geothermal field in Kenya for the past seven years by KenGen. This study examines aspects impacting the availability factors of the WHPs and benchmarks with approaches in select conventional geothermal power plants in Kenya and Iceland, with regards to maintenance management. Critical resource requirements to support the optimal maintenance of current and future WHP development in Olkaria are examined in the wake of the unique challenges faced, and the unique functional configuration of the existing WHP plants. The study explores maintenance management optimisation options and recommends strategies for enhanced plant uptime by optimising planned maintenance, condition based maintenance, response to corrective maintenance and pilots optimisation using Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED).