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Within the oil and gas industry, there are many essential aspects that require proper
compressor equipment. Here are the most common applications of compressors in this
industry.
The oil and gas industry through its refinement and distillation processes has helped in the
production of:
Gasoline
Kerosene
Jet fuel
Diesel fuel
Plastics
A wide range of other products
All it takes is to mine petroleum from locations with naturally occurring crude oil whose
makeup include ancient Zooplankton and algae that were formed as a result of being exposed to
high-level pressure and heat, millions of years ago.
However, a lot of processes are taken during oil drilling in order to arrive at these end products
and notable among them, is the application of compressor equipment and valve parts in the
production of oil and gas.
Most of the parts of a rotary machine are immutable asides from the impeller and shaft and as
such, they are less susceptible to mechanical inefficiency in comparison to reciprocating
compressors.
This helps to minimize the expenses that would have been made to cover its lubrication and
maintenance.
For its mode of operation, a rotary’s mechanical impellers or vanes enable it to draw the low-
pressure natural gas and expel the high-pressure natural gas which in turn increases the pressure.
In the same vein, the circular movement of the impeller or its centrifugal force increases the
velocity of the gas which is then transported to a duct section. The latter converts the velocity
energy to static pressure.
It is also worthy to note that the pressure ratio of rotary compressors is fixed which is why the
pressure output is always constant.
2. RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR:
Reciprocating compressor equipment used in the oil and gas industry, exhibit a linear motion
when increasing the pressure in natural gas.
They are the most commonly used in natural gas compressors because they can handle all
volume capacities and pressures.
In comparison with rotary compressors, they have a varying volumetric flow-rate output which
could still be limited.
That aside, these machines have more moving parts,
As such, their mechanical efficiencies are lower and there may be a need to lubricate the parts
occasionally.
These parts include:
Piston
Suction
Cylinder
Cylinder heads
Discharge valves
Reciprocating compressors can either be driven using gas, electric motors or steam turbine
engines instead of the general electric motors of the rotator machines.
A machine of this nature also operates within a certain range of compression ratios and a
selection has to be made to get the right clearance volume and piston displacement in the
cylinder.
TYPES OF RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
Like rotary, you can also find these devices in two different designs and they are single- and
two-stage designs:
1. SINGLE STAGE DESIGN:
Air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed in a single stroke
Compressed gas is transferred to the storage tank
3
2. TWO-STAGE DESIGN:
Employs an extra piston
Capable of higher pressure levels
Methanol
Urea
Ethylene
Ethylene glycol
Other petrochemicals
Because of this, compressor equipment is necessary to make that possible.
THE FUTURE OF COMPRESSORS IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Mining has advanced from the stage of using a shovel and seeking raw materials in a hole.
This time around, high-end machines are used to back up the process of sourcing for petroleum
in oil-rich locations.
On the other hand, the high demand for fossil fuels by consumers to run cars, generators, and
other mechanical devices translates into a growing need for compressor equipment to manage
the pressure levels of gas in oil fields.
There may be a development in alternative sources of energy, but a majority of the population
will still have to fall back on this energy source and non-oil based products such as:
Paraffin wax
Petroleum jelly
Refined bitumen
Microcrystalline wax
Therefore, an increase in the demand for these machines can be expected over the next few
years.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States alone uses 20.5
million barrels of petroleum per day.
The same can be said about the high-level competition between oil and gas compressor
manufacturers to bring about easier access and larger yields will lead to the development of
more advanced machines.
CONCLUSION
The application of compressor equipment in the oil and gas industry to process fuel-rich
materials is one area that cannot be neglected especially if a company wants to avoid drawing
regulatory concerns in the jurisdiction where their services are offered.
Depending on the type of machine that is employed, the pressure in natural gas can be enhanced
and those held in a reservoir can be preserved with the right amount of pressure.
Now it’s left for the oilfield to determine which they’ll settle with and which holds a promise of
providing the best output while also reducing the high cost that comes with managing these
machines.