How does Oil affect our economy?
“Over the last decade, the price of oil has taken a roller coaster ride, usually in a cyclical pattern that is in sync with the global economy. A strong economy tends to increase the demand for oil and drive up the price, while a weak economy generally has the opposite effect.”
We all have felt this wave- as the price for oil goes up, we see less and less motorists on the road because of this. But in most circumstances, oil is a need not a want. For example, I do not look at the price of oil when I put gas into my car- there is nothing in can do but pump.
“As a rule of thumb, economists say a $10 decline in the price of a barrel of oil increases economic growth 0.2 to 0.3 percentage points, helping many businesses dependent on oil, like airlines and makers of plastics and fertilizers. But the opposite is true as well, and the surge in gas prices in 2012 raised fears that it might damage the still-vulnerable economic recovery.”
Besides the price in oil, there are concerns in the Energy sector as well as the Global warning and our environment, it has put oils position under much pressure. There are also concerns between the Arab and the United States as well as Iran. All of these conflicts have something to do with Oil.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleum-and-gasoline/index.html
Price of Oil goes down
You may have heard of small talk from other people, or just that you got gas for your car this week, the price of oil dropped! We may jump with joy here in America- But as the price of oil goes down here in the state, the price of oil increases in other countries.
“New York Mercantile Exchange settled at $97.01, down 93 cents, or 0.9% for the day, after rebounding from a session low of $95.52. Prices are down 8.6% over the last five days trading days. June Brent futures settled down 43 cents, or 0.38%, to $1112.73 on the Intercontinental Exchange.”
“The U.S. currency and oil prices tend to move inversely, as a stronger dollar makes crude more expensive for buyers in other currencies.”
http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=117696&hmpn=1
Building a Pipeline
“The speed at which pipelines are built is one of the more serious constraints in preventing impacts. Most big infrastructures take many years to plan and build. Completion of pipelines, on the other hand, often takes 24 to 36 months. This means it is even more important for the ESA of pipelines to begin as soon as the prefeasibility planning begins. Route selection, the main means of reducing impacts, is often one of the first items planned by the engineers. “
I am blogging for a valve mfg so I won’t go into too many details on what a pipeline may consist of. Here are some of the components; Pipes, Flanges, Valves, Fasteners, etc. Some of the Ball Valves you might see are the Trunnion Mounted Ball Valves. (This is our specialty). Our Trunnion Ball Valves are mfg in accordance to API 6D, NACE Compliant, Two piece and Three piece designs, Double Block and Bleed. Our ANSI sizes are 150-2500, which we keep mainly in stock. For more information on our Trunnion Ball Valves, please visit our site; http://gvcintl.com/products_trunnion_mounted_ball_valves.html
Peru – Largest Oil Refinery Capacity in the Country
When you think of Peru, what do you think of? Before I took a trip to Lima Peru, I thought there was going to be little shops everywhere and people selling anywhere from jewelry to food, on the streets. Lima, Peru is actually the most industrialized city in South America.
“Peru has six major oil refineries with total capacity of 192,950 bbl/d. Repsol-YPF controls the largest facility in the country, La Pampilla, located in Lima, with a capacity of 102,000 bbl/d. The other privately-operated refinery in the country is the 3,250-bbl/d Purcallpa, operated by Maple Gas. Petroperu operates the remaining four refineries and the largest network of retail oil products distribution. The Peruvian government has planned to further privatize downstream facilities in the future. “
And just like Houston, Texas has many refineries and buy petroleum equipment such as Ball, Gate, Globe, and Check Valves.
“Peru has proven crude oil reserves of 930 million barrels, according to Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ). The country produced 110,900 barrels per day. With the revival in oil exploration, Peru has had new projects brought online, increasing the country’s oil production levels. However, Peru's oil consumption has also grown over the past 20 years.”
Source: http://http://www.eoearth.org/article/Energy_profile_of_Peru
Wooden Pipeline
The title explains it all. In 1963 the raw materials were inside whiskey barrels and pulled by horses.
“Despite considerable ridicule, threats, armed attacks, arson and sabotage, the first wooden pipeline, about 9 miles in length, was built in 1865”
Today, oil pipelines are made out of steel or plastic tubes. They are more than 9 miles in length. The Trans Canada pipeline is approximately 2147 miles.
Modern pipelines can be used for:
- gather oil and gas over one mile beneath the ocean surface
- transport supercritical fluid carbon dioxide for territory oil recovery
- carry natural gas liquids for growing regional heating and olefins industries
- and transport specialty chemicals between chemical plants and refineries
Source: http://www.pipeline101.com/history/timeline.html
Butterfly Valves
“A Butterfly Valve is used to control the flow of material through a circular pipe or tube. They consist of a circular disc with its pivot axis at right angles to the direction material is flowing.”
Some of the applications that use butterfly valves are air, gas, steam and liquid. The body can be made up of different materials such as cast iron, ductile iron, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel and exotic metals.
“Depending on the application, additional valve features that may need to be considered. Some of these features include: the manner in which the stem and disc are attached, the way the stem and disc assembly mount inside the valve body, undercutting of disc, type of material used in stem bushings and packing, and availability of a ring seal between the seat and valve body.”
To learn more about the different features and to learn about the different parts, you can visit;
http://forum.bulk-online.com/showthread.php?7088-How-amp-Why-Are-Butterfly-Valves-Used
Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline may be a reality in 2020
“Natural gas from Alaska's North Slope may finally find its way through Alaska and Alberta Canada via a 1,700-2,000 mile long natural gas pipeline by the year 2020. if required, a 1,500-mile long pipeline from Alberta to Chicago would also be built.”
The Alaska Pipeline and the Denali Pipeline Projects have been up in the air whether to build or not to build. One of them will certainly be built, but it depends on North America- if there will be enough demand for natural gas especially since we have around 48 states that have their own natural gas source.
“A lead time of 2020 may seem like a long to time to build this project. However, one of the proposals will traverse over 1,700 miles just to get gas to Alberta Canada. A second option may take gas to Valdez Alaska where it will be liquefied and then transferred to national and international markets.”
To read more about this article, you can visit the website:
http://www.millennialliving.com/content/alaska-natural-gas-pipeline-may-be-reality-2020
$1 Billion Natural Gas Pipeline Proposed for PA
$1 Billion Natural Gas Pipeline Proposed for PA., would connect to Baltimore, DC areas
While the Keystone XL Pipeline is waiting to be built, Philadelphia proposed a $1 Billion dollar Gas Pipeline connecting from Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. Although the UGI Corporation, Energy Midstream L.P. & Capitol Energy Ventures came to conclusion to build a 200-mile pipeline on Thursday conference. The companies set a completed goal of 2015 and still need regulatory approval.
This project would move at least 800,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day from Lycoming County South through Eastern and Central Pennsylvania. However, still waiting on what they end up doing; either allowing Kansas City, MO, build the pipeline and share an equal stake with Valley Forge and Capitol Energy Ventures.
Source:
Workers are under trained in the United States
In the United States workers are under trained and overpaid unless they increase their skill levels to exceed those of competitors in other countries. Eventually international business pressures could reduce American wages to those of other countries. No one wants to see wages decline but at the same time thousands of jobs in American manufacturing companies go begging because no workers with the skills to fill them can be found.
There are good qualities training programs to be found and can substantially increase the skills of American Manufacturing workers. However; manufacturers could help themselves by providing a quality training program. Just remember, reward your employees for their efforts lest they find themselves worth more than are earning and move on to another manufacturer.
Source: VMA Magazine
Ball Valves vs Globe Valves
Design - Ball valves have a chamber with a spherical ball that has a hole bored into it. The ball is connected to a handle, which increases or stops the flow.
Benefit - Ball valves allow the user to see exactly what position the valve is in. If the handle is perpendicular to the line, the hole is facing perpendicular to the line, and therefore is fully closed.
Application - Ball valves are used in high-pressure and shutoff applications, because they do not wear easily.
Design - Globe valves have a plate with a hole in it, and a disk or plug completely or partially fits into the hole, slowing or stopping flow.
Benefit - Globe valves offer greater precision than other valves when it comes to regulating flow.
Application - Globe valves are used in applications where flow needs to be finely tuned, they are designed to restrict flow.
Check out GVC’s line of ball, gate, globe and check valves here.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6759345_difference-between-ball-globe-valves.html
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