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Flanged Valves
The prosperity of the valve industry has been shown in many fields. Actually, there is great variety of the types of the valve. All these types are making their own contributions to the development of the whole modern industry. As we all know, Flanged Ball Valves are made to control the flow of gases, liquids and granular solids in many systems. In order to meet various requirements, valves are designed and manufactured with a wide range of the types, sizes, materials, working temperature and pressure and means of actuation and so on. At this moment, we take the type of the ball valve and gate valve out for a comparison. Learn more about flanged valves below.
Flanged Valves
Flanged Ball Valves
ANSI 150 through 600 from ½” through 12” – Global Valve and Controls high performance flanged ball valve design is the product of an extensive R&D program that offers standard live loaded stem design for zero design fugitive emissions, investment cast up to eight inch, standard locking handle and TFM seats.
Flanged Ball Valves
Series E1
- ANSI 150 – 600
- Investment Cast up to 6”
- Live Loaded Stem Seals
- Blow Out Proof
- ISO 5211 Mounting Pad
- Wide Choice of Seats & Seals - TFM Standard
- WCB, 316SS, Alloy 20, Hastelloy C and various other alloys
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Series FS
- ANSI 150 – 600
- Fire-tested to API 607 Rev. 4
- Investment Cast up to 6”
- Live Loaded Stem Seals
- ISO 5211 Mounting Pad
- Wide Choice of Seats - TFM Standard
- WCB, 316SS, Alloy 20, Hastelloy C and various other alloys
Download PDF
Series FSD 61
- ANSI 150 – 600
- Direct Mount for Easy Automation
- Fire-tested to API 607 Rev. 4
- Investment Cast up to 6”
- Live Loaded Stem Seals
- Wide Choice of Seats - TFM Standard
- WCB, 316SS, Alloy 20, Hastelloy C and various other alloys
Download PDF
Series CM
- ANSI 150 – 600
- Metal Seated for Severe Service
- Energized Seats Design for Low Tourques
- WCB, 316SS, Alloy 20, Hastelloy C and various other alloys
Download PDF
from by Valtorc International
Butterfly valves, otherwise known as quarter-turn valves, isolate and control the flow of a liquid. Most often used in water or waste treatment, especially in the field of agriculture, butterfly valves also have the distinction of being one of the most common valve types on the market. Butterfly valves serve reliably even when heavy duty is required. These valves need very little maintenance and are extremely durable.
There are many good ideas and practices concerning valves of all types.
Learn More About GVC Valves Today.
Flanged Ball Valves
ANSI 150 through 600 from ½” through 12” – Global Valve and Controls high performance flanged ball valve design is the product of an extensive R&D program that offers standard live loaded stem design for zero design fugitive emissions, investment cast up to eight inch, standard locking handle and TFM seats.
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Butterfly Valve
Used as a primary control device in fluid transfer applications, butterfly valves are preferred over most other types of valves for different reasons. Firstly, they perform a quarter-turn open/close operation, which is frequent, quick, and at less fluid resistance. Second, they display good flow control for a wide range of liquids, gases, suspended solids, and slurries. Lastly, they are compact, lightweight, and available in a wide range of materials, too.
The wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical, power generation, paper processing, food & beverage, and fine chemical industries utilize butterfly valves extensively. PTFE lined (FEP / PFA) valves are used in high corrosive chemical environments, whereas hygienic valves made from special types of elastomers are used in the food & beverage industry. Butterfly valves also come in fire safe designs to meet the safety requirements of the petrochemical industry.
Typically, butterfly valves come in sizes ranging from 1 to over 200. Their pressure capabilities range from 150 psi to 750 psi. Available in manual and automatically actuated modes, they are used as an on/off as well as controlling/modulating device. The seat material, body style (wafer or lug), and stem- design play crucial roles in selecting a butterfly valve.
Selecting the Right Style:
The most common types of body designs or mounting styles in butterfly valves are the wafer, lug, semi-lugged, and double flanged styles. While the wafer design is cheaper and safer, the lug style helps in removing downstream piping. Wafer styles attribute to the lightweight structure of butterfly valves, which ensures ease of installation.
Selecting Stem Designs:
The stem or shaft of a butterfly valve comes in one-piece or two-piece designs. While selecting a stem design for a high performance application, one must be aware of the fact that they have to be in contact with the fluid media and hence media compatible.
Selecting the Right Seat Material:
Being critical elements, seals, or seat materials, also determine the quality of a butterfly valve. A variety of factors, including chemical compatibility, pressure, temperature, cost, and wear is considered prior to selecting seats. PTFE (Polytetrafluroethylene) and RTFE (Reinforced Polytetrafluroethylene) are two commonly used seat materials known for their abrasion resistant, electrical insulation, and thermal properties. UHMWPE (Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene) is another popular material with excellent corrosion and chemical resistance used in the tobacco industry. The material is also ideal for low-radiation environments.
If the application involves a highly abrasive environment, inflatable seats that offer high wear resistance are used. Today, many applications require butterfly valves with FDA approved seat materials. Fire-safe, metal-seated butterfly valves are also popular choices today.
Selecting the Right Type of Butterfly Valve:
Butterfly valves are classified into three types based on their construction:
1. Resilient
2. High Performance
3. Tricentric
The resilient type of butterfly valves uses the rubber flexibility and hence used widely in applications that require lowest pressure ratings. They handle temperatures ranging from 25F to 300F. High-pressure applications use high performance types of butterfly valves as these valves provides a wear-free sealing. Temperature ratings for these valves range from 400F to 450F. Tricentric designs feature a metal seat, which can withstand tremendous amount of pressure and temperatures up to 1000F.
Selecting the Right Valve Size:
We can determine the right valve size by calculating the Flow Coefficient (Cv) of the butterfly valve. You can use the below formula to calculate the Cv:
Cv = GPM / √ΔP
Here, GPM is the max flow requirement and P is the maximum pressure drop. The valve size that is equal to the calculated Cv value is the correct size. If the needed Cv value is between two valve sizes, the larger valve size is selected.
About the Author:
Ron Bargman is a regular contributor of manufacturing-theme articles drawing on his decades long experiences first as an owner of an auto-parts supplier and manufacturer, to his present status as the founder and president of Zycon, an internationally recognized search engine for manufacturers. Ron's rich industry history provides insight into manufacturing and engineering news and events that are timely, poignant and relevant.
Butterfly Valve
"In the fierce market competition, and who has the right technology, who has excellent product quality, who can constantly develop new products, who will be able to head start in the competition won." Zhejiang Yongjia Valve Association, Inter-Xuan Ye May 21, held in Hangzhou, China General Machinery Industry Association, the fifth branch of the second valve, said members of the General Assembly.
The overall level of the industry needs to be improved
Valve oil, chemical, power station, long-distance pipeline, shipbuilding, nuclear industry, a variety of low-temperature projects, aerospace and marine oil and other economic sectors indispensable fluid control equipment. After 20 years of development, China is about 6000 companies of all sizes valves are more than the number of firms in the world first, in which more than 5 million yuan annual output value there are 900.
From the product point of view, China's valve industry is now capable of producing more than a dozen major categories products, such as gate valve, globe valve, ball valve, butterfly valve, safety valve, check valve, throttle, plug valves, pressure reducing valve , diaphragm valves, steam traps, emergency shut-off valve and so on, the maximum temperature reached 570 , a minimum of -196 , the maximum pressure of 600MPa, the largest diameter to 5350 millimeters.
In addition, according to the relevant sectoral statistics, China's valve market turnover each year up to 500 billion yuan, of which the market been more than 100 billion yuan of foreign occupation of the valve business. Although the reform and opening up of China's valve industry made great progress, but there are still some problems: Since the low-level redundant construction, resulting in the valve leading products companies continue to be low-end mass products.
In addition, China's current production of various valves widespread leakage, internal leakage, appearance quality is not high, short life, the operation is not flexible and valve electric devices and pneumatic devices are not reliable shortcomings, some of the products only is equivalent to the early 80s of last century the international level. Some high temperature and pressure and critical devices in need of the valve is still dependent on imports. In addition, the industrial structure of China's valve industry, valve industry, industrial chain, as well as the degree of specialization and other aspects of the industry, both in comparison with foreign countries there is a big gap.
Industry expert analysis, resulting in poor product quality of domestic valve is mainly due to: the market rapidly expanded, the original state-owned enterprises have Guantingbingzhuan valve, private enterprises developed rapidly. The starting point for private enterprises is low, technical force is very weak, poorly equipped, the products are mostly to imitate the production, especially in low-pressure valves used in water supply and drainage, a problem more serious.
Driven product development, technological innovation
So how do you break through this bottleneck and speed up the valve industry development? China General Machinery Industry Association valves Branch of Bank of legislation that the Secretary-General's Song, according to the valve market changes and the future national development projects for some time and related policies of the next valve business of technology and product development should focus on the following aspects:
In product development, it is necessary for large projects, one developed complete sets of Engineered Valves, and second, focus on the multi-species and multi-product manufacturing specifications. Based on the current national key project development plan, the valve industry, "Eleventh Five-Year" period and the demand for the next few years, mainly in long-term pipeline valves, "Water Diversion Project" and other fields. Only long-term pipeline valves, "Eleventh Five-Year" and the coming years are also expected to build 20,000 km of gas pipeline, pipeline ball valve for large great demand. "Eleventh Five-Year" period is expected to a new high-pressure pipeline 5,000 kilometers of crude oil requires large-diameter high-pressure valves more than 3,000. "Water Diversion" is China's cross-century project, east, central and western third line needs a total investment of more than 450 billion yuan. Among them, the Eastern Water Project required a large number of large-diameter valve, special square valve, special valve and pump stations supporting the valve.
In technological innovation, we must attach importance to the adjustment of product structure, research and development and international leading level of high value-added products is crucial. West-East line in charge of the tender, the domestic enterprises to defeat the valve is a painful lesson. Learn from their mistakes to the revitalization of the valve industry must be developed with high technological content and high added value, with the international leading level of valve products.
The implementation of technical innovation, research and development of new products, enterprises have couple of choices: First, scientific research institutions and institutions such as the recent Kaifeng High Pressure Valve Factory and a subsidiary of Chinese Academy of Sciences, "3D" company co-developed power plant boiler main steam valve is the leading international standard of products, its "pressure drop" significantly below international standards, in the power plant industry has a very broad prospects; second, in cooperation with foreign countries or to take the form of technology import, Zigong High Pressure Valve Co., Ltd. and Italy Simbi Long the company's co-operation to shorten our product in the valve gap with foreign countries. Of course, the conditions of the enterprises also can be independently developed.
In market development, the diversification should be implemented sales strategies, and strive to open up the international market. To open up international markets, we must first focus on the cultivation of foreign trade; Second, we must learn to use the Internet and information technology, to capture business opportunities; third can be some domestic foreign trade companies, with its channels to increase exports; the fourth is qualified enterprises can be set up outside the point of sale, or setting up factories.
Industry experts believe that the industry as soon as possible to change the status quo between the low-level redundant construction, the most effective way is through the joint between enterprises, mergers, and restructuring to achieve corporate expansion capital to further expand its market share, so as to stand in the competition unbeaten. This is more popular in today's international economic practices, but also the future direction of development of the industry during the valve problem. As long as there are joint enterprises may be may be so bold to try and break regional boundaries, breaking the boundaries of ownership, breaking the traditional boundaries of the professional division of labor, and strive to build a number of short-term value of more than 500 million yuan or 10 billion enterprise groups.
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Pipeline Ball Valves are manufactured and tested in accordance with the requirements of API 6D, and are designed not to rely on lubricant to ensure that they seal.
During manufacture and factory testing, the use of lubricants and/or sealants is prohibited. This is to prevent masking of any defects in the new valve.
Installation and commissioning into a pipeline is an interventive engineering process, making use of hot and cold working techniques relying on mechanical tooling. As a result it is inevitable that between valve installation and commissioning, an amount of foreign debris will enter the valve (i.e. sand / dirt / swarf / weld slag). This is a natural result of the manufacturing process that cannot be avoided.
Once installed the valve is usually cycled during the testing of its gearbox or actuator, and again during hydrostatic testing of the pipeline.
These activities create tiny scratches on the polished ball surface where the debris present in the line wears on the ball and seat during the cycling of the valve.
In time, this reduces the valves ability to provide an adequate seal, as these tiny scratches begin to cause minor leak paths. All fluid and gas flows contain an element of contaminant which contributes to this effect over the life of the valve.
Minor leak paths that seal at low pressure become obvious when using the valve to isolate high pressure gas. Seating material is often softer than the ball itself in order to provide a pliable material which takes up minor leak paths, but at higher pressures the gas compresses the seats and they become less pliable meaning that the minor leak paths become more significant at higher pressures.
This type of damage mechanism can also be said to be true for gate and plug valves, as gate and plug surfaces are also susceptible to the similar damage. In fact any sealing surface subject to mechanical friction is susceptible to the damage mechanism described above.
Lubricants, lubricant-sealants and emergency-sealants
Lubricants help clean valve internals, and reduce operating torque. Valvecare use a light lubricant called Equa-Lube Eighty from Sealweld immediately after hydrostatic testing of valve, to purge all test water from seat pockets where corrosion normally occurs. The advantage of this is that it removes as much debris as possible from the internal mechanism of the valve, thus reducing the chance for wear. Lubrication also reduces the friction between the wearing surfaces. Of course, new contaminant can be introduced at any time via the flow in the pipeline.
Lubricant-Sealants help to preserve seat sealing effectiveness, and to seal worn valves with minor leakage problems. Valvecare use a lubricant-sealant called Total-Lube # 911 from Sealweld, this has been proven to seal minor scratches to sealing surfaces and shallow corrosion pits, as well as small nicks and cuts on soft seals.
For valves with sealing surface scoring, this is an effective way to achieve a bubble tight seal on a valve that would otherwise fail a leak test. Use of lubricant-sealants can delay or prevent the need for costly overhaul of a worn valve.
Emergency Sealants provide an effective temporary means of creating of leak tight seal, even on valves with severe leakage problems. Valve sealing plays an important role, when performing pipeline repair, modification or renewal work, as often the costs of shutting down, evacuating, draining, and excavating pipeline equipment are typically many times more than just the cost of a new valve. Valvecare use a Valve Sealant called Ball Valve Sealant #5050 from Sealweld, containing particles of PTFE, and is capable of sealing relatively large scratches to sealing surfaces.
Lubrication
Lubrication is introduced into the valve, using the seat injection fittings. Valves that do not have seat injections fittings can usually be retrofitted to include these. Specialist valve maintenance companies, such as Valvecare, can advise you on specifics for individual valves.
Seat lubrication, is a proven means of cleaning foreign debris from valve seats, and done properly as part of a scheduled valve maintenance programme, stops debris from getting there in the first place. This practice significantly reduces damage suffered during installation, commissioning and normal cycling operation, extending the service life of the valve dramatically. The costs associated with a scheduled maintenance program including lubrication are considerably lower than a full overhaul or replacement of the valve itself.
Lubricating your valves gives the following operational advantages:
- Cleans their seats of potentially damaging particles (Sand / Dirt / Swarf / weld slag)
- Stops debris from getting stuck between seats if administered before pigging pipeline
- Prevents and removes stiction (Torque to operate reduced / less strain on stem and actuator)
- Preserves the life of their seals, and components against mechanical and corrosion damage
These advantages reduce operational cost and should therefore form part of your planned valve maintenance programme.
Sealing
Emergency Sealing involves the introduction of heavy sealant, through the valve seat injection fittings, to achieve a temporary seal. Valves that do not have seat injections fittings can usually be retrofitted to include these. Specialist valve maintenance companies, such as Valvecare, can advise you on specifics for individual valves.
Emergency Sealing your valves:
Provides an temporary bubble tight seal, even on valves with severe leakage problems
Has significant cost savings, when compared to alternatives
Saves time, with lead times for some replacement pipeline valves taking several months
The Lubrication, lubricant-Sealant and Emergency Sealant process involves the use of specialist equipment, capable of pumping a range of lubrication and sealant types safely at pressures of 10,000–15,000 psi. It is recommended that trained valve service engineers, proficient in the safe use of sealant guns and pumps, carry out this procedure.
Important Considerations
Lubrication and sealing becomes more critical in applications such as Natural Gas, Production Wellheads, Gathering Systems, Gas processing Plants, Pipelines, Gas Storage Facilities and Gas Distribution Systems. Applications like these are more likely to cause damage to the critical sealing surfaces of valves, due to the lack of lubrication present in dry gas, and the presence of sand and debris in production wellheads. As part of a valve maintenance programme, preventative valve maintenance helps minimises the adverse effects of these services, increasing the service life of your valves.
For increased valve service life, the presence of an emergency seat sealant injection feature is an important consideration when procuring pipeline valve stock.
Equally as important is the choice of injection fittings and/or adaptors that are installed on the valve. Sealant injection fittings feature a means of passing sealant or lubricant into the valve, and incorporate a high pressure metal seated check valve. As a safety precaution, Valvecare do not endorse the use of carbon steel, crimped style injection fittings. As standard, we only recommend the use quality stainless steel injection fittings incorporating a threaded spring retaining cage, in order to minimise the risk of dangerous fitting failure.
Valve lubrication and sealing is an essential part of an effectively managed valve maintenance programme. Once installed and lubricated, a regular documented lubrication schedule should be established for all critical valves. Valvecare specialise in a supplying a total management programme for your valves, with a focus on the criticality of valves in relation to impact on safety elements and production, maintenance routines, spares holding, valve tracking and selection procedures. This type of valve management programme is a highly effective way of optimising reliability and safety whilst minimising cost and downtime.
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Pipeline Valves Article
Jeannie Stell - Editor, Pipeline and Gas Technology | March 18, 2011
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The Niobrara oil and gas play is an Upper Cretaceous formation in the Rocky Mountain region. The deep formation underlying northern Colorado, western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming is where the oil rush is taking hold.
Highly productive wells are being tapped in Colorado, just south of the Wyoming line. Horizontal drilling and other newer drilling technologies are being applied to the Niobrara formation, which is geologically similar to North Dakota’s Bakken play.
The self-sourced hydrocarbon system has organic carbon content in the 1% to7% range and is produced at depths of 6,000 to 9,000 feet in the Denver-Julesburg (D-J), North Park and Powder River basins.
Current focus areas are in and around Wattenberg Field in Weld County, Colorado, and in Laramie, Platte and Goshen counties, Wyoming, around Silo Field. Other areas include the southern portion of the Powder River Basin in Campbell, Converse and Natrona counties and North Park Basin in Jackson, Routt and Moffat counties, Colorado.
Today, the play is primarily exploited via horizontal drilling with lateral lengths of 3,500 to 5,000 feet and is fracture stimulated. Well costs run from $3- to $6 million.
Noble Energy (800,000 acres), EOG Resources (400,000 acres), Chesapeake Energy (400,000 acres), East Resources (100,000 acres), Fidelity Exploration and Production (80,000 acres), Petroleum Development (72,000 acres), Voyager Oil & Gas (48,000 acres) and SM Energy (24,000 acres) are some of the major players. Also, Anadarko Petroleum has a large position by way of the Union Pacific Resources Land Grant.
Operators in the area have long produced wet gas and light sweet crude from the D-J Basin. Recent reports suggest the Niobrara could have recoverable resources between 4 billion and 6 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Oil Take-Away
Several pipelines traverse the Niobrara play, but only one is a major oil system. In Colorado’s D-J Basin, SemGroup Inc.’s much anticipated 526-mile, 12-inch-diameter White Cliffs pipeline now provides about 30,000 barrels of oil take-away from the area into the oil hub at Cushing, Oklahoma.
A year ago, Noble Energy and Anadarko were enthusiastic about hooking up to the system. Both operators subscribed to 10,000 barrels daily.
“There have been times when we had to shut in wells up to a week at a time because the area lacked sufficient refining capacity,” says Anadarko’s facilities engineer Joe Aucoin, from his office at the White Cliffs’ connect near Plattesville. “It’s huge for us.”
At the time, price realizations in the field were expected to improve by as much as $6 per barrel, thanks to cost efficiencies from the new pipeline, according to Anadarko. Field-wide, savings are a potential $65 million per year at the pipeline’s capacity, according to Wood Mackenzie.
White Cliffs will not only provide producers such as Anadarko and Noble Energy with access to more markets and potentially higher prices for their crude, but also nearby oil-polishing facilities see reduced costs that were previously incurred in hot-oiling processes at the individual lease sites.
Other benefits of the pipeline include reduced air emissions from truck traffic, which used to be the transportation mode for take-away from the play, and an onsite centralized truck facility.
The common carrier originates in Platteville, Colorado, northeast of Denver, and terminates at SemCrude’s storage facility in Cushing. It has 100,000 barrels of crude oil storage in Platteville, adjacent to SemCrude’s 10-bay truck-unloading facility with 20,000 barrels of crude oil storage.
White Cliffs is the only line connecting the DJ Basin directly to Cushing. Despite its single-pump stations design, the pipeline is expandable to 50,000 barrels per day. White Cliffs is a major asset for SemGroup, the company that recently emerged from reorganization brought about by its 2009 Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Operators were also anticipating significant increased take-away capacity for natural gas liquids (NGLs). The DJ Basin Lateral Pipeline, which began operations in March 2009, is a 125-mile NGL line connecting the DJ Basin with the Overland Pass Pipeline.
The 760-mile Overland line can transport 110,000 barrels of NGLs per day. It runs from Opal, Wyoming, to Conway, Kansas.
The pipeline’s capacity is 55,000 barrels per day from existing gas processing facilities in the DJ Basin. Such gas processing facilities include DCP Midstream’s Lucerne and Mewborne plants.
Additionally, DCP’s Platteville and Greeley facilities are connected to Mewborne. Increasing NGL production in the Rocky Mountain region correlates with increasing gas development.
“With the Overland and DJ Lateral in place, take-away constraints are lifting for producers,” says Roz Elliot, director of public affairs for DCP Midstream, Denver.
The new capacity provides a valuable additional outlet for NGLs from the field, agrees Ben MacFarlane, NGLs analyst with Bentek Energy.
Previously, the field’s NGLs had to travel on the Phillips Petroleum line down to Borger, Texas, or be trucked to alternative markets in Kansas.
Gas Take-Away
Most of the other pipelines in the area transport natural gas.
Trailblazer Pipeline Co. LLC owns and operates a 436-mile gas take-away pipeline system that runs from Colorado through southeastern Wyoming to Beatrice, Nebraska. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners owns 100% of Trailblazer.
The pipeline is operated by Natural Gas Pipeline Co. of America, which is operated and partially owned by Kinder Morgan Inc. Trailblazer provides an outlet for Rocky Mountain gas seeking Midwest and East Coast markets. It receives gas from various interconnections and receipt points in Colorado, including Wyoming Inter-Dull Knife and Colorado Inter-Tomahawk.
Some of the largest delivery points for Trailblazer include NGPL-Gage Co and NNG-Beatrice in Nebraska. The top gas transportation customers for Trailblazer are Colorado Interstate Gas Co. and Marathon Oil.
Although the pipeline provides firm transportation and interruptible transportation services, it does not offer storage services.
Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG) pipeline is a 4,200-mile pipeline with a design capacity of about 3.7 billion cubic feet per day. El Paso Pipeline Partners owns the controlling interest (58%) in CIG.
The pipeline delivers gas from production areas in the Rocky Mountains and the Anadarko Basin directly to customers in Colorado and Wyoming and indirectly to the Midwest, Southwest, California and Pacific Northwest. CIG also owns interests in five storage facilities in Colorado and Kansas, which collectively have about 35 billion cubic feet of underground working natural gas storage capacity and one natural gas processing plant in Wyoming.
Also, CIG owns a 50% ownership interest in WYCO Development LLC, or WYCO, a joint venture with an affiliate of Public Service Company of Colorado, and operates WYCO’s High Plains pipeline and Totem Gas Storage facility.
El Paso also owns Wyoming Interstate Co. (WIC), an 800-mile pipeline with a design capacity of some 3.3 billion cubic feet per day. WIC is a mainline system that extends from western Wyoming to northeast Colorado (at the Cheyenne Hub) and several lateral pipeline systems that extend from various interconnections along the WIC mainline into western Colorado and northeast Wyoming and into eastern Utah.
WIC is one of the primary interstate natural gas transportation systems providing take-away capacity from the Overthrust, Piceance, Uinta, Powder River and Green River basins. CIG is the operator of the WIC system via a service agreement with WIC.
Also, El Paso owns 48% of Young Gas Storage Co., a facility with 6 billion cubic feet of capacity in Colorado.
Land Rush
Although the Niobrara play was a sleepy, slowly developed area about nine months ago, the play has drawn the interest of both oil and gas producers. Low gas prices make any U.S. oil play look attractive, and the Niobrara is no slouch.
In July, the Office of State Lands and Investments in Wyoming held a special oil and gas lease auction in response to demand from energy companies looking to acquire leasing rights in the booming eastern region of Wyoming’s share of the Niobrara.
A near-record $42 million of bids came in for the right to drill on state land. High bids reached $3,200 an acre, with the big spender title going to Big Bear Oil & Gas, which purchased 29 leases, including six for $1 million or more. The regularly scheduled state lease auction last May generated a record $45.6 million for Wyoming.
“Those who’ve wanted to be involved in this play have been out there. They’re grabbing up as much acreage as they can,” Harold Kemp, head of state minerals leasing, publicly stated.
The play is geologically similar to North Dakota’s Bakken play. After the rush to lease, ever more producers will begin to drill out their plays and more midstream infrastructure will be needed to move the produced hydrocarbons to market.
We already know that an oil or petroleum refinery is a place where natural, raw oil is processed into refined products like petroleum, gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, asphalt base and liquefied petroleum gas. All these involve a lot of processes, and hence the refinery is somewhat similar to that of a chemical plant. All the crude oil feedstock that people talk about are got from oil production plants. An oil depot or a tank farm is usually seen near these oil plants that store liquid products that are produced.
The management of these sectors are very important in our world today. But the real bad story about these industries is when they are affected by corrosion and the expenditure caused to rectify it. In all places around the world, the industry of oil and gas does its level best in running these refineries as efficiently and trouble free as possible to reduce costs in this sector. One cankerous factor that is eating up these industries is corrosion. Corrosion is seen lining the oil plants that occur during hydrocarbon refining process. Corrosion which is commonly said to be the break down of a metal into its atomic form due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. The effect of corrosion in an oil industry leads to the failure of parts which in turn leads to shut down, again to avoid this effect the plant has to be shut down to clean the facility. The amount spent in the cleaning and adverse effects of corrosion on a year amounts to US$ 3.7 billion. Well, this is a large sum and could be put to use in so many other ways, if only we could avoid the effects of corrosion.
There are various ways and reasons for the occurrence of corrosion. By knowing the causes we could come to a conclusion on the prevention of the occurrence. Some reasons for the occurrence of corrosion in Oil and Gas Industries:
are water droplets that cause pitting corrosion
the steel becomes brittle from the exposure of heat and impurities from hydrogen
and sulphide attack causing stress corrosion
Some of the ways adapted today to overcome the effects of corrosion are
Use of certain types of metal in certain areas of the plant to facilitate the plant to be longstanding inspite of the effects of corrosion
For example, carbon steel is used for 80% of plant requirements as it is cost efficient and withstands most forms of corrosion due to hydrocarbon impurities below a temperature of 205 degree celsius. But as it is not able to resist other chemicals and environments, it is not used every where
Other kinds of metals used are, low alloys of steel containing chromium and molybdenum, and stainless steel containing high concentrations of chromium for excessively corrosive environments
Tougher metals like nickel, titanium, and copper alloys are used for the most corrosive areas of the plant which are mostly exposed to the highest of temperatures and the most corrosive of chemicals
Since, of late, with the increase in knowledge in the field gained over the years, it has become a lot easier and more effective in fighting the occurrence or corrosion. Some effective ways in preventing corrosion would be monitoring and preventing the occurrence of these effects even before they occur. "How do I do this?" may be the question on your mind.
Monitoring is done both on-line and off-line. Offline monitoring refers to the monitoring of the effects of corrosion after it has happened and is usually identified while doing maintenance. Of course this isn't the most effective way of saving the plant but, this was used in older times. It used to be considered as a step taken that is better late than never. Today on-line system has evolved to make it more effective in solving problem before it gets worse.
Some of the methods of on-line corrosion monitoring are
Linear polarization resistance
Electrochemical noise
Electrical resistance
Previously, the processing of corrosion on-line seemed to be very slow and the details given weren't enough to fill in the criteria required besides the data collected was not always accurate. However, with the improvement in science we have newer technologies that give data twice as much as they used to be in the past and specific in their accuracy. This kind of assessment is known as real-time monitoring. This enables engineers to prevent and control corrosion and also enable better output by the plant. Any plants that have on-line corrosion information with accurate real time measurements help to detect and reduce high corrosion rates. These kind of technology advancements enable engineers to prevent and protect the plant by management systems called predictive management.
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Suffering from corrosion problems? ZerustOil-Gas offers complete corrosion protection services and flange protection for your pipeline valves and flanges.
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Produced chemicals such as H2S, CO2, condensates, other hydrocarbon solvents, along with crude oil , natural gas and injected media (frac acid and gas compositions) can all have a major impact on the condition of the valve cavity lubricant. This can result in the lubricant being dissolved and displaced from the valve cavity, rendering the initial valve components dry, exposed to wear and damage from increased friction. A cavity devoid of lubricant will also permit the ingress and entrapment of contaminants in the valve cavity, such as corrosive fluids or sand.
This can cause severe valve operational problems, including damage to the component sealing surfaces, an increase in the required actuation torque or force, or worst case in seizure of the valve. Implementing a preventative maintenance program that includes a routine valve re-lubrication will ensure optimum valve protection.
Hydrocarbon Resistance
A fundamental requirement of the valve lubricant is the resistance to liquid and gas phase hydrocarbons. To test a lubricant, a sample of the lubricant is applied to a glass plate, and then placed within a container of hydrocarbon fluid. The fluid breaks down the GP Valve Grease very quickly. In the valve, the grease will be washed out of the cavity when cycled just a few times. The lubricant should not be unaffected by the hydrocarbon fluid, regardless of exposure time, thus providing long term cavity retention.
March 2011 Referenced by http://www.rsclare.com/oil_gas.html
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Pipeline Ball Valves are manufactured and tested in accordance with the requirements of API 6D, and are designed not to rely on lubricant to ensure that they seal.
During manufacture and factory testing, the use of lubricants and/or sealants is prohibited. This is to prevent masking of any defects in the new valve.
Installation and commissioning into a pipeline is an interventive engineering process, making use of hot and cold working techniques relying on mechanical tooling. As a result it is inevitable that between valve installation and commissioning, an amount of foreign debris will enter the valve (i.e. sand / dirt / swarf / weld slag). This is a natural result of the manufacturing process that cannot be avoided.
Once installed the valve is usually cycled during the testing of its gearbox or actuator, and again during hydrostatic testing of the pipeline.
These activities create tiny scratches on the polished ball surface where the debris present in the line wears on the ball and seat during the cycling of the valve.
In time, this reduces the valves ability to provide an adequate seal, as these tiny scratches begin to cause minor leak paths. All fluid and gas flows contain an element of contaminant which contributes to this effect over the life of the valve.
Minor leak paths that seal at low pressure become obvious when using the valve to isolate high pressure gas. Seating material is often softer than the ball itself in order to provide a pliable material which takes up minor leak paths, but at higher pressures the gas compresses the seats and they become less pliable meaning that the minor leak paths become more significant at higher pressures.
This type of damage mechanism can also be said to be true for gate and plug valves, as gate and plug surfaces are also susceptible to the similar damage. In fact any sealing surface subject to mechanical friction is susceptible to the damage mechanism described above.
Lubricants, lubricant-sealants and emergency-sealants
Lubricants help clean valve internals, and reduce operating torque. Valvecare use a light lubricant called Equa-Lube Eighty from Sealweld immediately after hydrostatic testing of valve, to purge all test water from seat pockets where corrosion normally occurs. The advantage of this is that it removes as much debris as possible from the internal mechanism of the valve, thus reducing the chance for wear. Lubrication also reduces the friction between the wearing surfaces. Of course, new contaminant can be introduced at any time via the flow in the pipeline.
Lubricant-Sealants help to preserve seat sealing effectiveness, and to seal worn valves with minor leakage problems. Valvecare use a lubricant-sealant called Total-Lube # 911 from Sealweld, this has been proven to seal minor scratches to sealing surfaces and shallow corrosion pits, as well as small nicks and cuts on soft seals.
For valves with sealing surface scoring, this is an effective way to achieve a bubble tight seal on a valve that would otherwise fail a leak test. Use of lubricant-sealants can delay or prevent the need for costly overhaul of a worn valve.
Emergency Sealants provide an effective temporary means of creating of leak tight seal, even on valves with severe leakage problems. Valve sealing plays an important role, when performing pipeline repair, modification or renewal work, as often the costs of shutting down, evacuating, draining, and excavating pipeline equipment are typically many times more than just the cost of a new valve. Valvecare use a Valve Sealant called Ball Valve Sealant #5050 from Sealweld, containing particles of PTFE, and is capable of sealing relatively large scratches to sealing surfaces.
Lubrication
Lubrication is introduced into the valve, using the seat injection fittings. Valves that do not have seat injections fittings can usually be retrofitted to include these. Specialist valve maintenance companies, such as Valvecare, can advise you on specifics for individual valves.
Seat lubrication, is a proven means of cleaning foreign debris from valve seats, and done properly as part of a scheduled valve maintenance programme, stops debris from getting there in the first place. This practice significantly reduces damage suffered during installation, commissioning and normal cycling operation, extending the service life of the valve dramatically. The costs associated with a scheduled maintenance program including lubrication are considerably lower than a full overhaul or replacement of the valve itself.
Lubricating your valves gives the following operational advantages:
- Cleans their seats of potentially damaging particles (Sand / Dirt / Swarf / weld slag)
- Stops debris from getting stuck between seats if administered before pigging pipeline
- Prevents and removes stiction (Torque to operate reduced / less strain on stem and actuator)
- Preserves the life of their seals, and components against mechanical and corrosion damage
These advantages reduce operational cost and should therefore form part of your planned valve maintenance programme.
Sealing
Emergency Sealing involves the introduction of heavy sealant, through the valve seat injection fittings, to achieve a temporary seal. Valves that do not have seat injections fittings can usually be retrofitted to include these. Specialist valve maintenance companies, such as Valvecare, can advise you on specifics for individual valves.
Emergency Sealing your valves:
Provides an temporary bubble tight seal, even on valves with severe leakage problems
Has significant cost savings, when compared to alternatives
Saves time, with lead times for some replacement pipeline valves taking several months
The Lubrication, lubricant-Sealant and Emergency Sealant process involves the use of specialist equipment, capable of pumping a range of lubrication and sealant types safely at pressures of 10,000–15,000 psi. It is recommended that trained valve service engineers, proficient in the safe use of sealant guns and pumps, carry out this procedure.
Important Considerations
Lubrication and sealing becomes more critical in applications such as Natural Gas, Production Wellheads, Gathering Systems, Gas processing Plants, Pipelines, Gas Storage Facilities and Gas Distribution Systems. Applications like these are more likely to cause damage to the critical sealing surfaces of valves, due to the lack of lubrication present in dry gas, and the presence of sand and debris in production wellheads. As part of a valve maintenance programme, preventative valve maintenance helps minimises the adverse effects of these services, increasing the service life of your valves.
For increased valve service life, the presence of an emergency seat sealant injection feature is an important consideration when procuring pipeline valve stock.
Equally as important is the choice of injection fittings and/or adaptors that are installed on the valve. Sealant injection fittings feature a means of passing sealant or lubricant into the valve, and incorporate a high pressure metal seated check valve. As a safety precaution, Valvecare do not endorse the use of carbon steel, crimped style injection fittings. As standard, we only recommend the use quality stainless steel injection fittings incorporating a threaded spring retaining cage, in order to minimise the risk of dangerous fitting failure.
Valve lubrication and sealing is an essential part of an effectively managed valve maintenance programme. Once installed and lubricated, a regular documented lubrication schedule should be established for all critical valves. Valvecare specialise in a supplying a total management programme for your valves, with a focus on the criticality of valves in relation to impact on safety elements and production, maintenance routines, spares holding, valve tracking and selection procedures. This type of valve management programme is a highly effective way of optimising reliability and safety whilst minimising cost and downtime.
