How Industrial Air Compressors Are Used in the Oil and Gas Industry
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Kaishan USA | February 15, 2023 | Uncategorized
Air compressor systems are deployed in all stages of the oil and gas industry.
The sprawling oil and gas industry has hundreds, if not thousands, of uses for air compressors, including rotary screw air compressors.
Compressed air systems are a natural for the industry, where they are an important power source often referred to as the fourth utility (behind gas, electricity and water). In addition to being versatile and cost-effective, compressed air systems are safe, an important concern in an industry where environments can be volatile or explosive. Both on drilling sites and in refineries.
Oil refineries use rotary screw air compressors in a variety of uses, finding them more cost-effective than diesel compressors for uses like backup, trim and point-of-use air.
Rotary screw air compressors are used in all stages of the oil and gas industry:
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- Exploration. From seismic exploration to production, drilling and treatment, air compressor systems help recover crude oil and prepare it for shipment and processing.
- Transportation. Air compressors help move crude oil from the source to refineries where it can be processed.
- Processing and refining. Compressed air is used in sulfur removal and recovery, process heating, catalyst regeneration, hydrogen recovery and purification.
- Distribution. Compressed air systems help get the end products—gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene and jet fuel—to the energy, power generation and consumer markets. Not to mention the petroleum byproducts that create myriad plastics and building materials.
Power plants are often the final destination for the products from the oil and gas industry where their energy is converted into electricity.
Air Compressor Applications
Rotary screw compressors are used in a wide range of oil and gas industry applications, including:
- Onshore drilling. Land-based applications can range from small rig to much larger drilling operations.
- Offshore drilling. Compressed air systems on an offshore oil platform might range from blowing out pipelines to painting, sandblasting and cleaning. Offshore platforms are much larger, of course, than land-based drilling rigs because they sometimes need to go through hundreds or thousands of feet of water before drilling begins.
Offshore oil platforms have many of the same air compressor requirements as oil rigs on land but on a larger scale.
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- Gas compression. Compressed air systems are involved in vapor recovery, fuel gas and wellhead boosting and landfill gas.
- Pipeline and process services. Well flow and reservoir pressures slowly decrease over time. As a result, compressors are used to maintain or increase gas flow into a pipeline system in transporting gas through pipelines.
- Well testing. Compressors are used to help take critical performance measurements on a well while fluids are still flowing from the reservoir.
Both oil-free and oil-lubricated units play an important role, serving as:
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- Backup air. When those huge centrifugal air compressors shut down, it may take days or even weeks to get them back in service. Both refineries and drilling operations are finding that rotary screw air compressors are much more cost effective than the diesel compressors they have used in the past.
- Trim air. Some well-designed compressed air systems use rotary screw air compressors to supplement the large centrifugal units, especially during periods of peak demand.
- Point-of-use air. Occasionally, it makes sense to use a rotary screw air compressor to meet the needs of a particular tool or application. Especially if it requires a lot of pressure or flow and is a considerable distance from the rest of the compressed air system or is not on the main airline.
Diesel vs. Electric
Many companies, not just in oil and gas, use compressors powered by diesel motors to fill many of the functions mentioned above, especially as backups when a main air compressor goes down.
Unfortunately, that solution, though it gives you flexibility, is very expensive—it costs two to four times more. Plus, it produces a lot of emissions and the air is of lower quality. And then there’s a problem of supplying the unit with diesel fuel about every 12 hours.
In addition, there are significant savings in maintenance costs: a portable diesel compressor will need oil and filters every 250 hours. If you’re operating 24/7, that could mean they need maintenance every ten days.
Electric air compressors can offer the same level of flexibility, with significant energy savings. Plus their maintenance is much less of an issue. They will need some minor maintenance every three months—longer if they’re used only sporadically as backup units.
Working with an Air Compressor Professional
As is true in many other industries, oil and gas processors can benefit from developing a relationship with an air compressor system maintenance professional.
Many companies are finding that they no longer have the kind of expertise they need in-house to deal with more advanced equipment.
And, when you go beyond routine maintenance, additional costs of hiring a pro may well be offset by ensuring your air compressor system is working at an optimum level. Not to mention, preventing downtime and savings in energy costs. Especially when you consider that reducing compressed air loss from the normal 40% to 50% range to 20% or less can easily save you tens of thousands of dollars annually in energy costs.
Bring in a professional anytime you see a drop in performance you just can’t explain.
Kaishan USA works with a nationwide network of independent distributors, who can provide on-site help and consultation as needed. These factory-trained air compressor experts have an investment in their local communities and can service your air compressor system without a problem. And they have staff members who are skilled in using advanced technology on a daily basis.
From routine oil sampling to major engine repair, our network can handle any air compressor service request to ensure reliable operation of your equipment. And service your air compressor system without a problem.
Key Takeaways
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- Air compressors are used in all stages of the oil and gas industry, including exploration, transportation, processing and refining and distribution.
- Rotary screw air compressors are used as backup, trim and point-of-use units, in applications as wide-ranging as onshore drilling, offshore drilling, gas compression, pipeline and process services, and well testing.
- Electric motors are much more energy-efficient than diesel motors in powering air compressors. They are also easier and less expensive to maintain.
- It may make sense to develop a relationship with an air compressor system maintenance professional to ensure your air compressor system is working at an optimum level.
Let Us Help
Maintaining your rotary screw air compressor is absolutely critical to the operation not only of your compressed air system but also of all the processes that rely on that system. If you need help determining the best use of industrial air compressors in any oil and gas industry application, get in touch with the experts at Kaishan. Contact us today.
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The sprawling oil and gas industry has hundreds, if not thousands, of uses for air compressors, including rotary screw air compressors.