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Moisture
Recovery Unit For Online Cleaning of Gas Turbines
Operators of gas turbines know that dirty turbine blades can account for two thirds of efficiency losses in gas turbines, so blade cleaning is a standard practice. But automated online cleaning through water washing has often not been successful because of problems experienced with delivery and control systems and maintaining water of sufficient quality (measured by conductivity). Most manufacturers recommend water conductivity of 3.3, which typical water systems provide.
The innovative Moisture Recovery Unit (MRU) developed by International Water Makers, Inc. captures water from the atmosphere. Suspended salts, dust and other gaseous contaminants are removed from air before capturing water from it. Captured water is passed through five stages of filtration. Water purity is such that conductivity is below 1.0, significantly above minimum specifications.
When this pure water is combined with an
effective microprocessor- based control system in a packaged
unit that allows automated online washing every 1 to
2 days, turbine blades can be kept clean and efficiencies
maintained at 99%. Automated online cleaning reduces manual
shutdowns, potentially to annual cleaning or longer. One large
oil producer using the MRU system is sufficiently satisfied to
term it a "best practice" for their onshore and
offshore gas turbine cleaning applications.
Excerpted from article in Go Gulf
magazine, March/April 2003, p. 46-47. For more information,
contact Don Milliman, phone 800-450-3531, e-mail iwm36@yahoo.com.
Deepwater
Drilling: Where Are We Headed?
On June 17-18 in Galveston, about 100
participants addressed this issue at a meeting sponsored by
the Drilling Engineering Association (DEA). There was a
notable increase in international participants compared to
2002. The two-day workshop focused on the separate systems
areas of operations: tubulars, rigs and vessels on Day 1,
followed by annular flow and wellbore stability on Day 2. Both
days included breakout sessions where discussion dealt with
closing technological gaps. Participants find the breakout
sessions most rewarding due to the candid
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discussion about how industry can work together
to advance technologies. This workshop is an example of how
resources are being leveraged since DEA became affiliated with
the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC)
last year.
Participants expressed concern about identifying barriers to technology commercialization. Several early Joint Industry Projects (JIP) conducted within DEA proved that certain
technologies worked, but there hasn't been broad acceptance. An example of this might be dual gradient
drilling— although proven by field testing, alternative solutions may delay investment in this solution.
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Is it market issues? Technology push versus industry pull? Investment issues? Lack of awareness/knowledge
on the producer's part? The challenge is not just in drilling. Expanded tubulars, which are proving to have many applications onshore as well as offshore, would not have happened without the steadfast commitment of one major operator and one service company working jointly. Technology commercialization is a changing pursuit today.
For more information on the DEA and IADC, visit their websites at
www.dea.main.com and
www.iadc.org.
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Selcon Co-Lift, an alternative lift system that circulates an oleophilic (oil-attracting) band through the oil zone and back to the surface where the oil is squeezed out, targets low volume stripper wells producing minimal gas. It is designed for wells with static fluid level less than 3,000 fit. Minimum casing ID is 4 inches. The system is easily moved, so one unit can sequentially service several wells, giving oil time to flow into wellbores as other wells are serviced. Noise is minimal and low profile versions are available, further making the unit attractive.
When the circulating band is squeezed, oil drains into a collecting tray and out through a side pipe to a collecting tank. Since the band is oleophilic, water is not lifted, making operating costs very low. Band circulation speed can be controlled to optimize production. Field production tests have shown excellent results with heavy oil, but the system works for any gravity oil. Units have been operating in Argentina for several months, plus units are now under field test in the Luling, Texas area.
The system is available for sale, lease or production sharing agreements. For more information contact,
sales@selconcolift.com
or call 713-628-0536.
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Tech
Transfer Track