December 2004

Dedicated to Gas Compression Products and Applications

www.compressortech2.comwww.compressortech2.com

December 2004

Dedicated to Gas Compression Products and Applications

300 West FirstAlice, Texas 78332 USA800.723.6396 361.668.8311 fax: 361.668.3906www.endyn.com

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Through the combined efforts of fivecompanies — three in Texas, U.S.A.,and two in Peru — three completeSuperior engine/compressor packageswere shipped to a new Petrotech com-pressor station near Talara, on thenorthern coast of Peru, South America.Energy Dynamics (EnDyn) Ltd. in Alice,Texas, U.S.A., coordinated and shippedthe customized packages that cost $2.85million, and in the process met Petro-tech’s tight delivery schedule. Uniqueconsiderations of the project included alow suction pressure, a discharge pres-sure of 2000 psi (138 bar) and a flowrate of 38 MMcfd (1.08 x 106 m3/d).

A total of 7950 hp (5930 kW) at 2650hp (1980 kW) per unit was supplied.The Superior driver is a model 16-SGTnatural gas-fired turbocharged engine.The reciprocating compressor is a sepa-rable six-cylinder Superior model MW-66. Reaching the flow requirementswas easier using Superior six-throwcompressors said Kevin Downes,EnDyn’s project liaison and director ofsales and marketing. EnDyn special-izes in parts and service for Superiorand Ajax engines and compressors.

“These are three- and four-stageunits with a low suction pressure. We

were able to achieve the desired flowrate using fewer Superior units thanany other type,” said Downes. “Wecould have achieved the same resultusing more horsepower and more unitsof Waukesha, Ajax or another brand toperform this service. But given the cus-tomer’s requirement for re-engineeredhorsepower, that would have poten-tially increased the customer’s capitalexpenditure for the size of the com-pressor station as well as future mainte-nance dollars.”

Altronic Controls in Garland, Texas,and Universal Compression in Hous-ton, Texas, also contributed to thePetrotech project. EnDyn was initiallynotified of Petrotech’s compressionneeds through its Peruvian agent, AbaxEnergy Services, a division of GTJ In-ternational, a PowerParts distributor lo-cated in Lima. PowerParts is the brandname of EnDyn’s product line.

“This is the first time that we havedone any significant business withPetrotech to speak of,” said JackMcMonagle, EnDyn’s vice president ofoperations. “EnDyn has agents or dis-tributors located in various market-places worldwide, and [since 1995] wehave had an agreement with Abax/GTJ

to represent EnDyn’s products, so that’show we came to be considered for theproject.

“It’s always a challenge working inthe international arena, coordinatingwith our agent, with a project of thismagnitude, and accomplishing all thatfor a relatively new EnDyn customer,”McMonagle added. “So on the frontside there was a great deal of timeand effort on the part of all players —EnDyn, the agent and the customer —in developing the specifications forthe project. We needed a clear under-standing of what Petrotech wantedand expected, and it in turn got aclear understanding of what EnDynwould provide. Accomplishing thatoverseas is always quite demandingbut this project was fairly consistentwith others EnDyn has handled overthe last 15 to 20 years in locations fromCanada to South America and theMiddle East.”

Regarding financing for projects ofthis magnitude, McMonagle saidEnDyn might work out progressivepayment terms based on percent ofproject completion by certain dates,pending the customer’s on-site inspec-tion. This doesn’t always fit a cus-

PERUVIAN PROJECT PROVES PRACTICAL FOR PETROTECHEnDyn and Partners Made it Possible to Successfully

Meet Tight Schedule under Challenging ConditionsBy Ellen Hopkins

DECEMBER 2004 COMPRESSORTechTwo

n EnDyn made major modifica-tions to meet PetroTech’s specifi-cations. Shown are Units 2 and 3in the repackaging process.

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tomer’s situation, he said, but this typeof arrangement was done on a numberof items in the Petrotech project.

Downes said the location, equip-ment procurement and the weatherwere specific challenges on this proj-ect. The Pena Negra Compressor Sta-tion, located near the city of Talara andwithin a stone’s throw of the PacificOcean, serves a dual purpose. Gas istaken from a cryogenic plant and com-pressed for injection of secondary re-covery crude. Also, the gas is sold to alocal power plant for electric powergeneration.

The compressor station was de-signed in concert with the cryogenicplant and the need for injection, whichtakes place on an offshore platform.The gas is transported, stripped in thecryogenic plant, and the dry gas is sentto the compressor station for reinjec-tion and for gas sales. This area ofPeru is very arid and the desert sandand salt in the air present unusuallydemanding maintenance challenges.

“The elements were taken into con-sideration during the constructionphase,” said Downes. “EnDyn con-sulted during design and through con-struction and recommended specificpiping configurations and other ideas,including an overhead structure to pro-tect the units. Although the units arenot fully enclosed, an overhead craneis in the building for maintenance.”

Petrotech contracted EnDyn to beginthe project in the spring 2003. By latefall that same year, the units had beendelivered and EnDyn subsequently be-gan the commissioning. Unique projectconsiderations included accomplishingthe suction to discharge pressure inthree stages on one unit and in fourstages on the other two units, whichEnDyn was able to find on the usedequipment market.

“These particular engines require air-

to-fuel ratio controllers,” said Downes.“We’re utilizing the latest in technologyto achieve this — the Altronic EPC 200celectronic/digital controller. This con-troller works in concert with the othercontrol panel equipment such as theCPU 95 electronic ignition as well asthe annunciator and gauges.

“In order to put the lowest cost al-ternative package together for the end-user,” continued Downes, “one of theunits for the Petrotech project was cus-tomer provided and we refurbished it.The other two units we found on themarket and actually partnered withUniversal Compression’s revamp shopin Houston. Universal had these intheir excess inventory, so we pur-chased them and repackaged them tomeet Petrotech’s requirements.”

McMonagle said EnDyn has workedvery closely with Universal Com-pression for a number of years, both inproviding replacement parts for Sup-erior and Ajax equipment and in part-nering with them on projects of thismagnitude.

The customer had a tightdelivery schedule and that’swhy partnering with Universalwas advantageous addedDownes. He further explainedthat for the customer-supplied

equipment, very little could be utilizedother than the major components suchas the engine and compressor, somecylinders, one scrubber and a couple ofthe pulsation bottles.

“The customer-supplied unit hadbeen used offshore Louisiana andneeded quite a bit of refurbishment,”said Downes. “Also, it had a largefootprint, meaning the skid was of asize that you would find on a typicaloffshore platform. We performed azero-hour overhaul, which means wecompletely tore the package downfrom the bottles and scrubbers to dis-assembling all pieces including thecrankshafts, blocks and frames. Thenwe rebuilt all the components to ‘as-new’ specifications, fabricated newpiping and vessels where required,then x-rayed and pressure tested. Wetransferred all the equipment to a stan-dard onshore skid, which changed theassociated layout, piping and so forth.To ensure a quality rebuild, the en-gines were load tested on our in-house dynamometer, while the pack-

DECEMBER 2004 COMPRESSORTechTwo

n Unit 1 package “as delivered” from customer. The unit had been idleoffshore Louisiana and unprotected from the elements. Shown in thisphoto are compressor cylinders, pulsation bottles and miscellaneouspiping.

n Remanufactured Superior 16SGT-MW66 package (Unit 1) cus-tomized for Petrotech plant requirements, which includes standard on-shore skid design and customized piping.

n A view of the fully pneumatic control panel as deliveredfrom customer (left). The remanufactured Superior 16SGT-MW66 package (right) was customized with a fully elec-tronic Altronic EPC 200c digital control system and a one-year “new unit” warranty.

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ages were no-load run tested on theshop floor.”

McMonagle said EnDyn was awardedthe project on the basis of its ability tofind replacement equipment in the sur-plus market or within its own inventory.

“We can then quote a used, recondi-tioned — what we call zero-hour —package comparable to new, with newunit warranty for about 60% of the costof new,” said McMonagle. “On thefront side customers, find these pack-ages very attractive.”

Tracy Little, EnDyn’s president, saidhis company has been specializing inthe aftermarket for the Superior andAjax product lines for over 27 years,and the industry and the players areconstantly changing. Companies likePetrotech are interested in quality,quick deliveries and reduced costs. Hesaid that the 40% savings comparisonof remanufactured versus new is ap-pealing, and it gives EnDyn the oppor-tunity to place surplus Superior horse-power back into service.

“We’re finding in the U.S.and Canada that the num-ber of surplus units contin-ues to increase due to gasdepletions or EPA requirements forclean-burn or low-emission engines.Some customers elect to purchasenew units, while others elect to up-grade their existing units to meet theemissions requirements,” said Little.

“In markets such as Peru, there areno current government regulations re-quiring clean-burn engines. Cus-tomers have the option of purchasingremanufactured packages for new in-stallations or expanding their capabili-ties with identical types of units intheir existing fleet,” said Little. “Theirpersonnel already have the experi-ence so they can utilize existing in-ventories, which results in loweringactual operating costs compared tooperating low-emission equipment.”

But Little emphasized that interna-tional customers comparing a clean-burn unit vs. a remanufactured unit

compare more than emissions. Theyalso realize the control system is moresophisticated on a newer model, andwill require more attention and possi-bly additional training. For this project,EnDyn sent two service representativesto Petrotech’s compressor site to assistin commissioning the three units. WhileEnDyn’s representatives were there, thecustomer took advantage of their timefor “hands-on” training.

“Based on our international experi-ence, we recognize that there areunique challenges working on over-seas overhauls and start-ups,” Littleadded. “These jobs often require moretime because we count on delays. Forexample, we may find that there is apart the customer needs that may notbe readily available in remote loca-tions and has to be shipped from theU.S.A. It’s not like driving across townon a domestic job and bringing thepart back that same afternoon.

Although it has been a challenge, it’sone that EnDyn is accustomed to be-cause of its experience. EnDyn hasdone significant work in several SouthAmerican countries, including Ven-ezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentinaand Chile. Some projects requiredparts, service and training, and in othercases EnDyn packaged and sold newunits.

EnDyn Ltd. manufactures a com-plete line of new parts, known asPowerParts, for Superior and Ajax en-gines and compressors. EnDyn pro-vides field-service, in-house overhauland repair, machining, compressorpackaging, remanufactured parts andhas a lease compressor fleet. n

n The EnDyn Team worked two 12-hour shifts daily duringthe 18-week project duration to ensure “fast-track” delivery.

n Repackagingof Superior unitin process.

n Installation of three Superior 16SGT-MW66 packages during construction of Petrotech’s gasplant near Talara, Peru.REPRINTED FROM DECEMBER 2004 COMPRESSORTechTwo

Copyright Diesel & Gas Turbine PublicationsPrinted in U.S.A.

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