American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2016 - 66

SpecialReport: Compression & Production Optimization

This CFH compressor from GE Oil & Gas is one of many new products designed to minimize compression-related capital and operating costs. The CFH costs less to build than
a traditional compressor thanks to a low-vibration design that reduces the need for skid
and pedestal material.

has been proven extensively since the
early 2000s in GE Oil & Gas' 1,800 rpm,
580 horsepower CFA compressor, as well
as the API 618 5,900 horsepower SHMB
compressor.
In designing the CFR5 and CFH6,
GE Oil & Gas has simplified maintenance,
reports Jeffrey Raynal, GE Oil & Gas
product leader for reciprocating compression. "For example, the main lube
oil system is internal to the frame, thus
eliminating external piping and trip hazards. We used two-piece crosshead doors
so operators could take off a small door
for inspection instead of removing a large,
heavy crosshead door. We also improved
the auxiliary end of the compressor, making the lube oil and coolant plumbing
connections easier to access," he details.
The couple-free compressors utilize
GE's FlexFlow lined cylinders, which
Raynal says offer a more economical alternative to replacing complete cylinders
as operating conditions or flow requirements change.
"With FlexFlow cylinders, we can remove or add liners and replace piston
rod assemblies to increase or decrease
the cylinder's effective bore," he outlines.
"The liners and piston rods cost less to
purchase, store, and switch compared
with complete cylinder assemblies. Depending on the application, they can
reduce the total cost of reconfiguring a
compressor's operating envelope from
$125,000 to $25,000."
By adjusting the compressor more fre66 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

quently, Raynal says operators can utilize
the engine's full rated horsepower more
consistently, increasing the package's gas
stream revenue by moving more gas.
"That adds up over time," Raynal assures. "To show benefits, I have used
real-world wellhead depletion data to
map how much gas a compressor with
unlined cylinders will move over two
years. Then I repeated the exercise with
a compressor deploying FlexFlow cylinders to adjust with the same depleting
suction pressure. The total monetized gas
flow difference between the two scenarios
can be in the millions, depending on the
application."
Swiss Army Compressor
With its 55-horsepower LRG9 reciprocating compressor, LeROI Gas Com-

pressors is bringing the flexibility of replaceable cylinders to low-horsepower
ranges, relates Executive Vice President
Steve Moore.
"The LRG9 can go from a 1.5-inch
cylinder to an 8.5-inch cylinder," Moore
says. "It has three cylinder locations, so
as conditions change, it can go from a
three-stage unit to a two-stage unit with
a counterweight in the middle, or a single-stage unit with the two other cylinders
blanked off."
With the right configuration, Moore
says the LRG9 can achieve outlet pressures
as high as 2,500 psi. "The compressor
can handle both high inlet pressures and
high discharge pressures," he says. "For
example, we have customers who use it
to go from 600 psi to 625 psi."
Thanks to the low clearance on the
cylinders, Moore says the unit delivers
high compression ratios. With the correct
setup, he reports the compressor can take
gas from atmospheric pressure to 700800 psi, a task that might otherwise
require two compressors.
"The LRG9 can do the work of two
compressors at different pressures," he
adds. "One cylinder could be set to handle
flash gas, taking it from 50 to 250 or 300
psi, while the other two cylinders handle
gas from the vapor recovery unit or vapor
recovery tower."
According to Moore, the LRG9 handles
changes in volume as well. "We offer
valve unloaders," he adds. "Because of
the three-cylinder design, we can unload
the first-stage cylinder and leave the other
first-stage cylinder operational to cut capacity in half without speed variation.
With it, we can reduce capacity to 25
percent."
The compressor has a full packing
case and a piston rod to keep compression

LeROI Gas Compressors'
LRG9 reciprocating compressor illustrates how
flexible compressors have
become. With the ability to
operate as a one-, two- or
three-stage compressor,
the 55-horsepower unit
can be configured to handle a wide range of volumes and pressures.

American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2016

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