Oilfield Compression 101

August 11, 2020

Presentation Items
A. Compressor Applications
• Casing Gas
• Vapor Recovery
• Gas Well Boosting

B. 7 Types of Compressor
• Reciprocating
• Oil Flooded Screw
• Sliding Vane
• Blower
• Hydraulic
• Multiphase Transfer Pump
• Wet Gas

C. 4 Types of Driver
• Gas Engine
• Electric Motor
• Diesel Engine
• Hydraulic Motor
Casing Gas
Typical Operating Conditions
• Suction 15-40 psi/100-275 kPa
• Discharge 150-400 psi/1000-2800 kPa
• Water saturated gas stream
• Mostly methane, with some longer chain hydrocarbons
Vapor Recovery
Typical Operating Conditions
• Suction 0-1 psi/0-7 kPa
• Discharge 40-150 psi/275-1000 kPa
• High CO2 content, frequently some H2S content
• Water saturated gas stream
• Large range of hydrocarbons, short chain and long chain
Gas Well Boosting
Typical Operating Conditions
• Suction 0-50 psi/0-340 kPa
• Discharge 60-300 psi/410-2070 kPa
• Gas stream is primarily saturated methane, may have some sour
content
Reciprocating Compressor
• Oldest, most extensively developed style of compressor
• Uses a piston traveling back and forth to expand and contract
compression chamber volume
• Depends on check valves to permit flow in only one direction
• Three common styles: Air derivative, process gas, field gas
• Two common types: single-acting or double-acting

Suction Discharge
1. Piston travels down 1. Piston travels up
2. Discharge valve closes 2. Inlet valve closes
3. Pressure drops below 3. Chamber pressure
suction pressure increases to discharge P
4. Inlet valve opens 4. Discharge valve opens
5. Chamber fills with 5. Gas is forced out as
suction pressure chamber volume
decreases
Single-Acting vs Double-Acting
Single-Acting Double-Acting
• Valves at one end of cylinder • Valves at both ends of cylinder
• One suction/discharge cycle per • Two suction/discharge cycles per
piston stroke piston stroke
• Simpler design • More efficient
Stages
• Compressors with multiple cylinders can use two or more compression stages for a
higher overall compression ratio

Single Stage Multistage

• One or more cylinders • At least two cylinders
• Each cylinder at same suction and • Each successive cylinder’s suction
discharge pressure is the previous one’s discharge
• Higher volume of gas moved • Higher overall compression ratio
• Usually requires cooling between
stages
• Multistage compressor systems
need not be recip only, ie can use
a screw or blower to boost initial
pressure for a recip
Air Compressor Derivative

• Vertical single, vertical twin, or

V-twin
• Single-acting
• 1 or 2 stage
• Crankcase oil lubricated

Quincy Cutaway
Air Compressor Derivative

• 5-30 hp/3.7-22 kW
• Suction 0-50 psi/0-345 kPa
• Discharge 10-400 psi/70-2800 kPa

Quincy 370 in CG25

Air Compressor Derivative
• Over the years a number of
packagers have used Air
Compressor derivatives for low
volume natural gas service
primarily because they are much
less expensive than Process Gas
Compressors
• Because they were designed for
air – not natural gas – they have a
number of design factors
including continuous venting that
make them unsuitable for most
NG applications

Quincy 370 in CG25

Air Compressor Derivative
Advantages Disadvantages
• Low capital cost • Designed for air – not NG
• Compact, small footprint • Continuous venting
• Regular maintenance required,
oil changes, valve replacements
• Less flexible to changing
capacity, limited range of
operating speeds
• Have to manage vibration with
specialized mounting
Air Compressor Derivative
Preferred Applications
• Casing gas
• Low volume gas well boosting
• Vapor recovery requiring high
discharge pressures

Quincy QR370NG in CG25

Vertical Frame Reciprocating
(Process Gas)

• Small frame, vertical twin

• Single-acting or double-acting
• One or two stage
• Distance pieces isolate crankcase from
process gas
• Crankcase oil lubricated

Blackmer Cutaway
Vertical Frame Reciprocating
(Process Gas)

• 5-40 hp/3.7-30 kW
• Suction 0-40 psi/0-275 kPa
• Discharge 50-1000 psi/345-6900
kPa

Blackmer LB361
Vertical Frame Reciprocating
(Process Gas)

Advantages Disadvantages
• Compact, small footprint • Regular maintenance
• Can be specified with required, oil changes, valve
corrosion resistant materials replacements
for H2S service • Less flexible to changing
capacity, limited range of
operating speeds
• Have to manage vibration
with specialized mounting
• High capital cost/capacity
Vertical Frame Reciprocating
(Process Gas)

Preferred Applications
• Casing gas
• Low volume gas well boosting
• Vapor recovery requiring high
discharge pressures

Blackmer HDS612C in CG30 2-stage sour compressor

Horizontal Frame Reciprocating
(Conventional NG Compression)

• 1 to 4 stages
• 2/4/6 cylinders, horizontally
opposed
• Single or double-acting
• Can have multiple stages on
one cylinder in a “steeple”
formation
• Crankcase oil lubrication, and
pumped oil injection at
bearings and bushings 2 throw, 2 stage balanced horizontal frame recip
Horizontal Frame Reciprocating
(Conventional NG Compression)

• 75-4000 hp/56-3000 kW
• Suction 0-500 psi/0-3450 kPa
• Discharge 50-3000 psi/
345-20700 kPa

CIP 2 throw balanced horizontal frame recip

Horizontal Frame Reciprocating
(Conventional NG Compression)

Advantages Disadvantages
• The only option for discharge • High capital cost
pressures above 1000 psi/ • Require regular maintenance,
6900 kPa valves, oil changes, rebuilds
• Can specify different cylinders • Large footprint
for a given frame, to fine tune • Limited flexibility to changing
to the application conditions in the field
• Can reconfigure for different • Pressure pulsation needs to
applications be controlled
• Can specify corrosion • High vibration – requires
resistant materials for H2S heavy (cement) base
service
Horizontal Frame Reciprocating
(Conventional NG Compression)

Preferred Applications
• Anything requiring very high
discharge pressure
• High volume + high pressure
casing gas

CIP PVT JR in CC75R

Oil Flooded Screw

• Rotating helical screws mesh

and unmesh to open and close
compression volumes
• No valves
• Oil is injected to lubricate, seal
and cool the compressor

Tamrotor E6
Oil Flooded Screw
• Single stage
• 5-500 hp/3.7-375 kW
• Suction 0-70 psi/0-480 kPa
• Discharge 50-500 psi/345-3450 kPa
• High flow rate recycling oil
lubrication

Rotary Screw
Oil Flooded Screw
Advantages Disadvantages
• Very flexible to changing • Can be vulnerable to oil dilution
conditions, can vary speed across a – Dry NG gas requires polyglycol (PAG) oil,
broad range because its mechanical and heat transfer
properties allow the longest life for both
• No regular maintenance, just add oil and compressor, and it is resistant to
oil and change filters as needed dilution by natural gas molecules
• Low capital cost of compressor – Wet gas contains long chain hydrocarbons
(“long ends”) that, in liquid state, can
itself dilute PAG oil, ruining its ability to
• Lightweight lubricate – change oil regularly (expensive)
or destroy compressor (more expensive)
• Compact – Can compensate for this by increasing oil
temperature to keep some long ends in a
gas state, reducing their solubility – this is
a patch and not always effective
• Minimum discharge pressure is
required to keep oil circulating
• Oil and oil separation equipment add
to capital cost
Oil Flooded Screw
Preferred Applications
• Mobile/Trailer mounted
compressors
• Test compressors
• Gas well boosting
• Vapor recovery (dry gas)

Tamrotor E12 in CC50

Sliding Vane

• Eccentric rotor turns in

cylindrical housing
• Vanes are held tight to housing
walls by centrifugal force
• Rotation and sliding of vanes
opens and closes volume
pockets
• Oil injected to lubricate vanes
and bearings
• No Valves
Sliding Vane
• 1 or 2 stage
• 5-380 hp/3.7-285 kW
• Suction 0-100+ psi/0-690+ kPa
• Discharge 0-150 psi/0-1030 kPa
• “Once through” oil lubrication –
once injected oil is discarded to
process

Ro-Flo 10G in CV75E

Sliding Vane

Advantages Disadvantages
• Very resilient to corrosion – can • Oil injected into compressor is
work on up to 90% H2S not recovered, must
• No issues with lubricant continually replenish oil supply
dilution – extra cost
• Regular maintenance items are • Limited to pressures below
inexpensive, with long 150 psi/1030 kPa
maintenance intervals • External lubrication and
• Can tolerate a small amount of coolant systems add to cost
liquid ingestion, good for and complexity
service that sees long chain
hydrocarbons
• Good range of operating speeds
Sliding Vane
Preferred Applications
• Best option for high-volume
corrosive or liquid rich service
• Vapor recovery (dry gas)
• Trailer mounted compressors

Roflo 4CC in CV20

Roots Blower
• Lobes intermesh to open and
close volume pockets
• Timing gears keep lobes
synchronized. They run at
close tolerances but never
contact
• Lobes may be straight cut or
helical
• No oil or lubricant in contact
with process
Roots Blower
• Single stage
• 2-100+ hp/1.5-75 kW
• -15” Hg to 10 psi/69 kPa suction
• Up to 20 psi/137 kPa discharge
• Timing gears and bearing
independently lubricated,
sealed off from process

Dresser Roots URAI 59

Roots Blower
Advantages Disadvantages
• Oil free discharge • Must maintain high speed for
• Minimal maintenance high discharge pressure,
• No internal compression, less limiting flexibility
sensitive to entrained liquids • Low maximum discharge
• Inexpensive pressure
• Low efficiency
• Capacity control is difficult –
limited turndown range
Roots Blower
Preferred Applications
• Vacuum suction pressure
• Low pressure VRU
• Use as 1st stage before a recip
to increase flow rates
Hydraulic
• Single-stage, double-acting
reciprocating compressor
• Hydraulic rams provide motive
power
• Slow speed and long stroke
• Able to process large
quantities of liquids through
the compression element HCG15 - 613
Hydraulic
• Single stage
• 15 – 50 hp/11 – 37 kW
• Suction 0-1200 psi/0-8300 kPa
• Discharge up to 1200 psi/8300 kPa
• Up to 380 psi/2620 kPa ∆P

HCG15 - 613
Hydraulic
Advantages Disadvantages
• Able to process large • Hydraulic oil requires periodic
quantities of liquid through replenishment
the compression element • Pulsating flow
• Self-regulating control system
• Fit-for-purpose design for
casing gas applications
• Easily field serviceable
• Designed for high H2S
concentrations (usually
increase corrosion allowance
on plumbing)
• Low capital cost
• 100% turndown
Hydraulic
Preferred Applications
• Casing Gas
• Gas conservation e.g.
compressing gas from group
separator into flowline rather
than sending to flare
• Testing well response to casing
gas compression
• Low volume vent gas

HCG15 - 613
Multiphase Transfer Pump
• Single-stage, double-acting
reciprocating multiphase pump
• Similar operating principle to
hydraulic compressor with
enhancements to handle
greater quantities of liquid
• Slow speed and long stroke
Multiphase Transfer Pump
• Single stage
• 50 hp/37.5 kW
• Gas fraction 0 – 100%
• Liquid fraction 0 – 100%
• Suction up to 1200 psi/8273 kPa
• Discharge up to 1500 psi/
10342 kPa
• Differential pressure up to
MPTP50
350 psi/ 2413 kPa ∆P
• Liquid rates to 16,730 bpd/
2,660 m3/d
Multiphase Transfer Pump
Advantages Disadvantages
• Capable of multiphase flow • Hydraulic oil requires
of 0% - 100% liquid fraction periodic replenishment
• 100% turndown • Pulsating flow
• Seals vent internally
• No minimum liquid fraction
required
• Very low capital cost
• Very low maintenance cost
• Overhaul in field with no
special lifting equipment
Multiphase Transfer Pump
Preferred Applications
• Group header pressure
reduction
• Process optimization
• Replacement of aging and
maintenance intensive twin
screw multiphase pumps
• OPEX reduction
MPTP50
Wet Gas
• Two-cylinder single-stage,
double-acting reciprocating
compressor
• Direct-driven by electric or
hydraulic motor
• Able to process large
quantities of liquids through
compression element

WGC30-5
Wet Gas
• 15-30 hp/11-23 kW
• Suction 0-1200 psi/0-8300 kPa
• Discharge up to 1200 psi/
8300 kPa
• Up to 475 psi/3275 kPa ∆P
• Largest model has 1.8x capacity
of largest Hydraulic
Compressor model WGC15-4
Wet Gas
Advantages Disadvantages
• Able to process large • Pulsating flow
quantities of liquid through
the compression element
• 100% turndown
• Self-regulating control system
• High system efficiency
• Overhaul in field with no
special lifting equipment
• Seals vent internally
• Low capital cost
Wet Gas
Preferred Applications
• Casing gas compression
• Vapour recovery
• Gas conservation e.g.
compressing gas from group
separator into flowline rather
than sending to flare

WGC15-4
Drivers – Most Common

Electric Motor Gas Engine

Drivers – Most Common

Electric Motor Gas Engine

Advantages Advantages
• Low maintenance • Runs on process gas, so fuel
• Inexpensive always available
• Fuel is free or inexpensive
Disadvantages Disadvantages
• Needs electrical power on • Higher initial cost
site • Monthly maintenance
• Speed control (VFD) is required
expensive • May struggle with low BTU
gas streams
Drivers – Alternative

Diesel Engine Hydraulic Motor

Advantages Advantages
• Readily available engines and • Low maintenance
parts • Inexpensive in low power and
• No fuel issues – can process speed ranges
any gas stream • Large range of operating speed
Disadvantages
Disadvantages • Requires hydraulic power
• Higher cost of fuel, including source
cost of transport
Website: CompactCompression.com

General Inquiries: 1-403-219-3026

[email protected]