Midstream
The midstream sector is focused on transporting, storing, and processing hydrocarbons like natural gas.
Key applications include compression stations that boost gas pressure for efficient transport, gas gathering systems that collect natural gas from various sources, and extensive pipeline networks that ensure gas's safe and continuous flow to processing plants or distribution centers. The reliability and efficiency of equipment such as reciprocating and centrifugal compressors, gas turbines, and electric motors are essential for maintaining the integrity of these operations, which are often spread across vast and challenging terrains.
Challenges
Compression stations are critical for maintaining the pressure to transport gas over long distances. However, compressors in these stations often face issues such as valve failures, piston rod wear, and vibration problems.
These failures can lead to reduced throughput, increased energy consumption, and unplanned shutdowns, severely impacting the transportation network.
On larger gas turbine driven compression packages, maintenance tends to be schedule-driven, often resulting in millions of dollars spent on pre-mature maintenance outages. In gas-gathering systems, rotating equipment is exposed to a mix of gases and liquids. This can lead to erosion, corrosion, and liquid slugging in compressors and pumps, causing frequent maintenance interruptions.
Why Use Mechademy’s Turbomechanica Platform
The Turbomechanica platform integrates physics-based performance models with machine learning and deep learning models for early fault detection and diagnosis. The asset library includes single-shaft, two-shaft, and two-spool gas turbine models that collectively account for over 99% of installed gas turbines.
These models are coupled with centrifugal compressor process digital twins to provide a comprehensive analysis of package performance and early fault detection with prescriptive insights.
On reciprocating compressor packages, the Turbomechanica platform has demonstrated a best-in-class diagnostic framework capable of detecting cylinder valve leakage or damage with over 95% accuracy and an average lead time of two weeks.
Results delivered to our midstream customers include:
Detection of hydraulic variable speed gearbox operation on its thermal limit line that prevented fatigue failure
Detection of poor compressor aftercooler controls that prevented spurious high temperature trips
Detection of inadvertent opening of a compressor hot gas bypass valve that identified the root cause of previous trips
"Within a week of going live on the Turbomechanica platform, it was clear why our gearbox had experienced multiple failures in the past. With realtime operational insights, we were able to modify the operating point of our compression train and prevent additional failures."
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