February 2010
Vast order from LDPE producer in USA
An LDPE producer has awarded PROGNOST Systems, Inc., of Houston, Texas the first order for installation of PROGNOST®-NT Asset Performance Management systems on the LDPE lines within a production facility in Texas.
The decision to select PROGNOST was made following a comprehensive technical evaluation of several leading online condition monitoring and safety shutdown systems. The primary factors centered on PROGNOST’s long-standing reputation as the technology leader in the field of reciprocating diagnostics, and the newly introduced rack-based acquisition and machinery protection panel, PROGNOST®-SILver, which is fully SIL2 certified by design with all 68 channels (vibration, proximity, pressure and temperature) compliant to IEC 61058. The customer said “We spent a lot of time evaluating the different technologies available to protect our compressors. PROGNOST’s reputation in the LDPE industry for reciprocating machine protection as well as the proven capabilities of their PROGNOST®-NT software were significant factors in our decision. When PROGNOST® introduced a system that could provide SIL2-rated interlocks in addition to all the advanced diagnostic functions of PROGNOST®-NT, we were confident this would provide improved machine reliability and safety.”
This new customer joins an impressive list of LDPE producers who have selected PROGNOST®-NT as their preferred protection and diagnostic platform on critical hyper and booster/primary compressors, which now includes 8 out of the 10 largest producers worldwide.
Refninery in southern Europe orders its first PROGNOST®-SILver
PROGNOST Systems is the specified condition monitoring vendor for recips of this refining enterprise in southern Europe. And this new order brings the first PROGNOST®-SILver to this plant. The monitoring installation on the two 2-throw Nouvo Pignone reciprocating compressors includes Safety Protection, Wear Monitoring, Early Failure Detection and Performance Optimization. With this new installation, the customer monitors a total of six critical compressors with PROGNOST®.
2nd PROGNOST Systems Userforum was a complete success
More than 50 participants attended the 2nd PROGNOST Systems Userforum in
the second week of February. The first contacts between the machine
operators from Europe, Middle East and Asia where established in course
of the evening pre-event. The first event day was headlined “Machine
Protection” and started with the bus transfer to the venue – a monastery
in the region Münsterland. Within some 30 minutes presentations, the
customers out of the gas-, petrochemical- and refining industry outlined
which damages were predicted successfully by the use of PROGNOST®. The
interesting presentations of Clariant, SASOL and E.ON which consisted of
very special contents, started lively discussions ...read more
January 2010
Russian refinery ordered PROGNOST®-NT for additional five recips
After a 10 month test of PROGNOST® on a new compressor, the customer decided to fully equip another five machines with the leading safety protection and monitoring technology. All machines have 2 stages and are in the desulphurization process. The system includes all PROGNOST®-NT modules with the SIL2 certified Safety Protection hardware PROGNOST®-SILver.
Joint Venture from Saudi Arabia orders a full Asset Performance Management package
This Joint Venture of two world leading refining enterprises builds a new 400,000 bpd export refinery in Saudi Arabia. The export refinery when completed will be one of the most advanced refineries in the world and will process Arabian heavy crude to produce 700,000 t/y of paraxylene, 140,000 t/y of benzene and 200,000 t/y of polymer grade propylene.
The project value is estimated USD 9,6 billion. PROGNOST Systems is awarded a contract for monitoring equipment for five new Dresser Rand reciprocating compressors. The 4-throw machines are in the desulphurization process; the gas is hydrogen. The installation consists of a full Asset Performance Management package including the SIL2 certified Safety Protection hardware PROGNOST®-SILver.
K10 Hyper compressor in France will be equipped with a full PROGNOST®-NT system
This customer, located in France, ordered a full PROGNOST®-NT including SIL2-certified Safety Protection for a K10 hyper compressor from Burckhardt Compression.
With this installation, the company monitors two compressor lines for LDPE production at the production facility. Along with the new installation goes an update of all existing PROGNOST®-NT systems to the 2010 version VISU 11.
Refinery in Cartagena orders additional PROGNOST® systems
This refinery in Cartagena (Spain) is a PROGNOST® customer since 2006. Earlier this year, the company ordered additional PROGNOST® systems for four Peter Brotherhood reciprocating compressors. These machines are part of the refinery expansion project (C10) the company realizes. Although these machines are rather small, they are rated as critical since they are relevant for the desulphurization process. The modular architecture of PROGNOST® helped the customer to 100% meet his requirements. With these new systems, PROGNOST monitors six recips in this refining facility.
Road Show 2010 with Sinopec and Richcon Technology Limited (11.01.2010 - 14.01.2010)
40 attendees actively participated in the Road Show which was arranged by Sinopec and Richcon Technology Limited. The presentation of the products (PROGNOST®-NT, PROGNOST®-SILver and PROGNOST®-NT Swift) and also some Case Studies were the main topics at this event. The experts from Sinopec discussed with great interest their experiences in operating and monitoring reciprocating machinery with the team from PROGNOST.
All in all Eike Drewes (Managing Director of PROGNOST Systems) and Daniel Goebel (Technical Sales of PROGNOST Systems) could look back at an eventful week with many newly created contacts.
TOTAL CTG2010 8.12.2009 - 11.12.2009 Paris
Back in 2000 the TOTAL CTG (Comité Technologie Groupe) has been set up to provide a platform to anyone within the TOTAL group who was interested in exploiting technology, to meet, reflect and join forces.
The goal of the CTG is to make technological expertise available to all, to share experience in order to solve the problems of others and to find and share best practises.
This year PROGNOST Systems has been invited with recommendation of the leading rotating equipment engineers of TOTAL to join the yearly CTG exhibition. Together with TECH PARTNERS (PSG local agent for France) PROGNOST Systems took the opportunity to present itself during one week at the TOTAL headquarters in Paris.
This unique and well received event gave PROGNOST Systems the chance to present its monitoring solutions to numerous people concerned with rotating equipment and to discuss future activities also on the basis of the 39 existing installations within TOTAL today.
The pictures above show Vincent Desmons from TECHPARTNERS and Alexander Harenkamp from PROGNOST Systems (left picture) as well as the PROGNOST booth during the CTG exhibition (right picture).