June 2010
First edition of the Compressor Diagnostics Bulletin
This E-Newsletter will be issued every other month and inform you about the latest developments in the field of Asset Performance Management for reciprocating compressors and pumps.
Our next edition is scheduled for Aug/Sep and will focus on critical rotating equipment in LDPE service.
May 2010
Global Petroleum Show 2010
Meet us at the 2010 Calgary Global Petroleum Show and learn about the latest developments to reliably protect your reciprocating production assets.
From PROGNOST®-NT Swift to a permanent PROGNOST®-NT install
After quite some month of intensive testing of the systems capabilities and reliability, this producer of speciality chemicals (Germany) ordered a PROGNOST®-NT system for permanent use. The machine that is to be equipped is a six-throw Halberstädter recip compressor in boxer-design with seven stages. It is a primary compressor, followed by a Hyper model, both are in ethylen service. The primary product of this process is diesel fuel additives.Infaith Maintenance Day 2010
60-some attendees participated the "Maintenance Day 2010 Workshop" in Daejeon at April 29 and 30, 2010 hosted by pur local sales partner INFAITH. The city of Daejeon, a host of the soccer worldcup 2002, is located in central Korea, two hours south east from Seoul. Attendees from all over the country came to learn about modern monitoring and maintenance solutions from various market leaders. PROGNOST Systems GmbH, represented by Daniel Goebel, presented state of the art Asset Performance Management System for reciprocating machinery. Experiences with the worlds first SIL2 compliant monitoring solution, PROGNOST®-SILver, were presented in combination with the unique features of the PROGNOST®-NT online monitoring system.
The first day was closed by a delicious dinner and a few hours of Karaoke. With the closing of the second day, full of valuable information and new contacts, all attendees went home with the intention to come back next year.
Roparun 2010
Our Sales Agent Rick Meijer arranged a sponsoring of the BP team "Blijf Positief" for the Roparun 2010. The Roparun starts at the 22 and 23 of May in Paris and will be finished at the 24 of May in Rotterdam.
About the Roparun
The Roparun is the longest non-stop relay race in the world for people with cancer: it's not only a unique running event but it also has a unique goal:
"Aiming to add life to the days that remain, when no more days can be added to life"
Roparun is an abbreviation of Rotterdam - Paris - RUN, its route covers approximately 530km. When it began, in 1992, the race started on the Coolsingel in Rotterdam and finished in the airport area Le Bourget in the 'city of lights', Paris. Since 2004 the route has gone in the other direction, starting in Paris and finishing in Rotterdam.
April 2010
User Forum at the South Shore Harbour Conference Center
April 22 brought a record number of North American PROGNOST®-NT system Users together at the South Shore Harbour Conference Center and Resort on Clear Lake for the 2010 PROGNOST User Forum.
Participants from plant site across the US and Canada gathered for the full day technical program focused on practical application of recent key advancements in PROGNOST®-NT hardware and software. Conference highlights included presentations by Director of R&D, Christian Koers, describing the SIL 2 certified machinery protection panel PROGNOST®-SILver released in Fall 2009, an informative tutorial by Area Sales Manager Oliver Franz on what functional safety and SIL mean to users, and an interesting section created by Customer Service Manager, Tobias Ahlert who demonstrated examples of real world benefits received from users who make use of available telephone Hotline Services.
Five of the most compelling case studies cataloged during the past year from BP, Invista, MarkWest, Valero and Yara were presented by users illustrating impressive safety "saves" and diagnostic "catches" including: Early Detection of a Wrist Pin Failure at Commissioning, Successful Diagnosis of a Serious Rod Position Issue, Automatic Shutdown due to Loose Piston Jam Nut, Avoidance of Major Damages Using Proximity Measurements to Detect a Partially Fractured Piston Rod.
The entire PROGNOST Systems Team, including the T. F. Hudgins sales organization, was extremely pleased to see users take full advantage of the networking opportunities promoted during the event and that participants gave unanimous high marks in all categories, particularly "value received".
New Publications
The magazine "Hydrocarbon Engineering" published the article "Harzardous or Harmless" in the April issue. read more
Training Camp in Assam (India)
 |
PROGNOST Systems employee Wolfgang sticks to his training routine also during business trips. Between performing system installations, he keeps his body fit and trim...quite unsual for the Assam people and worth a picture in the regional newspaper. |
March 2010
PROGNOST Systems 2010 User Forum in Texas, USA
See the State-of-the-Art...and the Future
PROGNOST®-SILver Assembly Join other forward-thinking PROGNOST® users for an exclusive look at cutting-edge technologies and best practices for improving the safety, availability and profitability of reciprocating machinery in your plant. In just one day, you’ll find essential information to help you act today and plan for tomorrow.
Why You'll Want to Be There:
Learn best practices on monitoring strategy implementation and operational improvement from your peers and PROGNOST experts attending the forum.
Gain in-depth insight to how others are using PROGNOST®-NT technology to deliver tangible results and justify investment dollars.
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).