Oil & gas

Oil and Gas Pumps Perform Many Processes

Pumps perform a wide array of processes in oil and gas operations, purifying and transferring fluids that have various compositions and viscosities from one point to another. Processing fluids in oil and gas operations can range from simple to difficult, depending on the nature of the substance and the flow rate required.

Pumps are used to propel oil from the ground to the surface, and transfer oil to a refinery chamber, ship, storage unit, pipeline, or other locations. Pumps are essential for daily operations in the oil and gas industry, and each type of pump plays a distinct and critical role.
Choosing the correct type of pump for a specific oil and gas process is crucial. Since most electricity consumed in oil and gas operations is from pumps and motorized equipment, with nearly 80% of a pump’s operating costs spent entirely on electricity, energy-efficient pumping solutions are important.

Pumps Used in the Oil and Gas Industry

Pumps for the oil and gas industry come in many different types depending on the pumping requirements. Pumps fall into two broad categories, either Rotodynamic or Positive Displacement pumps. Rotodynamic pumps are sometimes called kinetic pumps, such as centrifugal pumps that force kinetic energy to move fluid from suction to discharge. Positive displacement pumps operate with a reciprocating action, lobes, gears, or other moving parts to transfer liquid from one area to another.

Many types of pumps are used in the oil and gas industry that fall into both of these categories. Some of the most common types of oil and gas pumps include:

Centrifugal pumps – A type of rotodynamic pump, these are one of the most common and versatile types of pumps used in the oil and gas industry. Centrifugal pumps are utilized in many applications and are the preferred pump type to transfer low viscosity fluids at high flow rates, capable of pumping several hundred gallons of liquid per minute. Centrifugal pumps can be used as part of a large pumping network in processes such as secondary oil and gas recovery or used as horizontal multistage pumps for crude oil shipping.

Gear pumps – Gear pumps are a type of rotary, positive displacement pump that operate with reciprocating or spinning elements to force liquid into a contained space. Gear pumps have the ability to transfer highly viscous fluids or fluids containing solids which can be difficult for other types of pumps to handle. Gear pumps are a more compact unit that are often used in an upstream phase of an oil refinery and are ideal for transferring thick fluids at a low stream rate with high pressure.

Booster pumps – Booster pumps are standard in the oil and gas industry, available in many styles, and provide reliable operation with both gas and liquid. Booster pumps are widely used for various purposes, such as increasing the gas pressure, charging gas cylinders, or transferring high-pressure gas.

Diaphragm pumps – Diaphragm pumps are a type of air-operated reciprocating pump and provide a lot of versatility in the oil and gas industry. Diaphragm pumps transfer fluid through positive displacement and are suitable for transferring a high volume of fluid in oil refineries. They have fewer moving parts than positive displacement pumps, require less maintenance, and are available in a compact footprint. Diaphragm pumps are often used to pull oil into a refinery chamber during the midstream and upstream phases of crude oil refinement.

Metering pumps – Metering pumps are significant in the oil and gas industry, providing reliability and accuracy during critical processes. Metering pumps provide flow assurance in the offshore environment, dosing chemicals such as monoethylene glycol and methanol directly to the wellhead on the seabed to prevent corrosion. This process prevents the formation of hydrates and also prevents the wellhead from freezing.

Metering pumps are also crucial for separation and pipeline transport. When oil and gas are brought up from the wellhead, unwanted items are included or floating in the mixture and must be separated to pump oil or gas into the pipeline. Liquid hydrocarbons become unstable during separation and can reduce flowability, which can damage pipelines. Paraffin and asphaltene inhibitors must be accurately metered and dosed for two reasons. They are expensive chemicals and must be removed downstream if too much of the chemicals are injected upstream. Metering pumps are also crucial to the enhanced oil recovery process, where polymers are dosed into the reservoir where oil droplets can be pushed together towards production zones for extraction.

Submersible pumps – Submersible pumps are widely used in the oil and gas industry as they can be completely submerged in the fluid to be pumped without pump cavitation occurring. This is often a problem when there is a high elevation difference between the fluid surface in the pump. Submersible pumps are efficient in oil and gas operations and are used as an oil and water separator.

Pump Supplier for the Oil and Gas Industry

Illinois Process Equipment, IPE, offers these types of pumps for the oil and gas industry and others, along with value-added services that set us apart from other pump suppliers. We provide the full Grundfos pump product line and quality pumps from the top manufacturers such as Flowserve, Eclipse, Innomag, Iwaki, PACO, Prosser, and more.