Improved Compressor Valve Reliability

Ongoing maintenance issues with OEM style compressor valves on multiple units at a key western Alberta site for a Canadian midstream oil and gas producer were causing excessive down-time and operator callouts. Additional design challenges included dirty sour gas service.

The customer came to Chinook, looking for a solution to improve compressor valve reliability while enhancing throughput.

Chinook designed and installed Chinook radius ring compressor valves for several compressors of the same make and model on this site tailored for use specific to the operational conditions. A significant improvement in reliability was realized while achieving a measurable increase in gas throughput.

Over the years that followed this trial the customer has installed Chinook compressor valves to additional units at both this site and another nearby, critical to their natural gas compression operations. The oldest Chinook compressor valves at this site have been in service since the early 1980’s with additional valves being added in the subsequent decades. The only compressor valves that the customer will accept at these locations are Chinook designed and manufactured radius ring, breech lock valves.