Making the Leap to Electric Motors and Adjustable-Speed Drives: A Case Study of a 20,000-hp Gas Turbine-Driven Compressor

Compressors of all forms, types, and sizes are the workhorses of the oil and gas industry. Historically, the petrochemical industry has been dominated by mechanical prime movers, such as gas turbines, steam turbines, and diesel engines for multimegawatt rotating machinery. Some installations date back almost 40-50 years. In recent times, the prime movers have become difficult and expensive to service and maintain. They often have lower efficiencies than new equipment, and spare parts can be difficult to find. When U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permits expire, and because strict emission compliance is mandatory, many end users face the challenging task of decommissioning their entire compressor train and procuring a new one. However, a workable and cost-effective solution is to retrofit existing mechanical-based prime movers while retaining the functioning gas compressor.