Referring back again to the Valve World 2024 Conference , a presentation by Bray showed how the company was ‘ pushing the limits of segmented ball valves into severe energy transition applications ’. Setting the scene , the speaker indicated π www . valve-world . net Valve World March 2025 15
Oil & Gas
APLNG : 137,000 parts , 99 % reliability
The value of maintenance
Purchasing innovative systems and components such as valves and actuators is one thing ; making sure all equipment operates as anticipated over the long term takes constant vigilance . The importance of maintenance is amply displayed in a recent ConocoPhillips online story presented by Rhiannon Meredith . 6 The story focusses on how the Australia Pacific LNG export facility ( APLNG ) consistently achieves over 99 % reliability , thanks to a robust , 52-week maintenance schedule . And as might be expected , APLNG is no small installation , with an asset register of around 137,000 maintainable components . The list includes 2 LNG storage tanks , 5 LNG loading arms , 12 gas turbines , 8,500 electrical junction boxes and – the largest single contributor - 50,000 valves ! With the latest technology available to monitor and control variables such as pipeline flow rates , system pressures , temperatures and product quality , operators also receive real-time updates of any components that require inspection . Prioritized lists can then be issued helping to ensure maintenance technicians conduct checks and undertake corrective measures logically and efficiently . In combination with scheduled activities , this robust approach to maintenance helps ensure the plant hits 99 % reliability .
Gas AICVs autonomously manage to restrict water from reservoir sections where water breakthrough occurs .
Efficient pigging
Moving to the other end of the oil and gas arena , several manufacturers have recently launched ( pardon the pun ) pig ball valve technology to benefit pipeline cleaning and calibration . This technology
The State of Alaska holds an abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources including energy , mineral , timber , and seafood , says President Trump .
was also highlighted by Batu Valve Türkiye during the recent Valve World Conference in Dusseldorf . As the company explained , the adoption of pig ball valve technology in the oil and gas industry offers a more efficient , safe , and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pigging systems . They continued by saying that pig ball valve systems consolidate the functions of traditional pigging systems into a compact unit that enhances operational efficiency . Whilst traditional pigging systems rely on barrel-style launchers and receivers , the pig ball valve can be integrated into the actual pipeline . This reduces the physical footprint and simplifies pipeline system architecture . Closing the ball valve aligns the bore with an exterior hatch . After depressurising and opening , the hatch enables pigs to be inserted into the valve . The operating sequence is then reversed to restore the integrity of the pipeline and launch the pig . The ease of use and reduced infrastructural demands of pig ball valves are said to make them ideal for challenging environments like offshore platforms or urban settings , where space constraints and environmental issues can be significant concerns .
Investigating gate valve stem failure modes
Elsewhere , work of a more scientific nature is also underway . Researchers in Brazil , for example , have just published an article in ScienceDirect that provides an assessment of failure modes of a rising stem type gate valve according to ASME BPVC Section-VIII , Division-2 criteria . 5 In the preamble , the team indicate that despite the abundance of studies on diagnosing recurring failures in subsea valve applications , there is a noticeable absence of stress analysis in gate valves following current standards . Hence , their article aims to assess a GGG-40 nodular cast iron rising stem gate valve , class 150 lb , which is commonly utilised in exploration , production , refining , and transportation facilities for petroleum products . The main contributions of the study are the introduction of specific stress analysis models tailored for the evaluation of a rising stem-type gate valve , considering plastic collapse and local failure , and the assessment of failure modes based on the criteria outlined in the ASME BPVC Section-VIII , Division-2 code , even though this code does not explicitly mention valves in its scope for stress analysis .
Case history : segmented ball valve
Referring back again to the Valve World 2024 Conference , a presentation by Bray showed how the company was ‘ pushing the limits of segmented ball valves into severe energy transition applications ’. Setting the scene , the speaker indicated π www . valve-world . net Valve World March 2025 15