refining india 2023
Enhancing environmental sustainability in the oil and gas industry: the REE concept
Nikolaus Lubega and David Malik HOERBIGER
Introducing the REE Concept At the heart of Hoerbiger’s approach lies the REE (Reliability, Efficiency, Environmental soundness) concept. Unlike traditional assessments that target indi- vidual components, REE considers the complex interactions of one or more com- pressors within plant processes. This approach aligns with the industry’s grow- ing emphasis on comprehensive site and multi-site optimisation. Over a decade of experience in REE activities has ena- bled Hoerbiger to develop a sophisticated framework that not only evaluates com- pressor performance but also sets the same in perspective to identify hidden potentials for improvement. The REE Index: A Benchmark for Excellence Central to the REE concept is the REE Index, an innovative standardised meas- ure of compressor performance (see Figure 1 ). This index ranges from 0–10, which offers a comprehensive evaluation of reliability, efficiency, and environmen- tal impact. By comparing compressors to industry benchmarks, Hoerbiger offers a clear picture of each machine’s standing. The REE Index acts as a strategic guide, identifying both challenges and opportuni- ties for enhancement. Three Steps to Enhanced Plant Performance Hoerbiger’s approach to optimisation unfolds in three strategic steps (see Figure 2 ): Creating a fleet overview : A com- prehensive assessment of the compres- sor fleet’s performance reveals gaps and potential. By benchmarking each machine against industry standards, Hoerbiger identifies areas for improvement. Analysing and prioritising : Collabor- atively with operators, a Fleet Development Plan is crafted. This plan outlines improve- ment projects with a focus on reliability, efficiency, and environmental soundness. Detailed calculations and business cases aid decision-making. Implementing solutions : REE Audits, conducted by experienced experts, pave the way for tangible improvements. Concrete solutions are developed, aligned with maintenance schedules, and doc- umented in Compressor Development Plans. One interface to view your fleet’s performance and improvement potential Hoerbiger’s proprietary Fleet Performance Platform determines key performance parameters and benchmarks these against the industry’s best performer (see Figure 3 ). The analysis examines each compres- sor of a single- or multi-compressor unit individually and ranks the reciprocating compressor fleet. This way, we can provide you with a bird’s eye view and uncover hid- den potential.
The oil and gas industry stands at a crossroads, facing the urgent need for sustainable practices amid global environ- mental concerns. Hoerbiger, a global leader in reciprocating technology, brings a unique perspective to the forefront, with a focus on environmental sustainability. All major processes in refineries rely on reciprocating compressors, which are crit- ical elements of many production units. They are also big machines that either con- tribute directly or indirectly to the plant’s power-related CO₂ emissions, depending on whether electricity is generated on-site or imported. Often, inefficient capacity control systems lead to thousands of tons of CO₂eq unnecessarily emitted or the need to send excess process gas to the flare on a regular basis. Furthermore, every compressor out- age that requires the cylinders to be opened results in a blowdown of compressors, con- tributing to CO₂eq emitted. Every hour a compressor is in operation, fugitive emis- sions occur, and even a stopped compressor has standby leakages causing CO₂eq emis- sions. While a lot of these CO₂eq emissions are avoidable, there is often a lack in visibility of the improvement potentials. One of the key emitters of CO₂ in a refinery are the reciprocating compressors. For ref- erence, the power consumption of the world- wide reciprocating compressor population emits the same amount of CO₂eq as the whole of The Netherlands. Hence, there is huge potential to avoid CO₂ emissions either through alternative emission control strate- gies, sustainable power sources, efficiency improvements, or more reliable operation. Advanced multi-compressor efficiency and reliability simulation allow us to effi- ciently zoom out and benchmark each compressor’s performance – including car- bon emissions – within thousands of recip- rocating compressors in many different processes worldwide. It showcases how to efficiently zoom in and drill down in detail on identified targets to quantify emissions. It also shows how to outline specific tech- nically as well as commercially feasible and proven solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of the entire reciprocating com- pressor fleet and its impact on the plant. DID YOu know? Every hour a compressor is in operation, fugitive emissions occur, and even a stopped compressor has standby leakages
Figure 1 Plant-wide reciprocating compressor performance assessment by the REE Index
1 Create a eet overview
3 Carry out an REE audit and implement solutions
2 Analyse, re ne and prioritise
Figure 2 Three steps to enhanced plant performance
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Tech. values
Reliability:
E ciency: 34,537,357.67 kWh Environment: 15,542.42 tCO e
Figure 3 Fleet Performance overview (ranked by criticality)
Table 1 Novel way to assess sustainability
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