Consider modern life without oil. So much of contemporary lifestyle depends on crude oil— from automobile travel to cross-country flights to jumping on the metro, road construction, or the production of certain necessary equipment. The price of crude oil drives the U.S. economy, and any fluctuations in price affect all of these significant industries. Remsa USA has been working with the U.S. oil and gas industry for many years.
The Great Influence of the Oil Industry in the Nation’s Economy
The industry supports the economy through jobs, investment, and the production of the necessary products and services intricately tied to the oil industry. Since the first pumped oil well in Pennsylvania in 1845, the industry has deeply integrated itself into the American lifestyle. According to some estimates by the American Petroleum Institute (API), the oil industry accounts for about 8% of the Gross Domestic Product. The industry supports approximately 10.3 million jobs in the United States, with an average salary of about 102 221 in 2017. Every year, the industry delivers billions of dollars of revenue to the federal government, federal treasury in rents, royalties, bonus payments, and more.
Electric Motors in Oil Refinery and Oil Production
The extraction of oil from the earth is a long process that involves many moving parts, complex machinery, and hard-working techs supervising, troubleshooting, and fixing problems as they arise. In order to be used as petroleum products, crude oil must be converted. Oil refineries convert crude oil into a usable product by breaking it down into various components and then reconfiguring it into new products. These facilities use a complex system of machinery and processes that include three main steps:
- Separation: Modern separation techniques involve piping crude oil through hot furnaces. This results in various liquids and gasses that are then discharged into distillation units.
- Conversion: This is the continuation of the processing of the distillation products. These distillation fractions are converted into streams. Conversion can involve the use of heat, pressure, and catalyst to crack heavy hydrocarbon molecules into lighter ones.
- Treatment: The final treatment involves the detailing of the product. Qualities like octane level and vapor pressure will determine the gasoline blend.
The Oil Refinery Process
An oil refinery plant involves many working processes. Every component and every process is a necessary part of the conversion of crude oil into usable petroleum products. Depending on the product and the needs of each product, the crude oil refining process might be a little different.
Some of the processes you might find at any given refinery include:
- Crude desalting
- Atmospheric distillation
- Deasphalting – solvent extraction
- Dimersol
- Polymerization
Machinery and Motors in the Oil Refineries
Oil refineries have a complex network of piping, motors, and other complex machinery that allows for the above process to occur without a hitch. Electric motors drive over 80% of the electricity used at a refinery. These motors play a variety of roles among the components. About 60% of these motors are used to drive the pumps, 15% power the air compressors, 9% power the fans, and 16% other applications.
Modern refineries take great care of their motor systems by testing, assessing, and always measuring the efficiency of their motors. Electric motor efficiency is a big priority in today’s crude oil industry. The use of better electrical motors improves the efficiency of the entire operation. These motors have enhanced design, composed of better materials, and offer higher tolerances than older motors.
Industrial Pumps in the Refinery Process
When it comes to the oil and gas industry, the use of heavy-duty industrial pumps is essential. They are necessary components to the entire operation. Most of these pumps are responsible for pumping oil or product from the ground to a tanker to the refinery. Different pumps are used in various applications as well, including injection methanol, glycol pumping, chemical processing, gas sweetening, and water disposal. The unique characteristics of these pumps include:
- Their ability to meet high-quality standards
- Very little turbidity
- They are capable of high production rates
Get Electric Motor Repair for the Tough Jobs
Electric motors in oil refineries or any oil and gas plant need to operate at full capacity and optimal function even under challenging conditions. Remsa USA is ready to assist you with your equipment repair needs. Whether you need electric motor repair or pump servicing, we have been working with the oil and gas industry for many years.
Learn more about what Remsa USA does and how they can help your equipment stay functional.
