Petroleum production, pipeline and product pumps

Abstract

This chapter covers pumps used in the recovery of crude, the refining and the processing and use of petroleum products. The processes covered in petroleum industry use just about every pump type; however the vast majority of pumps used are centrifugals. Almost all the crude production and refinery plants throughout the world specify pumps to API (American Petroleum Institute Standards). This Standard, tailored directly to the industry, is a candidate for ISO status. The significant considerations in the selection of many of the pumps are viscosity, high temperatures, high pressures, safety (explosion and fire), emissions and reliability singularly or in combination. Centreline foot support is a characteristic of API pumps where high temperatures are involved. API Vertical In-Line pumps offer many advantages in process plant service such as freedom from alignment problems and expense, temperature effects and flange overloading from piping strains. Injection or waterflood pumps are used to replace the crude oil in the space it occupied in the oil field before being pumped out. The injection is to the bottom of the oil field. Axial-split pumps are utilized up to their pressure capability then the double casing or vertically split segmented barrel type take over. Pipeline pumps are also normally of the axial type to 200 bar with the barrel type for pressures to 300-350 bar.