The transfer of crude oil from producer to end user requires a pump that can provide sustained high pressure and hold up to the harsh, changing climate of Canada’s oil and gas production region.
Carver Pump was contacted by a producer in the Canadian oil and gas production region that was using 20 tanker trucks per day to transfer oil to their customers. Installing booster pumps eliminated the risks involved with over-the-road oil transfer, cut transportation costs and helped save wear and tear on roads.
LACT (Lease Acquisition Custody Transfer) systems are installed in oil fields to accurately measure, check for clarity, and transfer crude oil from an oil producer to end users or the next step in the refining process.
LACT systems consist of a charge pump that feeds the system with crude oil, usually stored in large storage tanks near the oil field. The crude is pumped through a sediment and water (S&W) monitor to check for any impurities – if these ever exceed the customer’s allowable level (usually 0.5-1%), the valve to the flow meter redirects the flow for reprocessing. Once the desirable S&W content is reached, the system opens a valve to send the oil through the flow meter, which measures the amount of oil being sold to the customer. It is crucial for the flow meter to be precisely calibrated, as even the smallest inaccuracy can cost the producer hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Once metering is complete, the oil is either trucked or pumped through a pipeline to the end user. Carver Pump provided booster pumps to transfer the oil through existing pipelines to multiple end users. The size and operating requirements of the pumps were based on the distance the oil needed to travel, which in some cases exceeded 20 kilometers. Adding to the complexity of the application, the pumps were installed outdoors, subject to the extreme temperature and weather changes of the environment. A special mechanical seal was also provided with an API plan 65 to measure any lost oil, in case the seal ever happened to leak.
Oil Pumped
Total Dynamic Head
Carver Pump’s RS (Ring Section) pump line was an easy choice for the LACT system booster pumps needed in this application. Our RS pumps produce up to 3400 ft TDH (Total Dynamic Head) and can easily pump oil long distances over changing elevations. The ability to easily remove or add a stage of pump to accommodate the different system requirements on this job made the RS a more economical choice over a single-impeller pump. Our RS casings can be fabricated out of ductile iron or CD4MCu, and can withstand some of the harshest pumping environments on earth.
Carver Pump installed 16 RS pumps for this customer’s LACT systems. Our multiple pump lines allow us to supply both the charge pumps and booster pumps needed to work with these types of systems. Contact us to learn how we can solve all your pumping challenges.
