Roughly 200,000 miles of liquid petroleum pipelines crisscross the United States, delivering oil to refineries and other plants that produce the fuel that powers our lives. Safety is a primary focus of the oil and gas industry, and the industry … Continue reading
From aging plants and an aging workforce to the push for sustainability, the power generation industry today faces many challenges. As we look to the future, these challenges will only grow, and the power companies that act now to address … Continue reading
The average power plant in the United States is more than 40 years old. As facilities age, proper maintenance and repair become even more important to ensure valves and other equipment achieve optimal performance.
This isn’t just a good idea. It’s essential for profitability. Just in the past few years, there have been several stories of poorly maintained valves at nuclear power plants leading to unplanned shutdowns. By one estimate, a 4-day unplanned shutdown can cost a power plant an average of $2.6 million.
Regular maintenance is one of the key ways to extend the life of your valves. It also saves you from costly unplanned downtime.
Power plants aren’t the only thing that’s aging. The workforce is too. According to 2017 BLS data, about one-quarter of power industry employees are 55 or older, which means they will likely retire in the next 10 years. At the same time, the traditional energy sector is having difficulty attracting top young talent.
That’s why many power generation companies are investing in automation technologies, such as digital valve positioners.
A digital positioner automatically monitors the valve and adjusts the signal to the actuator as necessary to ensure the valve achieves the correct position. It also collects data from the valve and sends it back to a centralized database, where the data can be analyzed for any signs of trouble. This reduces costs by allowing a single operator to monitor the performance of all of the valves in a facility, and also by identifying potential problems early so they can be fixed before they cause a shutdown.
A quick look at the day’s business headlines reveals the ever-shifting landscape of regulatory compliance. Even in the current climate of deregulation, things are changing all of the time. In addition, organizations like the ASME and ASTM frequently issue new standards.
It’s unrealistic for your plant or operations managers to keep up on all of these changes without some help. This is an area where partners like your valve supplier can show their worth by helping you navigate new regulatory developments and standards to ensure you’re in compliance.
Finally, although having trusted suppliers is important, your employees still need to be able to operate your equipment and provide the first line of defense when things go wrong. That requires training.
At Allied Valve, we consider ourselves to be in the service business. That’s why we provide training — in the form of workshops, Lunch and Learn programs, and more — to ensure that your on-site operators are both confident and competent working with the equipment we sell.
Do you need help tackling the challenges facing your power business? Contact us to learn more about what we can do for you.
-->In the power industry, profitability depends on efficiency. There are, of course, plenty of ways to boost your top line, but without efficiency, your bottom line will always suffer. Here are 5 ways to make your power plant more efficient. … Continue reading
How much money do you lose to bad-acting valves every year? Probably much more than you think. Valve leakage is estimated to cost power plants $1.2 billion annually. Valve failures can cause safety problems and lead to unplanned downtime. Cutting … Continue reading
Are you ready to take your plant productivity to the next level by upgrading to digital positioners for your control valves? Your plant managers, your maintenance staff, and your bottom line will thank you. If you’re just starting out, the … Continue reading
What if I told you there was one simple plant upgrade you could make to be more competitive? This isn’t a hypothetical exercise. By upgrading your valve positioners from analog to digital, you will be able to maximize your plant … Continue reading
2017 has been an interesting year for the oil and gas industry. The Keystone XL Pipeline was approved (but is still on hold), oil prices are climbing back from previous lows, and recently the Trump administration announced the country’s largest … Continue reading
Allied quality assurance manager Lyndon Garrick recently answered some FAQs about safety relief valves for Valve Magazine. Click here to learn the answers to these common questions: What is the proper way to install a safety or safety relief valve (SRV)? Why … Continue reading
Poor-performing control valves can cause serious problems along your processing lines and pipelines. They can result in inefficiencies, decreased quality and downtime, all of which affect your bottom line. So, if you have a bad actor, what should you do? … Continue reading
To realize these benefits, you need to ensure that the repair technicians who work on your valves are properly trained and certified.
How will you know if the technicians are qualified to do the job? Look for a Masoneilan Authorized Repair Center (MARC). Every MARC technician is required to complete factory-sponsored training on Masoneilan valve diagnostics and repair.
Other benefits of working with a MARC:
There are, of course, times when you do need to replace your Masoneilan valves.
There’s no cut and dried rule for deciding what’s right in every circumstance. Some companies will try to sell you a new control valve every time. But, in many cases, buying new is a waste of money — a MARC can repair your valve to like-new condition for half the cost.
Contact us to learn how you can save up to 50% on control valves. Five of Allied Valve’s six regional facilities are MARCs. If you’re in our sales and service area, we’d be happy to assist you.
-->Allied Valve Inc. is thrilled to announce that our headquarters location in Riverdale, Iowa, has been named the Consolidated Green Tag Center (GTC) of the Year for 2016. Each year, the award recognizes a single GTC location that demonstrates exceptional … Continue reading
Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.