gascompressionmagazine.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

Over the last decade, the North American midstream industry has re-emerged, estab-

lishing itself as a powerhouse in the global energy race. But this rise has not been without some economic and environmental challenges. Given Siemens’ strategic objective to better serve this market, it surveyed scores of current and poten-tial pipeline operators and concentrated on the design and engineering of a complete pipeline compressor package to satisfy their requirements. The need for reliability, serviceability, emissions monitoring, and cost-effectiveness were some of the requirements discovered. In response, Sie-mens has introduced the SGT-400 PL compressor package, a highly integrated, turnkey gas turbine and centrifugal compressor solution.

gascompressionmagazine.com | SEPTEMBER 2019

THE SIEMENS

SGT-400 PL COMPRESSOR PACKAGEUSING INPUT FROM LEADING NORTH AMERICAN PIPELINE OPERATORS AND EPCS, SIEMENS HAS DEVELOPED THE SGT-400 PL COMPRESSOR PACKAGE

BY SCOTT TACKETT

Power Rating (ISO) 20,115 hp (15,005 kW)

Heat Rate 6,913 Btu/hp-hr

Energy Consumption/hr (ISO) 139.1 x 106 Btu/hr

Turbine Speed 4,750 to 9,975 rpm

Compressor Pressure Ratio 14:9:1

Exhaust Gas Flow 43.4 lb/s (19.7 kg/s)

Exhaust Temperature 1009°F (542.8°C)

NOX Emissions On Fuel Gas With DLE <15 ppmvd

Dimensions23’8”L x 8’0”W x 11’2”H (8.7 m x 2.4 m x 3.4 m)

Total Train Space Requirement 320.0 ft2

Weight 40,000 lb (88,000 kg)

Power Density 62.86 hp/ft2

SIEMENS SGT-400 GAS TURBINE SPECIFICATION

The compact and factory-complete SGT-400 PL compres-sor package includes the turbine, compressor, controls, and supporting systems. The solution’s baseline model is non-en-closed for indoor use or can be configured with an enclosure for outdoor applications.

This turbocompressor solution features the 20,115-hp (15,005-kW) SGT-400 twin-shaft industrial gas turbine with an efficiency of 36.8%. Nearly 400 units are operating globally, with more than half in oil and gas mechanical-drive applica-tions. Sound pressure levels of the enclosed option for out-door use are 85 dB(A) at a distance of 1 m (3.28 ft.) from the enclosure and 55 dB(A) at a distance of 100 m (328 ft.), with lower levels available. Designed for high availability (>98%) and reliability (>99%), the turbine features up to 64,000 oper-ating hours between recommended overhauls.

Customers can also choose from a centrifugal pipeline com-pressor, available in either axial direct-inlet (RFA) or side-op-posed nozzle (RFBB) versions. For high-pressure applications, the Dresser-Rand DATUM compressor or Siemens STC ma-chines can be considered.

Compared to its top competing alternative, the Siemens SGT-400 PL compressor package uses 3.6% less fuel per hour, assuming both operate at full ISO power for an 8000-hour year. This extra efficiency is partly due to the custom de-sign of the RFA/RFBB compressor flow paths to a customer’s specific requirements. Based on a fuel cost of US$14.71 per million Btu, this difference can add up to about US$620,000 a year or US$12.4 million over a 20-year operating life cycle before inflation.

Core to the design and engineering of the SGT-400 PL compressor package is serviceability. All common inspection and maintenance touchpoints — filters, control faceplates, manual valves, and instrumentation — are fully accessible.

Siemens offers three levels of maintenance that include full field service and 24x7 emergency service, backed by full diag-nostic support and remote monitoring. Strategically located service centers provide first-line support and are backed by a dedicated engineering team that works with the remote di-agnostic center, the help desk, and the parts group — all lo-cated in Orlando, Florida, USA. This expertise is supported by a sophisticated diagnostics platform called STA-RMS (Sie-mens Turbomachinery Applications – Remote Monitoring System) to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues quickly. In addition, global engineering specialists are on call for fur-ther escalations, especially unusual technical issues.

When evaluating any complex, mission-critical equipment, such as a gas turbine compressor package, it is also important to evaluate the service and support commitment that stands behind it and the financial strength and staying power of the supplier. Siemens’ legacy in providing midstream and pipeline compressor trains goes back more than 60 years. The acqui-sitions of Rolls-Royce Energy and Dresser-Rand enhanced Siemens’ expertise and brought installations of more than 6900 turbines worldwide. Now successfully integrated into Siemens, their know-how and fleet operating insights are inte-gral to the value they bring to the North American midstream compressor arena.

ABOUT THE AUTHORScott Tackett is the director of pipeline compression sales

for Siemens in the Americas. Tackett has 23 years of opera-tional and leadership experience. He holds a BS degree in er-gonomics from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a BS degree in engineering systems management from Texas A&M, and an MBA from the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business.

Figure 1. Siemens has steadily improved its pipeline compressor efficiency over the years.

Reprinted from the September 2019 issue of Gas Compression Magazine. www.gascompressionmagazine.com Copyright Third Coast Publishing Group.