An oil or natural gas field is an area or region that contains multiple wells designed to extract crude oil and natural gas from below the ground. Typically, natural gas is produced alongside the crude oil production; however, a well that is mainly or all gas is considered a gas well. The life of an oil or gas well is divided into five phases:
- Phase 1: Planning
- Phase 2: Drilling
- Phase 3: Completion
- Phase 4: Production
- Phase 5: Abandonment
Corken’s reciprocating compressors are utilized in the completion and production phases of the well. On an oil well, vapor recovery and gas lifting are common applications for a reciprocating compressor. If an oil well is not connected to a pipeline, the extracted crude oil is temporarily stored at the well site in large tanks until transported to the refinery. During this time, the natural gas, a byproduct of the crude oil, will build vapor pressure within the storage tanks. A vapor recovery compressor will be used to remove the vapor that separates from the crude oil.
When the reservoir pressure of an oil well no longer provides sufficient pressure to keep a well in production, gas lifting is a common solution. In a gas lifting application, Corken’s reciprocating gas compressors are used to inject gas into the fluid (crude oil). The injection process aerates the fluid with gas bubbles and reduces the fluid density. With a reduced fluid density, the existing well pressure is able to force the aerated fluid out of the well.
As a gas well is depleted, the production rate decreases over time. The decreased production is known as the decline rate. To improve the production rate, a Corken reciprocating compressor is used to pull down the well and increase the pressure flowing to the gas gathering system. Other uses for Corken’s reciprocating gas compressors include liquid transfer and vapor recovery applications. After the raw natural gas is recovered from the well, it is sent to a natural gas processing plant where the natural gas liquids (NGLs such as propane, butane, ethane etc.) are separated and placed into temporary storage tanks. Corken’s reciprocating compressors are used to unload the NGL tanks and recover the vapor.
The T-style is an oil-free compressor has three sets of V-ring packing per packing rod that form two barriers to external leakage. The barriers are also known as distance pieces. The lower packing set has an adjustable packing screw that is used to maintain maximum sealing performance throughout the life of the packing. Each distance piece has its own line connections that can be padded, purged, or vented separately. This allows you to choose the best method of containment for your application. For added convenience purge kits with all of the accessories needed to control the purging or padding of each distance piece are available.
Corken’s D-style oil-free reciprocating compressors utilize two sets of V-ring packing per packing rod that form a single barrier to external leakage. The lower packing set has an adjustable packing screw that is used to maintain maximum sealing performance throughout the life of the packing.The distance piece has its own line connections that can be that can be padded, purged, or vented. This allows you to choose the best method of containment for your application. For added convenience purge kits with all of the accessories needed to control the purging or padding of the distance piece are available.
The SCM-model side channel pump is a sealless magnetic drive design and is recommended for pumping hazardous, toxic, foul smelling, or other difficult-to-seal thin liquids. Since the side channel technology is a self-priming design, it is ideal for applications with a low net positive suction head (NPSH). Additionally, the multi-stage configuration enables the side channel pump to reach higher than normal differential pressures. The feature makes it a great fit for high different applications like propane carousel cylinder filling station, aerosol filling stations, vaporizer feed, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) applications.
Chemical plants convert oil, natural gas, air, water, metals and minerals into chemical products. Chemicals that are derived from petroleum or natural gas are called petrochemicals. These chemicals are typically extracted during the refining process as crude oil and natural gas liquids are cracked or distilled. Petrochemicals can be divided into two common classes: olefins (butadiene, ethylene, and propylene) and aromatic (benzene, toluene, and xylene isomers). Oil refineries produce olefins and aromatics by fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum fractions. Chemical plants take natural gas liquids (ethane, propane and butane) from a gas processing plant and use a steam cracking process to produce olefins. Aromatics are produced by catalytic reforming of naphtha. Olefins and aromatics are the basic components for a wide range of materials such as solvents, detergents, and adhesives. Olefins are the basis for polymers and oligomers used in plastics, resins, fibers, elastomers, lubricants, and gels. Polymers and plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polycarbonate make up the vast majority of the chemical industry’s output worldwide.
Many liquefied gas piping systems do not provide ideal net positive suction head (NPSH) conditions for liquid pumps. As a result the poor NPSH conditions lead to excessive pump maintenance. Since reciprocating gas compressors are only exposed to vapors, they are not affected by poor NPSH conditions. Many liquefied gas pressurized tanks such as tank cars and buried tanks have top unloading connections. A 
Corken offers several vertical models of oil-free reciprocating compressors to meet the stringent requirements of today’s industrial gases. Depending on your requirements, each model is available in a double packed (D-Style) or triple packed (T-Style) configuration. Single- and two-stage designs are available for standard and high pressure applications. The packing sets in a D- and T-Style configuration deliver oil-free gas compression (Exception: A model D891 is the only D-Style compressor that is not oil-free).
Corken offers a wide variety of industrial reciprocating compressors for liquid transfer and vapor recovery. Liquid transfer and vapor recovery applications can be found at tank car unloading terminals, chemical plants, manufacturing plants, and many more industrial sites. Corken’s vertical reciprocating compressors are commonly used in stationary, mobile or transport applications involving liquid transfer and vapor recovery A compressor can be mounted a trailer or transport and used for tank truck unloading applications.
Corken reciprocating compressors are often used in gas and air boosting applicaitions. When a natural gas well has reached the end of it’s life, the gas pressure begins to drop. Many times a Corken compressor is used to boost the gas pressure flowing to the pipeline. In air boosting applications, the vast majority of plant-air systems are capable of generating up to 125 psig (8.6 bar). Special considerations within a plant may require air — oil free or lubricated — at higher pressures. A Corken 