The Gazprom headquarters hosted the first extended meeting of the Gas Compressor Equipment Manufacturers Association. The meeting was chaired by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom's Management Committee.
Taking part in the meeting were representatives of the leading Russian Gas Compressor Equipment Manufacturers, Members of the Gazprom Management Committee and heads of the Company's structural units and subsidiaries.
It was mentioned that Gazprom was putting much effort on developing the Russian gas transmission system by purchasing a great deal of gas compressor units (GCUs). In 2011 alone the Company commissioned 47 GCUs totaling 944 MW in capacity, while 56 GCUs with the total installed capacity of 1,113 MW is planned for 2012.
At the same time, the GCUs produced by the Russian manufactures differ essentially in many technical parameters, such as weight, size and main elements arrangement, even being of the same capacity. Due to the diversity of GCUs, it is complicated to design and build compressor stations (CS). In particular, it is impossible to start CS designing without GCU basic data from the manufacturers, it is necessary to elaborate new CS projects if GCU manufacturers implement their “unified” solutions, the equipment cannot be replaced with one of another manufacturer in case of late delivery. As a result construction costs go up and CS commissioning is postponed.
The participants of the meeting specified that one of the key tasks for domestic gas compressor equipment manufacturers was products unification, first of all – GCUs. The Russian manufacturers have to become familiar with production of unified GCUs, consisting of several blocks, which should compose one unit regardless of the manufacturer.
It will enable optimizing the terms and costs for CS design and construction and reduction of maintenance and repair expenses.
At present, Gazprom's structural units, Gas Compressor Equipment Manufacturers Association, Gazprom VNIIGAZ and Gazprom Komplektatsiya are elaborating concepts of unified GCUs production with the capacity of 16 MW – the one most frequently used by Gazprom today. The main technical solutions have been developed, basis of design and construction documentation have been coordinated. The unit elements are selected with due consideration of the optimal technical characteristics.
Based on the meeting results, it was decided that the unified GCU would be tested at the Nyuksenitsa CS of the Punga – Ukhta – Gryazovets gas pipeline.
The participants of the meeting were tasked to keep on developing the unified GCU with the capacity of 25–32 MW, 10 MW and 12 MW, along with other CS process equipment.
“Gazprom pays special attention to the cost reduction. Unification of gas compressor units is one of the cost reduction measures. But it is just the beginning. The main task is to create unified compressor stations. In order to construct them from blocks, like LEGO building sets. As a result, we will obtain a significant economic effect,' said Alexey Miller.
At present, the Gas Compressor Equipment Manufacturers Association consists of the United Engine Building Corporation uniting several motor building companies in Perm, Ufa, Rybinsk, Samara, as well as Iskra-Avigaz and Iskra-Turbogaz (Perm), KMPO (Kazan), Samara-Aviagaz (Samara).
The main goals and objectives of the Association are to unite equipment suppliers for implementing advanced technologies in production, to coordinate participants' activity in the sphere of technical solutions standardization and unification in the gas industry, to reduce operating expenses via broad cooperation among manufacturers.