Saudi-Aramco: Rationalisation but not at all cost
The market in oil and gas has forced the industry to rationalize in terms of CAPEX and OPEX for new and existing projects, including valves. This especially applies to off the shelf products. For more demanding applications, however, quality remains key. “The cost factor remains important but we tend to look more at the TCO for these critical applications.”
How and where to improve in the (NC) machine shop?
During a career spanning nearly 40 years, I have worked in - and visited - many machine shops. These ranged from small subcontractors to valve OEM’s and commercial aircraft manufacturers. Everyone is looking to improve their operations. Those who aren’t are either going out of business or already out of business. The real question is how and where does one start?
Southern Gas Corridor: the final TAP
Earlier this year the first phase of the Southern Gas Corridor was launched. This 40+ billion USD project is intended to decrease the EU’s dependency mon Russian gas for its energy needs. The final part of the megaproject, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), still needs to be constructed in the following years.
The origins of valve failures: poor selection
Often, site maintenance engineers are getting tired of all those problems with valves. Issues such as leakages and/or blocked valves are common. Often the problems start before installation, namely at the selection stage. In short, selecting the right valve for the given application and process conditions.
Lower stocks, faster lead times
Fluctuations and variations in demand and the need for short cycles and lead times are putting pressure on the valve and actuator industry. What should suppliers do? Increasing stocks impact the bottom line. The way out of this dilemma is to invest in supply chain management and engage both the internal and external supply bases.