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Saudi Aramco / Sulzer Pumps UK
Sulzer is a global leader in fluid engineering. They specialize in pumping, agitation, mixing, separation and application technologies for fluids of all types. They have a well-earned reputation for their commitment to innovation, performance and quality. Sulzer have a network of 50 world-class manufacturing facilities and 100 service centres across the globe.
For the Saudi Aramco Dammam Crude and Gas Development Project, Sulzer were contracted to supply 2-off Multiphase Pumps (MPP) skids with all associated auxiliaries and process control equipment.
The process equipment included 4-metre-tall, pressurised Buffer Tank vessels installed upstream of the MPP to prevent said pumps from running dry by remixing the gas and liquid in the process. Unlike most centrifugal pumps, which would be damaged by gas pockets, a MPP can operate on a gas / liquid mix. The Dammam Project however, has the Pumps installed right at the start of the pipeline as the oil comes out of the ground, therefore at this point the oil has not been processed or separated from the gas and water etc, hence the requirement for a MPP. Each of Buffer Tanks required accurate level control using both a Magnetrol Eclipse 706 Guided Wave Radar (GWR) augmented by visual indication via a Magnetrol Atlas Magnetic Level Indicator (MLI). Both the MLIs and the radar probes are to be manufactured in Hastelloy C with the latter being installed in internally coated carbon steel chambers.