Rotork’s ‘smart’ electro-hydraulic actuator selected for pipeline valve upgrade

The 600 mile Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline in Turkey is Iraq’s largest crude oil export line, capable of carrying over 1.5 b/d from northern Iraq to the port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean coast.  The pipeline is owned and operated by Turkey’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas company, Botas Petroleum Pipeline Corporation.

Along the route of the pipeline there are a number of pressure control valves, operated by thirty year old electro-hydraulic actuators that were manufactured by the valvemaker.  These actuators are now obsolete and spare parts are no longer available. In addition, each actuator is equipped with a large, separate control panel, situated adjacent to the valve.  These control panels are also a cause of concern due to their age and lack of functionality.

Rotork’s agent in Turkey, Omas Teknik Pazarlama Temsileilik, has been in lengthy and detailed discussions with Botas about upgrading these valves with Rotork Skilmatic electro-hydraulic actuators.  In these discussions, Omas has worked closely with Rotork Fluid Systems in Italy and has also received assistance from the valvemaker.

Apart from the up-to-date technology and reliability offered by the new Rotork Skilmatic actuators, they also feature comprehensive integral controls which eliminate the requirement for separate control panels and provide a much neater, compact and self-contained installation.  The innovative design comprises an integrated control module, a hydraulic manifold and a power unit consisting of a motor, hydraulic pump and reservoir.  Protected by a waterproof, dustproof and explosionproof enclosure, the actuator’s functionality benefits from Rotork’s IQ intelligent electric actuation technology, providing configuration, diagnostics, fault indication and position indication by means of a digital visual display and non-intrusive two-way communication with a hand-held programming tool.

Botas has decided to trial the Rotork Skilmatic electro-hydraulic technology on one of the pipeline valves.  The 30 inch Class 600 control valve was first disconnected from the pipeline, shipped to the Botas workshop at Ceyhan and measured up for new adaptation, which was manufactured by Rotork and delivered to the workshop with the new actuator.  The actuator was fitted to the valve by engineers and technicians from Omas and then installed on the pipeline at the Mardin-Midyat P34 pump station, where staff from Omas also carried out the commissioning.

If the new installation lives up to the customer’s expectations, Rotork Skilmatic electro-hydraulic actuators will be ordered to replace the obsolete actuators on twenty similar pipeline valves.  In addition to supplying the new actuator, Rotork Fluid Systems has also provided training for Botas staff, whilst Omas has provided training and local support for the Botas operators at the pump station.