Case Study: Upstream Oil And Gas Facility achieves early detection of faulty compressor valves and avoids downtime with GE Digital SmartSignal

Faulty Valves Detected On A Reciprocating Compressor At An Upstream Oil And Gas Facility

Upstream Oil And Gas Facility experienced degrading performance on a reciprocating compressor when GE Digital’s SmartSignal analytics flagged a falling pressure ratio on the first stage. On September 28 the SmartSignal model showed a large divergence — suction pressure rose to as high as 80–84 psi while the model estimate remained near 52 psi, and discharge pressure fell to 119 psi versus a predicted 132 psi — prompting GE Digital’s Industrial Performance & Reliability Center (IPRC) to add the issue to the weekly report for customer review.

GE Digital’s IPRC worked with the customer to investigate and found cracked suction and discharge valves plus several faulty transmitters; the valves and transmitters were replaced (shutdowns on Oct 15 and Oct 21). After repairs, GE Digital confirmed the actual stage pressure ratio returned to the model prediction and suction pressure returned to normal, avoiding major efficiency loss and enabling planned maintenance that saved unnecessary downtime.