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Exploration & Production

Rotork fluid power valve actuators have been ordered for multiple applications at a new grassroots refinery under construction in the Middle East


With a capacity of up to 400,000 bpd, the refinery will process crude oils to manufacture petrol, ultra-low-sulphur diesel and fuel oil for export and to satisfy local demand.

One significant order involves the supply of 70 LP range linear pneumatic actuators for the operation of large gate valves. The order for these actuators includes the assembly and factory testing of local control panels with digital valve positioners.

Rotork LP actuators are individually sized for each application in double-acting or spring-return configurations. Carbon steel cylinders are electro-less nickel plated to provide minimum friction and maximum protection against corrosion. Careful attention to seal materials on pistons and piston rods further reduces friction and avoids stick-slip effect even after prolonged periods without operation.

In other areas of the site, over 200 Rotork GP and CP range pneumatic actuators are being supplied for the operation of butterfly valves in desalination and wastewater treatment plants. These scotch yoke actuators are designed to provide part-turn movement for isolating or modulating duties. A rugged, compact and efficient modular design is common to both ranges, yielding high torques even at low pressures. The design concepts of the large GP actuators are applied to the CP range, bringing heavy-duty actuator qualities to small, quarter-turn actuators.

These orders also include the assembly and testing of local control panels, in this case including Bifold pneumatic instrumentation and Soldo switchboxes, both Rotork brands. 

The Bioko Oil Terminal could become the largest oil and petroleum storage facility in West Africa following the signing of an agreement between the government of Equatorial Guinea and Arabian Energy


Both parties have agreed to collaborate on the development, implementation, construction and financing of the petroleum tank farm in Equatorial Guinea, following the signing in Saudi Arabia on 11 May. The project is worth US$500mn and is slated to include 22 storage tanks and a total capacity of 1.2mn cubic metres. It will be built in two phases, with the first consisting of creating the infrastructure for refined production, and the second for developing capacity for storage, handling and blending of products such as diesel, jet fuel, gasoline and naphtha. Shared terminal infrastructure is expected to be on a "first come, first served" basis. The aim is for the facility to be an African centre for the distribution of petroleum prodicts and crude oil, stimulate job creation in the region, reduce the reliance on oil imports and attract investment.

The Equatorial Guinean government is ambitious about the potential of the facility. "The Bioko Oil Terminal is a first-of-its-kind storage facility for West Africa and would bring to the region energy security and transport economies of scale and efficiencies like we have never seen before," said Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Equatorial Guineas mines and hydrocarbons minister.

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