Saudi Aramco recently was granted its 11th patent this year by the US Patent Office for a tough, new pipeline valve.

The invention of a pressure-reducing control valve for severe service conditions was the work of Shah M Nawaz and was granted US Patent No. 6,926,032, said Sami Al-Obaid, a specialist with Intellectual Assets Management.
The new device uses a new trim design consisting of a sleeve with drilled holes, which is fitted inside a high performance type trim.
This combined trim assembly then provides multiple stages of pressure reduction with controlled exit velocities.
Because this sleeve can be made from extremely durable materials, the device has the toughness of a single-stage valve coupled with the control capability of a multi-stage valve.
That helps avoid problems associated with existing severe-service valve designs that lead either to excessive vibration or frequent and expensive damage to the valve components.
The design addresses process flows, such as gas streams, that are contaminated with suspended solids that can clog or damage regular control valves.
The conceptual design is under evaluation for development of a commercial prototype in collaboration with a well-known valve manufacturer.