Kaeser Kompressoren, a global manufacturer of energy efficient screw compressors, has quietly been going about its business in establishing an enviable reputation for the supply of instrument air skid packages manufactured to the highest of standards, specifically for the oil and gas industry.

As a German family owned and privately run company, Kaeser has been in operation since 1919 and its success to date is based on attention to detail, backed up by reliable and innovative German engineering principles.
It is these qualities that even today can be seen in the specially designed instrument air skid packages that are prepared especially for the oil and gas market.

Turnkey packages
Kaeser was successful towards the end of the 1990s in supplying a number of instrument air packages to Petroleum Development Oman (PDO).
These packages were engineered to meet the very high standards set by PDO and were put into operation in remote onshore sites, where ambient temperatures could reach well above 65 deg C.
The Kaeser air-cooled lubricated screw compressor was used as the source of the compressed air, together with carefully selected air treatment devices. Interconnecting pipe work is of high-grade stainless steel and the whole package is mounted within a rigid frame.
Also housed within the frame is the local control panel, which in turn is then connected to the central control room/DCS of PDO.
These specially designed skid packages have become a common site within the PDO organisation and are supplying high quality compressed air around the clock.

Technical leadership
Based on the experience gained from working closely with the engineers and technicians of PDO, Kaeser was asked to supply Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (Adco) with instrument air skids for one of its inland upgrade projects. Again, Kaeser designed, supplied and commissioned several packages, which are today in operation to the complete satisfaction of Adco.
More recently, Kaeser has supplied similar skid packages to Qatar Petroleum (QP) and looks forward to discussing many more projects with QP in what is an ever expanding operation.
The advantages of Kaeser instrument air packages include the following:
• Kaeser rotary screw compressors boast a 1:1 drive, meaning that the air end and motor are directly connected. There are no transmission losses, and the user gets more compressed air with less energy.
• Premium efficiency motors are used, designed for high ambient temperatures up to 60 deg C.
• The radial fan has very low noise emission due to its slow peripheral speed, and it consumes up to 50 per cent less power than comparable axial fans.
Also, a new, efficient flow system for the cooling air provides such low compressed air outlet temperatures that an external after cooler is not needed.
For the system’s operator this translates into double savings on investment and installation costs.

Air treatment
Air treatment components are selected based on compressed air temperatures of 65 deg C.
Multistage filtration units remove impurities from compressed air and ensure class 1 according standard ISO 8573-1 and hence conforms to requirements for technically oil-free compressed air.
This has been tested and certified by the German T†V.

Automatic operation
The internal compressor controller, Sigma Control, regulates and monitors the functions of the compressor automatically.
All operating parameters needed for servicing and visualisation are transferred via Profibus.
Information from Sigma Controls, instruments installed in air-treatment devices and other external devices is collected in a programmable logic controller (PLC) and indicated in clear text display.
This PLC also allows remote control via bus-systems, serial link to the customer’s distributed control system (DCS) or Scada systems.