Fairbanks Morse Engine has received an order from Ecopetrol, the primary oil and gas producer in Colombia, to supply five, two-stroke, opposed-piston (OP), dual-fuel, engine-driven crude oil pump sets and auxiliary equipment for the Ayachucho-Covenas pipeline.
The engine-driven pump sets will increase capacity of the pipeline, which transports crude oil from the Colombian interior to the Covenas port on Colombia’s north coast. Two 12-cylinder engines, each rated at 4410 hp, will be installed at the line’s El Retiro pumping station and three 9-cylinder, 3308 hp units will be installed at the El Banco pumping station. Delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2014.
“The selection of dual-fuel technology for the Ayachucho-Covenas pipeline project highlights its multiple benefits for today’s mission-critical oilfield applications – many of them, like this one, in remote areas,” said Mark Holley, director, commercial power systems, Fairbanks Morse. “Dual-fuel technology combines the advantages of a natural gas engine’s lower fuel costs and reduced emissions levels with a diesel engine’s excellent transient load acceptance and reliability in a dependable, fuel-flexible engine drive.”
Unique in the 2000 to 4500 hp range, these Fairbanks Morse units are true, dual-fueled engines that have been designed specifically to operate on 99% natural or associated field gas and a 1% diesel pilot. A Fairbanks Morse dual-fuel engine starts on diesel fuel and switches seamlessly to operation on natural gas with no loss of power. If the natural gas supply is interrupted, the engine automatically switches back to diesel fuel and continues to operate without interruption.
In addition, the two-stroke, opposed-piston design has significantly fewer moving parts compared to four-stroke engines, which simplifies maintenance and reduces maintenance costs.
The dual-fuel, opposed-piston engines have logged millions of hours of running time in a wide variety of installations, including base-load, peak-shaving and standby power generation, flood control and other pumping applications around the world.
About Fairbanks Morse Engine
Fairbanks Morse Engine is a worldwide leader in diesel engine technology and manufacturing. Our mission is to provide the highest quality diesel engines and generator sets, OEM parts, and factory-trained field service support. We are a trusted provider of reliable engine drive solutions for a wide range of mission-critical applications. These include power generation – base-load and standby power plants, and emergency back-up power for nuclear plants; and ship propulsion and shipboard power for the United States Navy and Coast Guard, and commercial vessels.
About EnPro Industries, Inc. (NYSE:NPO)
EnPro Industries, Inc. is a leader in sealing products, metal polymer and filament wound bearings, components and service for reciprocating compressors, diesel and dual-fuel engines and other engineered products for use in critical applications by industries worldwide. For more information about EnPro, visit www.enproindustries.com
