John M. Campbell | Current Newshttp://www.jmcampbell.comThu, 30 Sep 2010 15:58:42 GMTImportant Aspects of Centrifugal Compressor Testing - Part 2http://www.jmcampbell.com/important-aspects-of-centrifugal-compressor-testing-part-2Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:13:37 GMTJoe Honeywell

This is the final part of a two part Tip of the Month (TOTM) series on important aspects related to centrifugal compressor performance testing. The first part dealt with the review of the testing procedure presented in ASME PTC-10 (also referred to as the Code), selection criteria for test gases and factors to consider in a performance testing. This TOTM will review the basic assumptions and performance relationships required for an accurate test. Also discussed are three important principles: volume ratio, Machine Mach Number and Machine Reynolds Number, which also influence the accuracy of the test results.

To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the Campbell Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/important-aspects-of-centrifugal-compressor-testing-part-2Important Aspects of Centrifugal Compressor Testing-Part 1http://www.jmcampbell.com/important-aspects-of-centrifugal-compressor-testing-part-1Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:16:01 GMTJoe Honeywell

Every centrifugal compressor, whether it is new or has been in service for many years will most likely be tested to verify its thermodynamic performance. For a new machine the testing may be conducted in the manufacturer’s facility under strict controlled conditions or in the field at actual operating conditions. Older compressors that have been placed in service after maintenance or have been operating for an extended period of time may require testing to verify the efficiency and normal operation. This TOTM will review ASME PTC-10 (also referred to as the Code) testing procedure and other topics that contribute to an accurate centrifugal compressor test results.

To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the Campbell Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/important-aspects-of-centrifugal-compressor-testing-part-1The Hybrid Hydrate Inhibition-Part 2: Synergy Effect of Methanol and KHIhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/the-hybrid-hydrate-inhibition-part-2-synergy-effect-of-methanol-and-khiThu, 01 Jul 2010 18:08:45 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianThermodynamic Hydrate Inhibitors (THIs) are used in concentration ranging from 10 to 60 weight percent in water and Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors (LDHIs) are used in concentration normally less than 5 weight percent. A proper combination of THI and LDHI will result in a lower injection rate of their mixture while controlling hydrate formation and the ability to dissociate any formed hydrate.

Laboratory studies and field experiences indicate hydrate-inhibition synergy is gained through the combination of two THIs or a combination of a THI and a LDHI . This is termed a hybrid hydrate inhibition (HHI).

In the June 2010 tip of the month (TOTM) we demonstrated the synergy effect of mixed THIs like NaCl and MEG solution and presented a shortcut method to estimate the synergy effect of brine and MEG solution. In this TOTM, we will discuss the results of a successful application of combined methanol and a KHI solution for a well producing natural gas, condensate and water in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). This TOTM is based on a successful field study reported by Szymczak et al.

To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/the-hybrid-hydrate-inhibition-part-2-synergy-effect-of-methanol-and-khiThe Hybrid Hydrate Inhibitionhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/the-hybrid-hydrate-inhibitionFri, 28 May 2010 15:18:54 GMTBy: Dr. Mahmood Moshfeghian

Laboratory studies and field experiences indicate hydrate-inhibition synergy is gained through the combination of two or more thermodynamic hydrate inhibitors (THIs) or a combination of a THI and a low dosage hydrate inhibitor (LDHI). This is termed a hybrid hydrate inhibition (HHI).
In this TOTM we will demonstrate the synergy effect of mixed THIs like NaCl and MEG solution. We also present a simple shortcut method for estimating hydrate formation temperature depression in the presence of mixed THIs. In the next TOTM, we will discuss the results of a successful application of combined methanol and a KHI solution for well producing natural gas, condensate, and water in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).
To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/the-hybrid-hydrate-inhibitionDistribution of Sulfur-Containing Compounds in NGL Products by Three Simulatorshttp://www.jmcampbell.com/distribution-of-sulfur-containing-compounds-in-ngl-products-by-three-simulatorsFri, 30 Apr 2010 19:30:15 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianIn the February 2010 tip of the month (TOTM) we presented the distribution and concentration of sulfur-containing compounds in an NGL Fractionation (NF) plant using HYSYS with the Peng-Robinson Equation of State (PR EoS). In this TOTM we will present the distribution and concentration of the sulfur-containing compounds in the same NF plant using ProMax and VMGSim both using the PR EoS. These two simulation results will be compared with the HYSYS results. The simulators’ built-in binary interaction parameters were used in this study.
For some of the sulfur-containing compounds, there are notable disagreements between these simulators in predicting distribution in different product streams!
To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/distribution-of-sulfur-containing-compounds-in-ngl-products-by-three-simulatorsJohn M. Campbell & Co. Appoints New Presidenthttp://www.jmcampbell.com/john-m-campbell-co-appoints-new-presidentWed, 28 Apr 2010 15:03:23 GMTSuzanne MillerNORMAN, OKLAHOMA (April 19, 2010) – On February 9, 2010, the Board of Directors for John M. Campbell (JMC) announced the appointment of a new President, Mr. Robert (Bob) Hubbard. 

Bob graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Kansas State University and went on to receive a MBA from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.  He provides John M. Campbell & Co. with a remarkable combination of practical gas processing experience coupled with business knowledge.  Bob has led numerous important consulting projects in the North Sea, Middle East, and S.E. Asia.  He has performed many years of industry training and has distinguished academic credentials as director of a Master’s program in Natural Gas Engineering and Management from 2003-2009 at the University of Oklahoma. 

Bob’s connection to John M. Campbell & Co. goes back to 1980.  “I was hired on at John M. Campbell to be an instructor.  I was only 30 years old at the time and not much older than the students I was teaching, but right away, I knew I had found my passion.”

John Morgan, Chairman and former President of John M. Campbell & Co., states, “Bob has had a continuing association with JMC reaching back to its earliest years.  He held many management and executive positions and thus is very familiar with both our growing business and our valued customers.  We’re excited about the strong leadership capability and experience that Bob brings to the organization.”

Bob is recognized in the industry from his many publications and his close involvement over the years with important trade associations such as the Gas Processors Association (GPA) and Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

Bob officially assumed his presidential duties on April 1, 2010.

# # #

John M. Campbell & Co. offers Facilities training and high-level consultant expertise.  If you would like more information about our course offerings or consulting capabilities, please visit our website at www.jmcampbell.com or email us at JMCSupport@jmcampbell.com.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/john-m-campbell-co-appoints-new-presidentImportant Updates regarding European Courseshttp://www.jmcampbell.com/important-updates-regarding-european-coursesFri, 23 Apr 2010 18:56:03 GMTAndrea Start

As a result of the continued European airport closures, John M. Campbell is monitoring the sessions scheduled for the week of 26-30 April 2010. Pending no further developments, we anticipate holding the following sessions as scheduled.

  • PF-4 Oil Production & Processing Facilities – Milan
  • G-4 - Gas Conditioning and Processing – Milan

Any decision to cancel or reschedule the below session will be made by Friday 23 April, 5:00pm (GMT-5).

  • G-2 - Overview of Gas Processing - Technical – London (begins 28 April)

UPDATE: This course will be held at the scheduled time.

Delegates for these sessions should expect an email from John M. Campbell & Co. We remain available through our emergency telephone number +1 918 671 6242 or email registrar@jmcampbell.com.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/important-updates-regarding-european-coursesThree Simple Things to Improve Process Safety Managementhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/three-simple-things-to-improve-process-safety-management2Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:23:05 GMTClyde Young

When there are newspaper accounts of process incidents that have occurred, there is usually a statement along the lines of, “It just happened with no warning.”  There are warning signs for every incident. Latent failures exist in all processes and eventually lead to active failures when circumstances align.   Personnel must be taught how to see and react to these warning signs
In this Tip of the Month, we look at how to deal with some of the challenges of managing process safety.  This TOTM is an excerpt of a paper presented by JMC Instructor/Consultant, Clyde Young at the 2008 Mary K. O’Connor Process Safety Symposium.  This TOTM continues where the February 2009, TOTM left off.
To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/three-simple-things-to-improve-process-safety-management2Think Safetyhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/think-safetyMon, 22 Mar 2010 21:20:24 GMTAndrea Start

We are excited to introduce a new Campbell Course, Process Safety Engineering. This new course, developed by Mark Bothamley and other Campbell experts, is designed for facilities, process and design engineers as well as supervisory/management personnel. It is also suitable for new safety/loss prevention engineers and HSE professionals who require an overview of Process Safety Engineering.

You will learn about the types of equipment and process systems that have historically been problematic in the Upstream oil and gas industry, the basics of risk analysis, to think in terms of inherently safer design, and much more.

We invite you to read more about safety from John M. Campbell, and take a look at the new Process Safety Engineering course which is now enrolling for June.

Thank you!

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/think-safetyThe parameters affecting a phase envelope in the dense phase regionhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/the-parameters-affecting-a-phase-envelope-in-the-dense-phase-regionTue, 02 Mar 2010 15:17:22 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianBecause phase envelope generation and its impact on design and performance of gas processing plants and natural gas transportation pipelines is so important it has been the topic of several Tips Of The Month (TOTM).
In this TOTM, we will review several methods for modeling of C7+ (heavy ends) characterization and apply two of them to demonstrate the impact of thermodynamic modeling for rich gases in the dense phase region. We will demonstrate by proper characterization, one can improve the quality of the phase envelope and match the experimentally measured dew point in the dense phase region.
To learn more about this tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/the-parameters-affecting-a-phase-envelope-in-the-dense-phase-regionBob Hubbard appointed President of John M. Campbell & Companyhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/bob-hubbard-appointed-president-of-john-m-campbell--companyThu, 18 Feb 2010 20:31:53 GMTJohn MorganNorman, Oklahoma; Tuesday February 9, 2010

On behalf of the directors, it is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Robert A. (Bob) Hubbard as President of John M. Campbell & Company.

But before going further I would like to recognize Steve Staggs.  Doug Eaton was our most recent President;  he retired in September 2009.  As you know this past 12 months or so has been a trying period for our country, for our industry and of course for JMC.  After Doug’s departure the burden fell largely on Steve Staggs to steady the ship.  He not only steadied the ship but ensured that it continued to move forward with important initiatives.  His calm and deliberate leadership during this period was important to our company.

On behalf of the directors of the company I have conveyed our thanks to Steve for his continuing efforts and especially the leadership shown during these recent months.

Bob Hubbard is chemical engineer (Kansas State) and also holds an MBA degree from Tulane University.  Tulane is in New Orleans; Bob has been a little exuberant after the Saints win in the Super Bowl!  Bob’s connection with the company goes back many years and he held JMC executive positions before leaving a few years ago to become professor at the University of Oklahoma (OU).  Bob and his wife, Jamie, make their home in Norman

Throughout the intervening years he remained an active member of the Board of Directors of JMC.  Bob renewed his involvement with JMC a few months ago after establishing a thriving natural gas program at OU.

At the Directors meeting yesterday afternoon Bob accepted the position of President of JMC.  Please join in welcoming Bob to his new duties.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/bob-hubbard-appointed-president-of-john-m-campbell--companyDistribution of Mercaptans in NGL Productshttp://www.jmcampbell.com/distribution-of-mercaptans-in-ngl-productsTue, 02 Feb 2010 21:46:50 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianIn this tip of the month (TOTM), we will demonstrate how a process simulation program can be used to determine the distribution and concentration of different sulfur-containing compounds (e.g. mercaptans) in an NGL fractionation (NF) plant. For this purpose an NF plant containing five fractionation columns with a sour natural gas liquid (NGL) feed was simulated to determine the distribution and concentration of sulfur containing compounds in different product streams.    

To learn more, click here!

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/distribution-of-mercaptans-in-ngl-productsNew and Emerging Technologies in Gas Processing - GPA Short Coursehttp://www.jmcampbell.com/new-and-emerging-technologies-in-gas-processing---gpa-short-courseFri, 22 Jan 2010 15:16:47 GMTAndrea StartThe oil and gas industry continually renews itself through technological advances and developments.

There are many important new and emerging technologies in the area of gas processing.  The exploitation of natural gas resources in remote and environmentally challenging locations, the increased development of HP/HT reservoirs, and the production of gas containing significant quantities of CO2 and sulfur compounds has necessitated advances in processes and equipment.

The purpose of this course is to provide a quick review of existing gas processing technologies, introduce developing technologies that have been recently commercialized or are in the latter stage of development and discuss a “wish list” of potential technologies necessary to advance the business.

For more information, read on.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/new-and-emerging-technologies-in-gas-processing---gpa-short-courseVariation of properties in the dense phase region; Part 2 – Natural Gashttp://www.jmcampbell.com/variation-of-properties-in-the-dense-phase-region-part-2--natural-gasSat, 02 Jan 2010 20:51:13 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianIn the last tip of the month (TOTM) we described the dense phase of a pure compound and how it impacted processes. We illustrated how thermophysical properties change in the dense phase as well as in the neighboring phases. The application of dense phase in the oil and gas industry was discussed briefly. In this TOTM, we will discuss the dense phase behavior of multi-component systems, like natural gases.

When a natural gas, is compressed above the cricondenbar in the region between critical temperature and cricondentherm, it becomes a dense, highly compressible fluid that demonstrates properties of both liquid and gas. For simplicity and convenience, we define the dense phase to be within critical temperature and cricondentherm if the pressure is above the cricondenbar. In practice, there is no clear line (i.e. critical temperature) dividing dense phase from liquid phase or other single line (i.e. cricondentherm) dividing the dense phase from the gas phase.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/variation-of-properties-in-the-dense-phase-region-part-2--natural-gasThree Simple Things to Improve Process Safety Managementhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/three-simple-things-to-improve-process-safety-management1Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:21:35 GMTClyde Young

Processes are designed to run in a “normal” mode.  No process is really stagnant and throughout the life cycle of a process, changes will be made.  When defining “normal”, some tolerance should be built in to allow a range of operating conditions for operators to work within.  When changes to operating parameters, or the equipment in the process are required, these must be evaluated and approved. Any effective process safety management system will contain an element to deal with Management of Change (MOC).  
In this Tip of the Month, we look at how to deal with the challenges of managing changes to insure process safety.  This TOTM is an excerpt of a paper presented by JMC Instructor/Consultant, Clyde Young at the 2008 Mary K. O’Connor Process Safety Symposium.  This TOTM continues where the February 2009, TOTM left off.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/three-simple-things-to-improve-process-safety-management1SPE PetroBowl 2009http://www.jmcampbell.com/spe-petrobowl-2009Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:48:04 GMTJeanne CallardPetroSkills sponsored the 8th Annual PetroBowl Championship held at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans, October 5, 2009.  The winning team was the University of Texas at Austin, beating Missouri University of Science and Technology in the final round.  Students spent a grueling day testing their knowledge about the oil and gas industry as well as the history of SPE.  The PetroBowl consisted of 16 student chapter teams from all over the world, the highest number ever to compete in this event.
During the awards ceremony, the University of Texas student team was presented with the silver trophy and a check for USD 2,500 from EnCana.  The students on the University of Texas team were Kelli Rankin, Michael Sykes, Nathan Taylor, and Sanzhar Zharkeshov, captain.  This event was hosted by the SPE Gulf Coast Section Young Professionals Program and sponsored by PetroSkills.  A reception following the event was sponsored by EnCana.



Picture is Rankin, Sykes, Zharkeshov, Taylor

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/spe-petrobowl-2009Considering the effect of crude oil viscosity on pumping requirementshttp://www.jmcampbell.com/considering-the-effect-of-crude-oil-viscosity-on-pumping-requirementsThu, 01 Oct 2009 16:51:28 GMTDr. Mahmood Moshfeghian In the August 2009 Tip of the Month (TOTM), it was shown that pumping power requirement varies as the crude oil °API changes. Increasing °API or line average temperature reduces the crude oil viscosity. The viscosity reduction caused higher Reynolds number, lower friction factor and in effect lowered pumping power requirements. Since the objective of the August 2009 TOTM was to study the effect °API and the line average temperature have on the pumping power requirement, the effect of crude oil viscosity on pump performance was ignored and in the course of calculation a constant pump efficiency of ? =0.75 was used for all cases. In this TOTM, we will consider the crude oil viscosity effect on a selected centrifugal pump performance. The Hydraulic Institute Standards procedures and the guideline presented in the August 2006 TOTM written by Honeywell were applied to correct the pump efficiency.

To learn more about this Tip, please click here.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/considering-the-effect-of-crude-oil-viscosity-on-pumping-requirementsHow to Tune the EOS in your Process Simulation Software?http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-to-tune-the-eos-in-your-process-simulation-softwareTue, 01 Sep 2009 15:05:09 GMTDr. Mahmood Moshfeghian Process simulation computer programs are excellent tools for designing or evaluating gas processing plants, chemical plants, oil refineries or pipelines. In these simulation programs, most of the thermodynamic properties are calculated by an equation of state (EOS). However, none of the equations of state is perfect and often some sort of tuning must be done prior to their applications. Some tuning is already done by researchers and has been embedded in the data base of these simulation programs. In dealing with non-standard or complex systems, the user should check the validity and accuracy of the selected thermodynamic package (i.e. EOS) in the simulation programs prior to attempting to run the desired simulation. Often the users find that tuning is required. This can be done by performing a series of vapor liquid equilibria (VLE) calculations such as dew point, bubble point or flash calculations and comparing the results with the field data or experimental data. If the accuracy is not within acceptable range, then the EOS should be tuned to improve its accuracy.

In this tip of the month (TOTM), we will demonstrate how the binary interaction parameters are tuned in a simulation program to improve the accuracy of a selected EOS. For this purpose, we will demonstrate how the accuracy of the bubble point pressure prediction of a ternary system of carbon dioxide, pentadecane, and hexadecane can be improved.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-to-tune-the-eos-in-your-process-simulation-softwareHow sensitive are crude oil pumping requirements to viscosity?http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-sensitive-are-crude-oil-pumping-requirements-to-viscosityFri, 31 Jul 2009 15:10:13 GMTDr. Mahmood Moshfeghian

During the life cycle of a crude oil pipeline the properties of transported oil change, because in gathering systems the produced oils come from different wells. New wells may be added or some wells may go out of production for maintenance and repair. Production rates during the life of wells vary, too. In addition the properties of crude oil change during production. Due to seasonal variation, the average line temperature may also change. The viscosity of crude oil is a strong function of API gravity and temperature.

In this TOTM, we will study variation of crude oil °API and the pipeline average temperature and how they effect the pumping requirement. The procedures outlined in the March 2009 TOTM were used to calculate the line pressure drop due to friction. Then assuming 75 % pumping efficiency, the required pumping power was calculated. The change in pumping power requirements due to changes in crude oil °API and line average temperature for a case study will be demonstrated.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-sensitive-are-crude-oil-pumping-requirements-to-viscosityVariation of Natural Gas Heat Capacity with Temperature, Pressure, and Relative Densityhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/variation-of-natural-gas-heat-capacity-with-temperature-pressure-and-relative-densityWed, 01 Jul 2009 19:28:22 GMTDr. Mahmood Moshfeghian In this Tip of The Month (TOTM), the variation of heat capacity of natural gases with temperature, pressure, and relative density (composition) will be demonstrated. Then an empirical correlation will be presented to account for these variations. This correlation will be used to estimate natural gas heat capacity for wide ranges of pressure, temperature, and relative density (composition). Finally, the accuracy of the proposed correlation will be discussed.


To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/variation-of-natural-gas-heat-capacity-with-temperature-pressure-and-relative-densityDoha Lunch and Learnhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/doha-lunch-and-learnMon, 27 Jul 2009 19:09:32 GMTAndrea StartJohn M. Campbell & Company and PetroSkills will host an interactive workshop, known within the industry as a ‘Lunch and Learn’ session, with the objective to explore training needs specific to your region. Come join us to discuss joint problems and joint solutions for the natural gas companies in Qatar. Invitations are being sent to QP, RasGas, Qatargas, Dolphin and Maersk. There is limited space for this ‘Lunch and Learn’, so sign up early. Topics will range from HSE issues for new hires to replacing expat managers with Qatari professionals. This session sponsored entirely by John M. Campbell and Company and PetroSkills, is designed for those people within your organization that are responsible for training.

Sign up today!

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/doha-lunch-and-learnCorrosion Monitoring and Inspection – Is There a Difference?http://www.jmcampbell.com/corrosion-monitoring-and-inspection--is-there-a-differenceMon, 01 Jun 2009 16:07:14 GMTAlan FosterTo many people involved in the Oil and Gas production and refining industry, the terms monitoring and inspection are used interchangeably when referring to corrosion issues. However, this lack of differentiation can lead to misunderstandings and errors. It is our contention that a clear differentiation is needed and that engineers should strive to use the correct terminology.  In order to achieve that differentiation it is necessary to first define these terms ‘corrosion monitoring’ and ‘inspection’.  A review of some of the named techniques and methods used in these areas will help to consolidate an understanding of which terms fall into the inspection bracket and which are viewed as corrosion monitoring devices.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/corrosion-monitoring-and-inspection--is-there-a-differenceAnd the OTC IPod Drawing Winner is...http://www.jmcampbell.com/and-the-otc-ipod-drawing-winner-isTue, 19 May 2009 15:19:07 GMTAndrea StartThank you for visiting the John M. Campbell and Co. Booth at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston May 4-7.  Many of you stopped in to tell us how meaningful Campbell courses have been for you through your careers.  Many more of you stopped in to sign up for courses and discuss your training needs.

Over 450 of you signed up to win an 80 KG IPod.  As promised, we have drawn a winner.  The IPod Winner is …. L. Nixon!

Our next Conference will be the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Come by and see us in Booth 2240!  We will have another coveted prize to offer!

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/and-the-otc-ipod-drawing-winner-isThe Sensitivity of k-Values on Compressor Performancehttp://www.jmcampbell.com/the-sensitivity-of-k-values-on-compressor-performanceFri, 01 May 2009 16:14:47 GMTJoe HoneywellOne of the most important physical properties of a gas is the ratio of specific heats.  It is used in the design and evaluation of many processes.  For compressors, it is used in the design of components and determination of the overall performance of the machine.  Engineers are frequently asked to evaluate a compressor performance utilizing traditional equations of head, power and discharge temperature. While these simplified equations may not give exact results, they give useful information needed to troubleshoot a machine, predict operating conditions, or a long-term trend analysis.  The accuracy of the performance information will depend on the proper selection of the ratio of specific heats.  This Tip of the Month (TOTM) will investigate the application of the ratio of specific heats to compressors, its sensitivity to the determination of machine performance and give recommendations for improved accuracy.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the JMC Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/the-sensitivity-of-k-values-on-compressor-performanceNew Updated Pricinghttp://www.jmcampbell.com/new-updated-pricingThu, 09 Apr 2009 20:44:17 GMTAndrea StartThank you for considering John M. Campbell and Co. for your facilities training provider.

We greatly appreciate the friendship and relationship we've developed with each of you over the past 40 years.

Last year travel prices and venue charges were escalating rapidly along with everything else in our industry. We weren't sure if we could keep up with the increases in costs that impact the price of our training courses.

Things have changed or are changing. As a result, we have made the decision to roll back the prices and internal budgets formed in the heat of last year's high cost drivers.

Effective March 2009 we are returning to the 2008 schedule of pricing. This represents an average step back of 16%. This price change has already been put into place on the website.

We thank you for your business and friendship over the years. We hope this change will help you in your efforts to meet the challenges of this current but temporary economic environment.

- John M. Campbell and Co.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/new-updated-pricingQuick Determination of the Methanol Injection Rate for Natural-Gas Hydrate Inhibitionhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/quick-determination-of-the-methanol-injection-rate-for-natural-gas-hydrate-inhibitionThu, 02 Apr 2009 18:32:26 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianThe formation of hydrates in processing facilities and pipelines has been a problem to the natural gas industry. Whether the problem occurs in transportation or processing, hydrate formation can cause shutdowns and even destruction of valuable equipment. Because of these devastating and often costly consequences of hydrate formation, methods have been applied to prevent hydrate development in gas streams. The conditions that tend to promote hydrate formation include: low temperature, high pressure, and a gas at or below its water dew point temperature with "free" water present.  The formation of hydrates can be prevented by using any of the following techniques; (a) maintaining the temperature above and pressure below the hydrate formation condition, which may not be practically possible due to economical and/or operational reasons, (b) dehydrating a gas stream with solid desiccant or glycol dehydration to prevent a free water phase, and (c) impeding hydrate formation in the free water phase by injection of an inhibitor.  The most common inhibitors are methanol (MeOH), monoethylene glycol (MEG) and diethylene glycol (DEG). Typically, methanol is used in a non-regenerable system while MEG and DEG are used in regenerable processes. With the use of inhibitors, the injected inhibitor may distribute into three possible phases: (a) the vapor hydrocarbon phase, (b) the liquid hydrocarbon phase and (c) the aqueous phase in which the hydrate inhibition occurs and the inhibitor has an effect on hydrate formation inhibition. Therefore, calculating the inhibitor concentration in aqueous phase is important.

The injection rate is a function of feed gas temperature, pressure, relative density (composition), hydrate formation temperature depression, and lean solution concentration. Recently, Moshfeghian and Taraf proposed a shortcut/graphical method to predict the required MEG or MeOH weight percent and flowrate for a desired depression in hydrate temperature of natural gas mixtures.

In this Tip of the Month (TOTM), we will demonstrate how these diagrams can be used to determine the concentration of MeOH in the rich solution and the required total injection rate for a desired hydrate formation temperature.
To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit JMC Tip of the Month.

Check it out, interesting conversation going on on process safety.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/quick-determination-of-the-methanol-injection-rate-for-natural-gas-hydrate-inhibitionHow sensitive is pressure drop due to friction with roughness factor?http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-sensitive-is-pressure-drop-due-to-friction-with-roughness-factorWed, 11 Mar 2009 14:15:03 GMTDr. Mahmood MoshfeghianIn the February 2007 tip of the month (TOTM), Joe Honeywell presented a procedure for calculating fluid pressure drop for liquid in a piping system due to friction. Continuing Honeywell’s TOTM, we will outline procedures for calculation of friction losses in oil and gas pipelines. From an engineer’s point of view the question may arise “how sensitive is friction pressure drop with the wall roughness factor?” Of course the answer is “it depends”. To explain this answer quantitatively and qualitatively, we will study the effect of wall roughness factor for two case studies in this month’s TOTM. In the first case study, an oil pipeline with a flow rate of 0.313 m3/s (170,000 bbl/day) and in the second case, a natural gas pipeline with a flow rate of 22.913 Sm3/s (70 MMSCFD) will be studied and calculation results will be presented in tabular and graphical format.

To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the Campbell Tip of the Month.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/how-sensitive-is-pressure-drop-due-to-friction-with-roughness-factorLRGCC Competition Resultshttp://www.jmcampbell.com/lrgcc-competition-resultsWed, 25 Feb 2009 17:18:57 GMTAndrea StartIt is official – the 2009 Annual Paper Airplane contest at the Laruance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference was a success!
The competition was fierce. Many participants experienced and worked around the hazards of the walls and low hanging beam. The designs were varied and unique. In fact one participant was so good she created the paper airplane boomerang … talk about talent.
In the end Loren Gearhart of Lummus Technology took first place with a throw of 53 feet 9 inches (in fact he made two throws of this length) and Jeff Garrison of Thomas Russell Co. came in second with a throw of 40 feet 9 inches.
We added a second competition this year, Wii Golf. After watching the participants and seeing the results all I can say is Tiger Woods had better watch out! John York of DCP Midstream won the competition with a score of 570 and Mr. Gearhart also placed in this event with a score 560.
The winners of each competition had a choice of Gas Conditioning and Processing vol. 1, 2 and 4 or the GCAP software.

LRGCC Winners

Loren Gearhart, John York and Jeff Garrison - our 2009 LRGCC Winners

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/lrgcc-competition-resultsVisit us at upcoming events!http://www.jmcampbell.com/visit-us-at-upcoming-eventsThu, 19 Feb 2009 22:10:06 GMTAndrea StartCampbell will be hosting a hospitality suite at the 59th Annual Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference and at the 88th Annual GPA Convention.

LRGCC is being held in Norman, Oklahoma, United States 22-25 February. The hospitality suite will be open on Tuesday, 24 February from 5:30-7:30 pm. We will be holding the annual paper airplane contest as well as a new competitive event. So stop by to check out the excitement.

GPA Convention is being held in San Antonio, Texas, United States 8-11 March. Our hospitality suite will be open Sunday, 8 March from 7:30 pm to 12 am, and again on Monday, 9 March from 6:30 pm to 12 am.

Also, Campbell instructor Frank Jarrett will be presenting Dr. Mahmood Moshfeghian’s paper “Generalization of the Graphical Method to Determine the Required MEG and Methanol Injection Rate for Natural-Gas Hydrate Inhibition” on Monday, 9 March at 1:30 pm. If you are attending the conference, please join Frank for this presentation.

]]>http://www.jmcampbell.com/visit-us-at-upcoming-eventsThree Simple Things to Improve Process Safety Managementhttp://www.jmcampbell.com/three-simple-things-to-improve-process-safety-managementThu, 12 Feb 2009 15:26:31 GMTClyde YoungMeeting the challenges of a process safety management system and insuring that the risk associated with our business is addressed can be challenging.  This is one of the reasons that the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) published their “Guidelines for Risk Based Process Safety” in 2007.  This book is being used as a reference for the PetroSkills HSE course, Risk Based Process Safety Management.  During delivery of this course over the last couple of years, participants have agreed that one of the challenges facing them at the local level is that some elements of the PSM system they work with are somewhat complicated and are focused on trying to achieve consistency throughout an organization.  While the concept of having consistency throughout an organization is an excellent goal, issues at the local level sometimes make this difficult to accomplish. 
To learn more about this Tip and past Tips of the Month, visit the JMC Tip of the Month.

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