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2019 Schedule

3:00pm – 6:00pm

Registration

5:30pm – 7:30pm

Welcome Reception Sponsored by Universal Plant Services

Texas Ballroom in the Grand Hyatt San Antonio

7:00am – 5:00pm

Registration

8:00am – 11:00am

302

Basics of Compressor Valve Design and Troubleshooting

Ben Boutin, Patrick Taylor

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Valve design requires a compromise between performance, reliability and cost.  Design features which add strength and reliability to valves often create flow restrictions which increase horsepower consumption or require additional components which can themselves become sources of failure. More aerodynamic flow geometries and advanced materials can reduce valve loss or provide increased reliability, but these features can increase the manufacturing cost of the valve and also make it more difficult to repair.  This Short Course presents valve design, configuration, and troubleshooting information.

301

From Inception to Installation: A Collaborative Approach for End Users to Procuring a Properly Sized and Effective Reciprocating Compressor Package

John Boser, Patrick Campbell, Terry Kreuz, Aubrey Kudler, John Mentzer

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Course provides the end user with an introductory overview of sizing, specifying, and procuring an economical, safe, and efficient reciprocating compressor package.   Starting with a brief overview of compressor package components and culminating with designing and procuring a package from initial design conditions through installation. Case studies cover real world consequences of decisions made during design and procurement.  Course perspectives are from the end-user, packager, and compressor OEM. Attendees gain valuable insight into how the design conditions and operating points affect cost and optimization of finished package. The goal is to help end-users procure packages best suited to their application.

304

Industry Fundamentals - Gas System, Marketing & Regulatory Introduction

Manny Angulo

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Career Enhancement

This consists of three fundamental topics combined into one short course:  
•     Natural gas system fundamentals covering wellhead to burner tip path of gas and typical equipment encountered 
•     Business and marketing fundamentals covering basics on how the gas business makes money  
•     Regulatory fundamentals is an overview of the agencies that we work with and different regulations that we deal with as part of our operations  

This course provides a brief discussion of each topic so that personnel can understand more about the industry.

303

Introduction to Pulsation and Vibration on Reciprocating Compressors

Majid Mehrpouya, Alasdair Robinson

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

Attendees will learn about:  

•    Common sources of vibration problems on piping, foundation, skids, vessels, crankshaft and small-bore attachments  
•    Pulsations and their impact on piping vibration  
•    Techniques to avoid mechanical resonance  
•    Design requirements for new and retrofit installations  
•    Vibration guidelines  
•    Basic commissioning and troubleshooting recommendations   

We will discuss several real-life case studies and use video clips to illustrate and reinforce concepts. In a hands-on demonstration on a vibrating piping system, attendees can use vibration analyzers to participate in solving case examples.   The presenters encourage the audience to raise application-related questions to ensure an interactive session.

221AB

Overview of Machinery Rotordynamics

Justin Hollingsworth, Chris Kulhanek

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

This course will summarize the primary concepts associated with lateral and torsional rotordynamic analyses. Lateral topics will include: preparing a mass elastic model, bearing stiffness and damping coefficients, critical speed maps, undamped mode shapes, damped unbalance response, stability, shifting lateral critical speeds, and documenting lateral rotordynamics with field data. Torsional topics will include: preparing a mass elastic model, interference diagrams, steady state critical speeds, mode shapes, forced response stress analysis, cumulative fatigue, transient analyses (motor startup and short circuit effects), shifting torsional critical speeds, special considerations (reciprocating machinery, coupling types, electric motor webs, etc), and effective torsional testing methods.

11:00am – 11:45am

General Session - Keynote Address Sponsored by Cooper Machinery Services

Stars at Night Ballroom

11:45am – 1:00pm

General Session - Lunch Sponsored by Cooper Machinery Services

Stars at Night Ballroom

1:15pm – 2:00pm

304

Case Study of Solutions to Screw Compressor Package Vibration

Jeff Barss, Umeet Bhachu, Wally Bratek

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

Three oil-flood screw compressor packages in propane service experienced excessive vibration, noise and small-bore connection failures.     This case study describes vibration, pulsation and multi-channel shell-mode measurements and simulations of the acoustical system. The data demonstrates how compressor-volume index (VI) and slide-valve position influence pulsation and resonances and quantifies the effects of constrained-layer damping to reduce mechanical vibration.     Optimized solutions to reduce pulsations and vibrations are presented, including field data of the initial and modified systems.     Purchasers and operators of screw compressors can apply the recommendations to minimize the risk of vibration-related failures. Relevant API and industry guidelines are also discussed.

221AB

Gas Plant Optimization with Gas Turbine driven Centrifugal Compressors with Waste Heat Recovery

Mike Clay, Rainer Kurz

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Gas Turbines

A review of Gas Turbine Driven Centrifugal Compression utilized for Residue Gas Compression with Waste Heat Recovery Systems, and the plant design optimization that is realized with this approach. As a case example, we will review the Williams, Willow Creek Gas Plant project where multiple gas turbine driven centrifugal compressors where installed, and are utilizing the waste heat from the engines to provide heat for other processes within the gas plant, reducing overall site emissions, fuel consumption, and improving overall plant efficiency.  

White paper authors:  [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

302

High Performance Pistons - Optimizing Run Time and Predicting Performance

Andreas Brandl, John Ladd

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Reality shows that pistons for reciprocating compressors fail frequently due to worn rider bands or piston rings. This lecture introduces a new approach to piston engineering that is able to predict the temperature increase and capacity losses over run-time, as well as the pressure drop of each piston ring and the rider band pressure loading. The first pistons engineered using this process were installed in 2015. This lecture breaks down the changes between the existing and the new design, as well as inspection results of the worn cylinder rings to compare the measured wear rate to the model predictions.

303

Reducing Methane Emissions in the Midstream Sector

Anthony Pocengal

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Emissions

The Paris Climate Accords (2015) have renewed focus on methane as a potent greenhouse gas spurning operators and regulators to pursue further reductions of methane from the Transmission sector.  Two areas in particular include limiting vented emissions during pipeline or compressor station maintenance activities and reducing methane emissions from gas compressors.  Regulations associated with gas compressor methane are somewhat novel, particularly for centrifugal compressors equipped with modern dry-gas seal systems.  This paper summarizes recent regulatory activity associated with gas compressor emissions and also refers to voluntary activities by operators to reduce methane emissions from compressor stations.

301

Torsional Challenges for Rubber Band Compressors

Alasdair Robinson

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

More and more is expected of our compressor packages. Wide speed ranges, large variations in pressures and flow, varying gas compositions and multiple unloading schemes all present challenges to a torsional design.  This paper presents methods to meet some of these challenges and reasons to establish design boundaries. Using the GMRC recommended practice for control of torsional vibrations, the paper discusses guidelines and standards for torsional vibration and how to meet them to provide the widest possible operating range.  The limits of typical design options and various alternatives to avoid torsional vibration problems are illustrated with three case studies.

2:00pm – 5:00pm

221AB

Advanced Topics in Acoustics and Vibrations

Eugene Broerman, Sarah Simons, Benjamin White

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

This short course will build on introductory pulsation and vibration topics by expanding basic theory into advanced topics in gas piping systems.Topics in this short course will address complex problems that many operators face today:alternate methods of pulsation control for high pressure systems,pulsation bottle design for wet gas compression,impact on pulsations and horsepower requirements from reverse direction flow,adding pulsation control for integral compressors, valve noise and vibration problems;high frequency pulsation and vibrations from blade pass excitation from centrifugal compressors and valves noise/vibration problems.Each topic will be presented with an overview of the topic,case studies, and mitigation techniques or analysis methodologies.

304

2019 Industry Panel Discussion – Data Analytics

Ionut Buse, Ryan Gauthier, Ken L'Anglois, Oscar Smith

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Data Analytics

An Industry Open Panel Discussion, sharing different company’s approaches to applying data analytics to each of their respective Pipeline and Compression Assets.   Industry Panel will share each of their company’s respective journey on the road to digital transformation.  

Data Analytics Panel Members will share:
-When, How and where their company’s Journey started. 
-How is or was a data analytics System justified as a business investment
-How the system is being used today
-Share a few realized value-added Business Cases
-Lessons Learned
-What you didn’t know before beginning the journey.
-Vision for the future; Process Monitoring; Preventive; Predictive; Asset condition Based vs Calendar Based Maintenance; Work Management; Enhance Collaboration/Communications

302

The Eight Things that Affect Combustion in Reciprocating Engine

Randy Anderson

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

In a reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) a tiny amount of high-energy fuel (like natural gas) is delivered to a relatively small, enclosed space with a proper amount of oxygen and sufficient heat to ignite that mixture to produce the horsepower to push millions of cubic feet of gas down a pipeline.   But only eight things can change combustion and they include:  

•     Torque
•     Speed
•     Ignition timing
•     Air-fuel ratio
•     Detonation
•     Pre-Ignition
•     Misfire
•     Dead Cylinder 

These eight changes affect peak firing angles, peak firing pressures, exhaust temperatures, torque, horsepower and emissions.

303

Dry Gas Seals and Panels: Design, Operation, and Maintenance Techniques for Improved Reliability

Tim Allison, Meera Towler

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Auxiliary Systems

Dry gas seals are used as low-leakage shaft end seals for many centrifugal compressors and other turbomachines. This short course will give listeners a thorough understanding of dry gas seals, including design, operation, and maintenance. Starting with the background of how dry gas seals were developed as a response to issues with wet seals, the course will then move into a detailed discussion on seal design. Seal selection for various applications (pipeline, process, advanced applications) will be discussed.  The gas conditioning process can be critical to successful seal operation, so seal gas panels and their components will be discussed in great detail. Operation during transients can be particularly challenging, so panel considerations specific to transient operation will be discussed. The recently-released API 692 will be discussed as it pertains to dry gas seal panel design, seal requirements, and seal testing. Understanding common failure modes is an important step to improving dry gas seal reliability. Recent and future research on dry gas seal failures will be presented, including failure statistics and failure modes. Insight on failure modes specific to heat generation from liquid contamination will be discussed, and recommendations will be provided to reduce failures.

301

Natural Gas Machinery, Past, Present and Future

William Couch, Norm Shade

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Career Enhancement

A historical look back at the machinery used to move the natural gas for the past 118 years.   After 118 years of natural gas production and transportation we take a critical look at the current state of gas machinery.  Will the current gas machinery technology be sufficient to move natural gas for the next 30 years?  Norm and Bill dust off their crystal ball, break out a fresh deck of tarot cards, consult with their Ouija board, and go out on a limb and predict the future of the natural gas industry and the machinery required to move that gas.

5:30pm – 7:30pm

Ariel Reception

Briscoe Western Art Museum

7:30pm – 9:30pm

Siemens Reception

Smoke BBQ Restaurant

6:00am – 8:00am

Breakfast Sponsored by Hoerbiger

Stars at Night Ballroom

7:00am – 5:00pm

Registration

8:00am – 8:45am

301

Reciprocating Compressor Foundation Design with Steel Piles

Debarshi Das, Kelly Eberle

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

A sound foundation is a key factor in a successful reciprocating compressor application. Conventional concrete block foundations are reliable but can be costly. Driven pile and helical (screw) pile foundations are good alternatives, even for very large packages, with the advantage of lower costs and shorter installation time compared to concrete block foundations.   Due to dynamic forces inherent in reciprocating compressors, a dynamic foundations analysis requires specific approaches and special considerations.   This presentation outlines design practices for driven and helical pile foundations. The advantages and disadvantages of pile and concrete block foundations will be discussed and illustrated by case studies.

302

Improving Trapped Equivalence Ratio Control to Maintain Emissions for Changing Gas Compositions

Abdullah Bajwa, Greg Beshouri, Timothy Jacobs, Taylor Linker, Mark Patterson

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Emissions

The trapped equivalence ratio (TER) method for pipeline engine control is a reliable technique which allows for dynamic, real-time control of exhaust emissions. While successful, this method currently lacks the ability to account for the increased reactivity of pipeline natural gas containing large amounts of non-methane hydrocarbons. Such fuels can ultimately lead to higher NOx emissions. This work investigates the impact of variable fuel composition on pipeline engines to suggest modifications to TER control. The fundamental combustion properties of various fuels are evaluated and resulting correlations to engine behavior are explored. Potential improvements to the control technique are then suggested.

304

Leak Down Testing of Engine Power Cylinders

Dwight Small

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

This case involves the problem of uniform repeatable leak down testing.  The FAA has established the use of a .040” orifice for engine power cylinder bores up to a 5” diameter, and recommends a .060” orifice for bores larger than 5”.  This probably did not take into account the large bore diameters of stationary compressor engines being used on the natural gas pipeline.   Pipeline engines have cylinder bore sizes ranging from 10” to 17”.  A relationship between engines bore circumference and ideal metering orifice was identified.

303

Optimization of Compressor Wear Parts

Marc Langela

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Dr. Marc Langela joined STASSKOL in 2007 as Head of the Research & Development Department. His responsibilities are including the development of new sealing materials and new spare part designs as well as the improvement of technical processes and workshop standards.  Dr. Marc Langela received his PhD in Polymer Chemistry in 2002 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz and he recently received his International Master of Business Administration at the Mannheim Business School and the ESSEC Business School in Paris.

221AB

PRCI Gas Compression Research Updates

Gary Choquette, Dan Rem

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Research

This document provides highlights of recently completed research and ongoing projects related to compression by the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI). Potential research projects for 2020 are also reviewed.

9:00am – 9:45am

302

An Effective Process for Reciprocating Compressor Package Specification and Bid Evaluation

Drake Millier, Norm Shade, Josh Shaver

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

A comprehensive specification and an effective, objective package bid evaluation process are critical elements of a successful reciprocating compressor package project.  Using  GMRC Guidelines and the authors’ personal experience, important considerations in the specification and selection of high-speed reciprocating compressor packages are discussed.  Effective evaluation of bids  requires comparison of many important items. Since criticality of items varies, an objective rating and bid tabulation process is useful for purchasers, to confirm that bids are complete and the bid with the best overall value is selected. A detailed evaluation process is described for objectively comparing bids from multiple manufacturers and packagers.

304

Computation of Unsteady Flow in Compressor Sealing Elements

Georg Flade

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Dr. Marc Langela joined STASSKOL in 2007 as Head of the Research & Development Department. His responsibilities are including the development of new sealing materials and new spare part designs as well as the improvement of technical processes and workshop standards.  Dr. Marc Langela received his PhD in Polymer Chemistry in 2002 at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz and he recently received his International Master of Business Administration at the Mannheim Business School and the ESSEC Business School in Paris.

303

Lubricants for Industrial Natural Gas Compression – Oilfield, Pipeline, and Separation Facilities

Christopher Seeton

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Research

Compressors operating in the petrochemical sectors have undergone significant lubricant challenges over the past year as the composition of the gas streams have shifted from principally methane at moderate pressures towards higher pressures, higher carbon # hydrocarbons, and even higher H2S content.  Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has put demands on compressors to compress methane, CO2 or Nitrogen at pressures often up to 400 bar (~6,000 psi).  As the pressure rises the solubility of these gases in the lubricant can cause significant working viscosity reduction and if not correctly accounted for compressor failure.

301

Want to Succeed with Equipment Data Analytics? - Don’t Forget Your SME’s

David Krenek

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Data Analytics

As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) gains traction in the Oil & Gas Industry, operators of gas compression equipment are starting to deploy IIOT technologies in order to acquire and analyze large amounts of equipment data for managing machine health, optimizing asset performance, and measuring business results. Even though sound technologies may be available, organizations may find that the actual benefits derived from their solution may not meet expectations – technically and financially. The focus of this paper is to show how engaging the knowledge and experience of SME’s is essential to the development of a successful solution.

221AB

Modeling and Mitigation of Acoustic Induced Vibration (AIV) in Piping Systems

Brandon Ridens

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

This paper explores new modeling concepts and analysis techniques developed to solve problems from acoustic induced vibrations (AIV) in blowdown and piping systems. In high energy AIV cases, typical recommended mitigation within current screening methods may not be adequate to reducing stresses to allowable levels. Computational fluid dynamics simulations and finite element analysis in combination with lab testing of novel mitigation options using accelerometers, pressure transducers, and strain gages were performed to better understand the phenomenon and develop possible solutions to reduce the impact of AIV. The computer modeling, conceptual solutions, test set-up, and results are discussed in detail.

10:00am – 10:50am

Technology Updates: Session 1

Exhibit Hall

Update 1: 

Applying Asset Management and Digital Reliability in Gas Machinery
Speakers- Steven Jacquin, Siemens | Jan Pawlewitz, Siemens

Update 2: 

The 30 over 30 over 30 operating cost reduction plan - Stages of Implementing a Successful Digital Strategy
Speakers- Matt Begler - Caterpillar Oil & Gas

Update 3: 

Profiled Plate Valves
Speakers- Randy Dal Molin, Hoerbiger Corporation of America 

Update 4: 

Solar Insight System Capabilities
Speakers- Rainer Kurz, Solar Turbines

Update 5: 

Waukesha VHP and 275GL+ Gas Engine Technology Updates
Speakers- Greg Polkus, Innio Waukesha Gas Engine

11:00am – 1:00pm

Lunch with Exhibitors

Exhibit Hall

1:15pm – 2:00pm

221AB

Comprehensive Evaluation and Solution of a Pulsation/Vibration Problem in a Gas Processing Plant Compression String

Charles Hill, Kyle Howard, Brandon Peterson, Jon Tice

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

Pulsation and vibration are operational risks that all compressor stations with reciprocating equipment experience and attempt to mitigate. Minimizing of effects of these phenomena is key to operating the equipment as efficiently and as safely as possible. This is a case study of the Eagle Gas Plant and the steps taken to identify, measure, analyze and ultimately solve the compressor system’s vibration and pulsation problems.

303

Field Validation Partnership Between Antero and Waukesha: A Case Study

Derek Hughes, Ryan Krafcheck

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

A well-designed engine with continuous, field-validated improvements benefits both the supplier and operator of the equipment. The partnership between Antero Midstream and Waukesha gas engines illustrates this type of jointly beneficial relationship. With operations focused in the Marcellus, Antero purchased over 100 gas compression skids powered by Waukesha 7044GSI engines over a four-year period. This paper will focus on how the interaction between the two companies resulted in higher throughput and lower operating costs for Antero and a more powerful and robust engine for Waukesha through the incorporation of Antero’s feedback in its product development and reliability improvement programs.

302

Importance of Line Stop Design, Effectiveness and Associated Costs

Francisco Fierro, Angel Rivera

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Centrifugal Compressors

In any system with a centrifugal compressor, thermal growth of the system piping, and the weight of unsupported piping, can place large loads on the compressor flanges. Piping systems are often fully designed before a thermal analysis is performed, limiting the options and increasing the cost for redesign with respect to compressor loads. Using a line stop with anchor flanges can mitigate the thermal loads on the compressor. Therefore, it is important for an operating company to have design standards that require line stops and anchor flanges. This paper defines line stops and anchor flanges while showing examples of each from various compressor stations. Design details (line stops, anchor flanges, Civil/Structural considerations, etc.) are discussed. Various line stop designs are studied (using finite element analysis) and compared to quantify their effectiveness.

304

Road Map to Optimizing Reciprocating Compressor Emissions Management and Discussion of Common Pitfalls.

Andreas Brandl, John Ladd

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Reciprocating Compressors

Pressure packings on reciprocating compressors are not perfect seals. This paper discusses dynamic packing case models, evaluating internal pressure distributions; breaking down how the case geometries impact vent cup pressures, the cup to cup leakage rates, and the overall performance of the case. The evaluation links the packing models to the entire emissions management system with a discussion on the ideal configurations. The paper will conclude with the common pitfalls seen in the field and an implementation roadmap to select the optimal emissions management system based on compressor configuration and what is available at the given site.

301

Optimizing Compressor Stations

Rainer Kurz

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Centrifugal Compressors

Many gas compressor stations use multiple gas turbine driven centrifugal compressors. In many instances, the units are not identical.   The paper describes a variety of optimization methods, starting with a simple algorithm, then comparing equalization methods, and finally illustration the capability of methods that combine turbomachinery optimization and the optimization of pipeline hydraulics.

2:15pm – 3:00pm

302

Condition Based Overhauls, Do you really know what Condition Your Condition Is In

Keith Schafer

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

Condition Based Overhauls, Do you really know what Condition Your Condition Is In  2019 Gas Machinery Conference in San Antonia, TX  Keith Schafer – Reciprocating Principal for TC Energy  There is never enough time, people or money to blindly overhaul units based on run hours. That’s why our major repairs and overhauls need to be based on the unit’s true condition.  The paper will mainly focus on data collected by the Equipment Analyst, and pattern interpretation of the data. We will discuss four major components of the large reciprocating engines, and the tools needed to evaluate the Unit’s True Condition.

301

Engine Balancing - Parameters to Watch

Joe Powell

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

This discussion will cover some typical parameters that operators should be paying close attention to prior to beginning and during engine balancing.  Proper engine balance is crucial to increasing reliability and efficiency of slow speed reciprocating compressor engines.  Too many times operators focus their efforts on meeting a standard for average peak firing pressure and never consider what their adjustments are doing to other aspects of combustion.  Trying to meet the standard for PFPave could be decreasing your engine’s combustion stability.  Poor engine balance not only decreases reliability but can also affect emissions and increase fuel consumption.

221AB

Shake, Rattle and Grow – Empirical Data on the Effectiveness of Vibration Supports in a Thermal Growth Environment

Mathieu Barabe, Timothy Bootsveld, Jordan Grose

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

All piping systems expand and contract with variations in temperature, and piping designers need to ensure that piping layouts do not overly restrain this migration, otherwise the piping is subject static failures. In this pursuit, pipe designers typically select statically compliant pipe supports, which allow for pipe migration under thermal loading.  Piping designers must take a different approach when designing piping systems for vibratory service. Vibrating systems still expand and contract with variations in temperature but must be restrained from moving dynamically to avoid fatigue failure. Pipe designers are then limited to using dynamically fixed pipe supports.  Due to recent innovations, a pipe support that is dynamically fixed can also be statically compliant. These pipe supports are dual-purpose supports that can restrain piping under dynamics loads but still allow the pipe to migrate under a thermal load.  While current industry standards acknowledge these support categories, they do not provide a method to classify the multiplicity of pipe supports available on the market by their appropriate use. As it stands now, piping designers are left to use their intuition and experience in selecting supports.  This paper introduces a test procedure to categorize pipe supports for their appropriate application and proposes a report structure to provide piping designers with the information required to select adequate supports and model them accurately. The procedure is then applied to real-world sampling of commonly available pipe supports.

304

Status of Industry Sponsored PreCombustion Chamber Research and the Plan Forward

Greg Beshouri, Timothy Jacobs, Daniel Olsen

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Research

Several recent upgrades of legacy engines with the full suite of ERLE (Emissions Reductions from Legacy Engines) technologies have resulted in NOx emissions significantly below 0.5 g/BHP-HR with no significant penalty in other criteria pollutants, stability or efficiency. In additional virtually all of the NOx is NO2. In many cases the resultant performance exceeds that of new engines. Recent analysis also suggests the PreCombustion Chamber (PCC) induced fundamental combustion mechanisms may be significantly different than traditionally assumed.   The Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) roadmap for ERLE did not predict this outcome and in fact put PCC development on an off-ramp. These new results, coupled with new concerns regarding NOx emissions vs. Methane in the exhaust from PCC fitted engines have renewed interest in further PCC research.   Over the years PRCI has sponsored a number of PCC related projects at both Colorado State University (CSU) and Texas A&M. Prior to embarking on further PCC work PRCI has collated all the work to date in a white paper compendium and then laid out the gaps for further investigation.  That review identified shot to shot consistency as one of the most important PCC design factors followed by PCC volume. 

Other key findings:
•     At ~ 1g/BHP-HR NOx, all the NOx is from gases which originated in the PCC
•     At ~0.5 g/BHP-HR NOx, all the NOx is NO2. 
•     Rich PCC operation results in better MCC performance. Up to 80% of the mixture in the PCC is ejected as unburned gas.
•     The contribution of PCC generated radicals probably has a greater impact on MCC combustion than originally thought.  These findings in turn raise new questions:
•     What is the optimum PCC volume and how should that volume be defined
•     What are the fundamental NO2 formation mechanisms
•     What are the relative contributions of PCC generated energy, turbulence and radicals to MCC combustion.
•     Can we achieved zero NOx
•     Is it possible to optimize PCC and MCC interaction to reduce methane slip without increasing NOx  

This paper summarizes the review findings and questions and then lays out a proposed research roadmap to better understand PCC combustion particularly with regard to NOx and Methane slip trade off.

303

Assessing Uptime and Performance Impacts of Retrofit Kits Installed on Legacy Waukesha Engines in a Midstream Application

Christopher Kipp, Ryan Rudnitzki

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Reciprocating Engines

With today’s oil and gas environment and the increased focus on fleet optimization and maximizing the value of every dollar spent, many midstream and E&P companies are evaluating the performance their existing fleet to seek out cost efficiencies to improve their bottom lines.  As compression fields continue to mature, even high-speed reciprocating equipment (once considered new technology) is getting up in its years and due for a refresh.    Waukesha engine drivers are certainly no exception to that trend; over 11k VHP engines between 10 and 30 years of age have been sold, with over half of those units being put into North American compression service.  As such, attempts to modernize gas compression infrastructure as a whole could arguably include Waukesha as a key component.    In the past few years, Waukesha has made a concerted effort to make technology on its newer products available to legacy fleet owners through retrofit kits that include components like power cylinders, cylinder heads, turbochargers, and controls.  Such kits are aimed at a variety of goals, which may be aimed at improving uptime, increasing power, reducing operating costs, and/or lowering emissions levels.    Data from several customers will be analyzed to compare the performance of the units that have received several different types of upgrades (Series Four heads / pistons, air fuel ratio controls, and more) to those that retain legacy components, which will include, but not be limited to, uptime statistics, component failure rates, and emissions numbers.

 

 

3:15pm – 4:30pm

Technology Updates: Session 2

Exhibit Hall

Update 1: 

EMISSIONGUARD Seals Help Lower Emissions
Speakers- David Schroeder, CPI

Update 2: 

Altronic DE-4000 Advanced Engine Compressor Control System Developments, Expansions, and Enhancements
Speakers- David E. Bell, HOERBIGER Engine Division - Altronic

Update 3: 

One Clamp to Rule Them All (part 2) – Control of Vibration and Thermal Growth in Piping Systems
Speakers- Jordan Grose, Wood

Update 4: 

Controls Obsolescence and Associated Upgrades
Speakers- Kevin Whitley, Siemens

Update 5: 

Waukesha Engine Upgrades
Speakers- Nick Klosinski, Waukesha Gas Engines

Update 6: 

New Reciprocating Compressor Research Facility
Speakers- Tim Allison, Southwest Research Institute | Ryan Carter, Southwest Research Institute

Update 7: 

Ariel Product Support Resources
Speakers- Stephen Lapinski, Ariel Corporation

4:45pm – 6:45pm

Reception Sponsored by Waukesha Gas Engines, an INNIO Company

Exhibit Hall

7:00am – 12:00pm

Registration

8:00am – 8:45am

303

An Introduction to Additive Manufacturing for Reciprocating Compressors

Ryan McLaughlin

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Technical Paper > Reciprocating Compressors

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an exciting growing technological field that has been heralded as the future of manufacturing. Although current technologies do not have AM poised to replace all forms of traditional manufacturing, it does offer some significant advantages when compared to conventional approaches. When the proper AM process is selected and components are appropriately designed for AM (DfAM) amazing achievements can be seen in lead-time reduction, part consolidation, improved functionality, and shorter time to market for new products. This paper will give readers the basic tools they need to begin their journey with AM.

221AB

Choosing Legacy Recip Integral Revitalization Investment

Richard Fink, Stephen Homan

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Technical Paper > Reciprocating Engines

Gas Operator needs for reverse flow and bringing assets on-line with no or low utilization for many years brought the challenge of determining what investment is best for expanded and flexible delivery of natural gas.  Today’s more stringent emissions regulations drove modern technology application for re-permitting equipment and increasing their compression needs. Analysis for the compressor station determined revitalizing and modernizing three legacy integral Clark HBA-8 engine/compressors best met financial objectives, along with present and future forecasts for gas demands, with the necessary operation flexibility that compliments new and existing turbine driven compression horsepower at the site.

304

A Method and Apparatus for Direct Enthalpy Rise Measurement For Gas Compression, Part 2

Klaus Brun, Ryan Cater, Rainer Kurz, Brandon Ridens, Sarah Simons

Level:  Advanced

Track:  Technical Paper > Research

The most important physical properties required to analyze compression systems are the fluid’s density, speed of sound, enthalpy, and entropy. A novel method and test apparatus was developed in Phase 1 of this project to measure enthalpy rise directly.The test apparatus was improved upon in Phase 2 to implement a fixed piston speed and stroke length for all gas compositions and operating conditions and allow for test conditions up to 17 MPa.This paper describes the modified test apparatus, the measurement methodology,and the test results for two complex hydrocarbon gases over a range of elevated temperatures and pressures,including the supercritical regime.

9:00am – 9:45am

221AB

Engine Pedestal Design Case Study and Lessons Learned

Debarshi Das, Kelly Eberle, Ken Hall, Martin Maculo

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

This case study investigates high vibration on an engine-driven reciprocating compressor package.  The package experienced high vibration at 1.5x operating speed. The vibration was unusual, as the shape of the vibration was characterized as twisting about a vertical axis through the middle of the engine, which is unique in the authors’ experience and should be of interest to others working with engine-driven compressor packages. 

We will discuss: 
· Measurements from the site investigation 
· FEA results simulating the field installation 
· Design modifications and measurements after implementation 
· A summary of recommended design practices to avoid similar engine vibration problems

303

Operational Modal Analysis to Identify Modal Parameters in Reciprocating Compressors

Mehdi Arjmand, Wally Bratek

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Vibration/Pulsation

Classical Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) is typically used to identify the modal parameters. EMA relies on the applying a known measurable force to estimate modal parameters.   For massive structures, it is impractical to use EMA. The generated force is insignificant.   For large structures operational modal analysis (OMA) can be performed to extract the modal parameters. The major difference to EMA is that the excitation forces are unknown in case of OMA.   Theory and application of OMA on reciprocating machinery modal analysis will be discussed.  Case studies will be presented, where modes of piping, foundation or cylinders were detected by OMA.

301

Overcoming Turbocharger Limitations for Low BMEP Two-Stroke Large Bore Gas Engines – A Technical Analysis and Case Study

Mohamed Toema

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Emissions

This paper reviews the unique challenges of implementing emissions upgrade on low Brake Mean Effective Pressure (BMEP) natural gas engines. A large population of the low BMEP gas engines are still utilized in natural gas compressor stations nationwide. Reducing NOx emissions of these engines requires leaner air-to-fuel ratio operation. The typical engine upgrade utilizing a “pure” turbocharged approach is a challenge for low BMEP engines due to poor overall efficiencies of turbochargers at relatively low pressure ratios needed. This paper first offers a thermodynamic analysis to demonstrate that the exhaust energy of the low BMEP engine is not sufficient to properly match the required compression energy of the turbocharger compressor wheel for a broad operating range. The paper then offers a technical analysis of the various viable options to upgrade low BMEP engines. Using a Cooper GMV-TF, several options are investigated, starting from a series turbocharging with the exiting on engine blower/piston scavenger to supercharging with electrical motor driven blower. It also investigates the option of using an external gas burner in the exhaust stream. The paper closes with a successful case study using electric driven blower in two different compressor station sites

302

Why Calibrate?

Thomas Smith

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Data Analytics

Compliance with regulations, norms and standards as well as improved quality are all good reasons to have a calibration program, but those benefits must be weighed against costs.  This presentation will demonstrate justification for a calibration program and inform the audience of data trends supporting this.  It will also describe what components should be included in a calibration program, how frequently calibration cycles should be undertaken and the dangers of the equipment outside of calibration.

10:00am – 11:15am

Technology Updates: Session 3

Exhibit Hall

Update 1: 

Monico mCore SDR and MonicoLive Monitoring
Speakers- David Krenek, Monico Monitoring

Update 2: 

Smart packing – The intelligent online wear measurement
Speakers- Marc Langela, STASSKOL GmbH

Update 3: 

Caterpillar Product Updates
Speakers- Michael Coppinger, Caterpillar

Update 4: 

New Coating for Power Rings in the Midstream Industry
Speakers- Mikael Odfalk, Hoerbiger Corporation of America

Update 5: 

Minimize Total Cost of Ownership for O&G operators: BHGE Nova LT Gas Turbines experience
Speakers- Andrea Masi - Baker Hughes, a GE Company, Giovanni Amalfitano - Baker Hughes, a GE Company, Francesco Trincia - Baker Hughes, a GE Company

Update 6: 

Cooper Machinery Services Technology Update
Speakers- Bhupinder Dayal, BHGE Reciprocating Compression, Rudy Kusak - GE Oil & Gas, Kyle Sembera - Cooper Machinery Services

Update 7: 

Listen. Understand. Resolve. Reciprocating Equipment Analysis I.R. 48 KVSRA
Speakers- Tracy Wimberly, UPS Midstream

Update 8: 

Variable Capacity Control for Reciprocating Compressors
Speakers- Glenn Hatch, Dresser-Rand, Jeffrey Pennypacker - Dresser-Rand
Joel Sanford - Dresser-Rand

Update 9: 

Zahroof Valves Inc. – StraightFlo Valves for Reciprocating Compressors
Speakers- Dan Rogers, Zahroof Valves, Inc.

11:30am – 1:15pm

Lunch with Exhibitors

Exhibit Hall

1:15pm – 4:15pm

304

Air Regulatory Update 2019

James McCarthy

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Emissions

This annual update will focus on air quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations and emission reduction requirements facing the natural gas industry, including 2019 changes and trends.  Implications of federal regulations will be discussed, as well as State actions that may establish national regulatory precedent.

301

Data Management Best Practices Learned from CEPM

Gary Choquette

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Short Course > Data Analytics

PRCI conducted several research efforts to advance continuous data monitoring techniques for compressor units to detect declining performance will in advance of the need for an emergency repair.  Lessons learned and  associated best practices for gathering and managing data will be discusse3d including: 
•  Logging/capturing data 
•  Identifying ‘bad’ data
•  Equipment mapping and regressions
•  Pre-processing data • Machine learning tips
•  Establishing alarm limits
•  Identifying equipment problems
•  Multiple case studies 

The first half of the short course will focus on lessons learned, the second half will be hands on data analysis. Bring your Excel equipped laptop.

303

Drivers for Centrifugal Compressors

Klaus Brun, Rainer Kurz, Bernhard Winkelmann

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Short Course > Centrifugal Compressors

This tutorial discusses the function, operating pinciples and application requirements for the drivers used for centrifugal compressors in the oil and gas upstream and midstream industry. We will discuss industrial Gas Turbines, and electric motor drives. For the drivers, operating principles, components, configurations and performance characteristics are discussed. Matching drivers and driven equipment, as well as control strategies, and the necessary equipment to operate these machines is discussed. Further,condition monitoring concepts are addressed.

302

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in the Gas Compression Industry

William Couch, Norm Shade

Level:  Beginner

Track:  Short Course > Career Enhancement

This well-established course, which is continually updated, will present an overview of sound business ethics principles and conduct, especially as it pertains to the Gas Compression Industry from upstream through midstream. Presented by experienced industry business leaders, the training will include numerous case studies and real experiences that reinforce the subject matter.  This year’s short course includes a new gas compression industry ethical dilemma section. The attendees will participate in an anonymous ethical dilemma quiz. The attendees’ quiz responses will be discussed and reviewed in detail, including audience participation. This section should be both informative, enlightening and thought provoking!

 

 

221AB

Wet Gas Considerations for the Oil & Gas Industry

Griffin Beck, Steven Green, Grant Musgrove

Level:  Intermediate

Track:  Short Course > Other

This tutorial provides an overview of several different wet gas considerations for the gas compression industry. Fundamentals of wet gas flows and sources of liquids are discussed. An overview of general operating characteristics and performance of some common gas-liquid separation devices is provided. The impact of wet gas on machinery, specifically on reciprocating and centrifugal compressor operation and durability, is also discussed. This tutorial also discusses the emerging technology of wet gas compression and highlights some recent installations where wet gas compressors have been employed. Finally, knowledge gaps are identified and used to suggest topics for future study.

4:15pm – 5:15pm

GMRC Annual Membership Meeting

Bowie B (Hyatt)

5:30pm – 7:30pm

Shell Closing Reception

Lonestar Ballroom in the Grand Hyatt San Antonio

Tim Allison

Southwest Research institute
Manager

No bio available.

Randy Anderson

CECO
Principal Consultant

Currently serving as a Principal Consultant for Compressor Engineering (CECO). Considered an accomplished industry expert with special expertise in the natural gas industry including, 22+ years on the “operator” side and 23+ years on the “consultant” side. Blends strong technical background (B.S. engineering) and extensive practical experience. • Expert at analyzing and troubleshooting engines and compressors with emphasis on emissions compliance, performance, reliability, and safety. • Leads and motivates diverse groups of entry-level employees, experienced technical personnel, as well as management and engineering professionals. My core areas of expertise include: • Analytical Problem Solving • Technical Training • Procedures and Planning • Emission Compliance • Technical Writing • Efficiency Strategies • Teambuilding • Accident Investigation • ROI & Profit Optimization • Leadership • Consensus Building • Communications

Manny Angulo

The Williams Companies
Senior Engineer

Manny has worked within the petrochemical industry since his 1988 graduation from Michigan Technological University with a BSME. He has worked for pipelines (Panhandle Eastern, El Paso and Williams), analyzer manufacturers (Liberty Technologies and Dynalco), and engineering consultants (BETA Machinery Analysis and CECO). During this time he performed engineering testing, completed contract analysis, supported analysis programs, and trained personnel at all organizational levels. Over the years, he developed an improved single set of equations that model both horsepower and flow through a reciprocating compressor, assisted in the implementation and on-going support of organizational wide analysis programs, standardized engine and compressor analysis procedures throughout the industry, and improved economic calculations utilized in engine and compressor analysis. Manny loves transferring knowledge to personnel throughout the industry on technical topics. His varied experience allows him to instruct a wide range of audiences with simple easy to understand explanations. His specialties: Technical training on pipeline compressor stations operations and maintenance, Engineering testing of engines and compressors, Engine and compressor performance analysis

Mehdi Arjmand

Wood
Senior Engineer

Mehdi Arjmand, MSc, PEng, Team Lead, Wood Mehdi is a team lead in Wood’s vibration, dynamics and noise group. His more than 10 years’ design and field experience includes acoustical (pulsation) and mechanical vibration analysis, field testing and troubleshooting of rotating and reciprocating machinery. Wally has published multiple papers at academic journals and industry conferences.

Abdullah Bajwa

Texas A&M University
Manager

No bio available.

Mathieu Barabe

Wood
Anti-Vibration Products R&D Engineer

Mathieu has 12 years’ experience in acoustical and mechanical vibration analysis of reciprocating compressor packages and field troubleshooting of rotating machinery systems. He has been with Wood since 2007 and now works as a products engineer in Wood’s anti-vibration products group.

Jeff Barss

Wood
Field Analyst

No bio available.

Griffin Beck

Southwest Research Institute
Senior Research Engineer

Griffin Beck is a Senior Research Engineer in the Propulsion and Energy Machinery Section at Southwest Research Institute. He is responsible for design and analysis tasks that support the development of machinery systems as well as the design, analysis, and execution of unique testing programs for a wide variety of machinery. His experimental experience includes work on wet gas centrifugal compressors, tests involving liquefied natural gas, various machinery performance tests, and testing with high pressure natural gas foam for hydraulic fracturing applications. His analytical experience includes thermal/fluid design, analysis, and simulations tasks for several machinery and process related applications. Mr. Beck earned his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Matt Begler

Caterpillar Oil & Gas

Cat Connect Global Sales Manager 20 years in Oil and Gas ioT digital solutions with background in hardware, software, back office integration, and sales.

David E. Bell

Hoerbiger Engine Division-Altronic
Senior Vice President - Sales and Service - North America

Senior Vice President Global Sales and Service - Applications

Greg Beshouri

Advanced Engine Technologies Corporation
Manager

Mr. Beshouri received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, in 1979 and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California-Berkeley in 1980. He then worked for Enterprise Engine Company (a manufacturer of large bore high output marine diesel engines) as a Field Service Engineer, Research Engineer, and then manager of the R&D, Service and Controls departments. During his career at Enterprise, Mr. Beshouri worked on a wide variety of State of the Art projects related to engine performance optimization, emissions reduction and design improvement. In 1988, Mr. Beshouri, with other industry experts, founded Advanced Engine Technologies Corporation (AETC) focusing on the application of "State of the Art" technologies to reciprocating engines and other combustion sources. This includes the application of parametric emissions monitoring, combustion performance monitoring, engine control technology and new technology development for large bore engines. In 2011 Mr. Beshouri joined HOERBIGER to support its efforts in establishing a worldwide reputation as a premium supplier of engine technologies and retrofit engine systems. Mr. Beshouri has authored numerous papers on engine modeling, testing and analysis. He is a member of the ASME-Internal Combustion Engine Division and Society of Automotive Engineers.

Umeet Bhachu

Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Sr. Rotating Equipment Engineer

No bio available.

Timothy Bootsveld

Wood
Anti-Vibration Products R&D Engineer

Timothy is a mechanical engineer specializing in vibration and pipe stress design. In his current role as applications and research and development engineer, he is involved in the development of Wood’s anti-vibration products and provides specialist advice on their application, based on his background in pulsation and finite element modeling of piping systems. Timothy has been with Wood for over six years, focusing on pipe stress and vibration analysis projects; balancing both requirements for B31.3, API 618/674 studies. Timothy also delivers detailed training seminars to engineers on the topics of acoustical pulsation and mechanical vibration simulations.

John Boser

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation
Engineer - Compression

John Boser, P.E., is currently an Engineer 2 for Compression Engineering at National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, located in Williamsville, NY. John is responsible for managing capital construction projects, process design, and engineering support activities, including specification writing and compressor and equipment analysis. He graduated from the University at Buffalo with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 2013 and a Master’s in Business Administration in 2018.

Gary Bourn

Anadarko

No bio available.

Ben Boutin

Hoerbiger Corporation
VP Engineering

Ben graduated from the University of Calgary in 1986 with a B.Sc. in Engineering. He worked in the field of machinery diagnostics for twenty years developing both portable and continuous monitoring systems for engines, compressors and rotating equipment. Ben joined HOERBIGER in 2006 as Manager of OEM Field Support. He has lead product development and Engineering teams for over twenty five years and his expertise includes machinery analysis and compressor valve troubleshooting. He is currently Vice President of Engineering and is responsible for Engineering and Drafting for HOERBIGER’s Compression business in North America.

Andreas Brandl

Hoerbiger Service Inc.
Engineering Manager

: Andreas Brandl is the Engineering Manager at HOERBIGER Service Inc. in Houston, TX. His work focuses on Reciprocating Compressors for the Oil & Gas industry. Before coming to Texas he was working in the corporate R&D department for HOERBIGER in Austria. Andreas earned his Master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the Vienna University of Technology and his MBA at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University.

Wally Bratek

Wood
Principal Consultant

Principal consultant, field engineering and troubleshooting Wood Wally Bratek is a principal consultant in Wood’s vibration, dynamics and noise group. His more than 20 years’ design and field experience include acoustical (pulsation) and mechanical vibration analysis, machinery dynamics, field testing and troubleshooting, alignment, high-speed balancing, lateral rotordynamics, piping flexibility and flow-induced pulsation. Wally has presented multiple papers at industry conferences and is an active member of the API 618 6th Edition task force for pulsation analysis and the GMRC Gas Machinery Conference committee.

Eugene Broerman

SwRI
Principal Engineer

Eugene L. Broerman, III is a Principal Engineer in the Fluid Machinery Systems Section at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX. He is a 2001 graduate of Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has over 16 years of experience in the fields of mechanical vibrations, compressor and piping system design, acoustics, finite element analysis, and thermal piping stress.

Klaus Brun

Elliott Group
Director

Dr. Brun is the Director of Research & Development at Elliott Group where he leads a group of over 60 professionals in the development of turbomachinery and related systems for the energy industry. His past experience includes positions in product development, engineering, project management, and executive management at Southwest Research Institute, Solar Turbines, General Electric, and Alstom. He holds nine patents, authored over 350 papers, and published three textbooks on energy systems and turbomachinery. Dr. Brun is a Fellow of the ASME and won an R&D 100 award in 2007 for his Semi-Active Valve invention. He also won the ASME Industrial Gas Turbine Award in 2016 and 11 individuals ASME Turbo Expo Best Paper awards. Dr. Brun is the chair if the 2020 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles Symposium, past chair of the ASMEIGTI Board of Directors, the ASME Oil & Gas Applications Committee, and ASME sCO2 Power Cycle Committee. He is also a member of the API 616 Task Force, the ASME PTC-10 task force, the Asia Turbomachinery Symposiums Committee, and the Supercritical CO2 Symposium Advisory Committee. Dr. Brun is currently the Executive Correspondent of Turbomachinery International Magazine and Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Gas Turbines for Power.

Keith Burley

Ariel Corporation
Product & Distribution Support

No bio available.

Ionut Buse

TransCanada Energy

No bio available.

Patrick Campbell

Ariel Corporation
Applications Engineer

Patrick Campbell is an Application Engineer for Ariel Corporation in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Patrick’s responsibilities include sizing and selecting Ariel compressors for a variety of applications, technical training, troubleshooting, and retrofitting existing equipment. In his 6 years with Ariel, Patrick has specialized in CO2 and challenging compression systems along with technical training for Ariel’s customers. Patrick received a BSME with a minor in Aeronautics from Trine University in 2013.

Ryan Cater

SwRI
Engineer

Ryan Cater is a Research Engineer at Southwest Research Institute with a background in machinery technology for the oil & gas industry, and he maintains a high level of expertise in gas compression with reciprocating compressors. Ryan has experience measuring performance of reciprocating compressors and components under standard and wet-gas conditions and some of his past projects include packaging reciprocating and centrifugal compressors and development of a zero-leakage rod packing seal from initial conception to fully-functional prototype. He is also an expert in lubrication theory for reciprocating compressors and has developed physics models and software for predicting lubrication rates.

Glen Chatfield

Optimum Pumping Technology
President

No bio available.

Gary Choquette

Pipeline Research Council International
Director of Research Execution

Gary Choquette is the Director of Research Execution for the Pipeline Research Council International. He has than 30 years of operating experience natural gas transportation industry including design and construction, information technology, field operations and gas control. He has been involved in pipeline research since 2012. Mr. Choquette has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nebraska and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Texas.

Mike Clay

Solar Turbines
Manager, Business Development

Mike Clay is the Business Development Manager at Solar Turbines Inc, based in Houston, Texas. He began his 30-year career with Solar Turbines as a Field Service Representative in the Western U.S. installing, commissioning, & troubleshooting gas turbines, centrifugal compressors, and generators. From there he has progressed through varied positions within Solar leading up to his current position. He began his career with Gas Turbines while serving in the U.S. Navy.

Michael Coppinger

Caterpillar Oil & Gas
Product Definition Manager

Michael Coppinger is the Product Definition Manager for the Gas Compression product segment within Caterpillar's Oil and Gas business unit. Since joining Caterpillar in 2007, he has held various positions within both the engineering and marketing organizations, including new product design, product quality and durability, field follow validation, technical product support, and currently product definition and strategy.

William Couch

Parker Hannifin PECO
Marketing Analyst

For over twenty years Bill has been involved in many activities associated with the Gas Machinery Research Council as a member of GMC Project Supervisory Committee and the GMC Planning Committee. Bill was Chairman of the 2012 GMRC Gas Machinery Conference in Austin, Texas and received the GMRC’s Edward N. Henderson Distinguished Service Award in 2014. He has written and presented numerous technical papers and short courses on natural gas related topics as well as non-tradition subjects of relevance to Engineers, Managers and Professional Engineers within our industry. From 2005 to 2012 Bill Chaired the Compressor and Pump Station Technical Committee for the Pipeline Research Council International, Inc. (PRCI). During Bill’s tenure with the committee he oversaw the challenging transition from ‘entitled’ research funding to the more competitive ‘vote your dollars’ research funding by the PRCI member companies. For many years Bill was actively involved in natural gas industry research and Engineering education performed at Colorado State University’s Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory. He also worked with the Kansas State University’s National Gas Machinery Laboratory, advancing their educational and natural gas research activities. The majority of Bill’s professional career was spent with El Paso Natural Gas and Tennessee Natural Gas where he held various positions in Design Engineering, Project Management and Management. He is presently employed by Parker Hannifin, providing marketing research and filtration training for employees, distributors and customers worldwide. Bill holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University Long Beach and Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University. Bill is a registered Professional Engineer in New Mexico and Texas.

Randy Dal Molin

Hoerbiger Corporation of America
Regional Product Manager

Randy graduated from the University of Calgary in 1990 with a B.Sc. in Computer Science. From 1991 to 2006 he worked in the field of engine and compressor diagnostics developing both portable and continuous monitoring systems. Randy joined HOERBIGER Corporation of America in 2006 providing Project Management for new product introductions. His experience includes Product and Project Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Field Testing, and Product Market introduction. Currently Randy is the North American Valve Product Manager.

Debarshi Das

Wood
Team Lead

No bio available.

Bhupinder Dayal

BHGE Reciprocating Compression

No bio available.

Kelly Eberle

Wood
Principal Consultant

Kelly Eberle, BSc, PEng Principal consultant, vibration, dynamics and noise Wood Kelly is a principal consultant and technical authority for machinery vibration and dynamic analysis at Wood. With more than 30 years’ industry experience, Kelly has accumulated a wide range of design and field expertise, particularly in the area of pressure pulsation analysis and mechanical analysis of reciprocating compressor and pump installations. Kelly has authored and presented numerous technical papers involving acoustical simulations, thermal flexibility, dynamic finite element analysis, machinery, structural and foundation analysis.

Francisco Fierro

Southwest Research Institute
Senior Research Engineer

Francisco Fierro, is currently a Senior Research Engineer for the Fluid Machinery Systems Section at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX. He is a 2004 graduate of New Mexico State University with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and a 2007 graduate with a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He has over 12 years of experience in the fields of mechanical vibrations, compressor and piping system design, finite element analysis, thermal piping stress and acoustics.

Richard Fink

Enbridge

No bio available.

Georg Flade

STASSKOL GmbH
Rotating Equipmetn Engineer

1991 – 1998: Study of Chemistry 1998 – 2001: PhD in Chemistry at the Max-Planck-University 2001 – 2007:R&D in different fields of Polymer applications (Bavaria) 2009 – 2011:International MBA in Germany, France, USA & China 2007 – Today: Head of Material and Product Development at STASSKOL

Ryan Gauthier

Williams Companies

No bio available.

Steven Green

Southwest Research Institute
Institute Engineer

Steve Green is an Institute Engineer in the Mechanical Engineering Division at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). He is the Project Manager for the Separation Technology and Research (STAR) Program, a joint industry program focused on research and testing of separation equipment for the oil and gas and chemical processing industries. Mr. Green has spent almost 39 years at SwRI and has worked for a broad array of industry and government customers mainly in the areas of thermo-fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, and low-gravity fluid mechanics. Mr. Green earned his B. S. and M. S. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Jordan Grose

Wood
Anti-Vibration Products R&D Engineer

No bio available.

Ken Hall

Caterpillar Oil & Gas
Global Engineering Manager

No bio available.

Justin Hallerman

Anadarko

No bio available.

Glenn Hatch

Dresser-Rand

No bio available.

Charles Hill

EDI, Inc.

No bio available.

Justin Hollingsworth

SwRI
Principal Engineer

Justin R. Hollingsworth is a Principal Engineer in the Machinery Department of Southwest Research Institute’s (SwRI) Mechanical Engineering Division, a team dedicated to the analysis, testing, and implementation of advanced turbomachinery and related equipment. His rotordynamic experience spans more than 26 years, with an emphasis on lateral, steady state and forced response torsional, transient torsional, stability, and bearing/seal studies. He has conducted field measurements and associated analyses for a wide variety of machinery, including centrifugal and reciprocating compressors, gearboxes, turbines, pumps, generators, engines, industrial cooling fans, and electric motors. He has been involved in producing (as author or co-author) 16 publications related to machinery dynamics, has contributed to related industry standards and guidelines, and is a member of ASME.

Stephen Homan

Siemens Dresser-Rand
Project Development Manager

Steve Homan has been with the Siemens/Dresser-Rand business for near 11 years. Originally he joined the Enginuity, LLC team in 2007 in the Sales and Marketing Director role. Upon the acquisition by Dresser-Rand in 2009, Steve assumed the role of managing project execution for business, overseeing all aspects of work and scope required to successfully complete all work booked for the business unit. He now works in a business development like role out of the Siemens Reciprocating Compressors and Engines segment, focusing on helping the North America client facing teams secure new project business for improved reliability, operability and emissions reduction primarily on integral engine/compressors, but also for high speed separables. While in the industry, he has served on the advisory board for the National Gas Machinery Laboratory at Kansas State University, served as a liaison to the PRCI for Dresser-Rand, and presented multiple times at the EGCR and GMC. Steve holds a BS in Engineering Science and an MBA from Colorado State University. He resides in Fort Collins, CO with his wife of 30 years. Cycling? Golf? Shooting Sports? Yeah, let's go!

Kyle Howard

EnSite USA
P.E.

Kyle Howard, PE – Vice President – Kyle’s experience in the energy industry encompasses both domestic and international projects. He is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states with his primary expertise in executing EPCM projects pertaining to onshore facilities, compressor stations, and pipeline projects. His principle expertise covers conceptual to detailed facility design, major equipment specification development & coordination, and all phases of project management. He has been actively involved in multiple industry associations, including technical paper authorship and serving as an instructor for facility related design classes

Derek Hughes

Antero Midstream
Maintenance Manager

Joining Antero in 2014, Derek is currently the Manager of Maintenance for Antero Midstream, where his responsibilities include all maintenance activities for 186 compressor packages, managing the standards and processes for Midstream warehousing, asset management, and water maintenance. He also assists with providing support for 20 compressor stations on all daily activities. His area of responsibilities covers Antero’s footprint located in West Virginia and Southeast Ohio. Derek spent the early part of his operational career in West Virginia when he started with Dominion Transmission as a field man in the WV storage field. He began with Dominion in 2002 and transitioned his focus to Pennsylvania and Ohio. While working in Ohio, Derek implemented the roaming heavy maintenance repair team that focused on the overhaul maintenance of eight compressor stations covering two states. Prior to joining Antero, Derek was the Operations Manager at Dominion Transmission where he was responsible for eight compressor stations, 325 miles of DOT pipelines, and 148 storage wells. Overall, his area of responsibilities spanned the company’s portfolio with focus in the Northeast portion of West Virginia. He held various operational positions during his 12 year tenure at Dominion; Supervisor of Operations, Lead Mechanic, Sr. Mechanic, Operator, and Field Man. These various positions were focused on the transportation of dry commercial quality gas in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Derek is originally from Woodsfield, Ohio. He attended Walsh University on a basketball scholarship and majored in Physical Therapy with a minor in Computer Science. He serves on the board of directors for Genesis Youth Crisis Center and is an active member of Horizons Church. He and his wife, Amber, currently reside in Bridgeport, WV with their four children, Ashton, Treyton, Brooke and Brinley. Derek and his family enjoy farming, outdoor activities, sporting events and classic cars.

Timothy Jacobs

Texas A&M University
Professor

No bio available.

Steven Jacquin

Siemens
Business Consultant

PreSales & Solution Architect at Siemens 4+ years with Siemens Industry Software in Canada. 20+ years in controls and industrial IT products and services with technical, team building and leadership, and business planning and execution roles and responsibilities.

Christopher Kipp

Waukesha Gas Engines, an INNIO Company

No bio available.

Nick Klosinski

Waukesha Gas Engines
Product Manager

No bio available.

Ryan Krafcheck

INNIO Waukesha gas engines
VHP Product Manager

Ryan Krafcheck is the Sr Product Manager for Waukesha gas engines. As product manager, Ryan works closely with internal and external groups to ensure products meet customers’ needs. He is responsible for the entire life of the VHP, beginning with new product development efforts and voice-of-customer studies, through commercialization, and ending in product line rationalization. In addition to new product introductions, he is also responsible for sales revenue, product cost, and the multigenerational product plan for VHP engines. Previous to his role as VHP Product Manager, Ryan led the Gas Compression Product line and has had roles as Marketing Manager and Sr. Application Engineer. Ryan has been with Waukesha for 14 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a certificate in technical communication from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater.

David Krenek

Monico, Inc.
Subject Matter Expert - Monitoring & Analytics

: David Krenek has been in the oil and gas industry for 43 years, primarily in technical support roles for sales and service of natural gas compression equipment. He has been with Monico since May 2018 as Subject Matter Expert for Monitoring & Analytics. Prior to that, David was with Caterpillar for 20 years managing application support, technical service support and product definition for Caterpillar’s Oil & Gas marketing unit. During his last 10 years with Caterpillar, he was responsible for developing, marketing, and operating Condition Monitoring solutions for Caterpillar natural gas engines in gas compression applications. Prior to working with Caterpillar, David was with Halliburton Company’s gas compression rental business unit with the last 4 years as Manager of Compression Engineering. David has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A & M University. He is currently a member of the Gas Machinery Research Council’s (GMRC) Project Supervisory Committee and active in the GMRC’s Gas Machinery Conferences. His hobbies include photography and performing masterpiece choral music.

Terry Kreuz

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation
General Manager

Responsible for managing and controlling the engineering design, construction and operations/reliability support function for natural gas compression, electrical, automation, and gas processing, for NFG’s Transmission, Midstream and gathering areas. Terry graduated in 1984 with a B.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from State University of New York at Buffalo, and he is a participating and contributing member of multiple industry standards and committees, including PRCI, GMRC, EGCR and API.

Aubrey Kudler

Dearing Compressor & Pump Company
Applications Engineer

Aubrey Kudler, E.I.T. is an Applications Engineer at Dearing Compressor & Pump Company in Youngstown, Ohio. She is responsible for providing technical customer support, reviewing customer specifications and sales information to develop detailed proposals based on a preliminary compressor package design. In 2004 Ms. Kudler graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Business and Political Science and went on to earn a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering in 2013 from Youngstown State University. Utilizing her business background and experiences in Project Design and Management, she analyzes and interprets complex documents and specifications.

Chris Kulhanek

SwRI
Research Engineer

Chris D. Kulhanek is a Research Engineer in the Machinery Department at Southwest Research Institute. He is responsible for investigating problems with fluid-process machinery and associated plant systems. His interests include lateral and torsional rotordynamics, bearings and seals, finite element analysis, and mechanical design. Mr. Kulhanek performs third-party design audits, troubleshooting, and root cause failure analysis of turbomachinery and fluid systems. He has authored technical papers in the area of fluid film bearings and torsional vibration. Mr. Kulhanek received his B.S. and M.S. degrees (Mechanical Engineering) from Texas A&M University.

Rainer Kurz

Solar Turbines
Manager of System Analysis

Rainer Kurz is the Manager, Systems Analysis at Solar Turbines Incorporated, in San Diego, California. His organization is responsible for predicting compressor and gas turbine performance, for conducting application studies, and for field performance testing. Dr. Kurz attended the Universitaet der Bundeswehr in Hamburg Germany, where he received the degree of a Dr.-Ing. in 1991. He joined Solar Turbines in 1993, and holds his current position since 1995

Ken L'Anglois

DCP Midstream

No bio available.

John Ladd

Hoerbiger Service, Inc.
Solutions Engineer, Compressor Analyst

No bio available.

Marc Langela

STASSKOL GmbH
Head of Material and Product Development

1991 – 1998: Study of Chemistry 1998 – 2001: PhD in Chemistry at the Max-Planck-University 2001 – 2007:R&D in different fields of Polymer applications (Bavaria) 2009 – 2011:International MBA in Germany, France, USA & China 2007 – Today: Head of Material and Product Development at STASSKOL

Taylor Linker

Texas A&M University
Manager

Taylor Linker is a second-year Master's student studying mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University. He currently works in the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory (AERL) under the advisement of Professor Timothy Jacobs. His research is funded by Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) and focuses on improving the control of two-stroke, natural gas pipeline engines. Taylor received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2017. There he also performed energy-based research to improve electric utility demand response programs. His interests include thermodynamics, internal combustion engines, and energy conversion engineering in general.

Tom Lumade

TC Energy
Environmental Advisor

No bio available.

Martin Maculo

Williams
Staff Engineer

No bio available.

Andrea Masi

Baker Hughes
Senior Product Configuration Manager

No bio available.

James McCarthy

Innovative Environmental Solutions
President

Jim McCarthy is the President of Innovative Environmental Solutions, Incorporated (IES) and has over 30 years of experience in the air quality and energy field. IES supports natural gas industry efforts to strategically resolve air quality and greenhouse gas emission issues.Jim’s specialties include the characterization and control of NOx, air toxic, and GHG emissions from combustion and process equipment in the energy industry, and facilitation of natural gas industry efforts to integrate best science principles into federal and state regulations. Prior to IES, Jim led the Gas Research Institute air quality R&D program.Jim has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego.

Ryan McLaughlin

Siemens
Product Line Manager

:Ryan McLaughlin is a product line manager for Siemens Gas and Power with a focus on reciprocating compressors. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University at Buffalo and joined Siemens in 2012. Currently, he uses his experience in the oil and gas industry, coupled with Siemens' 11+ years of experience in additive manufacturing, to push the limits and provide innovative solutions that align with our client’s needs.

Majid Mehrpouya

Wood
Team Lead

Majid Mehrpouya, PhD, PEng Team Lead, Machinery Analysis Wood Majid is an expert in finite element modeling, pulsation and dynamic analyses of compressor and piping systems. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with focus on finite element analysis, mathematical modeling, optimization, signal processing and data analysis. He is also proficient in the field troubleshooting of rotating equipment. Majid has worked with Wood since 2014 in both design and field troubleshooting roles.

John Mentzer

Dearing Compressor & Pump Company
Applications Engineer

John Mentzer is the Applications Coordinator at Dearing Compressor and Pump Company, located in Youngstown, Ohio. John is a member of the Dearing Leadership Team that sets strategic direction for the company. John began his career at Dearing in 2003 in Shipping and Receiving and, while working, went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree from Youngstown State University in Electrical Engineering Technology in 2006. Today, he is responsible for managing Dearing’s Applications Department, where he utilizes his broad experience in project and controls design to supervise the Applications Team, and he oversees all aspects of application engineering work to support the submittal of client proposals for natural gas compressor packages and related components for the Oil and Gas Industry. John was awarded his Eagle Scout in 1998 and volunteers as a Scouts BSA Cub Scout den leader in his local community.

Drake Millier

Atmos Energy
Project Engineer

Drake Millier Engineer 3 Atmos Energy Drake Millier is an engineer with Atmos Energy with over 10 years’ experience in design, construction, and operation in all sectors of the oil and gas industry: upstream, midstream, and downstream. He received his degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M and degree in chemistry from Austin College. Most recently his wife, daughter, and goldendoodle endured him completing the specification, evaluation, and installation/commissioning of an injection compressor rated for 3200 PSIG. He has a passion for performance evaluation and analysis that often traverses its way to the bidding/purchasing efforts for projects.

Paul Modorski

Merjent
Senior Analyist

No bio available.

Grant Musgrove

Southwest Research Institute
Manager

Grant Musgrove is Manager of the Propulsion and Energy Machinery Section at Southwest Research Institute. He currently conducts applied research for turbomachinery applications in oil and gas, power generation, and propulsion applications. Mr. Musgrove has experience with the aerodynamic design of radial machinery for both large-scale power generation and small-scale propulsion. His research work in the area of multiphase flows in machinery has included both experimental and computational methods of solid-gas and liquid-gas (wet gas) flows. His active research areas are turbomachinery design, wet gas compression, and supercritical CO2. Mr. Musgrove earned his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University and from The Pennsylvania State University.

Mikael Odfalk

Hoerbiger Corporation of America
Applications Engineer

Mikael Odfalk is an Applications Engineer at HOERBIGER Corporation of America in Houston, TX. His primary role is in supporting the engine piston ring business with technical expertise. Prior to his position at HOERBIGER he worked as a drive train and tribology expert in the automotive industry for about 20 years. He has a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Linköping, Sweden and a Licentiate degree in Materials Science from the University of Uppsala, Sweden.

Daniel Olsen

Colorado State University
Professor

No bio available.

Mark Patterson

Baker Hughes, a GE Company
Consulting Engineer

No bio available.

Jan Pawlewitz

Siemens
VP Sales Oil & Gas North America

No bio available.

Brandon Peterson

EnSite USA
EIT

Brandon Peterson, PE – Mechanical Engineer – Brandon is a professional engineer whose primary expertise is compressor stations, pipeline modernization, and gas processing facilities. His experience includes engineering and project management of detailed compression facility design, pipeline design and major equipment specification development & coordination.

Anthony Pocengal

Solar Turbines
Principal Environmental Engineer

Anthony Pocengal is a Principal Environmental Engineer with Solar Turbines. As an expert in air pollution and air quality issues, Anthony provides project regulatory assessments and is responsible for the interpretation of air emissions regulations around the world and their effect on Solar’s markets and products. Anthony holds a professional engineering license and has experience in air quality consulting and source monitoring. He has 20 years of experience in the field and has been with Solar Turbines for 13 years. Anthony earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics from Ithaca College (NY) and a master’s in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida.

Greg Polkus

Innio Waukesha Gas Engine
275GL+ Product Manager

Greg Polkus is the Product Manager for the 275GL+ product line at INNIO Waukesha Gas Engine. As a leading provider of power equipment, Waukesha Engine is focused on power generation and gas compression for oil and gas applications. Waukesha Engine's product portfolio includes highly reliable, robust reciprocating engines that generate 240 to 5000 horsepower for numerous industries globally.

Joe Powell

Universal Plant Services - Midstream Services
Technical Manager

Joe Powell has been in the natural gas industry for the past 23 years. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from LSU, he went to work for a major natural gas pipeline transmission company where he worked for just over 17 years. While there, he worked in various roles ranging from measurement technician to engineering to front line supervision. A majority of that time was spent working as a Reliability Engineer supporting all equipment in various compressor stations across South Louisiana. From there, he spent 4 years working for an OEM as the Director of Sales for the Eastern US. After leaving his sales role, he headed to Universal Plant Services where he currently works in their Midstream Division as the Technical Manager. Joe’s passions include project scoping and management, root cause failure analysis, and providing technical support for reciprocating equipment. His current role at Universal Plant Services allows Joe the opportunity to continue to work in these areas with customers to help bring about the best outcome for the equipment that he is asked to support.

Dan Rem

Engineering and Reliability Technical Services

No bio available.

Brandon Ridens

SwRI
Engineer

Brandon Ridens is a research engineer with the Machinery Department at the Southwest Research Institute. He currently oversees the high-pressure gas property testing laboratory at SwRI; providing thermophysical gas properties, including speed of sound, density, specific heat, and enthalpy change measurements for various gases in the high-pressure, supercritical regime. Mr. Ridens has also managed and participated in multiple industry-funded consortia focusing on the thermophysical properties of gases relevant to the compression and pipeline industry and their relation to commonly used equation-of-state (EOS) models. Mr. Ridens has conducted thermodynamic evaluations and reviews of two-phase flow for wet-gas compression and absorption characteristics of CO2, performing thermophysical measurements of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) for compression applications.

Angel Rivera

Kinder Morgan
Manager - Engineering Design

Angel Rivera is currently the Manager of the Engineering Design group at Kinder Morgan in Houston, TX. He is a 1996 graduate of The University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. His area of expertise includes the fields of mechanical design, mechanical vibrations, conducting field studies on various natural gas systems (including dynamic pulsation and strain data), compressor and piping system design and analysis, finite element analysis, compressor station layout design and pipeline design.

Alasdair Robinson

Wood
Client Relations Manager

Alasdair Robinson, BSc, PEng Service Line Manager, Machinery Analysis Wood Alasdair is a professional engineer with 25 years' experience with rotating and reciprocating machinery in the oil and gas industry. He has spent most of his career working on the design, operation, and maintenance of gas compressors with a focus on vibration-related problems. Alasdair currently manages the machinery analysis service line in Wood’s vibration, dynamics and noise group.

Dan Rogers

Zahroof Valves, Inc.

No bio available.

Ryan Rudnitzki

Waukesha Gas Engines, an INNIO Company

No bio available.

Paul Sandy

Eureka Midstream
Director of Operations

No bio available.

Bart Sauer

Siemens
Manager

No bio available.

Keith Schafer

TransCanada Pipeline
reciprocating Principal

Keith W. Schafer - TC Energy Started his career with Columbia Gas Transmission at Kenova Compressor Station. Working 10 years there in operations, maintenance and engine analysis. 1987 Columbia started their Equipment Analyst Team that Keith was a part of for the next 24 years, before becoming the Team Leader of the group. In 2010 he was named Manager of System Reliability with 28 technicians and engineers overseeing Reliability of 103 compressor stations. Transcanada purchased CPG in 2016 and Keith was named the Reciprocating Principal for the 530 reciprocating engines and compressors in US Gas Operations. With oversight of all Reliability issues including, maintenance inspections, overhauls, parts, vendor management and engine analysis. Keith has been on the GMC planning committee for 12 years. This year was Chairman of the Eastern Gas Compression Roundtable, servers on the KSU, NGML Advisory Board and on the PRCI Compressor and Pump Committee. After 42 years Keith has been involved with almost all aspects f Natural Gas Compressor Stations

David Schroeder

CPI
Vice President of Technology

David Schroeder is Vice President of Technology of Compressor Products International (CPI). Prior to assuming his current responsibilities, he served in a variety of roles in engineering management, application engineering, and field service. He originally joined the company, then known as France Compressor Products, in 1996 as a Valve Product Engineer. David graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1990. After graduation he studied for two years in the Penn State Propulsion Laboratory under an Air Force research program. He then went to work for Cooper Industries (part of which later became Cameron) in their Engineering Management Training Program. He started at their Turbocompressor division in Buffalo, NY in the production test laboratory in 1992. Next he went to their reciprocating compressor and engine division, Cooper Bessemer, in Grove City, PA. He worked there as a Project Engineer in the new unit and re-application department until he joined France Compressor Products.

Christopher Seeton

Shrieve Chemical Products
Global Director of Technology

Dr. Seeton is the Global Director of Technology for Shrieve Chemical. He has is PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Bachelor's and Master's degrees in ME from Georgia Tech. Dr. Seeton has worked on lubricant-gas interactions in compressors, heat exchangers, and system operation for the past 24 years. He is an expert at measuring the thermophysical properties of gases and lubricants and has designed and built test instruments to cover the range of operating conditions in the field. Unrelated to the gas industry, Dr. Seeton worked at Honeywell prior to joining Shrieve as the Global Technology Leader for HFO-1234yf, and is responsible for the adoption of the new refrigerant in vehicles world wide - a billion dollar business in itself and the basis of change in stationary AC systems now underway. He is the current chairman for the SAE Interior Climate Control Fluids Committee, various ASHRAE committees, and is very active in traveling to the gas patch to teach field technicians the basis of operation of their compression systems.

Norm Shade

ACI Services
Sr. Consultant & President-Emeritus

W. Norm Shade is Sr. Consultant and President-Emeritus of ACI Services Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, OH. He received BME and MSME degrees from The Ohio State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1970, and he is a registered professional engineer in the States of Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. Before leading ACI from 2004 through March of 2013, he spent 32 years in various engineering, management and executive positions with Cooper Cameron Corporation including Director of Engineering, General Manager, and VP - Product Development. In 2003 he started his own Houston, TX based consulting company that continues to provide market research and technical services to companies in the oil and gas industry and related fields. He has authored more than 450 published articles and technical papers, serving as a regular columnist and Contributing Editor for COMPRESSORTechTwo magazine. His new book, Gas Compression: A Primer on Compression Equipment and Technology, is being published one chapter at a time in the monthly issues of Gas Compressor Magazine, and he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and training events. His recent responsibilities with ACI included leading an industry-wide Gas Machinery Research Council program to develop a new design and application guideline for high-speed compressor packages in field gas services, serving as vice-chair of the API 11P 3rd Edition Task Group and working with a multi-discipline team to develop a new linear motor reciprocating compressor for hydrogen vehicle refueling. Shade is Past-Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Gas Compressor Association (GCA) and is active in the Gas Machinery Research Council (GMRC), Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Gas Electric Partnership, and API 11P Task Force, having held many positions and committee chairmanships. He is an ASME Fellow and has received a number of other awards including the GCA Distinguished Service Award, the GMRC Edwin N. Henderson Award for service to the gas compression industry, the ASME Distinguished Service Award, the Ohio State University Ohio State University Stillman Robinson Award (for lifetime achievement in chosen profession) and E.G. Bailey Entrepreneurship Award, nominee for the Association of Ohio Community Colleges Friend of Community Colleges Award and Honorary Associate in Public Service Degree from Zane State College. He currently serves on advisory committees for the Ohio State University Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Zane State College Energy Technology and Gas Compression Programs.

Josh Shaver

LJA Engineer
Project Manager, Sr. Professional Engineer

Josh Shaver Sr. Project Manager LJA Engineering Josh Shaver is a Senior Project Manager with LJA Engineering, with over (17) years’ experience of design, construction, and operation in all sectors of the oil and gas industry: upstream, midstream, and downstream. He received his degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Texas in Arlington 2007. Mr. Shaver’s work experience encompasses over (8) years’ experience with Atmos Energy, (2) years’ experience working for OEMS, in addition to his (4) years as secretary and (2) years as Vice Chairman and Secretary of the GRMC PSC committee. Mr. Shaver has co-authored (5) GMRC papers as well as participating in many more, and is currently assisting efforts to update API 11P.

Sarah Simons

SwRI
Research Scientist

Sarah Simons is a Research Scientist in the Fluid Machinery Systems Section at Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI). She has developed new state-of-the-art analyses and test devices from research performed in the fields of acoustics, vibrations, and compressor operation. She has over 8 years of experience performing acoustic, thermal, and modal analyses of complex existing and new machinery piping systems with the aid of commercial and in-house digital design tools. Ms. Simons has written and co-authored numerous papers, magazine articles, and a book on the subject of acoustics, pulsations, gas properties, noise and vibration in compressors and pumps

Dwight Small

Kinder Morgan
Engineering Technician

Dwight Small began working on the natural gas pipeline with Woodward Governor as an applications engineer. Went on to work with Enginuity analyzing engines and commissioning new HPFi system installations. Proceeded to work for El Paso in WY as an engine analyst. Now currently employed by Kinder Morgan as an Engineering Technician analyzing engines and compressors and testing emissions.

Oscar Smith

Equitrans Midstream

No bio available.

Rob Smith

Tallgrass Energy Partners
Compressor Engineer

No bio available.

Thomas Smith

Altite, Inc.
President & CEO

Tom Smith is President and CEO of Alltite, Inc. of Wichita, KS. Tom has been in calibration, tools and equipment since graduating from The University of Kansas in 1995. Upon Graduation, Tom started out as an Area Manager for Hytorc, covering Kansas and Northern Oklahoma. In 1999, Tom moved to Ann Arbor, MI to become a Territory Manager for Hytorc and remained there until 2003. In 2003, Tom founded Alltite, Inc. in Wichita, KS. Alltite sells, rents, services and repairs industrial tooling with an emphasis in bolt torque and tensioning. Alltite specializes in tool kits and custom Quality Programs for Bolting in the Wind, Oil and Natural Gas Compression, Power Gen, and Refining Industries. Tom has been published twice in Compressor Tech Two and has given Bolting Seminars to 6 different Nuclear Power Plants. Most recently, Tom co-authored a White Paper titled "Field Calibration and Accuracy of Torque Wrenches" presented at the 2011 ASME PVP Conference.

Patrick Taylor

Hoerbiger Corporation
Field Engineering Coordinator

Patrick is the Manager Product Support for HOERBIGER Corporation of America. He started at HOERBIGER in 2005 as a compressor controls engineer working with the HydroCOM and eVCP product lines. Prior to HOERBIGER, Patrick worked in the maritime industry as a marine engineer and holds a First Assistant Engineer’s license. During his maritime career he worked on various break bulk freighters, oil tankers, and offshore drilling platforms. Patrick also served in the Persian Gulf as a civilian mariner during the Second Gulf War. Patrick is a 1997 graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY and served in the US Naval Reserve from 1997 to 2005.

Jon Tice

DCP Midstream
Principal Reliability Engineer

Jon K. Tice - Jon began work in the gas transmission industry following graduation with his MSM&AE from Cornell University. He began his career as a Compressor Design Engineer at Ingersoll-Rand Company in Painted Post, NY. Later, he began work on the low emission integral engines produced at I-R. He held several different jobs in the emissions end of the industry, notably a co-founder of Enginuity in 1995.Jon worked for El Paso Pipeline Group from 2001 - 2006 before returning to Enginuity in 2006, where he worked for the next 8 years. In 2014, Jon decided to take a position with DCP Midstream where he worked until June, 2019.

Mohamed Toema

Hoerbiger Service, Inc.
Principal Engineer

Mohamed Toema is a principal engineer working with HOERBIGER Engine division. For more than 8 years in HOERBIGER he is responsible for engine emission upgrade projects. Mainly for large bore legacy gas engine serving the natural gas pipeline industry. Toema received his PhD from Kansas State University (National Gas Machinery Laboratory). He joined Hoerbiger team in June 2011 and he became a registered PE engineer in the state of Texas since 2012.

Meera Towler

Southwest Research Institute
Research Engineer

Meera Day Towler, P.E.is a Research Engineer in the Rotating Machinery Dynamics Section at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX. While at SwRI, her research has included instrumentation, performance testing, control systems, and rotordynamicsanalysis intended for applications such as turboexpanders, centrifugal compressors, and utility-scale cycles. She has Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics from Southern Methodist University. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, with a specialization in controls and dynamic systems.

Ralph Warner

Caterpillar Oil & GFas
Business Development Manager

No bio available.

Benjamin White

SwRI
Manager

Benjamin A. White, P.E., is the Manager of the Fluid Machinery Systems Section at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX. He is a 1995 graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has over 20 years of experience in the fields of mechanical vibrations, compressor and piping system design, finite element analysis, thermal piping stress and acoustics.

Kevin Whitley

Siemens
Automation Engineer

No bio available.

Tracy Wimberly

UPS Midstream
Technical Service Specialist

Tracy Wimberly is an Equipment Analyst with over two decades of hands on experience. Tracy specializes in Reciprocating Equipment Analysis but also is a Reciprocating Equipment Analysis Trainer and a Rotating Equipment Analyst. He is employed by Universal Plant Services Midstream as a Technical Specialist who is heading up the Equipment Analysis Deportment and had worked for Windrock as a Equipment Analyst and Instructor for the past 11 years. A background as a Mechanic, Instrument Technician and Electrician along with the endless resources from U.P.S. Midstream and the mentorship from legends in this industry have shaped Tracy into a complete Equipment Analyst. Tracy Wimberly currently resides in New Orleans, LA with his wife and son but was born and raised in Lake Charles, LA.

Bernhard Winkelmann

Solar Turbines
Director

No bio available.