HOERBIGER Serves Permian Basin From Odessa, Texas
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Certain compressor applications require a unique engineering approach, a creative business technique that most companies located within the Permian Basin region experience every day. This area's small market size in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico has created an economic atmosphere in which loosely related companies depend on selling their products to each other, and they excel in customizing accessories to fit the special needs of their client base. HOERBIGER Compression Technology in Odessa, Texas, USA, has a history of closely assisting many Permian Basin businesses with fulfilling these unique needs.
"Permian Basin equipment is older compared to other producing regions and the equipment has been modified over the years," said Pat Cunningham, HOERBIGER Permian Basin branch manager. "A ring groove on a compressor piston that initially was ½ inch might measure 9/16ths now because it has worn over time and has been widened to the next nominal size sometime during its life. Replacement with a larger size, just to make equipment operational, means components sizes are not standard in our area. In other words, an operator can't call the OEM and order a standard replacement because it would no longer fit. Instead, the operator will call us and we'll make the exact size ring or rider he needs. A part that originally measured 0.25 inches when new might now be 0.285 and require a custom replacement. Compressor cylinder bores have also been oversized for this same reason.
"Another unusual aspect of working in this area is our diversified client base. In addition to the oil and gas operators that comprise our primary customers, we also furnish piston rings, rider bands and compressor packing to many local compressor machine shops," Cunningham added. "It's a unique situation in the Permian Basin because of this market size. In other words, we often sell our products to our competitors - something that may be unheard of in other markets - but that works well for all of us in this region."
Prior to January 2005, two divisions of HOERBIGER Service existed in the Midland/Odessa area. One was dedicated exclusively to piston rings and compressor rod packing . The other facility dealt with servicing and retrofitting customers' compressor valves. Almost two years ago, the two were combined under one roof carrying the HOERBIGER Service name, with the intent to better serve all customers from one facility. Customers that used to turn to HOERBIGER only for valve service have since purchased rings and packing from the same company personnel.
In June 2006, HOERBIGER Service physically relocated to one facility on the connecting highway between Odessa and Midland. The new facility includes a conference room, service warehouse, inventory storage, and sales office.
"Consolidating services in one facility with one sales staff made sense and became a better way to serve our customers," said Cunningham, whose rings and packing experience dates back almost 30 years. "That experience helps me maintain a complete inventory of parts so I have on hand what people need. Of course, HOERBIGER's engineers can fashion anything. For example, a customer brought in an unusual Chicago Pneumatic valve that needed replacement. We worked with our Houston office to design a replacement that worked well for him."
The Permian Basin facility covers a large geographic area and is overseen by HOERBIGER's Gulf Coast office located in Houston. Among Cunningham's 2006 projects are facilitating purge control issues for an Odessa Plant...
"We're currently retrofitting existing valves for a refinery in Big Spring, Texas, 45 miles east of us and replacing them with HOERBIGER valves. Our goal throughout our market area is to help customers improve efficiency and durability, and assist them in taking advantage of newer compressor technology."
He added, as an Ariel distributor, HOERBIGER's Service can provide parts for Ariel compressors as well as, service them to OEM specifications. In addition, his service technicians commonly work on other OEM compressors. We recondition compressor valves and packing cases for all OEMs nameplate compressors.
Teflon bushings and packing are provided by HOERBIGER America Rings and Packing, Inc. in Houston, so Cunningham is able to order overnight delivery whenever his customers need something outside his inventory. The Odessa facility also sells HOERBIGER's HydroCOM compressor control system for reciprocating compressors.
About HOERBIGER
HOERBIGER Compression Technology is a business unit of HOERBIGER Holding AG, Zug / Switzerland. HOERBIGER is active throughout the world as a leading player in the fields of compression technology, automation technology and drive technology. In 2005, its 4,700 employees achieved sales of around 650 million euros. The focal points of its business activities include key components and services for reciprocating compressors, pneumatic and hydraulic systems for vehicles and machine tools, as well as components and systems for shift and clutch operations in vehicle drivelines of all kinds.
HOERBIGER Service provides services, support and products through 21 service centers located in the major energy and industrial centers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In the Americas, HOERBIGER has two manufacturing facilities: HOERBIGER Corporation of America located in Pompano Beach, FL and HOERBIGER America Rings and Packings, Inc.located in Houston, TX. Product lines produced for reciprocating compressors include valves, controls, rings, packings, packing and wiper cases, relief valves, and check valves,. Product lines for rotary compressors include suction valves and regulation modules, pneumatic and electronic controllers and servo drives, minimum pressure valves and oil stop valves.
