Managing the Wear of Valves and Seats for Maximum Longevity
Operators and oilfield service companies are looking to push their frac fleets further than ever before by focusing on well optimization strategies that reduce and eliminate maintenance time between wells and fracs. This has caused oil and gas companies to focus on pump utilization and downtime for pump maintenance. Besides fuel, frac pump expendables, or consumables, represent the biggest cost in oil and gas operations. The considerable cost of consumables makes companies naturally focused on reducing costs related to fluid end maintenance and downtime as increasing uptime, efficiency and reliability are top concerns.
The SPM™ EdgeX Valve and EdgeX Carbide Seat address this pressing need by setting new standards for valve and seat life. The EdgeX Carbide Seat is field proven to last six times longer than conventional seats, pushing the lifespan to more than 500 hours. It features a patented tungsten carbide insert and is engineered to withstand wear, cracking and washout even under the harshest pumping conditions. It also addresses another challenge – compatibility. The EdgeX Carbide Seat has a 30° strike angle, enabling easy interchangeability. Companies can decrease time spent pulling seats and reduce costs with the minimal wear and tear that can be experienced with these technological advances.
Designed to maximize the EdgeX Carbide Seat’s performance, EdgeX Valve’s proprietary, industry-first urethane heads wear deeper and last twice as long as conventional valves. Obtaining over 120 hours of life from a valve further reduces operating expenses, maintenance time and safety risks.
In the Permian Basin, using the EdgeX Valve with the EdgeX Carbide Seat enabled an operator to obtain 220 hours from the valve and an average 655-hour seat life (with one lasting 760 hours). The valve and seat the operator previously used typically lasted 110 hours and 80 hours, respectively.
As oil and gas companies seek to further reduce, costs and gain efficiencies, prolonging the life of two of the most used – and most frequently replaced – expendables is an easy way to achieve both goals.
Learn more about the EdgeX Valve and EdgeX Carbide Seat here.