N
ew pipeline projects face a raft of challenges with much being written about opposition to the
Northern Keystone pipeline in Canada, for example. Those challenges are no longer exclusively
financial, scientific or technical: energy producers and their contractors must balance these facets
with sociopolitical and environmental factors to ensure the commercial viability of a pipeline.
The Northern US is a good example of the need to balance competing expectations when devising a
pipeline. Getting hydrocarbon resources, including oil and natural gas, from the region is of critical economic
importance to the country. The total North American hydrocarbon resource base is more than four times
those in the Middle East
1
and the demand for fuel is rocketing across the continent.
The US has vast, untapped energy potential in the form of natural gas. Depending on the source, industry
estimates suggest there is approximately 2.203 trillion ft
3
of recoverable natural gas in the USA
2
. Pipeline
transport will be crucial to the country realising that potential and feeding demand for fuel. Striking a
balance that keeps the pipeline on track commercially while meeting environmental needs has never been so
important.
A crucial component in helping oil and gas pipeline project developers meet the demands placed on
them is the role of air compression to efficiently dry the lines before they are put in to use. From the choice
of power source for mobile compressor systems themselves to ignition risk reduction through the pipeline,
emissions standards, maintenance levels and even managing the speed of project development (often linked
to terrain issues), air compression plays a significant role in getting a pipeline right.
There are three contributing factors to this balancing act: securing a power source, compressor technology
and maintenance.
