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Celeros Flow Technology injects new life into 40 year old SAGD pump to increase heavy oil production for customer

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Heavy oil deposits are extremely viscous and require the injection of high pressure, high temperature steam to improve fluidity and allow the oil to be pumped to the surface. In order to boost extraction on this project, the customer needed to increase water temperatures from 90° C to 140° C. However, there were concerns that the existing pump may not be able to deliver this requirement. Nozzle loads were a particular concern. They turned to Celeros Flow Technology brand ClydeUnion Pumps, their preferred supplier of some 20 years, for assistance.

Mather & Platt is one of several heritage pump brands for which Celeros Flow Technology offers full lifecycle support1. Their aftermarket engineering team undertook a thorough examination of the quadragenarian Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) boiler feed water pump used in the heavy oil extraction process. The investigation revealed that the pump had suffered a number of seal failures over time that had damaged the stuffing box and affected operational efficiency. There had also been no maintenance interventions for decades – but the pump had never actually failed.

Says Mike Golds, Global Upgrade and Rerate Programme Manager for ClydeUnion Pumps: “It is testament to the quality of the original pump that it had continued to operate in such harsh conditions and with no regular maintenance over such a long period of time. More importantly, it gave us confidence that a thorough overhaul could achieve the desired improvement in performance, saving the customer the cost and lost production time that can be associated with sourcing and installing a new unit.”

Celeros Flow Technology overhauled the SAGD pump and performed a mechanical seal upgrade and Plan 23 seal flush to optimize pump performance. In addition, finite element analysis was undertaken to confirm that the nozzle loads would withstand the desired temperature increase. As a result, the pump is now capable of delivering steam at the higher temperatures required. The seal upgrades ensure it meets the latest specifications.

Concludes Mike Golds: “We are really pleased with the outcome of the SAGD pump upgrade. It has not only achieved the desired production increase for the customer, but also provided a more sustainable and cost-effective solution than total pump replacement. Using modern engineering and analysis, we have been able to give the existing pump a new lease of life and ensure it will continue to perform well for many more years.”

SSI SCHAEFER ESTABLISHES ENTERPRISE LAB TOGETHER WITH FRAUNHOFER IML

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Neunkirchen/Siegerland May 31, 2022 – The logistics industry faces many challenges: Urbanization and increasing traffic are making deliveries in city centers more difficult. At the same time, more and more people are ordering products online for subsequent delivery as quickly as possible and, at best, sustainably. The pandemic has further intensified this development. These megatrends require sustainable, technologically innovative solutions for logistics. In the newly founded Enterprise Lab, SSI SCHAEFER, one of the world’s largest providers of intralogistics solutions, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, want to jointly research innovations for the future of logistics.

PLUG & PLAY SOLUTION FOR RAPID PICKING

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To speed up logistics processes and reduce costs, partial automation options are worth considering. SSI SCHAEFER stands by as an advisory partner in this situation. The intralogistics specialist, offering intelligent system combinations for typical requirements in smaller and medium-sized companies, with a straightforward Plug & Play approach and at attractive prices. SSI mobile robots are a good choice for faster picking in combination with shelving systems.

Waukesha Bearings celebrates plant’s 50th anniversary

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Founded in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1946, Waukesha Bearings opened its Antigo manufacturing facility in May 1972, with a staff of 3 full-time employees. In 2019, the plant expanded to 100,000 sq ft of manufacturing space and now employs 120 people. The manufacturing space was added to accommodate production for marine bearing systems and other new projects awarded to the company.

“We are proud of our success and growth to become a supplier of precision bearings to some of the largest multi-national corporations from our small-town, Northern Wisconsin location,” said Mark Greenlund, plant manager.

To celebrate the 50-year milestone, the company is planning an event at the facility for employees and extending its outreach to the community to educate them on the career opportunities available at the site. “We are looking for people within the Antigo community who want to be part of the next 50 years of success at Waukesha Bearings,” said Greenlund.

The Antigo plant is the largest of four Waukesha Bearings manufacturing sites and is supported by engineers in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Waukesha Bearings also has manufacturing facilities in the UK, China and Mexico.

Shortage of oil refineries haunts Africa as fuel prices rocket

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A shortage of oil refineries across sub-Saharan Africa coupled with soaring crude prices because of the war in Ukraine has left countries dangerously short of fuel supplies, disrupting airlines and causing queues at filling stations.
A general view of part of the South African Petroleum Refinery (Sapref) is seen in Durban. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

A general view of part of the South African Petroleum Refinery (Sapref) is seen in Durban. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

The surge in prices comes in tandem with a spike in the cost of food after Russia sent troops into Ukraine, hitting tens of millions of people already living in precarious conditions, as well as government and aid agency budgets.

Refineries across sub-Saharan Africa combined can process 1.36 million barrels of oil a day (bpd), in theory, but with many out of action, only 30% of that capacity was used last year, according to independent consultancy CITAC.

Refineries in Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal are shut, as are four in South Africa. Africa’s biggest oil producer, Nigeria, pumps over 1.3 million barrels a day, but the two privately owned plants still running there can only process 1% of that.

The African Export-Import Bank and the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization signed a deal in May to create a multi-billion-dollar “energy bank” to boost private investment in the sector but analysts say there a few quick fixes on the horizon.

Amidst a rise in social unrest incidents, businesses need to prepare for supply chain disruptions

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Businesses should prepare for a rise in civil unrest incidents as the cost-of-living crisis follows hard on the heels of the Covid pandemic, according to insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). With confidence in traditional sources of information and leadership being undermined, the role of social media platforms in activating civil unrest is becoming increasingly influential. Strikes, riots and violent protest movements pose risks to companies because in addition to buildings or assets suffering costly material damage, business operations can also be severely disrupted with premises unable to be accessed, resulting in loss of income.
Source: ©Dmitry Kalinovsky via

Source: ©Dmitry Kalinovsky via 123RF

“Civil unrest increasingly represents a more critical exposure for many companies than terrorism,” says Srdjan Todorovic, currently head of crisis management, UK and Nordics, at AGCS. “Incidences of social unrest are unlikely to abate any time soon, given the aftershocks of Covid-19, the cost-of-living crisis, and the ideological shifts that continue to divide societies around the world. Businesses need to be alert to any suspicious indicators and designate clear pathways for de-escalation and response, which anticipate and avert the potential for personnel to be injured and/or damage to business and personal property.”

The United Nations has warned of the destabilising potential of disrupted supply chains and surging food, fuel and fertilizer prices, particularly in the context of Russia and Ukraine representing around 30% of the world’s supply of wheat. “All of this is planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe,” said UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres in March 2022. Meanwhile, the risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft sees a rise in civil unrest as ‘inevitable, in middle-income countries, which were able to offer social protection during the pandemic but will now find it difficult to maintain that level of spending as the cost-of-living surges.

According to the Verisk Civil Unrest Index Projections, 75 countries will likely see an increase in protests by late 2022, resulting in, for example, a higher frequency of unrest and more damage to infrastructure and buildings. The outlook is most bleak for the 34 countries that face significant deterioration by August 2022. More than a third of these states are in Europe and Central Europe (12), followed by the Americas (10), Africa (6), Middle East and North Africa (3) and Asia (3).

Economic and insured losses from previous protests have been significant, creating significant claims for companies and their insurers. In 2018, the Yellow Vest movement in France rallied to protest fuel prices and economic inequality, with French retailers losing $1.1bn in revenue in just a few weeks.

A year later in Chile, large-scale demonstrations were sparked by an increase in subway fares, leading to insured losses of $3bn. In the US, the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody are estimated to have resulted in over $2bn insured losses, while the South African riots of July 2021, which followed the arrest of former president, Jacob Zuma, and were fueled by job lay-offs and economic inequality, caused damage worth $1.7bn. Earlier this year in Canada, France and New Zealand, demonstrations against Covid-19 restrictions included convoys of vehicles creating disruption across major cities.

A network of disruption

The influence of social media networks plays an increasing role in mobilising protesters and intensifying social unrest. “The unifying and galvanising effect of social media on such protests is not a particularly recent phenomenon, but during the Covid crisis it combined with other potentially inflammatory factors such as political polarisation, anti-vaccination sentiment, and growing mistrust in government to create a perfect storm of discontent,” says Todorovic.

“Geography was less of a barrier too. Those with like-minded views were able to share opinions more easily and mobilize in greater numbers more quickly and effectively. In a world where trust in both government and media has fallen sharply, misinformation could take hold and partisan grievances be intensified and exploited.”

Targets of civil unrest, or collateral damage arising from it, could include government buildings, transport infrastructure, supply chains, retail premises, foreign-owned enterprises, petrol stations, distribution centers for critical goods, and tourism or hospitality businesses.

Companies should review and update their business contingency plans if necessary, considering any supply chain vulnerabilities. They should also review their insurance policies in the event of increasing local unrest activity. Property policies may cover political violence claims in some cases, but insurers offer specialist coverage to mitigate the impact of strikes, riots and civil commotion (SRCC).

“The nature of political violence threats is evolving, as some democracies become unstable, and certain autocracies crack down heavily on dissenters. Unrest can occur simultaneously in multiple locations as social media now facilitates the rapid mobilization of protestors. This means large retail chains, for example, could suffer multiple losses in one event at various locations in a country,” says Todorovic.

How companies can prepare and prevent the worst

Best practices for how companies should prepare for or respond to such civil unrest incidents depend on many factors, including the nature of the precipitating event, proximity of location and the type of business.

Allianz Risk Consulting has developed a list of technical recommendations for businesses and individuals to help mitigate the risks from civil unrest situations, considering these variables and associated pathways for de-escalation, communication, and response.

AviaDev Africa air connectivity discussions promising for aviation sector

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Wesgro and the Cape Town Air Access Team, alongside delegates from around the world, converged on the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town for the AviaDev Africa Conference from 29 June to 1 July 2022 to enhance air connectivity to, from, and within the Africa continent.
Source: Supplied

Source: Supplied

Delegates comprised over 280 route development specialists, airline and airport representatives, industry suppliers and tourism authorities.

Under the theme Connect, Collaborate, Change, marking the start of AviaDev Africa and setting the tone for the conference, South African Tourism hosted the official AviaDev Africa Reception Event which gave delegates the opportunity to network freely outside the constraints of the conference.

Prior to the start of the conference, the Cape Town Air Access team hosted the VIP Airline Day, where 50 of the top airline executives were treated to a day at the Spice Route Destination, showcasing the beauty of the Cape Winelands.

The three-day conference also included a route development training session, various panels and speeches regarding building profitable airline partnerships, the role of air cargo, diversifying airport revenues, e-flight and its possible applications for Africa, implementing practical technologies, financing African airlines as well as a deep dive into some of the global trends.

A connected continent

Wesgro CEO and the official spokesperson for Cape Town Air Access, Wrenelle Stander, commented: “AviaDev is the perfect platform to have critical route development discussions, and bring together the right industry professionals, as we hope to see a connected continent and a sector that has the power to create sustained economic growth in Africa. Hosting AviaDev Africa here in the Mother City presented us with an unmatched opportunity to be at the forefront of African aviation development, in a period of growth, following the Covid-19 pandemic. It also provided an ideal opportunity to bring together over 300 leading aviation professionals with an interest in Africa to Cape Town and the Western Cape, one of the most iconic destinations in the world.”

Source: Supplied

Source: Supplied

Mayoral committee member for economic growth at the City of Cape Town, Alderman James Vos, said: “Aviation is a key industry for Cape Town’s continued economic growth. This is why we fund initiatives such as Air Access which helps to land more flights that drive travel and trade towards the metro and province.

“This past month, Cape Town International Airport processed up to 30,663 passengers daily. In May, domestic and international passenger numbers recovered to almost 80% of that of the same month in 2019. Under the banner of aviation, we must look at opening up our air transport market even more. Where implemented, it has resulted in increased utilisation of airspace, more competitive fares and more choices for the travelling public. In order to optimise connectivity, we must liberalise measures and subsequently, enhance connectivity. This will undoubtedly positively impact tourism, employment and the economy at large.

“There is clearly demand for travel globally, and to our destination. And it must be our job to enable it, so that it thrives. While Covid-19-related barriers are now removed, we must not lose sight of others that exist in our economy and work with the same passion and determination to break through them too. This will be my passion and my focus. In doing so, we must leverage the lessons that we have learnt during these difficult times, where our resilience was once again tested.

Source: Supplied

Source: Supplied

“For me, one of the top lessons was that partnership works. By working together and leveraging the combined impact of different levels of government, and the private sector, you can move quicker, more effectively, and with greater success in achieving outcomes. Which is why, continuing to back the immensely successful ‘Air Access” collaboration, based within Wesgro, remains a top priority for my term.

“One of the principal missions of this team is to increase connections to the Western Cape, especially with the rest of Africa, so we can make it easier and more affordable to travel between our countries and so that we can attract more investment as well as increase trade,” concluded Mireille Wenger, Western Cape minister of finance and economic opportunities.”

Technology will help restore efficiency and confidence in aviation’s baggage processes

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You’ll have seen the images spreading across the media; the “baggage mountains” accumulating at airports around the globe as passengers wait to be reunited with their delayed bags. The numbers reflect the industry’s current difficulties in maintaining effective baggage management processes amid surging passenger traffic as we emerge from the pandemic.
Source: Brian Jackson via

Source: Brian Jackson via 123RF

Baggage mishandling: What do the numbers say?

While mishandling still affects a relatively small proportion of all bags, Sita’s 2022 Baggage IT Insights report reveals that more bags were mishandled in 2021 than in 2020. As the industry’s recovery began in 2021, the global rate of mishandled bags per thousand passengers reached 4.35, up 24% from 2020.

Our management system for mishandled baggage, WorldTracer, gave us an idea of how things are this year. The system recorded roughly three times more mishandled bag reports for January to March 2022 compared to the previous-year period. From April to June 2022, the system showed five times more mishandled bag reports than in the second quarter of 2021.

May 2022 saw a similar number of mishandled bag reports to May 2019, before the pandemic. The number of reports in June 2022 slightly surpassed the figure for June 2019, even though passenger traffic had not yet caught up with pre-pandemic levels. This means that the rate of mishandled bags per passenger could be significantly higher for May to June 2022 compared to the same period in 2019.

As the recovery of international passenger traffic accelerates, the rate could go up further because, historically, transfers from one flight to another account for most mishandling. The 2022 Baggage IT Insights research found that globally, the likelihood of mishandling a bag is about 4.7 times higher on international routes than on domestic routes.

Technology is the answer

Much of the challenge is down to staff shortages at airlines, airports, and ground handlers. They downsized to survive the pandemic, strongly impacting baggage management resources and expertise. In only a few months, they’ve had to switch from survival mode to almost full-scale operations due to the swift recovery of passenger traffic over the summer. Some concentrated spikes in traffic have even surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Fast recruitment to meet the demand has proven difficult amid a tight labor market.

Flight suspensions loom as Cape Town Airport faces jet fuel shortage

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The arrival of jet fuel supply has been delayed, resulting in Cape Town International Airport having to ration fuel supply to airlines; this having a possible impact on flight schedules should emergency reserves run out before the fuel arrives.
Source:

Source: Pexels

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has announced in a statement that Cape Town International Airport is experiencing further delays in receiving jet fuel due to slowed delivery times from its supplier. Rough seas are delaying the transportation of the fuel via sea vessels, Acsa said. An insider told Daily Maverick that the vessel is expected to dock [on Sunday night] with the fuel being available for use by Wednesday after transporting it to the airport and some routine testing, stabilising fuel supply by Thursday.

Mark Mclean, regional general manager at Cape Town International Airport told Daily Maverick that current jet fuel being used was left over from the last shipment and was being rationed to sustain the airport supply until the shipment arrives. Earlier [last week], the Cape Town airport had also received about two million litres of emergency jet fuel supply to sustain the airport as it awaits the vessel’s arrival.

New break tank package booster set for drinking water

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For separating such applications from the mains water, for example buried spray irrigation systems, cattle troughs and service water supply systems as well as dental chairs with a water connection, the pump manufacturer KSB is offering its new KSB Safety Boost break tank package booster set.

This set provides the highest level of protection for liquids of category 5 to DIN EN 1717. The fully automatic, ready-to-connect set is equipped with a vertical high-pressure pump. It is modular in design and mounted on a baseplate. The maximum flow rate per set equals 7 m3/h, the highest head 76 metres.

Pressure control is carried out by an automatic control unit, by means of a pressure switch for the fixed speed version, or by means of a motor-mounted frequency inverter for the variable speed version. All components that can come into contact with drinking water have been approved for drinking water applications. Mains water is supplied to the set via a DVGW-certified flushing valve and a float valve made of materials meeting the KTW and W270 requirements.

The tank has got an effective volume of 100 litres and is made of environmentally friendly, recyclable PPA plastic. All metal components fitted are made of corrosion-resistant, high-quality stainless steels. The tank is designed with a type AB air gap.

The set is easy and fast to commission. Every KSB Safety Boost set is supplied ready-to-connect, pre-assembled and tested. Once the set has been connected to the piping, the 230 V connection simply has to be plugged into a socket (plug-and-play). With the variable speed version, called MVP, the user can opt to be supported by an app for commissioning and operation.