Valves play an integral part in the oil and gas industry, and buying a poor quality valve can result in a disastrous project. Shopping for valves is not the same as any other shopping experience. If anything, it requires a lot of attention to detail. Note that a poor valve will more likely deride your well-planned project resulting in a waste of your money and time. Therefore it is best to consider some factors before you take the plunge.
Understand Your Specifications
Many utilities in the oil and gas industry use valves for various reasons. Again valves for the oil and gas industry come in multiple types, including a ball valve, a globe valve, a breather valve, an expanding gate valve, a butterfly valve, etc. It is also necessary for the valves to meet several standards of the country. For instance, Europe and America have different valve standards. That means there is no specific standardization, making it difficult for the suppliers to keep up with what every market requires. The lack of standardization makes things confusing for those looking for the perfect valve for their project, so the only way to overcome that is to know the specifications you want.
Choose the Right Valve for the Work
You must ensure that you choose the right valve for the job; otherwise, you will have wasted your money. Here, you should determine the need for the valve. For instance, a two-way valve works well for on and off control in a system. A three-way valve is best for on and off systems and regulating the flow of the medium. You should also determine if the valve will remain open or closed most of the time. To ensure it lasts long, choose a valve that stays in that orientation and shifts to the other direction when energized.
Choose the Most Effective Actuation Technology
Establish some system factors such as the ratio, and the flow medium, whether you will manually operate the valve or if you need to actuate the valve to turn it on and off automatically. If you choose the automatic method, decide if you will use an electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic actuator. You may not concern yourself with a specific brand as long as it fits the job and is of good quality. Many projects need valves to either start, stop, or restrict a medium’s flow.
Consider the Application Conditions
Choosing the correct size of the valve is one essential part of the process. If you buy an overly sized valve, it will result in operation issues either within the valve or somewhere else in the system. Also, keep in mind the flow rate, pressure, and temperature your valve will operate in. You will find out that metallic valves can mostly withstand high temperatures and pressures compared to plastic ones.
Consider the Medium Type
Keep in mind that the characteristics of the medium being controlled determine the type of valve you will use. For instance, when monitoring pressurized gases, metal valves come in handy as they provide the highest safety level.
Saving money when buying a valve for the oil and gas industry means finding the best type of valve for the system. It would be best to consider all the critical factors.
