News

Case Study: Ranger Gas

Published on Jun 10, 2009

Ranger Gas is a stripping facility that removes NGLs from gas in order to make it ready for pipeline transport. The main plant is located in a remote site just outside Ranger, TX. Mike Gryder is one of the site’s primary mechanics.

PROBLEM:
Too many resources spent on maintenance.
Older equipment, some from the 1980s.
Turbocharger damage due to backfiring engine.
Lots of time/energy/resources used up on repairs.
Constant replacing and repairing of magnetos.
Lack of troubleshooting capabilities, repairs were done through manual testing.
Not getting maximum efficiency from the engines.
No remote monitoring.
Spark plug life not long enough.

Ranger Gas wanted a definitive upgrade. They wanted to catch up to the present, with the ability to add remote monitoring in the future.

“Our Murphy engine controls were still running after 20 years, but we needed new ignitions and new technologies. Our old ignition systems kept backfiring the engine and damaging the turbocharger. We also didn’t have all the end devices we needed, just a basic annunciator panel. We had a lot of end devices still on the engine. We were doing all our troubleshooting manually. It was real spread out and hands-on all the time. It could be done, but it took more work for us.”– Mike Gryder

IMPLEMENTATION:
Murphy replaced 20-year old pneumatic Tattletale® panels with two new compressor panels that combined the main end devices into a single group interface.
Outfitted panels with TTD annunciators for shutdown and TDXM pyrometers for temperature scanning.

The panel and controller selections
Included communications capabilities.
Replaced traditional magneto-based ignition controllers with microprocessor-based Murphy Power Ignition controllers (MPI-8 and MPI-32).
Added Murphy’s patented Smart Coils™ to the ignition system for true secondary diagnostics and benefits such as longer spark plug life.
Installation performed and supported locally by Gulf Coast Ignition, a member of Murphy’s international dealer network.
Murphy and Gulf Coast Ignition coordinated on providing operational training classes for Ranger employees.

“When we upgraded, we wanted automated startups. We wanted secondary diagnostics. And we wanted remote communications for the future. Murphy supported us through the installations, and even included training on the new equipment. We were very satisfied.” – Mike Gryder

RESULTS:
Longer uptime on engines.
Longer spark plug life.
More reliance on pre-scheduled preventative maintenance instead of surprise equipment failures.
Automated ignition and shutdown that reacts to conditions of the engine and surrounding environment.
Measuring fuel usage, and expects to see strong savings in consumption and related fuel costs.

“Now we can set the timing on each individual cylinder, we can adjust the Kv to each plug. We’ve got the automation we wanted, and we’re getting longer plug life.”

“The remote communications are very good. Someday we want to be able to check our compressors from our house.”– Mike Gryder

CONTACTS:
FW Murphy
Mark Pelham, territory sales manager
432.520.3348 (w)
432.634.4324 (c)
mpelham@fwmurphy.com

Gulf Coast Ignition
Ed Ansell
281.844.4402

Doug Irwin
972.672.8723

Ranger Gas
Robert Beard, president
254.631.1546 (c)

Mike Gryder, mechanic
254.631.2759 (w)
254.647.5263 (f)