A single compliance failure can cost millions. Are your fluid power systems up to the challenge?
Companies in the oil and gas sector operate under numerous strict standards across multiple jurisdictions worldwide including pollution control, water usage, waste management, spill prevention, and worker safety. Non-compliance can result in fines, downtime, lost opportunity, environmental and reputational damage, or worse, employee injury or death.
While no one solution eliminates all risks, you can reduce your environmental footprint and operational risks with effective hydraulic systems, a good preventative maintenance program, and a highly efficient critical spares inventory management system.
MCE offers expertise in fluid power systems for improved safety, environmental protection, preventative maintenance and operational reliability.
Did you know that a single drop of hydraulic oil leaked each second equals 420 gallons of oil a year? (Machinery Lubrication)
Oil and gas operations rely heavily on hydraulic systems for energy-intensive processes from exploration and drilling to site construction and transportation. Those singular drops of oil add up to significant costs and environmental concerns, especially considering the number of vehicles or machines using fluid power systems. (i.e., heavy-duty equipment such as excavators, graders, dump trucks, frac trucks and bulldozers.)
Every leaked drop of hydraulic fluid creates an environmental issue, including:
Evaluating and maintaining your fluid power components and their inventory can significantly improve environmental impact, operational safety and profitability.
The bad news? Improper installation, system design, incorrect routing and substandard components account for most hydraulic oil leaks.
The good news? That means most hydraulic leaks can be avoided.
Through careful collaboration with your team and proper installation of hydraulic components, MCEs experts can help prevent failures due to leaks, corrosion, and component wear. It’s important to note that the majority of system failures are due to system contamination. The importance of keeping hydraulic systems clean and well-maintained with application-specific filtration cannot be stressed enough.
Here are just a few ways to improve your fluid power systems’ environmental impact:
Material selection plays a major role in hydraulic system safety, especially in high-stakes industries such as oil and gas.
Choosing the right materials for components like hoses, cylinders, fittings and seals can protect against common causes of component degradation in the oil and gas industry. When selecting a hydraulic hose assembly, our manufacturer partner, Parker Hannifin, a global leader in fluid power technologies, recommends using the handy S.T.A.M.P.E.D. process to properly spec out your hose assemblies.
S.T.A.M.P.E.D. is an acronym for:
Size: Hoses are identified by their inside diameter (ID), and selecting the proper hose ID will give the correct flow velocity for the hydraulic application. Outside diameter (OD) may be important if the application requires hoses to be routed in a tight area. Don’t forget to consider length and tolerance requirements.
Temperature: Factor internal and external (ambient) temperatures when selecting a hose for maximum performance and life span. Choose a hose material that can withstand conditions associated with the application (high/low temperatures).
Application: Determine how and where the hose will be used. Will the assembly be used indoors, outdoors, or exposed to chemicals, hydrogen sulfide acids or moisture? Will the hose be used in high abrasion areas or require a tight bend radius when routing? Hose covers as an extra layer of protection against abrasion, punctures or heat.
Media: Media is the material being conveyed through the hose. Some media and applications may require hoses to be resistant to certain fire hazards, fluids, aggregate material, abrasiveness, chemicals or other corrosive elements that may flow through the hose. O-rings and hose ends must also be compatible with these media.
Pressure: What pressure rating does your hose assembly need to meet? Consider working pressures as well as burst pressures. Depending on the application, you may have dynamic (fluctuating) or static (stable) pressure considerations. Always ensure the hose you select is rated at or above the maximum working pressure of any system.
End Fittings: Fittings are the weakest link in your hydraulic hose assembly and require careful consideration to avoid failure. Select the right end fittings based on media, working pressures, vibration resistance, and only use manufacture-approved ends and couplings.
Delivery: Consider quality, testing, packaging, certification, and delivery requirements. Once a new hose assembly has been put in service or replaced, be sure to regularly inspect for signs of worn fittings, clamps or damaged hoses.
Pro Tip: Uptime is everything. Choose a provider that can provide timely and reliable delivery of your critical spares and hydraulic components.
Hydraulic hoses are comprised of three parts; core tube, reinforcement layer, and cover. Each hose layer may have different material requirements.
Differences in Hydraulic Hose and Fitting Materials
Since hydraulic assembly materials consist of hoses and fittings that convey pressurized hydraulic fluid, it’s critical to spec a hydraulic hose assembly properly. This is especially critical to operating safely and efficiently, especially in the harsh environments of the oil and gas industry.
Hose Materials:
Fitting Metals:
Parker's hydraulic hoses feature the most abrasion-resistant covers on the market and are compliant with REACH and RoHS industry standards.
Note: Parker has portable hose crimping machines with hoses and fittings for easier handling and higher levels of safety in field repair.
We work with your team and provide training opportunities in conjunction with Parker’s Dry Technology class. During training, we discuss common causes of hydraulic leakage including improper installation (60%), poor system design (20%), poor quality components (15%) and system abuse (5%). We’ll also teach strategies to prevent leakage through better design. We cover tubing selection, port selection, fitting selection, tube fabrication and routing, and installation training.
Avoid mixing and matching components in your hydraulic assembly. Using components from different manufacturers can introduce reliability issues stemming from size differences, pressure ratings or miscommunication about parts. We recommend using top quality component manufacturers as well as using the same manufacturer for all hydraulic hoses, fittings and adapters to ensure compatibility and reduce risk.
Hydraulic oil lubricates components, dissipates heat, prevents friction, removes contaminants and delivers the power needed for oil and gas applications. Select compatible hydraulic fluids with proper viscosity and special additives to withstand extreme conditions and temperature fluctuations.
Approximately 75% of hydraulic system failures are due to system contamination.
Proper filtration minimizes contaminants like dirt, metal shavings, acids and water, extending component life and system efficiency. Clean hydraulic fluid ensures smooth movements of parts and reduces the likelihood of friction or unexpected pressure drops during operation. We recommend investing in high-quality, application-specific filters and conducting routine maintenance on your hydraulic systems, including inspections, fluid level checks and component replacement schedules.
Do you have an asset management plan in place?
Tracking assets is a daunting task, especially across multiple enterprise functions. The Parker Tracking System (PTS) is one traceability solution that can help maintain compliance throughout your organization by automatically sending alerts for hose assembly inspection or replacement. This system also details all parts of every hose assembly component with a unique PTS number so that a hose assembly replacement can be made in-house or through Parker distributors all around the country.
The benefits of effective asset management in oil and gas include:
The Parker Tracking System (PTS) allows you to record, manage and retrieve asset information on parts that can wear or fail unexpectedly. This data helps maximize equipment uptime, drive higher productivity, control costs and mitigate risk throughout your organization.
How do you use the Parker Tracking System?
Depending on the application, Parker has durable labels, RFID systems and other tagging media for clear and dynamic product identification. PTS tags can be customized to include:
PTS can be connected to the cloud, so your team can access comprehensive data whenever and wherever needed. Data can include customer information, bill of material, application data, replacement history, customized instructions for MRO activity and file attachments for prints, certifications and photos.
Note: PTS can help deliver compliance with a number of industry accreditations, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 17165-1. It also supports requirements from The Energy Institute, DNV, and other regulatory bodies.
>> PTS Success Story - Onshore/Offshore Oil and Gas
Parker is committed to creating the best hydraulic system solutions for your business needs and the environment. Their efforts to mitigate environmental impacts include developing environmentally friendly fluids, advanced filtration systems and sustainable initiatives.
By partnering with Parker, MCE helps you choose hydraulic components designed for extreme environments, preventing unplanned downtime and keeping your business in full compliance.
The oil & gas industry—the exploration, extraction, refining, or transportation of petroleum products—is vital to the world economy. You make the world go round, so we need you operating at peak performance.
We provide tailored solutions—from helping you select the right hydraulic components, stocking critical spares inventory, and implementing asset-tracking systems to manage your MRO supply effectively.
Contact MCE today to optimize your fluid power systems for greater safety, reliability and sustainability. We can provide you with a Free Assessment.