Did you know that the world consumes 36 billion barrels of oil per year, with the United States being one of the world‘s largest producers? Oil drills and refineries require state-of-the-art industrial gearboxes that can work at optimal BEP (best efficiency point) every day of the year. In this article, we explain the benefits of industrial gearboxes and list the top industrial gearboxes for the oil and gas industry in the United States.
The Benefits of an Industrial Gearbox
Industrial gearboxes provide essential benefits to the oil and gas industry. A gearbox is used to multiply torque and reduce speeds allowing smaller motors and drives for the same application. Industrial gearboxes are designed to produce sturdy and sophisticated equipment that reduces noise, bears higher load capacity, and offers efficient and reliable output.
The most significant benefit of industrial gearboxes is the capacity to carry out various duties over a long period at very high efficiency. Due to their reliability, the market for these gearboxes continues to increase as more oil and gas industries adapt to the future of automation while increasing efficiency. Top brands like Lightnin and Western Gear have teams working on improving industrial gearboxes to keep employees safe while operating at high performance.
Different Gearbox Types In The Oil and Gas Industry
High-Speed Industrial Gearboxes
These gearboxes are key drivers of critical upstream processing applications such as pumps, compressors, and generators. High-speed gearbox applications are demanding and need high-quality design and manufacturing to provide the greatest level of reliability. Manufacturers like Philadelphia Gear produce high-speed, parallel shaft gear drives. It’s the perfect balance of engineering and long-term reliability for the oil and gas industry.
Jack Up Rig Gearboxes
Jack-up rigs are heavy-duty industrial gearboxes designed to withstand harsh conditions with a long lifespan. Successful operation of offshore rigs is dependent on effective jacking and fixation systems. Flender, a global leader in turbo gear production, specializes in creating helical turbo-parallel shaft gear units for the oil and gas industries.
Coaxial Helical Inline
These gearboxes are ideal for heavy-duty applications and are noted for their quality and efficiency. Manufacturers designed these gearboxes with a high degree of specification allowing clients to maximize load and transmission ratios. Foote-Jones Gear is a well-known brand for helical gears used in the oil and gas industries. The company has been in the industry for more than 150 years making them a leader in innovation and technology.
Pressure Pump Drives / Gear Pumps
Gear pumps can be divided into two categories: external gear pumps using two external spur gears, and internal gear pumps using external and internal spur gears. These gear pumps are very efficient in high-pressure applications like the oil and gas industry, where large amounts of water and oil need to be displaced around the clock. One of the leading manufacturers of gear pumps, Falk Gearbox, has been in the industry since the early 1900s. Since then, the brand has manufactured more than 1200 reverse reduction drives for tugboats and towboats and more than 1800 special reduction gear for marine vessels.
Trust the Experts for Industrial Gearbox Repairs
When you buy an industrial gearbox from a trusted brand you are investing in the future of your company. When a gearbox fails on a deep-sea oil rig, it can cost companies around $1.5 million per day. The downtime far outweighs the cost of purchasing a reliable industrial gearbox. That’s where Houston Pump and Gear repair experts come in, we specialize in machine gearbox repairs and industrial gearbox repairs for all the brands mentioned in this article.
It’s time to take control of your gearbox operations and avoid the risk of losing money during unforeseen downtime. Contact Houston Pump and Gear for a free quotation.