PTAC Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada & Linear Motion Technologies Canada
March 31, 2022
Executive Summary
This final report summarizes the outcomes of the project concerning the Affordable Zero- Emissions Fail-Safe Electric Dump Valve Actuator (Fail-Safe EDVA). Linear Motion Technologies Canada undertook the project in collaboration with Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC).
The project performed applied research, prototype design and development, bench testing, and field testing of an affordable and fail-safe electric dump valve actuator (EDVA) that will replace existing pneumatic valves in the oil and gas industry in Alberta. The applied research for the EDVA and test unit supply effort was performed by LMT-Canada’s parent company LMT Management Corporation in Houston, Texas. Due to the 2020-2022 pandemic, systems engineering, controls development, dump valve actuator integration, prototype shop testing, field trial planning, and field testing were also performed by LMT Management Corporation with three field tests in Texas. Alberta oil and gas companies participated in the project. These companies provided technical information to the project concerning dump valve operating conditions, sizes, vendors and safety requirements through meetings and one-on-one interviews with the project team. They also offered to field test EDVA prototypes. However, the onset of the pandemic in the closure of the international border made
field tests in Canada impractical. Therefore, the combination of field tests in Texas and Arctic cold condition in a pilot facility provided the project with test results and outcomes that are directly applicable to Alberta conditions. PTAC Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada provided project management in Calgary, Alberta.
At the end of the ERA project, the Fail Safe EDVA (1-inch and 2-inch sizes) reached the Technology Readiness Level of 7/8 and is commercially ready to proceed to higher TRL’s and commercial introduction.