Thread Content
The development history of the valve industry has been full of challenges and obstacles along the way... Throughout this difficult process of development, most companies have withstood the tests and established a solid foundation; yet this is only the beginning, and there is still a long way to go. If the valve industry is to grow and become stronger, how should it take the next steps and remain vigilant even in times of stability? Examine many issues in the valve industry that are worth exploring. Development of the main markets for valves 1. Oil and gas industry In North America and some developed countries, there are many oil projects that are planned or under expansion. Additionally, as there is an increasing emphasis on environmental protection, environmental regulations have been established; as a result, refineries built years ago must be renovated. Therefore, investment in oil exploration and refining will continue to rise in the coming years. The construction of long-distance oil and gas pipelines in China, as well as those in Russia in the future, will directly drive growth in the market for valves used in the oil industry. As shown in Figure 2, based on the long-term development trends of the market for valves used in oil and gas exploration and transportation, it is predicted that the demand for such valves in these areas will increase from $8.2 billion in 2002 to $14 billion by 2005. 2. Energy Industry For a long time, the energy industry has maintained a strong and steady growth rate in its demand for valves. The total power generation from thermal and nuclear power plants built around the world is 2,679,030 MW; the United States generates 743,391 MW, while the new power plant projects in the rest of the world produce 780,000 MW. This figure is set to increase by 40% in the coming years. The energy markets in Europe, South America, and Asia, particularly China, will become new growth areas for the valve market. From 2002 to 2005, the demand for valve products in the energy market will rise from $5.2 billion to $6.9 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 9.3%. 3. Chemical Industry The chemical industry ranks first among industries in terms of output value, at over $1.5 trillion, and it is also one of the largest markets for valves. The chemical industry often requires industrial valves that are well-designed, of high manufacturing quality, and made from rare materials. In recent years, competition in the chemical industry has become extremely fierce, forcing many chemical manufacturers to cut costs. However, during the 2003–2004 period, the output and profits of the chemical industry grew exponentially, leading to a demand for valve products that reached its highest level in 30 years. After 2005, the demand for valve products in the chemical industry is expected to grow at a rate of 5% per year. The impact of the oil and gas industry on valve technology: Although the range of valve products used in oil and gas exploration and transportation has remained largely unchanged over the past century, valve manufacturers have continuously improved valve technology to adapt to the changes in the oil and gas industry market. To remain ahead in the market or avoid falling behind, valve manufacturers must continuously update the technologies and processes related to the design, manufacturing, service, and sales of valves. The fact is that oil companies are placing increasing demands on valve manufacturers: in addition to offering reasonable prices, advanced valve manufacturers must be able to solve the problems faced by oil companies, and enhance the performance of their valve products as well as provide more services in more severe working conditions with stricter environmental requirements. (1) The rapid growth in demand for oil and gas in the global metal sealing market has led to exploration efforts for crude oil in every corner of the earth, which imposes new requirements on the equipment used for its extraction. For example, ultra-deep well technology poses challenges of ultra-low temperatures and ultra-high pressures to the equipment. The extraction of ultra-heavy crude oil is a profitable option, especially when the price of crude oil reaches $30 per barrel. Currently, high concentrations of asphaltenes and other impurities pose difficulties in the transportation and processing of crude oil. Soft-sealed ball valves commonly used in oil pipelines are not suitable for such operating conditions; this has led valve manufacturers to develop metal-sealed ball valves that can cope with changes in temperature and pressure, and that also ensure absolute sealing even when transporting solid media such as hydroxides and coke. Metal sealing technology has benefited from the development of surface spraying technology. Valve manufacturers hope to use this technology to maintain their leadership in the market and have included spraying technology in their development strategies; they are working together with research institutes and universities to develop the next generation of \"ultra-hard\" coatings. (2) Protection against \"explosive decompression\": In 2002, the American Petroleum Institute standard API6D specified that valve products with a design pressure higher than ASME Class 600 must be designed with protection against \"explosive decompression\". Explosive decompression refers to the phenomenon where, when the pressure inside a valve drops rapidly, the CO2 that is trapped in the seal due to high pressure expands quickly as a result of this pressure drop; this leads to the seal being damaged or broken during the valve’s closing process, thereby causing the valve to fail. An oil company encountered a valve explosion and pressure release for the first time on a deep-sea platform; after the valve failed, the company was forced to suspend operations for several weeks to replace it, resulting in heavy losses. From then on, high-pressure valves required by oil companies from valve manufacturers had to be equipped with explosion relief features. Soon, valve manufacturers responded promptly by developing \"explosion relief\" seals and \"explosion relief\" valves to meet the stringent environmental requirements. (3) Corrosion associated with sulfur-containing crude oil: Rising crude oil prices have led refineries to turn their attention to sulfur-containing crude oil, as investing in this market yields substantial profits, and long-term supply contracts also provide price advantages. However, sulfur-containing crude oils contain corrosive substances such as H2S, posing new challenges to the corrosion resistance of equipment. Valve manufacturers can supply materials approved under ISO15156, as well as test data (per ISO15156) to demonstrate the corrosion resistance and long service life of the valve materials; as a result, end-users include these valve manufacturers in their list of suppliers of corrosion-resistant valves. (4) Blowby emissions: ISO15848 specifies the requirements for the design of blowby emissions in valves, and manufacturers have redesigned the packing and sealing arrangements of ordinary and special valves to meet these updated standards. However, the new standards are too general and have overly strict requirements; as a result, many oil companies have established their own emission standards. For example, many North American companies follow the provisions of API622. Further improvement of the emission standards for valve blowout requires cooperation among valve manufacturers, users, and standard setters, as well as the exchange of experiences among them to address the issue collectively. The staff at Tai Chen look forward to your call and to serving you. For more information, please visit the official website at http://www.tc29.com/products/Productshow-120.html