Screen Type Lube Oil Filters on Drive Engines

Problem: A natural gas processing plant operator was concerned about the volume of waste sock lube oil filters and lost lube oil created by filter changes on drive engines. The seven sock filters on each drive engine were changed four times per year. Each filter change required about 40 gallons of new lube oil. For a sock filter change, each new filter cost $7.71 and the replacement of the 40 gallons of lube oil cost $107.00. The total cost per year for the 16 units was $10,315.00.

Solution: The operator made a simple equipment modification. Oberg screen type filters were installed on each of the drive engines in parallel with the existing sock filters. The screen filters could then be bypassed for cleaning while the unit continued to operate. As a result of switching to the screen filters, the sock filters required replacement only once per year.

Benefits: This simple equipment modification was cost effective. The reduced sock filter changes saved $7,736.00 per year, not including the savings from reduced management and disposal costs for the eliminated waste sock filters. The operator also gained the benefit of reduced regulatory compliance associated with waste management.