Sealed Power Solutions for Oil and Gas Applications

Oil and gas operations often take place in notoriously harsh environments that place many demands on equipment. High pressures, extreme temperatures, corrosive chemical exposure and additional challenges make it critical to leverage the right power solutions.  

Sealed power solutions ensure the reliability and efficiency necessary for these applications. Explore the applications and benefits of sealed power solutions in this sector so you can make an informed decision for your application.

Understanding Sealed Power Solutions

The oil and gas industry is one of the most complex and demanding, with operations often occurring in unique and harsh environments. Sealed power systems ensure the safe and reliable operation of oil and gas equipment in these harsh environments. These solutions can be batteries, integrated systems or power supplies. Choosing the right power source requires considering factors like vibration and shock, temperature range, corrosion resistance and ingress protection ratings.  

How Sealed Power Solutions Work

These power supplies feature several key components to protect against environmental factors, including robust enclosures, protection mechanisms and advanced sealing technologies.  

These robust enclosures, often featuring stainless steel, aluminum or specialty polymers, ensure properties like corrosion and chemical resistance. Advanced sealing technologies protect the power supply from the environment. Power supplies may leverage conformal coatings, epoxy encapsulation and high-quality materials to meet the environment's demands. Generally, these power solutions will use environmental or hermetic sealing to ensure protection: 

• Environmental sealing: Environmental seals typically use rubber to create a barrier between the environment and the power supply. These seals prevent various contaminants from breaching the power source, ensuring the safe and effective electrical performance of equipment.  
• Hermetic sealing: Power systems with hermetic sealing are ideal for withstanding high pressures. These solutions often utilize epoxy, glass, ceramic or fluoropolymers to prevent the contents within from leaking over time. 

Importance of Sealed Power Solutions in Oil and Gas

Sealed power solutions are critical in this industry. The right solutions allow teams to:

• Operate in harsh or remote environments: Oil and gas applications expose equipment to elements like moisture, corrosive chemicals and extreme temperatures. Any of these harsh elements can impact equipment function and impede operational success. Sealed power solutions help teams to safely and efficiently complete operations in these environments.  
• Ensure safety and reliability: Reliable power solutions facilitate ongoing operations and protect teams from hazardous outcomes. The oil and gas industry often encounters explosive and flammable substances. A single spark from an unsealed power source could be catastrophic. Sealed power sources prevent ignition and power failures in critical operations, ensuring worker safety and application efficiency.  
• Maintain compliance with industry standards: The oil and gas industry adheres to several strict regulations. Meeting these regulations is essential for ensuring safety, avoiding fines and penalties, and meeting industry demands. Industry standards also guide teams to prevent environmental spills or leaks and reduce emissions, two important initiatives in the industry. 

Benefits of Sealed Power Solutions

Sealed power systems enable the critical functions of oil and gas applications. They also deliver several benefits, including:

• Enhanced durability and longevity: These power solutions have higher resistance to environmental wear and tear compared to unsealed systems. This resistance ensures teams can maintain consistent performance in harsh or remote environments with exposure to vibrations, extreme temperatures, high pressures and corrosive elements.  
• Improved safety features: The advanced safety features of sealed power solutions leverage explosion-proof and spark-resistant designs. These designs reduce the risks associated with working with electrical hazards or flammable components.  
• Cost efficiency and reduced maintenance: Protection from harmful elements promotes equipment longevity, requiring teams to spend less on maintenance, repairs and replacements. Additionally, consistent performance allows teams to save on operational costs associated with downtime.  

Applications for Sealed Power Supply Systems

These systems have uses across the oil and gas industry. Key applications include:

• Offshore platforms: Control systems and drilling equipment require reliable power. Sealed solutions provide consistent equipment performance and ensure safety and longevity in saltwater environments.  
• Onshore drilling sites: Sealed power sources allow teams to access remote locations and power mobile drilling rigs. These power supplies also enable the use of alarm systems, remote monitoring, communication systems, site security and portable generators.  
• Refining and processing facilities: These solutions enable power management for complex processing equipment. Sealed solutions are ideal in hazardous areas where flammable vapors may be present and risk reduction is critical. 

Selecting the Right Sealed Power Solutions

Despite the advanced features and robust designs of these power solutions, each type has unique properties and benefits for meeting various application needs. Consider these factors to choose the right power solution: 

• Assess your power needs: Scalability and flexibility are crucial. You must consider your application's power requirements, anticipating demand fluctuations. Additionally, if you plan to use your solution across applications, you should think about the demands of each application.  
• Consider the environmental conditions: You must understand how various environmental conditions can impact the power source function. Consider how corrosive elements, humidity and temperature ranges can impact your power source. Select materials and designs that suit your specific conditions.  
• Evaluate product features: While sealed power solutions offer the same basic functions and benefits, it's crucial to consider the unique features a solution offers. For example, some power solutions will utilize lightweight materials, which may be crucial for some applications. Others may offer higher efficiency in high-pressure environments. Consider features like monitoring capabilities, capacity and efficiency. Also, evaluate warranties and the manufacturer's support to verify product features and ensure reliability. 

Common Challenges in Implementation

While sealed power solutions deliver many benefits, teams must also overcome several hurdles:

• Initial cost and installation logistics: Sealed power solutions often have a higher initial cost than unsealed solutions. The advanced designs and technologies raise prices, which can present a challenge for teams with budget limitations.  
• Space constraints: Many oil and gas equipment pieces have weight and space restrictions. This obstacle can make it challenging to find solutions. You may need to request custom solutions to achieve the lightweight or compact models you need.  
• Integration with existing infrastructure: Integrating these solutions can be challenging, especially if the existing systems don't have a design to accommodate the new system. Teams must ensure compatibility between equipment and power sources by evaluating current, voltage and communication protocols.  

Best Practices for Deployment and Management

Like all of your equipment, sealed power sources require proper deployment and management for safety, functionality, and longevity. Follow these best practices:

• Implement testing procedures to ensure standard compliance.  
• Perform regular inspections and address needs quickly. 
• Train personnel for effective operation and emergency response. 
• Consider your provider's experience, reputation and support services.  
• Implement protection measures like over-voltage protection and short-circuit protection. 
• Clean the system to prevent contaminant buildup. 
• Track performance metrics such as temperature, current and voltage.  
• Perform regular audits to ensure proper maintenance and operational procedures.  

Find Power Solutions for Oil and Gas Applications at Astrodyne TDI

When you need sealed power solutions, your first step is to find a reputable provider. At Astrodyne TDI, our team crafts cutting-edge power solutions for critical applications. Our custom power solutions help you meet environmental demands while maintaining industry standards and regulations. 

Whether you have a question about power requirements or need a tailored system, you can rely on us to help you meet application demands. Contact us for more information.