Category: News

We’re very excited to announce that Process Control Equipment Ltd Netherlands, is our new distribution partner for the Benelux Region of Europe for Oliver Valves, Oliver Twinsafe, and Oliver Hydcovalves.

Strategically located for distribution, in the town of Ridderkerk, close to Rotterdam, PCE operates from 10,000 sq/ft purpose-built warehousing facilities, where they’ll house dedicated stock holding of the Oliver valve range. PCE also has a sales office near Antwerp, perfectly placed to service and support the Belgian market.

Oliver Valves and PCE, two family-owned businesses, have been working together in the UK for more than 20 years, forming a very close relationship in that time. We’re really excited to be taking our successful partnership to the Benelux region and are confident that we’ll continue and strengthen our ongoing support to existing customers and welcome new ones.

Pictured is Andy Hole, Oliver Valves Territory Manager for Europe and Africa with PCE Benelux General Manager, Arno van Bekkum.

For valve sales and enquiries contact:
PCE Benelux, Schillingstraat 17, 2988 Ridderkerk, Netherlands
sales@pce-bv.nl
www.pce-bv.nl

Oliver Valves – Andy Hole, Sales Manager (Projects & Distribution)
ahole@valves.co.uk
www.valves.co.uk

Oliver Valves Middle East distributor, GAS (Gas Arabian Services), won a half million-pound order but the sales value wasn’t the only significant highlight – it was Oliver’s Solution-Driven approach and distributor support that helped secure a second order in as many months.

Oliver’s strong working relationship between the end-user and engineering consultants meant that we were able to quickly advise on using a Double Block and Bleed Valve suitable for their application, and not a traditional tubing design.

When GAS received the second enquiry for 150 x Double Block and Bleed Valves, they contacted Oliver Valves and together we looked at ways to further reduce the cost to the end-user, Saudi Aramco.

With state-of-the-art Research & Development facilities in the UK, our engineering team soon jumped at the challenge. The brief to R&D was simple – save the customer money, even if it meant re-designing a DBB valve. In just 2 days, Oliver’s engineers found the perfect cost-saving solution; to reduce the face-to-face dimensions of the valve by as much as 17%. This equated to saving the customer an additional 10% – hugely significant for this size of order.

The ingenuity of the Oliver engineering team and our strong sales distributor relationship with GAS led to securing both orders from Saudi Aramco. We’ve been providing valve solutions to the global energy sector for over 40 years, investing heavily in R&D, and our distributor network. Project Sales Engineer Eon Morrison, who worked with Haridas Embanath, Business Development Manager, to find the solutions, said “We’re well placed to provide world-class support to our distributors, and can react quickly to the needs of our customers with great products and the very best valve solutions”.

Valve distributors across the world rely on the support, knowledge and expertise of valve manufacturers, and Oliver Valves are testament to this. For more information on distribution and valve solutions, visit our website at www.valves.co.uk.

Traditionally within LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plants, there are ‘cold service’ applications and cryogenic. Cold service is typically between -29degC (-20degF) and -50degC (-58degF). Valving for cold service do not require cryogenic bonnet extensions, however, they often require smaller extensions to allow for the application of lagging. Lagging types and thicknesses vary from project to project, and can be up to 50mm thick.

The reason for using a bonnet extension with lagged valves is to move the top of the bonnet outside the lagging. Should the valve ever develop a gland leak, the produced fluid will not be trapped within the lagging and cause corrosion issues.
Valves used on cold service are required to be operable at -50degC, that is, be able to be opened and closed and maintain leak tightness through the gland and across the seat at the valve design pressure.

Oliver Valves Limited Slimline Monoflange block & bleed and double block & bleed assemblies, utilise an outside screw and yoke needle valve primary isolate and an inside screw and yoke type needle valves for a second isolate and bleed valve. For cold service applications, these can be supplied with extended bonnets. To validate the two types of needle valves with extended bonnets, Oliver have utilised the rigorous testing requirements called for within the Shell specification 77/300. Unlike some specifications which only deal with purely the ability of the gland seal to perform at the low temperatures, the Shell specification reviews both the gland seal and the seat seal.

Oliver has performed the 77/300 validation test within its R&D facility, on a 1½” Class 2500 Block & Bleed Slimline Monoflange with extended bonnets.  The performance of all the gland seals at -50 degC were well within leak rate BH and seat leaks were zero.  Testing was performed at ASME pressure classes 600 and 2500.  All the testing was witnessed by a third party.

• Fugitive Emission Leak Rate B
• 3rd Party Witnessed and Approved Qualification
• Qualified Temperature Range -50°C to Ambient operable
• Qualified in MESC SPE 77/300 Feb 2021
• Qualified Pressure Class Range: 150:300:600: 900:1500:2500

Oliver Twinsafe have been working with their sister companies: Oliver Hydcovalves, and Oliver R&D, to prepare their 2” Metal Seated Trunnion ball valve ready for hydrogen applications. Rigorous testing using helium which is the best substitute to hydrogen has been carried out by R&D technician John Whitehead who said “in order for the Trunnion valve to pass testing it had to meet with stringent ISO 15848-1:2015 Tightness class B certification including ISO 5208:2015 zero seat leakage rate A. We’ve achieved this with precision engineering and by providing a high-quality seal face finish.

“This has been my first involvement on the Hydcovalves project and as with all of our test standards its tough-going and meticulous work is required to underpin the safety and certification which is paramount to the team. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the hydrogen testing process, and to be involved in close collaboration with the Oliver group of companies at a very exciting time within the energy industry.”

For more information on Twinsafe’s range of Hydrogen valves or to discover Oliver R&D’s capabilities and service, contact Ian Bryant or Nick Howard on 01565 632636, email; sales@valves.co.uk or visit their website at www.valves.co.uk

The Customer was using a combination of several valves and fittings to achieve the hook-up as per below picture on a Christmas tree. Oliver’s Middle East Sales Team worked hard with the End User, Christmas Tree Manufacturer, Integrator and in house Engineering to provide a value engineered product over a period of several months. Design reviews included Orientation of Valve Handles, ports, Pressure gauges and Clash Analysis of valves, handles and Pressure Gauges in a very confined space and of course weight reductions needed by the client.

This finally ended up in a Bespoke designed Double Block and Bleed with extra Test Port to give a much smaller, safer installation, avoiding extra leak paths, significant reduction in Weight (over 50%) thus reducing cost and eliminating vibrations and frequent replacements.

The complete supply is in 6Mo material, 10,000 psi rated with Handle Locking, Anti tamper vent facility, maintaining the minimum bore of 5mm. Supplied with fully traceable 3.1B materials for all wetted components.

So far we have supplied over 300 of these valves and this will now become the standard Hook Up for the future.

There are countless types of valves for use across a variety of industries and applications. One type of valve that is commonly used is a Needle Valve. Oliver’s unique & innovative design allows the customer to Isolate or control the flow rates of gasses or fluids accurately. The adjustments are gradually made to control the flow rate smoothly and designed in a way that makes the operation easy, guaranteeing zero leakage and above all offering safety to all of our customers.

Established 40 years ago, Oliver Valves is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of instrumentation Needle Valves.

With an unrivalled level of quality and support, from implementing valve solutions directly into existing projects to pioneering new technology, we offer a diverse range of Instrumentation Valves for the Global Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries.

Like most valves, Needle Valves are responsible for the safe and efficient operation of industrial machinery, flow measurement and control applications, but how does a needle valve work?

How Does a Needle Valve Work?

Needle Valves are operated manually and utilise a Tee Bar or Handwheel to control the distance between Oliver’s unique non-rotating tip and the valve seat. When the valve is turned in one direction, the tip is lifted to open the valve and allow fluid to pass through. When the valve is turned in the other direction, the tip moves closer to the seat to decrease the flow rate or close the valve.

Manually operated Needle Valves provide zero leakage isolation and precise control of the flow rate. As a result, a Needle Valve can help you better isolate or regulate the flow rate of fluid in the system.

Needle Valve Uses

At Oliver Valves, our Needle Valves are produced to the highest machining standards, utilising fully traceable materials to provide metal-to-metal seating with zero leakage. Our unique design of tip eliminates potential wear, extending the life expectancy, whilst our anti-blow-out spindle design guarantees safety throughout your application and plant. They are suitable for many applications without resorting to larger and more expensive globe valves. Needle valves are often used in power plants, refineries, chemical plants, oil and gas exploration, laboratory analysis, low-pressure hydraulic systems, chemical processing, and other gas and liquid services, etc.

Needle valves are commonly used to Isolate or control flow and protect delicate gauges from damage caused by sudden pressure surges of liquids and gases. They’re ideal for systems using lighter and less viscous materials with low flow rates; they can also be applied to high-temperature and oxygen services based on their materials. Needle valves are often made of stainless steel, bronze, brass, or metal alloys; when choosing a needle valve, you should ensure that it is made with the material that’s best suited for the service you need. Considering the efficiency and the durability of a valve is essential, primarily because of a valve’s extensive use within many industries.

At Oliver Valves, our team can assist and advise you on which valve to use and help to preserve that valve’s service life to keep your systems running smoothly and safely. If you would like more information, please contact us today.

Valves are a vital part of any piping system, which means that they play a key role in the oil and gas industry. They can be used to control flow rates, isolate, protect equipment, and operate in the refining process of Oil, Gas, Hydrogen and other such media.

This makes them integral in the many different kinds of functions and applications. At Oliver Valves, we are a leading manufacturer of Valves used in the various Industries, specialising in Oil & Gas applications. Utilising our vast experience and knowledge, we can implement cutting-edge technologies to provide solutions to challenging applications. No media is beyond our expertise and we are able to supply a varying number of valves to suit liquids, gasses, viscous materials, and corrosive mediums. Our expertise lies in the production of Valves that can be used to isolate or regulate the flow according to the pressure and velocity requirements.

What Types of Valves are used in the Oil and Gas Industry?

Several different processes take place inside the oil and gas industry. Each of those processes requires different kinds of materials to be taken to and from machinery and equipment, meaning many different valves are needed for a single process to be completed.

Ball Valves

Ball valves are designed to isolate the flow of high-pressure liquids and gases with minimal pressure drop. They are quick to open and close and have a tight seal with low torque, with ease of operation, repair, and versatility lend the ability to be used in various locations.

Needle Valves

Needle Valves are again designed to isolate and regulate the flow of various medias and pressures from an instrument. They utilise Oliver’s unique non-rotating tip and valve seat, providing the end-user with a positive, guaranteed shut-off.

Manifold Valves

Manifolds, being similar to Needle Valves, again utilise Oliver’s unique non-rotating tip and valve seat. Ultimately allowing the customer to isolate and vent a cavity for safe removal of the instrument, typically for calibration.

Double Block & Bleed Valves

Double Block & Bleed Valves integrate three valves into one block allowing the customer to securely isolate the flow with two independent obturators, whilst being able to safely control the pressurised vent. These valves are widely used in a number of applications including flow Isolation, Vent Valves, Chemical Injection and Sampling.

What are the Applications of Valves in the Oil and Gas Industry?

Oil and gas exploration and operations have become more complex over the ages. As explorers need to dig deeper to extract crude oil and natural gas, they have to face extremely high temperatures (greater than 1,500F or 816 C) and high pressures (greater than 25,000 PSIG) and extremely low temperatures like cryogenic (-150 F or -101 C). Since exploration and production operations usually have to work in extreme conditions, the valves used in this stage need to be strong, durable, non-corrosive, and fully leak-proof. These conditions mean that the valves needed for these piping systems have to be durable, strong, resilient, and most of all, reliable. For example, they should handle the low temperatures and high-pressure flow of materials while protecting both the machinery and the medium flowing inside from any contamination.

If you would like more information about the types of Valves we supply in the Oil and Gas Industry, please contact Oliver Valves today.

At Oliver Valves, we are an industry leader when it comes to Valve Manifolds and our team’s expertise and reputation for quality is unrivalled. Oliver’s Manifolds are used in many fluid power applications. According to the usage of the manifold valves, it comes with various kinds of configurations.

A manifold, however, is a device that connects one or more blocks or isolates valves in any form of the system; this can include a ball or needle valve. From Isolating Instruments, controlling high-pressure fluid flow to regulating the pressure, manifold valves perform a variety of functions.

In the case of a block and bleed manifold, the purpose is to safely isolate and remove an instrument from its application. Oliver’s design guarantees secure isolation via the Non-Rotating Tip Needle Valve. As a secondary action the operator vents the excess media that remains in the cavity, between the instrument and manifold. Once these steps are complete the end-user can safely remove the instrument for calibration.

Manifolds are instruments that come in various forms, single isolates, block & bleed or block, equalise bleed, which can be connected to a transmitter directly or via a remote mount method. Valve Manifolds are mostly made of stainless steel, carbon steel, or alloys; they help measure static, variable, gauge, and differential pressures.

Manifolds are widely used in sectors such as oil, gas, chemicals, wastewater, power, and so on. At Oliver Valves, we offer a variety of precision-engineered valves and valve Manifolds to meet most flow, pressure and level measurement application requirements.

Advantages of a manifold valve

Manifold valves are used in a number of different applications, ranging from mobile machinery to heavy industrial equipment. At Oliver Valves, our customers have benefitted from Needle Valve Manifolds being supplied with mounting bolts and seal rings.

So, what are the advantages of incorporating valve manifolds into your process piping system?

• Valve manifolds afford more efficient system operations in comparison to opening and closing each valve independently.
• Since they operate more efficiently, valve manifolds reduce plant energy consumption and associated costs
• Due to increased efficiency, they reduce downtime when cleaning process lines
• Increased safety from guaranteed isolation from dangerous medias

When properly designed and laid out, valve manifolds:

• Allow for shorter fluid paths and smaller footprints, reducing the likelihood of pressure drops and heat fluctuations.
• Require fewer connections between pipes, lowering chances of leaks
• Reduce installation costs due to the more straightforward and more compact layout they afford

Oliver Valves works extensively with many clients in customising designs and configured them to meet the system’s specific requirements. If you would like more information about the valve manifolds we supply, please contact Oliver Valves today

Valves are available with a wide variety of valve bodies in various styles, materials, connections and sizes. The most common types are ball valves, which can be of high and low pressure, depending on the application. Utilizing Oliver’s unique design’s we are able to produce these in either full or reduced bore, threaded or flanged, in a range of materials suitable for a wide range of demanding isolation applications and media.

​As opposed to the Oliver low-pressure ball valves, the high-pressure ball valves are typically used to withstand high operating pressures and they keep streams of fluid under control whilst safely isolating or allowing the system fluid to pass through.

At Oliver Valves, we are one of the worlds leading manufacturers of instrumentation valves; we can implement solutions thanks to our history of cutting-edge control technology in the industry. Before looking at the difference between High-Pressure and Low-Pressure Ball Valves, we must ask ourselves, what is a Ball Valve?

Ball Valves

The Oliver Ball valves operate in a quarter turn to action, which provides a quick opening & closing giving whilst providing a zero leakage bubble-tight shutoff; when fully closed. When open a ball valve creates little turbulence or resistance to flow, due to its smooth through bore. The valve stem rotates a ball that contains an opening; the ball opening can be positioned in the fully open or fully closed position. It must not be used to throttle flow as any abrasive wear to the ball will cause leakage when the valve is closed. Ball valves are considered high recovery valves, having a low-pressure drop and relatively high flow capacity. At Oliver Valves, valves are our specialty; here are the advantages of ball valves.

• Low cost
• High flow capacity
• High pressure/temperature capabilities
• Low leakage and maintenance
• Tight sealing with low torque
• Easy quarter-turn operation
• Fully traceable parts
• CNC Super Finished screw cut threads
• Extensive range covering 1,000, 3,000, 6,000 & 10,000 PSI
• Manual or actuation operation
• Full or reduced bore

Why Use a Ball Valve?

Oliver’s ball valve is known for its quality, durability, simplicity, and excellent sealing properties and they provide excellent shutoff even after years of service. This makes the Oliver ball valve an excellent choice as a shut-off valve; due to its design, they also provide better resistance to contaminated materials than other valves.

High-Pressure Ball Valve

High-pressure ball valves are designed to operate in a fully open and fully closed position. High-Pressure Ball Valves are suitable for installing piping systems with connections at the same pressure load and corresponding connections or between flanges of the same pressure load and flange connection.

​A high-pressure Ball Valve provides an unrestricted flow of fluids and a way to shut off that flow using the attached handle or actuator. ​High-pressure ball valves are used in systems that demand reliable shut-off power. Some fields of application are:

• Hydraulics system
• Chemical and petrochemical industry
• Off-shore, water, high-pressure cleaning systems.
• Mining Industry
• Agricultural machinery
• Gas pipelines
• Hydrogen fuelling systems

Low-Pressure Ball Valves

Ball valves take a leading role in the valve industry as the scope of application is enormous. Low-pressure ball valves are mainly used for critical applications with demanding requirements; they are highly used for the smooth working of water, oil and gas systems.

A low-pressure ball valve can be divided into a full bore ball valve and a reduced bore ball valve based on the flow of passage formed.

Low-Pressure ball valves are widely leveraged for water, general oil and gas applications.

If you would like more information about the ball valves we supply, please contact Oliver Valves today.