Blog
- August 21, 2025
A Guide to Deep Suction Lift and the Benefits and Limitations of the Types of Pumps Involved
In pumping applications, few factors impact system success more than suction lift—the vertical distance between the water source and the pump. While often underestimated, this variable can determine whether a pump setup runs efficiently or becomes a source of frequent maintenance and operational failure.
Once suction lift approaches or exceeds 22 feet, standard end suction pumps often face limitations. At this threshold, alternative technologies like hydraulic submersible pumps are worth considering.
Understanding Suction Lift
Suction lift measures how far a pump must “pull” water vertically into its intake. At sea level, atmospheric pressure theoretically allows a maximum lift of about 33 feet. However, real-world conditions—friction loss, air leaks, elevation and water temperature—reduce this practical limit to
- August 06, 2025
Meeting the Demands of Oil & Gas: Safety, Security, and Compliance in Extreme Environments
The oil and gas sector faces some of the toughest operational challenges of any industry – working in remote, high-risk environments where safety, security, and uptime are non-negotiable.
Operators must protect valuable infrastructure, ensure worker safety, and maintain compliance with stringent regulations, all while minimizing downtime and managing costs. In this environment, visibility is critical – and the right surveillance technologies can make all the difference.
Video surveillance plays a key role in helping oil and gas operators monitor remote assets, detect potential hazards, and streamline
- July 24, 2025
How Custom ASICs Enhance Sensor Performance in Extreme Environments
Science fiction novelist, Arthur C. Clarke once said, “any sufficient advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. In industries like oil and gas, aerospace, and industrial automation, advanced sensor technology is making the impossible possible, enabling operations in environments once considered unreachable. Here Ross Turnbull explains how Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) enhance sensor performance in extreme environments.
From the depths of the ocean to the vacuum of space, modern industry relies on technology that can endure the harshest conditions on Earth and beyond. Sectors such as oil and gas, aerospace and industrial automation depend on sensor technology to maintain safety, precision, efficiency and performance in increasingly extreme environments.
- July 10, 2025
Installing Rubber Expansion Joints Outdoors
The benefits, challenges and maintenance of outdoor rubber expansion joints.
Rubber expansion joints play a crucial role in various piping applications, helping to absorb movement, reduce vibration and compensate for thermal expansion and contraction in piping systems. Whether utilized in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), power plants, water and wastewater treatment, chemical or oil and gas processes, rubber expansion joints face additional challenges when installed outdoors, including exposure to harsh environmental conditions. Understanding the benefits, potential challenges and necessary maintenance strategies is essential to ensure their long-term functionality.
- June 27, 2025
Material Selection: Pumping Corrosive & Hazardous Chemicals
- June 10, 2025
The Right Way to Replace Pump Bearings: A Step-by-Step Guide for Reliable Operation
Longevity and performance often come down to the smallest components - like the bearings inside your connecting rods and crankshaft. Over time, even these high-precision parts experience wear. And when they do, knowing exactly how to replace and adjust them is key to keeping your pump running smoothly and minimizing costly downtime.
Whether you're maintaining a Wheatley Gaso pump or another high-pressure system, this guide walks through best practices for replacing and adjusting crosshead and crankshaft bearings, with key tolerances and expert tips to get the job done right.
Replacing Crosshead-End Connecting Rod Bearings
If you're working with Gaso pump models 1550, 1563, 2017, 2050, 2063, 1654, 1755, 1743, 1753, 2651, 2652, or 1931, here's what you
- May 21, 2025
Pump Vibration Limit
Pump vibration is a key performance indicator that plays a critical role in equipment reliability, efficiency, and longevity. However, determining acceptable vibration levels is not a one-size-fits-all equation. Understanding the limits of recommended pump vibration requires a thoughtful look at multiple factors—ranging from the pump’s design to its operating environment.
Why Vibration Standards Aren’t Universal
There’s often a temptation to seek a single vibration limit across all pump types and applications. In reality, vibration tolerances vary based on:
- Pump design and application
- New equipment acceptance testing
- Ongoing condition monitoring and trending
- Measurement
- May 02, 2025
Keeping Oil and Gas Operations Running: The Critical Role of Oil Seals
In oil and gas environments where equipment is pushed to its limits, oil seals are a quiet—but vital—part of keeping operations smooth and secure. From pumps and valves to actuators, mixers, and subsea tools, these small components have a big job: maintaining integrity in systems that are constantly in motion.
Oil seals serve three core purposes that are essential in high-demand industrial settings:
- Leak Prevention: Their primary role is to stop lubricants and other fluids from escaping, even under extreme pressure. This protects system performance and prevents downtime caused by fluid loss.
- Lubrication Retention: By holding lubricants in place,
- April 17, 2025
Why to Use Ceramic Plunger and Ceramic Cylinder for Petroleum Machinery
A ceramic plunger is commonly used in petroleum machinery. It consists of a plunger body with a connecting end, a metal core body on the inside, and a ceramic material shell on the outside. A sealing layer is present at the contact surface between the core and shell, and a plugging head is attached to the end of the plunger body.
This technical scheme provides superior wear resistance to the plunger due to the ceramic coating on the metal core body. In fact, the wear resistance of a ceramic plunger can exceed that of a metal plunger by 5-10 times. Furthermore, the ceramic material's corrosion resistance addresses the corrosion problem of the plunger, thereby significantly prolonging its service life. As a result, a plunger pump equipped with a ceramic plunger can operate normally in harsh working environments.
The plunger body also features a plugging head, which enhances its strength and creates
- April 04, 2025
Recognizing When to Replace Compression Packing in a Pump
Compression packing serves as a vital component in pumps, ensuring efficient fluid containment and system operation. Over time, however, wear and damage can compromise its effectiveness, leading to leakage and reduced performance. Understanding when it is time to replace compression packing is crucial for maintaining optimal pump functionality and preventing costly downtime. Here are several key indicators to consider.
1. Extreme Leakage
One of the most obvious signs that compression packing needs replacement is when there is excessive leakage from the back of the stuffing box. This leakage is typically characterized by high rates, such as 10 drops per minute or 0.2 gallons per day, amounting to a significant loss of fluid. In practical terms, this equates to approximately 69 gallons per year. Such extreme leakage indicates a severe deterioration of the packing material and warrants immediate