Mechanical Equipment (Upstream)

Natural gas expands and cools rapidly when wellhead pressure is reduced using a pressure letdown device or “choke”. Line heaters heat the gas before and after pressure drop, preventing hydrate formations and freezing in lines, valves, and separators. Line Heaters heat the gas in a high-pressure coil through indirect heat by heating a firetube submerged in a medium that transfers heat to the coil.

Line Heaters help maintain an optimal temperature in the well stream as pressures are rapidly reduced to sales line requirements. They counteract the Joule Thompson effect due to abrupt temperature drops that occur when the gas stream passes through the pressure-reducing choke. They can also be used to heat gas transmission lines.

Forum Production Equipment can manufacture standard line heaters ranging from 75,000 BTU/HR (20”OD) to 4MMBTU/HR (66”OD) and custom line heaters up to 15 MMBTU/HR (120”OD) with a variety of options to meet our customer’s requirements.