INNIO updates mobileFLEX engine portfolio

INNIO’s Waukesha said its mobileFLEX engine portfolio, comprised of engines and gensets, now offers advanced ESM2 controls and an enhanced piston to reduce the emissions and operating costs of oilfield equipment and drill rigs significantly.

A natural gas alternative to diesel units, the EPA mobile-certified Waukesha mobileFLEX engines and gensets operate on a range of field gases without derate, the company said. Waukesha mobileFLEX products can operate in a variety of altitude and temperature applications and provide transient performance with diesel-like load capacity, handling up to 65% load steps and 100% load shed.

Waukesha mobileFLEX engines now include ESM2 with AFR2 controls for increased engine uptime, improved availability, and reduced maintenance costs. (Image: INNIO Waukesha)

The Engine System Manager (ESM2) with AFR2 controls is designed to allow users to see all engine parameters and trend data, as well as view manuals and service bulletins. Additionally, data analytics enhance controls and performance improvements while giving users total control – all without the need for a laptop computer.

The optimized piston reduces emissions of regulated pollutants such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and formaldehyde. While the new technology reduces operating costs, support technicians will not need to retrain because of its similarity to existing components.

“These improvements will exceed operator and contractor expectations,” said Jason Padilla, vice president of Product Management and Marketing for INNIO’s Waukesha brand. “The new controls and piston enhancements have been specifically designed to deliver the level of engine performance required by drilling applications. Our vision is that operators and contractors, when using 100% natural gas, can achieve the same engine performance they’d expect from a diesel engine while saving on fuel costs and lowering emissions.”

A two-rig, 8,000-hour field validation to study oil consumption and component wear was carried out across six engines, confirming the lab performance of the pistons and cylinder heads, the company said. And Waukesha engines running on 100% field gas from producing wells are providing power for drilling rigs in West Virginia while offsetting 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel per day. The switch to mobileFLEX engines is estimated to cut emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter by more than 99%, carbon monoxide by 34%, and carbon dioxide by 7%. Additionally, reducing truck staff has eliminated approximately 200 diesel fuel deliveries, the company said.