The Oil & Gas industry covers the exploration, production, and distribution of crude oil and natural gas. It is organized into three segments from upstream, to midstream, and downstream. Upstream activities are dedicated to both off-shore and on-shore exploration and production, requiring reliable, high‑performance process technologies to ensure safe and efficient operations. These requirements are further intensified by demanding operating and ambient conditions, particularly in offshore environments, where equipment must withstand corrosive atmospheres, external loads, variable temperatures and management of access, space and weight constraints.
Edwards delivers complete engineered solutions including deaeration (deoxygenation) towers, vacuum pumping systems, and liquid ring compressors, utilizing proven vacuum technologies such as steam ejectors, air ejectors and liquid ring vacuum pumps.
Global and long-time established presence in the Oil & Gas industry
As a prominent global provider of process equipment, Edwards boasts extensive experience and a strong presence in the Oil & Gas sector. Our portfolio includes numerous references worldwide to major Oil & Gas companies with offshore installations on platforms, FPSO & FLNG vessels and onshore installations in oil refineries, gas processing plants and pipelines. The Oil & Gas industry is undergoing some technological transitions primarily driven by environmental concerns such Carbon Capture, Flare Gas and Vapour recovery.
Edwards supply process equipment and vacuum solutions for a range of applications, including
- Seawater Deaeration / Deoxygenation
- Flare Gas Recovery
- Vapour Recovery
- MEG & TEG Regeneration
- Vacuum Distillation
- Vacuum Drying / Dehydration
- Pipeline Drying
- Carbon Capture
This breadth of expertise enables Edwards to deliver robust, application-specific solutions designed to meet the stringent engineering and construction requirements of oil and gas sector. Our systems are developed in accordance with project particular specifications along with recognized international standards such as API 681 for liquid ring vacuum pumps, API 682 for sealing systems, and other applicable API, ASME, TEMA and ISO specifications, ensuring optimal design solutions, proven reliability, safety, and long-term performance.
Seawater Deaeration
Secondary recovery through water injection is a critical element of crude oil production, often determining the economic viability of a field. Injection water may be sourced from subsurface aquifers or surface sources such as seawater, lakes, or rivers, which typically contain dissolved oxygen. To prevent corrosion and bacterial growth, this oxygen must be removed prior to injection. Edwards provides proven mechanical deaeration solutions capable of reducing dissolved oxygen to levels suitable for final removal via chemical scavenging.
Edwards’ vacuum stripping tower technology achieves oxygen levels below 50 ppb using two-stage towers and below 20 ppb using three-stage towers. Uniquely, Edwards’ portfolio encompasses not only the deaeration towers and process technology, but also the complete vacuum system, including liquid ring vacuum pumps and air ejectors. This integrated capability allows Edwards to optimize overall system performance, reliability, and cost efficiency, while offering a single point of responsibility and process guarantee.
Edwards scope: Deaeration tower, Air ejector, Liquid ring vacuum pump
Flare Gas Recovery & Vapour Recovery
Flare Gas Recovery (FGR) systems capture waste hydrocarbon gases from oil and gas operations, reducing greenhouse gases while allowing recovered gases to be reused as fuel to lower energy costs. For services involving particulates or condensates, Edwards’ liquid ring compressors are the preferred technology due to their low operating temperatures and inherent safety when handling flammable gases.
FGR systems are typically supplied as packaged units with three‑phase discharge separators to remove liquid hydrocarbons from the recovered gas and are widely installed in onshore refineries, offshore platforms, and FPSOs. In regions with stricter environmental regulations, they are also adopted in downstream petrochemical and chemical plants. The same liquid ring compressor technology is used in vapour recovery applications, capturing waste or vented gases from process lines, storage tanks, and settling tanks.
Edwards scope: Liquid ring compressor, Three phase separator, Seal liquid cooler and recycle
MEG & TEG Regeneration
Transporting untreated gas through pipelines can cause “gas hydrates” to form which will block the pipeline. An essential process in the Oil and Gas industry is to use either MEG (mono ethylene glycol) or TEG (tri ethylene glycol) to dehydrate and scrub the gas to prevent “gas hydrates” forming.
MEG or TEG regeneration units are used to treat the contaminated glycol to produce treated “lean” glycol for re use. In the MEG systems liquid ring vacuum pumps are used in a Distillation application and in the TEG systems liquid ring compressors are used for gas recycle.
Gas hydrate in pipeline
Liquid ring vacuum pump skid
Vacuum Distillation Units (VDU)
Within the downstream segment, where oil refining and product processing occur, Vacuum Distillation Units (VDUs) are critical secondary refinery units that process atmospheric residue into valuable products such as gas oils, lube distillates, and asphalt by operating under vacuum to prevent thermal cracking.
Edwards has supplied multi‑stage steam ejector systems for VDUs for nearly a century and today supports hybrid vacuum systems combining steam ejectors with liquid ring vacuum pumps to improve efficiency and reduce effluent. Shell‑and‑tube indirect contact condensers are used between stages to minimize downstream load.
With both steam ejectors and liquid ring vacuum pumps in the portfolio, our design teams can closely with customers to optimize the overall system for improved flexibility and efficiency whilst limiting effluents to give an overall lower cost of ownership.
Vacuum distillation unit
