Failsafe actuators for wellhead choke valves

Rotork Skilmatic electric failsafe actuators have been ordered for wellhead choke valve duties on an oil field development project in North Africa, for the Lasmo Elephant Field Development Project

Rotork Skilmatic electric failsafe actuators have been ordered for wellhead choke valve duties on an oil field development project in North Africa.

In what is believed to be one of the first times that electric actuators have been specified for this application, twenty-five Skilmatic Model SHL417 flameproof linear actuators will operate Severn Glocon Series 5000 high pressure (Class 1500) severe service globe valves supplied to the Lasmo Elephant Field Development Project, via engineering group MAN in Germany.

Skilmatic electric actuators offer economical advantages over the conventional hydraulic equipment traditionally used for these applications in terms of simplified installation and instrumentation costs as well as reduced operating and maintenance expenditure.

The Model SHL417 is specifically designed for the 4-20mA modulating control of linear control valves, accepting an analogue or digital input signal to provide accurate positional control with minimal power consumption.

An electrically operated, self-contained hydraulic system operates valve movement in one direction, at the same time compressing an internal spring to operate the valve in the opposite direction.

On loss of power the actuator can be set to either failsafe or stay put, whilst the positioner discrepancy alarm provides remote indication of a system error.

The Skilmatic SHL417 actuators ordered for this project are ATEX certified for operation in Zone 1, Division 1 hazardous areas and environmentally sealed to IP65 (NEM4).

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