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Predictive Maintenance · Compressor

Compressor outages. Weeks of advance warning.

A mid-size gathering compressor outage backs up 20-50 wells and costs $300K-1M+ in deferred production (illustrative industry figures). Vibration ML on per-unit baselines catches bearing wear 1-4 weeks early. Valve-pattern detection flags valve issues 5-21 days before efficiency drops (modeled lead times). That is the value of a single catch.

Four compressor signatures.

Signature

Bearing wear

ML detects

Vibration creeping above per-unit historical envelope

Root cause

Wear, alignment, sand carry-over

Action

Schedule overhaul at 7-21 day window; not after bearing failure

Signature

Valve issues

ML detects

Suction/discharge pressure ratio drifting + valve-pattern change

Root cause

Valve seat wear, broken plates, fouling

Action

Schedule valve work at next planned outage

Signature

Oil temperature creep

ML detects

Oil temp creeping above historical envelope

Root cause

Cooler fouling, low oil level, internal leakage

Action

Investigate cooler first; mechanical work only if cooler ruled out

Signature

Fouling

ML detects

Efficiency declining at constant operating point

Root cause

Internal deposits, valve fouling, intercooler fouling

Action

Schedule wash at planned outage; project end-of-life if recurring

Frequently asked

What gathering / facility engineers ask.

What compressor failures does WorkSync detect?

Bearing wear (vibration trending), valve issues (suction-to-discharge ratio drift), oil temperature creep, valve-pattern signature changes, and fouling (efficiency drop at a constant operating point).

What does a compressor outage cost?

Illustrative industry figures: an unplanned compressor outage runs $50-500K depending on scale, small gathering unit versus main line. Downstream production is deferred in proportion, often $20-200K/day for the wells routed through it.

What is the lead time versus fixed SCADA thresholds?

Modeled lead times, which vary by signal density and history depth: vibration 1-4 weeks, valve pattern 5-21 days, oil temperature 3-14 days, fouling 1-3 months.

Which compressors does it cover?

Any reciprocating, screw, or centrifugal unit with vibration, temperature, and pressure telemetry. Coverage follows the available tags rather than the nameplate, so a mixed fleet models the same way.

How does it work for gathering versus main line?

Same signatures, different impact math. A gathering compressor outage backs up multiple wells (production deferral). A main-line outage often forces operator-side shut-ins (commercial penalty plus deferral).

What is the ROI math?

Illustrative industry math: one mid-size gathering compressor outage caught 14 days early avoids $300K-1M+ of deferred production depending on the wells routed through it. That is the value of a single catch.

See compressor ML on your units.

4-week pilot on the stack you already own. Pick one station. Day 7 we baseline your compressor fleet. Day 28 you decide, under the Impact Guarantee: we charge when your number moves.