During the next five years, Siemens Industry Automation Division will be delivering process gas chromatographs to Shell through a recently signed Enterprise Framework Agreement that covers Shell companies, subsidiaries and joint ventures across the globe.
During the term of the agreement announced this week, Siemens will supply gas chromatographs together with related systems such as analysis cabinets and shelters, much of which will be manufactured by Siemens in the United States. Additionally, Siemens will provide front-end engineering and after-sales servicing. Siemens manufactures the base hardware of its gas chromatographs in Bartlesville, Okla. The base hardware of the gas chromatograph is tailored to each application in their chromatography labs located in Oklahoma, Germany and Singapore.
The Siemens Bartlesville facility employs approximately 160 people. Siemens calls this facility the “Center of Competence” for the process gas chromatograph product line. This includes not only product manufacturing, but also technical support and research and development.
“This agreement allows Siemens to integrate and streamline its operations and to improve engineering consistency among Shell plants globally, thereby reducing Shell’s process analyzer costs,” Alfred Kania, business development manager for Siemens Industry Inc., said in a prepared statement.
While the gas chromatographs will be manufactured in Bartlesville, each unit is typically enclosed in an analyzer shelter, manufactured in Houston, Texas. The Houston facility supports customers located in North and South America. The analyzer shelter protects the unit’s hardware from harsh environmental conditions.
Siemens process gas chromatographs are used in all branches of fine chemicals, refining and hydrocarbon processing industries, and perform chemical composition analysis of gases and liquids that are present in all phases of production. Built for harsh environments either directly online or nearby in at-line process measurement laboratories, these gas chromatographs are designed to maintain application flexibility that enable the sample analysis of feedstock, partially processed product stream, final products and process by-products, including wastes and environmental hazards.
