Reply #27: Actually, valves and parts are trimmed for different oils

[mbperrin]

For example, a WKM standard valve trim is T-21, all steel parts, for standard service, T-22 adds some stainless steel internal parts, like the gate and seats for "mild" sour service, all the way up to T-26, all stainless everything, and in addition, various manufacturers offer ceramic type valves and so on. These valves and fittings are used so that there is not more wear of the parts. These parts are resistant and appropriate for the service they are in.

Consolidation of the industry with all the buyouts in the last 30 years, and the ability to operate as an oligopoly without fear of new competitors are what drive prices and decreasing facilities. For instance, in Odessa, Texas, where I am, there were 8 local refineries when I was a kid in the 1950s here, including one that made gasoline from natural gas, which at that time was usually burned off at the wellhead as an undesirable waste product. They are all gone, not because they were worn out, because the natural gasoline plant was disassembled and shipped to the Soviet Union in the mid 80s, while the others, including the last to go, the Shell refinery, was also disassembled and shipped to the Beaumont Port Arthur area of Texas for parts.

We used to ship gasoline to the Texas coast by pipeline and now we buy it from there from the reverse flow of the same line. The industry has made scale of production large enough and complains about all the problems loudly enough to discourage new entrants into the field. Same principle of any self employed type around here - ask them how they are doing, and they'll say, just getting by. Because if they say, Life could not be better, we are getting stinking rich while doing almost nothing, they know they are inviting competition. American business hates competition. They love profits. And the industry has done a fabulous job of replacing competition with collusion, and they are making those profits!!!