Welcome to the Jungle

When Enercon Engineering Inc. was contracted to assemble pump sets for an oil pumping application in the jungles of Peru, putting the sets together was nothing out of the ordinary for the Peoria, II., company. Figuring out how to meet specific transportation and installation requirements was something else altogether.

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PetroPeru ordered four pump sets to operate in the jungle near Iquitos, Peru, to be used for extracting oil from underneath the jungle floor. With transportation and terrain to think about, Enercon had to develop a method to support the pump sets en route and on location.

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The four pumps were assembled at Enercon's Peoria facility. All four pumps incorporate Caterpillar engines mated to IMO pumps. Two of the pump sets were designed to pump through PetroPeru's main pipeline and two pump sets through a smaller diameter secondary pipeline.

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Cat 3508 diesels rated 900 hp at 1200 rpm power the mainline pumps, and for the secondary pipeline pumps, Cat 3412 engines rated 475 hp at 1200 rpm was used. All of the engines are cooled by Rocore radiators.

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The engines are mated with Cotta transmissions--GR3200E gearboxes on the mainline pumps and GR1600E for the secondary pipeline--through Vulkan couplings. The transmissions drive IMO 8L630J pumps that deliver a maximum pumping capacity of 450 GPM. Bearings can be removed from the front of the pump for servicing in the field, Enercon said.

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To stabilize the pump sets for transportation by land, sea, and air, Enercon specially designed and built skid bases. The mainline pumps are 41,455 lb. and 315.5 in. long by 96 in. wide by 141.55 in. high, and sit on platforms that are 315.18 in. long, 96 in. wide, and 18 in. high. Platforms that are 297.5 in. long, 96 in. wide, and 18 in. high support the secondary line pumps, which weigh 39,500 lb. and are 297.5 in. long by 96 in. wide by 127.3 in. high.

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Transcontinental transportation presented its own challenges as the pump sets were to be shipped fully assembled. The units were shipped over the road on oversized load trucks from Peoria to Miami, Fla. In Florida, they were placed on a ship and taken to Peru. The pump sets were designed with lifting hooks, so once in Peru, the sets could be lifted via helicopter or crane and placed in the designated remote locations.

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Following two years of design and development, allowing the customer enough time to determine the necessary specifications, the pump sets were built specifically for PetroPeru's needs.