PCP pumps
Optibelt RED POWER II - first choice on the oilfields in Argentina
Patagonia is an Argentine region at the southernmost tip of South America. The tableland to the East and the Andes to the West are the causes of the predominantly tough climate and scant vegetation there. The two most important oil sources in the country can be found in this region. Aside from the typical drilling instruments, PCP pumps (“Processing Cavity Pump”) are used to extract oil. These pumps put the V-belts under considerable strain due to the small pulley diameter and the high power level. In Patagonia, S. Uffenheimer S. A. – an Optibelt partner – has identified an important sales opportunity with PCP pumps used by large companies such as Petrobas, Repsol YPF, Capsa-Capex as well as by others in order to tap oilfields that are low in pressure or fields where sand can be found. During the course of co-operation, the RED POWER II V-belts presented a particularly innovative solution for the challenging requirements. The reduced operational life of the previously used 5VX V belts was apparent. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to carry out test runs with Optibelt RED POWER II V-belts with PCPs at Weatherford, Netsch and PCP Oil Tools  – with a remarkable conclusion: RED POWER II belts are highly suitable for the intended use. Here are some examples: Standard V-belts used under normal conditions on oilfields had an operational life of 9,580 hours. RED POWER II V-belts, however, were in continuous operation for over 23,000 hours and more. This equates to almost triple the original operational life. When used in oilfields under extreme conditions, the standard V-belts had an operational life of between 1,000 and 2,200 hours. The Optibelt RED POWER II managed over 16,000 hours. This equates to eight times the life span. Due to these convincing results, many companies have changed over to Optibelt RED POWER II V-belts as standard equipment of their oil pumps.



Pump jacks - Horse head pumps
3,000 oil pumps in use - impressive fascination of technology
Looking like a huge herd of grazing dinosaurs, the giant “necks” of the oil pumps move up and down tirelessly. 3,000 pumps are in use 24/7 on the second largest oilfield in the USA. The oilfield located in the West of the USA impressively demonstrates the fascination of technology. Each pump produces up to 250 barrels of oil per day. The reliable continuous output of the pumps requires for highest quality standards of the drive belts. The use of the premium Optibelt VB S=C PLUS belt in B and C sections as well as the Optibelt TX M=S belt in  CX section allows for the substantial reduction of pumping costs. Once again, this confirms that quality always pays off. The top-quality products from Optibelt are characterised by their powerful performance and long operational lives. The American subsidiary company, Optibelt Corporation, supplies one of the most important technical dealers, the McJunkin Corporation from California. Their customers, amongst others, include Texaco, Aera Energy (Shell & Exxon Mobil Company Group) and Chevron.


Drilling rigs
The oceans and seas of the world, whose water surface covers almost 71 % of the planet’s surface, play a decisive role in the search for raw materials, especially crude oil and natural gas. The construction of platforms for offshore use has benefited from the technological developments since 1950. The most famous type of platform is the so-called drilling rig / oil rig. The biggest production platform ever constructed is the Norwegian Sea Troll that belongs to the oil company Statoil. It has a water displacement of a million tons of water. From the foundation to the top of the gas torch tower, the construction is 472 metres tall and stands on the sea floor at a depth of 303 metres. In direct comparison with the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sea Troll would stand a full 172 metres taller.