After acquiring pressure pump technology from Amkin Technologies LLC, global original equipment manufacturer AFGlobal has completed a field trial of a new frac Pump. AFGlobal today announced the successful completion of its field evaluation of the DuraStim ® pump in the Permian Basin. AFGlobal’s new patented pressure pumping technology offers end users tremendous advantages over traditional fracking technology and those offered by other electric and turbine based systems. The trial, which began last month, followed five years of stringent design and engineering, and significant in-house testing to prove out suitability for actual pressure pumping operations.
Designed by AFGlobal’s Pressure Pumping Technologies group, the DuraStim frac pump at 6000 HP, offers the equivalent of three times the effective horsepower of a conventional frac unit, while operating at approximately 10 percent of the cyclic rate. The DuraStim pump offers many advantages, including more than a 65 percent reduction in fleet footprint and manpower, while dramatically extending equipment life and reducing maintenance costs. This novel system, when coupled with an electric or turbine drive, is expected to also deliver a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. Initially, AFGlobal will offer the system for sale with an electric direct drive, but expects to provide interested customers a turbine-direct drive system later in 2019, as well as a 3,000 HP diesel system later in 2019 or early 2020. The system will also offer a cloud-enabled control system to optimize the distribution of information and predictive maintenance to improve operational efficiencies.
“In keeping with our history of innovation and new technology development, we are excited to launch this unique pumping system, bringing the first true game-changing technology to the market in more than 3 decades,” commented Curtis Samford, President and Chief Executive Officer at AFGlobal. Samford continued, “The field trial was conducted in the Permian Basin in connection with ProPetro Holding Corp. (“ProPetro” – NYSE:PUMP), who has a long-standing relationship with us dating back to our entry into pressure pumping as an OEM in 2012. We greatly appreciate their help in getting the DuraStim pump validated in actual field operations.”