Executive viewpoint

A collective of America’s most prominent companies and their executives, known as the Business Roundtable, recently redefined a corporation’s purpose. Rather than focus solely on maximizing profits for shareholders, the group advocates that in addition to serving their own purposes, organizations also have a commitment to deliver value to all stakeholder groups, whether protecting the environment, investing in employees or dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers.

As a framework for these overarching goals, many organizations are adopting the guiding principles of “ESG”—environmental, social and governance. ESG is quickly becoming a tool for managing material business risks, and in the coming years, ESG performance will not just demonstrate that a company is serious about achieving sustainability—it will be integral to business success. 

Accordingly, it is critical for operators to seek partnerships and innovative solutions that can help deliver on corporate responsibility goals while enabling strong business performance.

New approaches to environmentally sustainable operations. Even prior to the recent ESG movement, the oil and gas industry has long centered its corporate responsibility and sustainability programs on environmental efforts, including measures to improve air, land and water quality. More recently, companies are focusing on addressing their carbon footprints and setting goals to enhance water reuse strategies and reduce the intensity of methane and CO₂ emissions.

Various solutions that help companies mitigate fugitive emissions and reduce carbon emissions across operations are available. For example, certain mechanical pipe joining solutions—couplings, valves and fittings—eliminate the need for welding. They also are more effective at mitigating fugitive emissions on upstream assets, such as tank batteries and production facilities, than traditional joining methods, including flanging, threading, fusing and welding.

Installing mechanical joints on 915 pipe connections across 2,500 ft of 4-in. schedule 40 carbon steel pipe at a production facility can eliminate 65,000 pounds of CO₂ emissions that otherwise would be released into the atmosphere if pipes were welded. Thereafter, mechanical couplings also help reduce fugitive emissions throughout system life.

In fact, a recent fugitive emissions test conducted by independent researchers compared the performance of Victaulic couplings to standard ANSI Class 600 flanges. In these tests, emissions were collected from four Victaulic mechanical couplings and four flange assemblies exposed to helium at 1,500 psi and analyzed using a helium mass spectrometer. The data recorded for the samples showed lower emissions from the mechanical coupling connections vs. the flange joints. Regardless of temperature, mechanical couplings consistently performed better. At the conclusion of testing, gaskets from both the flange and mechanical coupling connections were inspected. Visible damage was found on the flange gaskets, deeming them unfit for re-installation. In contrast, the mechanical couplings’ gaskets suffered no damage and were reinstalled after testing was completed.

Mechanical coupling applications are not restricted to greenfield projects. Companies considering options for retrofits and upgrades on brownfield developments should weigh the comparative value of a mechanical joining system against traditional joining methods. 

Beyond reducing emissions, mechanical joining also can help streamline and improve a company’s water management initiatives. Whether used on metallic or non-metallic piping systems, mechanical couplings are easy to maintain and can withstand the most challenging and abrasive jobs, reducing the risk of equipment failure.

Innovating on-site safety. Mechanical couplings are designed for simple installation and dramatically reduce job site injury potential. Unlike welding or fusing, which introduce dangerous equipment, volatile tanks and noxious fumes, only simple hand tools are needed to install mechanical couplings.

In fact, mechanical joints install up to 10 times faster than welding and up to six times faster than flanging. Installation can be performed in any weather by workers with minimal specialized training, streamlining installation and maintenance workflows.

Furthermore, welded and flanged joints require complicated, time-consuming verification to assure leak-tight installation, but mechanical couplings can be verified visually; so not only is installation faster, but the couplings’ design delivers greater construction integrity while mitigating onsite risk.

Choosing the right partner. Achieving ESG ambitions quickly and efficiently is a major undertaking that few companies can handle alone. With an eye on both governance and performance, choosing the right partners matters. Operators should hold their partners to the highest ethical standards in all interactions with employees, customers and local communities, ensure the products and services they procure are environmentally and safety conscious, and above all, select partners that share the same ESG values and principles. 

Specifying mechanical joining solutions for new construction and rework programs allows operators to join forces with partners that have the same ESG objectives. As expectations for oil and gas companies change, Victaulic and other manufacturers are stepping up efforts to help operators fulfill ESG goals. Mechanical couplings help to eliminate carbon emissions, reduce fugitive emissions, and remove potential exposure to hazards, all while providing robust, reusable components for a broad range of applications.