Industry
Vacuum pumps for oil and gas
In refineries, on production platforms and at pipelines, vacuum lowers boiling points, draws off gases and vapours and keeps liquids free of gas: crude oil is separated under vacuum without cracking, vapours from storage tanks and flare gas are recovered, glycol is regenerated and seawater is deaerated for injection. Below you can see which series the manufacturers themselves name for these tasks – 364 models from 2 manufacturers.
Compare 364 modelsSee the applications
- 364Models
- 20Series
- 2Manufacturers
- 6Applications
In short
Oil and gas: vacuum pumps – the key facts
- Crude oil distillationFor the vacuum distillation of crude oil, Busch names 10–50 hPa: the atmospheric stage works at approx. 350–370 °C, above 370 °C the oil would crack – under vacuum, the residue is separated without cracking (DOLPHIN). Edwards names steam ejectors and hybrid systems with liquid ring pumps for this.
- Seawater deaerationFor the deaeration of injection water against corrosion, Edwards states below 50 ppb oxygen with two stages and below 20 ppb with three stages (stripping column, LR, air ejectors); Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA for oxygen removal in the deaerator tower.
- Liquid ringFor onshore and offshore plants – FPSO, FLNG, refineries, pipelines – Edwards names liquid ring pumps and compressors to API 681/682 (LR1A, LR1C, LR1D); for oil and gas, Atlas Copco names steam ejector and deaerator systems, no pump series.
- Explosion protectionBusch also names DOLPHIN in an ATEX version; for vapour recovery, Edwards names nES Ex alongside LR compressors and chemical dry pumps.
Applications
Oil and gas: what vacuum pumps are used for
For each application: what the vacuum does and which series the manufacturers name for it. The information comes from the manufacturers’ own pages.
Distillation and solvent recovery
Vacuum lowers boiling points and separates gently (Busch): in crude oil distillation, the residue is separated at 10–50 hPa without cracking (DOLPHIN); in catalytic cracking, vacuum lowers the boiling point (DOLPHIN, COBRA – DOLPHIN also in an ATEX version). For distillation and solvent recovery, Busch names DOLPHIN, COBRA, R5, HUCKEPACK, APOVAC, MINK, PANDA and PUMA, and as an example a system with 8 mbar from two booster stages. For vacuum distillation (VDU), Edwards names steam ejectors and hybrid systems with liquid ring pumps, for distillation also EH, E2M Ex, XDS and GV, for short-path distillation oil vapour boosters, and for petroleum refining and solvent recovery LR and XDS.
Gas and vapour recovery
Vapours from storage tanks are extracted (Busch: COBRA, DOLPHIN, R5), waste gas and flare gas are extracted and compressed (DOLPHIN, MINK), exhaust gas is recovered (MINK). For vapour recovery, Edwards names LR compressors, chemical dry pumps and nES Ex, which draw gases out of lines and tanks, and for flare gas recovery LR compressors, so that the hydrocarbons are used as fuel; for gas recovery and recirculation, Edwards lists XDS, nXRi, EXS and nXQ55i (up to 52 m³/h helium).
Glycol regeneration (MEG, TEG)
Glycol is reprocessed against gas hydrates (Edwards): in MEG regeneration, water is removed from the monoethylene glycol; in TEG regeneration, the water evaporates in the reboiler below 204 °C (Busch). Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA, Edwards LR pumps and LR compressors.
- BuschDOLPHIN, COBRA Industry
- EdwardsLR1A, LR1C, LR1D
Seawater deaeration
Oxygen is removed from the injection water so that it does not cause corrosion: Edwards names a stripping column, LR pumps and air ejectors and states below 50 ppb oxygen with two stages and below 20 ppb with three. Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA for oxygen removal in the deaerator tower under vacuum, and DOLPHIN for removing dissolved gases from flood water.
- EdwardsLR1A, LR1C, LR1D
- BuschDOLPHIN, COBRA Industry
Drying of pipelines and drilling mud
Vacuum lowers the boiling point of the water in pipelines (Busch: COBRA); Busch also names the removal of moisture from drilling mud and drying in general, in which moisture evaporates under vacuum at a low temperature (COBRA, DOLPHIN, R5; in the product finder also MINK, PANDA, PUMA). Edwards lists dehydration and pipeline drying for oil and gas, as well as screw, claw and liquid ring pumps, E2S and EOSi for drying – without a further description.
Oil purification, transformers and filtration
Oil is dewatered and degassed in a vacuum chamber (Busch: COBRA, R5, HUCKEPACK, in the text also DOLPHIN). For transformer drying, Busch lists COBRA, DOLPHIN, MINK, PANDA, PUMA and R5, for transformer oil purification COBRA, MINK, PANDA, PUMA and R5. Busch names the vacuum-assisted filtration of crude oil as a further use; for filtration, Busch lists COBRA, R5, DOLPHIN, APOVAC and MINK.
- BuschCOBRA Industry, R5, HUCKEPACK, DOLPHIN, MINK also names PANDA, PUMA and APOVAC
Manufacturers and series
Oil and gas: 2 manufacturers, 20 series
Listed are the series the manufacturer itself names for this industry. “Show only …” sets the filter of the product overview.
Busch
279 models · 3–16,160 m³/h
Edwards
85 models · 0.75–8,100 m³/h
Atlas Copco names the industry without naming a series for it.
Product overview
Oil and gas: all 364 models compared
Use the filters on the left to narrow the selection – by manufacturer, technology and the models’ key figures, for 50 or 60 Hz.
Busch COBRA Industry series 36 models
COBRA NS 0070 CPumping speed 70 m³/h 50 Hz85 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.03 mbarRated motor power 4 kW 50 Hz4.4 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0100 BPumping speed 110 m³/h 50 Hz130 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 3.5 kW 50 Hz4.8 kW 60 HzVariants 4
COBRA NC 0100 B ECOTORQUEPumping speed 130 m³/h 50 Hz130 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 4.8 kW 50 Hz4.8 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NS 0160 CPumping speed 135 m³/h 50 Hz170 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.03 mbarRated motor power 5.5 kW 50 Hz6.6 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0200 BPumping speed 220 m³/h 50 Hz265 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 6 kW 50 Hz7.6 kW 60 HzVariants 4
COBRA NC 0200 B ECOTORQUEPumping speed 265 m³/h 50 Hz265 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 7.6 kW 50 Hz7.6 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0300 BPumping speed 320 m³/h 50 Hz385 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 7.5 kW 50 Hz9.5 kW 60 HzVariants 4
COBRA NC 0400 BPumping speed 350 m³/h 50 Hz420 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 7.5 kW 50 Hz9.5 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NX 0450 APumping speed 350 m³/h 50 Hz420 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.1 mbarRated motor power 7.5 kW 50 Hz9.5 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0300 B ECOTORQUEPumping speed 385 m³/h 50 Hz385 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 9.5 kW 50 Hz9.5 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0400 B ECOTORQUEPumping speed 420 m³/h 50 Hz420 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 9.5 kW 50 Hz9.5 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NX 0450 A ECOTORQUEPumping speed 420 m³/h 50 Hz420 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.1 mbarRated motor power 11 kW 50 Hz11 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0500 BPumping speed 490 m³/h 50 Hz490 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.01 mbarRated motor power 9 kW 50 Hz9 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0630 C VRPumping speed 580 m³/h 50 Hz680 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 25 mbarRated motor power 22 kW 50 Hz22 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NS 0600 CPumping speed 600 m³/h 50 Hz600 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.01 mbarRated motor power 15 kW 50 Hz15 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0630 CPumping speed 630 m³/h 50 Hz630 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.01 mbarRated motor power 15 kW 50 Hz17 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 0630 C ECOTORQUEPumping speed 630 m³/h 50 Hz630 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.01 mbarRated motor power 17 kW 50 Hz17 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA DX 0650 A PLUSPumping speed 650 m³/h 50 Hz650 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.1 mbarRated motor power 15 kW 50 Hz15 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NX 0650 APumping speed 650 m³/h 50 Hz650 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.1 mbarRated motor power 12.5 kW 50 Hz15 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NX 0650 A ECOTORQUEPumping speed 650 m³/h 50 Hz650 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.1 mbarRated motor power 15 kW 50 Hz15 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NF 0750 APumping speed 750 m³/h 50 Hz750 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 15 kW 50 Hz15 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA NC 1000 BPumping speed 840 m³/h 50 Hz1,000 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.05 mbarRated motor power 22 kW 50 Hz25 kW 60 HzVariants 
COBRA DX 0950 A PLUSPumping speed 950 m³/h 50 Hz950 m³/h 60 HzUltimate pressure 0.01 mbarRated motor power 18.5 kW 50 Hz18.5 kW 60 HzVariants Busch COBRA Semicon series 22 models
Busch DOLPHIN series 70 models
Busch HUCKEPACK series 4 models
Busch MINK series 32 models
Busch PANDA/PUMA series 26 models
Busch R5 series 58 models
Busch SAMOS series 31 models
Edwards E2M series 9 models
Edwards E2S series 3 models
Edwards EH series 5 models
Edwards EOSi series 10 models
Edwards EXS series 11 models
Edwards GV series 2 models
Edwards LR1A series 12 models
Edwards LR1C series 9 models
Edwards LR1D series 12 models
Edwards nES Ex series 5 models
Edwards nXRi series 5 models
Edwards XDS series 2 models
No model matches these filters.
Busch COBRA Industry series 36 models
Busch COBRA Semicon series 22 models
Busch DOLPHIN series 70 models
Busch HUCKEPACK series 4 models
Busch MINK series 32 models
Busch PANDA/PUMA series 26 models
Busch R5 series 58 models
Busch SAMOS series 31 models
Edwards E2M series 9 models
Edwards E2S series 3 models
Edwards EH series 5 models
Edwards EOSi series 10 models
Edwards EXS series 11 models
Edwards GV series 2 models
Edwards LR1A series 12 models
Edwards LR1C series 9 models
Edwards LR1D series 12 models
Edwards nES Ex series 5 models
Edwards nXRi series 5 models
Edwards XDS series 2 models
Models a manufacturer no longer carries in its current range are listed in its “Outdated models” section.
Selection
Oil and gas: choosing a vacuum pump
What the manufacturers highlight for use in this industry.
Explosion protection
Hydrocarbons and solvents can call for explosion protection: Busch also names DOLPHIN in an ATEX version, Edwards nES Ex for vapour recovery and E2M Ex for distillation. For onshore and offshore plants, Edwards names liquid ring pumps to API 681/682.
Liquid ring or dry pump?
For oil and gas, Edwards names liquid ring pumps and compressors (LR) and, alongside them, chemical dry pumps; Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA for crude oil distillation, glycol and seawater deaeration, and DOLPHIN also with an LN compressor for flare gas. Which design fits depends on the gas, on vapours and on the operating pressure.
Operating pressure
Busch names 10–50 hPa for crude oil distillation and, in its product finder, below 1 hPa for vacuum distillation and above 1 hPa for solvent recovery; as an example, Busch names a distillation system with 8 mbar made up of two PANDA WV booster stages and a DOLPHIN LB. For short-path distillation, Edwards names a low operating pressure with oil vapour boosters.
Water in the process
In glycol regeneration, water is removed from MEG; with TEG, it evaporates in the reboiler below 204 °C (Busch); seawater deaeration is about oxygen down to below 20 ppb (Edwards). In pipeline drying, vacuum lowers the boiling point of the water in the line (Busch).
Frequently asked questions
Oil and gas: frequently asked questions about vacuum pumps
Which vacuum pump is suitable for crude oil distillation?
Busch names DOLPHIN for crude oil distillation, in which the residue is separated under vacuum without cracking, and DOLPHIN and COBRA for catalytic cracking, in which vacuum lowers the boiling point. For vacuum distillation (VDU), Edwards names steam ejectors and hybrid systems with liquid ring pumps, and LR for petroleum refining.
How much vacuum does the vacuum distillation of crude oil need?
Busch states 10–50 hPa: the atmospheric stage works at approx. 350–370 °C, above 370 °C the oil would crack – which is why the residue is separated under vacuum. In its product finder, Busch places vacuum distillation in general below 1 hPa and solvent recovery above 1 hPa.
Which vacuum pump for vapour recovery from storage tanks?
Busch names COBRA, DOLPHIN and R5 for extracting vapours from storage tanks. Edwards names LR compressors, chemical dry pumps and nES Ex, which draw gases out of lines and tanks.
Which pump for flare gas recovery?
Busch names DOLPHIN (also with an LN compressor) and MINK for extracting and compressing waste gas and flare gas. Edwards names LR compressors, so that the hydrocarbons are used as fuel.
Which vacuum pump for glycol regeneration (MEG, TEG)?
Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA for MEG regeneration, in which water is removed from the monoethylene glycol, and DOLPHIN for TEG regeneration, in which the water evaporates in the reboiler below 204 °C. Edwards names LR pumps and LR compressors for reprocessing glycol against gas hydrates.
Which vacuum pump for seawater deaeration?
Edwards names a stripping column, LR pumps and air ejectors and, for the injection water, states below 50 ppb oxygen with two stages and below 20 ppb with three. Busch names DOLPHIN and COBRA for oxygen removal in the deaerator tower, and DOLPHIN for removing dissolved gases from flood water.
Which vacuum pump for drying pipelines?
Busch names COBRA for pipeline drying, in which vacuum lowers the boiling point of the water in the line, and the removal of moisture from drilling mud. Edwards lists dehydration and pipeline drying for oil and gas without describing a series.
Which vacuum pump for transformer oil and oil purification?
Busch names COBRA, R5 and HUCKEPACK for oil purification, in which the oil is dewatered and degassed in a vacuum chamber, COBRA, DOLPHIN, MINK, PANDA, PUMA and R5 for transformer drying, and COBRA, MINK, PANDA, PUMA and R5 for transformer oil purification.
Which vacuum pumps are suitable for hazardous areas?
Busch also names DOLPHIN in an ATEX version. Edwards names nES Ex for vapour recovery, E2M Ex for distillation, and liquid ring pumps and compressors to API 681/682 for onshore and offshore plants.
Does Ehrler & Beck also supply spare parts and service?
Yes. Ehrler & Beck offers original spare parts and accessories as well as maintenance and repair.
Which pump suits your process?
Tell us the application, the medium and the number of machines – we advise you on selection, spare parts and service.
