Heat is a common byproduct of industrial and manufacturing processes. Heat exchangers are used to heat and cool large-scale processing fluids and equipment. They are customisable to any industrial process based on temperature, pressure, fluid type, flow, density, chemical composition, viscosity, and a variety of other thermodynamic parameters. Oil and gas heat exchanger manufacturers play a vital role in the ongoing effectiveness of this complex industrial process.

Heat exchangers are classified as recuperative or regenerative (static/dynamic). Indirect recuperative exchangers include tubes/pipes and plates/fins while direct recuperative exchangers include cooling towers and steam injectors.

Types of heat exchangers used in the offshore industry

There are various types of heat exchangers used in oil and gas applications comprising shell and tube exchangers; plate heat exchangers comprising a stack of thin plates; double pipe heat exchangers; and condensers, evaporators, and boilers.

The most prevalent application in the oil and gas industry is for shell and tube exchangers, which are a collection of tubes encased within a pressurised outer shell. To achieve heat exchange, a fluid is channelled largely from the hot process through the smaller tubes and the other through the outer shell.

Heat exchangers are used in the oil and gas production process for a variety of applications such as preheating, hating, and drying, steam generation, crude oil cooling, and condensing, vapour recovery, oil refining process, selective catalytic reduction units, hot oil/heat transfer systems, fuel gas conditioning skids, and lube oil systems.

Some of the criteria evaluated while designing and selecting a heat exchanger include fluid type such as air, water, or oil; fluid stream and its properties; thermal output demand, size, and cost.

According to GlobalData‘s contracts database, Alfa Laval is the top heat exchanger provider to the oil and gas industry, followed by Chart Industries.

Other key suppliers include Larsen & Toubro, Koch Heat Transfer, KNM Group, Air Products and Chemicals, Loyal Equipment, Heatric UK, Linde, Danfoss, API Heat Transfer, Kurgankhimmash, Fischer Maschinen- und Apparatebau, and Kelvion.

Finding the best oil and gas heat exchanger manufacturers

Offshore Technology has listed leading suppliers of heat exchangers, based on analysis of GlobalData’s oil and gas contracts database.

From shell and tube exchanger to plate heat exchangers, the list covers suppliers for applications in the oil and gas industry.

The information contained within the download document is designed for general maintenance contractors, procurement managers, facility managers, HAZOP managers, maintenance and safety managers, EPC contractors, and any other individual involved in the manufacturing process, inspection, HAZOP and other users of heat exchangers at oil and gas facilities.

The free Buyers Guide is available to download and contains detailed information on the suppliers and their product lines, alongside contact details to aid your purchasing decision.

Related Buyer’s Guides which cover an extensive range of offshore equipment manufacturers, solutions providers and technology, can also be found here.