Compact Compression

Geoforce Helps Compact Compression Achieve 99.9% Equipment Uptime While Tripling Technician Productivity

When market changes forced Compact Compression to rethink their business model, Geoforce’s asset tracking solutions enabled them to support true innovation, including the industry’s first predictive maintenance platform and a fixed-fee maintenance subscription model for cost-conscious customers.

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GEOFORCE ASSET TRACKING HELPS COMPACT COMPRESSION TO:

99.9,

uptime

15,

reduction in technician travel time

technician productivity

Industry

Manufacturing,
Oil & Gas

Product Used

AT4

Problem Solved

Equipment Rental Management,
Asset Utilization,
Service Verification

CHALLENGE

Finding an Opportunity Hidden in Adversity

In 2009, Compact Compression faced a big challenge. The market for the wellhead gas compression systems they developed had dwindled, and to survive, the company had to pivot and explore innovative new ways to stay relevant and competitive.

Historically, casing gas compressors required intensive maintenance and were prone to frequent breakdowns, which limited their market appeal. But Compact Compression realized that a fit-for-purpose equipment design coupled with remote tracking and monitoring technology had the potential to solve these issues and widen the market for their products and services. The groundbreaking HCG Compressor was introduced to the industry in 2015.

“We knew that the ability to track equipment performance remotely meant we could give our customers’ cost certainty while significantly improving compressor uptime,” said Chris Scrupa, Business Development Manager at Compact Compression. “We saw an opportunity to change the paradigm for our industry and become true market leaders.”

SOLUTION

Creating an Industry-First Tracking System

Compact Compression worked with Geoforce to develop a system for tracking compressor performance remotely and aggregating hundreds of operational data points. The solution is built on Geoforce’s software platform (with applications added via the 2020 acquisition of Trakopolis). An API pulls the data into SkyView, Compact Compression’s proprietary front-end software application, where dashboards display an array of information on equipment utilization and performance in real time.

Technicians can now consult a digital map that tells them which units are in distress, identifies where they are located, and provides an indication of what repairs may be required. The system also tracks patterns over time to identify performance trends and predict issues before they become a problem.

RESULTS

Enhancing Customer Service and Value

This system has helped the company plan servicing trips more efficiently and avoid unnecessary travel.

“We have seen a noticeable decrease in the number of technician visits per compressor,” Scrupa said. “A single technician used to be able to service no more than 60 compressors—now they can service more than 200.”

Reducing maintenance costs has enabled the company to offer a unique “no hassle” fixed-fee service subscription that makes those costs more predictable. At the same time, equipment downtime has been dramatically reduced.

“We can now tend to units proactively so that downtime-causing failures can be avoided,” explained Scrupa. “As a result, availability is as high as 99.9% for some customers, which is unheard of in our industry.”

Opening Up New Markets

This unique solution has given Compact Compression a leading market presence within Canada and helped the company make inroads into new markets in the US, South America, the Middle East and Europe.

“Geoforce enabled us to pioneer an entirely new technology and introduce new capabilities for the oil and gas industry,” Scrupa said. “It has transformed our business model.”