| | Rolls-Royce
and Metragaz sign LTSA for seven engine RB211 fleet
In
February 2005, Rolls-Royce announced that it had signed a Long Term Service Agreement
(LTSA) with Metragaz, affiliate of the Spanish group Natural Gas, worth £11.2
million covering the maintenance of their RB211 gas compressor installations operating
in Morocco, North Africa. The contract covers seven Rolls-Royce RB211 compressor
sets installed on one of the world's most important natural gas pipelines, the
1375-kilometre Maghreb line linking North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula.
The
new LTSA will benefit the pipeline's operator, Metragaz, on behalf of Europe Maghreb
Pipeline Ltd (EMPL) the project leader of the Maghreb pipeline in Morocco and
affiliate of the Spanish Group Gas Natural, by enabling Rolls-Royce to ensure
maximum equipment availability and reliability through a six-year programme of
scheduled maintenance and technical support including a resident Rolls-Royce engineer.
The
Maghreb pipeline, which conveys natural gas from Algeria via Morocco to Spain
and Portugal, began operations in 1996 with four RB211 gas compressor sets. In
2003 EMPL ordered three additional RB211s as part of a programme to further enhance
the pipeline's performance. These latest units provide a 50 per cent increase
to the original 8.5 billion cubic metre annual capacity of the Maghreb pipeline,
helping to meet increasing demand for gas in the Iberian markets.
The compressor
sets, complete with their En-Tronic control systems also manufactured by Rolls-Royce,
will be covered by the new Long Term Service Agreement. This continuing partnership
between Rolls-Royce and Metragaz will control the operator's maintenance budget
while maximising availability and profitability of the pipeline and its power
system.
As a result of the enhanced performance of the Maghreb pipeline,
gas from Algerian fields now accounts for some 30 per cent of all the gas Spain
consumes. At the same time this increased availability of economically-priced
natural gas has led to a vigorous growth in demand for gas fired electrical power
generation installations.
Foremost in this market is the Rolls-Royce range
of gas turbines and reciprocating gas engines. Sales of these engines have passed
100 units in Spain alone to meet industrial power requirements for a wide range
of processing and manufacturing plants throughout the country.
»
more on additional RB211 compression added to pipeline
Other
Long Term Service Agreement items of interest
» Global LTSA population
»
LTSA Q&A Session with Bill Madison
»
HSE policy statement
» TOTAL extend offshore
engine maintenance deal
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