Gas compression
Inside a multistage centrifugal gas compressor
Explore an original 121-part compressor cutaway and distinguish impellers, diffusers, return guides, suction and discharge boundaries, seals and bearings.
Read the illustrated guideTHE CONTEXT BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Understand the industry behind the headlines.
Go inside the equipment, follow the process and learn to read the record. Original illustrated guides connect Canadian energy news to the components and concepts behind it.
Reporting here. Deep equipment learning at AlbertaOil.
OilNews guides help readers interpret energy stories and market records. Our equipment guides are readable companions to AlbertaOil’s original interactive Atlas, which is the home of detailed model and component education. Shared original illustrations connect the two; they are not separate equipment designs.
66
Original equipment & market guides
35
Topics across the industry
Two distinct roles
OilNews explains the news. AlbertaOil owns the deep interactive equipment lesson.
The complete learning library
Showing 66 of 66 guides.
Well production
Adjustable production chokes: needle, seat and wellhead role
Follow an original 44-part choke cutaway from the production-tree side to the open outlet, and separate visible parts from pressure and flow claims.
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Pumps and rotating equipment
External gear pumps: gears, ports and housing explained
Explore an original 38-part gear-pump cutaway and learn what its two gears, open housing, ports and shaft regions can—and cannot—tell you.
Read the illustrated guide
Pumps and rotating equipment
How a multistage centrifugal pump works: stages, diffusers and thrust
Follow an original 115-part pump cutaway through three impeller, diffuser and return-guide stages, then distinguish visible components from measured performance.
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Drilling
Inside a surface BOP stack: annular, pipe ram and blind ram roles
Explore an original 87-part 3D cutaway of a generic surface blowout-preventer stack, including actual open passages and the critical distinction between notched and flat retracted rams.
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Drilling
How drilling fluid moves: pump, well, returns and shaker
Follow an original 212-part 3D map through a mud pump, open drillstring and annulus, shale shaker and distinct surface exits—then see what a real circulation claim must prove.
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Drilling
Inside a triplex mud pump: power end, pistons and valve roles
Explore an original 112-part three-bank cutaway and learn what its open liners, valve seats and manifolds can—and cannot—tell you about drilling-fluid pumping.
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Drilling
Where a shale shaker sends drilling fluid and cuttings
Explore an original 76-part open-screen model to distinguish the return feed, coarse cuttings exit and under-screen fluid collection without assuming a screen grade or waste approval.
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Facilities
Follow a produced-water separation and polishing train
Use an original 175-part 3D scene to distinguish free-water draw, deoiling, media polishing and open disposal boundaries without mistaking a model for measured water quality.
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Facilities
Follow a three-phase production facility concept
Trace an original 424-part facility scene from an incoming stream through separate oil, water and gas boundaries, then learn what a real Alberta facility claim still needs to prove.
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Vessels
How a chevron mist-eliminator vane pack is read
Explore an original 35-part vane pack to distinguish open gas passages, twelve separate bent plates and lower drainage locations without treating the model as a performance claim.
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Vessels
What a pressure-vessel manway closure shows
Use an original 46-part manway assembly to distinguish a wall opening, access neck, drilled flange, ring gasket, blind cover and fastener locations without mistaking geometry for a pressure rating or safe opening procedure.
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Process plants
Inside a fired process heater
Inspect an original 94-part heater cutaway from burner locations and radiant tubes to convection tubes and an open stack, while separating visible parts from real heat-duty and safety evidence.
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Oil sands extraction
Inside an oil-sands primary separation vessel
Follow slurry, bitumen froth, middlings and sand-rich underflow through an original 3D teaching cutaway, and learn what an illustration cannot establish about recovery or tailings.
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Oil sands extraction
How oil-sands tailings classification cyclones work
Follow whole-tailings feed, a coarse-sand-rich underflow and fines-rich overflow through an original 3D teaching model while separating process roles from measured results.
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Oil sands extraction
Inside an oil-sands tailings slurry pump
Explore the open suction, replaceable wet-end wear parts, impeller vanes, discharge and shaft-seal region of an original 3D slurry-pump cutaway.
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Oil sands extraction
Inside an oil-sands secondary flotation cell
Use an original 3D oil-sands flotation-cell model to follow middlings, added air, secondary froth and remaining slurry without mistaking static markers for recovery data.
Read the illustrated guide
Oil sands extraction
Inside an oil-sands tailings thickener
Follow a generic 3D thickener from feedwell to separate water overflow and thickened-material underflow, and learn which results need measurement.
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Production facilities
How a flare system path fits together
Follow an original 3D flare-system scene from an open gas header through liquid removal, a seal-vessel role and a hollow elevated stack, and learn what the picture cannot prove.
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Production facilities
Where stock-tank vapours go in a recovery system
Trace an original 3D stock-tank vapour path through liquid removal, compression and a gas-handling boundary, then test what an emissions claim would need to prove.
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Well completions
What a production packer separates downhole
Use an original 3D cutaway to distinguish the production tubing, casing annulus, sealing elements and slips without mistaking visible parts for a tested well barrier.
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Produced water
How a nutshell-media filter fits produced-water treatment
Inspect an original 3D nutshell-media filter and distinguish the visible bed, underdrain and cleaning cue from claims about outlet water quality.
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Produced water
Where a produced-water hydrocyclone fits
Follow a produced-water stream through an original 3D hydrocyclone lesson, then separate its visible boundaries from claims about water quality and disposal.
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Production and separation
How an oil-battery treatment train fits together
Follow an original connected 3D lesson from three-phase separation through heater treatment, oil and water storage and oil transfer, with separate open gas and water paths.
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Production and separation
Inside an upstream electrostatic treater
Read an original blue-and-gold 3D treater cutaway: the emulsion feed, open grid region, covered electrical location and separate oil and water boundaries.
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Production and separation
Inside a wellhead sand separator
Trace an original blue-and-gold 3D sand-separator concept from offset wellstream arrival to upper fluid outlet and lower solids collection.
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Artificial lift and pumping
Inside an electric submersible pump
Explore an original Alberta-blue 3D ESP assembly and trace motor, protector, intake, multistage pump, discharge and cable roles.
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Artificial lift and pumping
Inside a progressing-cavity pump
Explore an original Alberta-blue 3D rotor-and-stator model, then trace the open intake, conceptual cavity path, discharge and drive boundaries.
Read the illustrated guide
Production and separation
Inside a horizontal heater treater
Explore an original Alberta-blue 3D heater-treater vessel and distinguish emulsion arrival, a heat-region cue, settling space and separate gas, oil and water boundaries.
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Refining and separation
Inside a crude-oil desalter
Follow crude, wash water, a conceptual coalescence region and separate refinery outlet paths through an original Alberta-blue 3D vessel.
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Gas compression and separation
Inside a compressor suction gas scrubber
Explore an original Alberta-blue 3D scrubber to distinguish inlet diversion, mist-removal location, the liquid boot and compressor-side gas exit.
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Gas treatment and filtration
Inside a vertical gas filter separator
Explore an original Alberta-blue 3D cutaway to distinguish cartridge filtration, upper mist-removal cues, and separate gas and liquid outlets.
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Gas-plant inlet and separation
How a finger-style slug catcher fits a gas-plant inlet
Use an original four-finger 3D scene to distinguish incoming mixed flow, upper gas collection and separate liquid handling.
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Separation and produced water
Inside a free-water knockout
Explore an original unheated two-phase FWKO cutaway and separate free-water draw from the oil-and-gas emulsion exit.
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Oil sands and production
How steam generation, separation and a SAGD well pair fit together
Follow an original 3D SAGD process scene from generator to separator and well pair, with distinct liquid and produced-fluid boundaries.
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Oil sands and production
What a steam separator does between a SAGD generator and injector
Explore an original 3D steam and liquid separator and learn what its inlet, upper steam and lower blowdown boundaries do—and do not—show.
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Oil sands and production
Where a once-through steam generator fits in a SAGD project
Trace water-side convection and radiant sections in an original Alberta oil-sands steam-generator cutaway while separating illustration from plant performance.
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Oil sands and production
How a SAGD injector and producer well pair fit together
Explore an original Alberta oil-sands well-pair illustration and separate the injector, producer and conceptual steam chamber from actual project performance.
Read the illustrated guideMarket fundamentals
Before you compare WTI, Brent and WCS, check what the quote measures
A practical checklist for comparing crude benchmarks, dates, delivery locations and currencies without mistaking an estimate for a market quote.
Read the illustrated guideMarket fundamentals
The oil differential is a question about quality and access
How to read a WTI–WCS spread, recognize the sign convention and distinguish a benchmark comparison from a producer's netback.
Read the illustrated guide
Processing and equipment
Inside a three-phase separator
Read an original vessel cutaway, distinguish the gas, oil and water outlets, and ask better questions about processing headlines.
Read the illustrated guide
Processing and equipment
Control, isolation and check valves do different jobs
Compare three valve roles, read an original globe-valve cutaway and distinguish actuator movement from a complete process-control system.
Read the illustrated guideFUEL PRICE LITERACY
How to read a retail fuel-price comparison
Check the period, fuel grade, unit and survey coverage before comparing a city, region or station price.
Read the illustrated guide
Processing and equipment
Inside a mechanical face seal
Read an original seal cutaway, separate the primary faces from secondary boundaries, and examine the evidence behind a pump-reliability claim.
Read the illustrated guide
Processing and equipment
Inside a reciprocating compressor
Follow the crank, crosshead, packing and piston in an original compressor cutaway, then distinguish component roles from a complete gas-compression package.
Read the illustrated guide
Processing and equipment
Inside a spring-loaded pressure-relief valve
Read an original valve cutaway, trace the nozzle, disc and spring, and distinguish a pressure-protection component from a complete protective system.
Read the illustrated guide
Gas treatment and vessels
Inside a glycol contactor
Read an original four-tray contactor cutaway, distinguish bulk separation from water-vapour removal, and identify the wider evidence behind a gas-treatment headline.
Read the illustrated guide
Heat transfer and equipment
Inside an air-cooled heat exchanger
Explore an original finned-tube and fan cutaway, distinguish process flow from cooling air, and read the evidence behind a heat-transfer headline.
Read the illustrated guide
Gas processing and equipment
Follow a gas-compression train
Follow an original separator, compressor and aftercooler cutaway, distinguish their jobs, and connect a plant-upgrade headline to the evidence it needs.
Read the illustrated guide
Valves and component boundaries
Inside a bored-ball valve
Follow the ball, curved seats, stem packing and body joint, then compare five original valve mechanisms without mistaking geometry for verified shutoff.
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Heat transfer and component boundaries
Inside a shell-and-tube heat exchanger
Explore hollow tubes, drilled tube sheets, alternating baffles and separate end channels in an original cutaway, then compare shell-and-tube and air-cooled heat-transfer concepts.
Read the illustrated guide
Separation and equipment evidence
Inside a dry cyclone separator
Explore an original cutaway of a cyclone body, cone and central outlet, distinguish static vortex annotations from hardware, and ask what evidence supports a separation claim.
Read the illustrated guide
Separation and equipment evidence
Inside a gas–liquid coalescer
Follow seven original cartridge cores, distinguish media and drainage regions, and learn what equipment evidence can support a liquid-removal claim.
Read the illustrated guide
Pipeline equipment and inspection evidence
Inside a pipeline pigging vessel
Explore the original barrel, reducer and cup-pig assembly, and distinguish visible equipment from evidence of pipeline cleaning or inspection.
Read the illustrated guide
Rotating equipment and reliability evidence
Inside a housed cylindrical roller bearing
Explore rings, sixteen rollers, cage regions and a split housing, then separate a visible component from evidence of lubrication or machine reliability.
Read the illustrated guide
Rotating equipment and connection roles
Inside a spacer disc coupling
Inspect two laminated packs, alternating attachment regions, bored hubs and a hollow spacer, then distinguish visible parts from coupling and reliability evidence.
Read the illustrated guide
Instrumentation and measurement evidence
Inside a Bourdon pressure gauge
Explore the oval tube and separate movement behind a pressure-gauge pointer, then distinguish visible geometry from measurement and calibration evidence.
Read the illustrated guide
Gas treating and process evidence
Inside an amine gas-treating absorber
Trace the sour-gas, lean-solvent, treated-gas and rich-solvent boundaries in an original cutaway, then separate visible equipment from treating-performance evidence.
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Gas treating and process evidence
How an amine regenerator fits the gas-treating circuit
Inspect an original regenerator cutaway and distinguish rich feed, lean return, reboiler interfaces and acid-gas outlet from actual process-performance evidence.
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Gas treating and process evidence
Trace an amine gas-treating circuit
Follow a source-linked original 3D teaching scene across gas, rich and lean solvent, reboiler and overhead roles without mistaking its static routes for plant engineering.
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Gas dehydration and process evidence
Inside an optional glycol flash tank
Use an original 3D cutaway to locate rich-glycol, flash-gas and liquid boundaries, then test what the picture cannot prove about separation or emissions.
Read the illustrated guide
Gas dehydration and process evidence
Inside glycol regeneration: the still and reboiler
Trace rich glycol into an original 3D still/reboiler concept and learn what an equipment render cannot establish about drying, heat or emissions.
Read the illustrated guide
Gas dehydration and process evidence
Trace a glycol dehydration and regeneration circuit
Follow an original 802-part 3D teaching scene from wet-gas contact through optional flashing, reconcentration and lean return, and separate visible routes from plant evidence.
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Instrumentation and measurement evidence
Inside an orifice meter run
Inspect a real aperture and two separate pressure paths in an original 3D cutaway, then see what an equipment image cannot prove about flow measurement.
Read the illustrated guide
Flare systems and vessel boundaries
Inside a flare knock-out drum
Explore an original horizontal vessel cutaway and learn what its open boundaries show—and what a flare-system claim still needs to establish.
Read the illustrated guide
Flare systems and vessel boundaries
Inside a flare liquid-seal vessel
Explore an original vertical seal-vessel cutaway and distinguish its submerged inlet, gas outlet, drain and level boundaries from a proven protective system.
Read the illustrated guideA clearer vocabulary. Better questions.
Use these original component maps beside the source record, not instead of it. Interactive models show educational roles and boundaries; real equipment selections, performance and safe work need qualified, site-specific evidence.
Read the educational boundaries