Frost & Sullivan: New Gas Projects Boost Adoption of Electric Drives, USA

Frost & Sullivan: New Gas Projects Boost Adoption of Electric Drives

The expansion of Greenfield shale plays, an increase in natural gas exploration and production, and new investments in transportation infrastructure spurred the North American electric drives market for natural gas applications. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s Analysis of the North American Drives Market for Natural Gas Applications research finds the market earned revenue of more than $350 million in 2012.

While the market is less than 20 percent of the total drives market in North America, it is expected to grow at a rate 1.5 times faster than the growth rate of the total electric drives market in North America. This provides ample growth opportunities for companies to capitalize on. Moreover, recent trends in the industry, such as the approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, are expected to further boost the market growth rate.

With increased emphasis on energy independence in the U.S., exploration and production companies escalated investments in natural gas extraction and new well development, thereby driving the electric drives market in the upstream segment,” said Frost & Sullivan Industrial Automation and Process Control Research Analyst Anshul Sharma.

In midstream, most pipelines used in these operations are in areas with limited access to electricity, and electric drives’ dependence on a steady power supply adds to operational costs, dissuading potential consumers. The lack of quick return on investment, as well as end-users’ preference for proven, conventional drive systems to avoid device failures that can lead to delayed production and financial losses, further curb sale volumes.

In downstream applications, stricter environmental regulations and concerns on reducing emissions offer opportunities for low-emission electric drive systems. Electric drives also boost overall system efficiency, and are therefore used in processing applications like gas compression and pumping.

In the upstream segment, reliability and the ability to optimize gas production are the critical factors of success,” noted Sharma.

Analysis of the North American Drives Market for Natural Gas Applications is part of the Power Transmission Growth Partnership Service program. The research analyzes market dynamics, revenues, growth rates and various trends of upstream, midstream and downstream segments in natural gas applications. The analysis also evaluates trends in the low and medium voltage drives market and further breaks it down into product applications such as pump, compressor and fans.

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LNG World News Staff, July 9, 2013; Image: Frost & Sullivan