The natural gas industry has seen significant technological advancement as the global focus on ESG (environment, social, and governance) challenges and regulations increases. Stakeholders are increasingly concerned about how companies manage their ESG-related risks and opportunities and how ESG performance will influence business success. There is now mounting pressure on companies throughout the energy value chain to enhance their ESG management strategies. The Canadian Securities Administrators are regulators working towards introducing mandatory ESG reporting.
Adopting innovative technologies and implementing effective ESG practices allows businesses to mitigate risks and create new opportunities for sustainable growth. As companies increasingly invest in upgrades that support environmental sustainability, there is an opportunity for manufacturers to implement ESG considerations more thoroughly in their product strategies.
VRG Controls: A Zero Emissions Focused Armour Valve Supplier
Armour Valve’s supplier, VRG Controls, is an industrial valve company launched in 2012 by two trailblazers in the field of emissions reduction and also recently featured in Valve World Americas magazine. Founders Michael Garvey and Vladimir Rimboym leveraged their decades of experience in the natural gas industry to create a company focused on inventing unique solutions for environmental protection. From the get-go, the idea of “zero bleed” was part of the company’s DNA. All its control instrumentation is designed with zero emissions capability so that, when a valve is not cycling, it emits no gas into the atmosphere.
The experience VRG Controls brings in zero emissions technology extends to several applications, including natural gas transmission, natural gas-fired power plant fuel gas supply, and natural gas utility pressure regulation. More recently, the company has also begun offering a zero-emission solution appropriate for hydrogen service.
VRG Controls Valve Pilot Controller
VRG Controls Zero Emission Valve Pressure Controller
When VRG designed its VPC series of Valve Pilot Controllers, the focus was initially on emissions reduction; however, as the design improved over time, cost-saving enhancements were introduced.
All VRG VPC Series Valve Pilot Controllers deliver zero emissions performance at steady state. The optimization of the VPC design enables the pressure controller to cycle less, spending more time in a zero-bleed steady state and making it more sensitive and responsive to changing conditions. Ultimately, this results in tighter control and less wear. When applications permit, VPC series valves can eliminate atmospheric emissions by implementing the “carbon capture” feature. Carbon capture technology maintains all gas within the piping system, eliminating fugitive emissions.
Over time, VRG identified opportunities to simplify the design to reduce cost and waste. The product range has evolved to simplify application and offer a universally compatible design for double and single acting control valves. A modular approach simplifies production and assembly, making maintenance more straightforward and less costly since fewer repair kits are needed. Pilots are designed with plug-and-play flexibility and can easily be reconfigured in the field.
VRG Controls Red Ox Regulator
Zero Emission Gas Pressure Regulator
VRG also works with other manufacturers to create zero-emission solutions like the Red Ox Regulator, a collaboration between VRG Controls and Oxford Flow UK. This high-performance, zero-emission gas pressure regulator is used for gas transmission and utility applications.
The design for the Red Ox Regulator incorporates VRG’s zero steady state emission to atmosphere and carbon capture features and Oxford Flow’s technology that eliminates atmospheric emissions in natural gas, hydrogen, and hydrogen-methane blend applications. There is also a fully “hydrogen-ready” version with 316SS metallurgy that supports recent trends in the energy industry.
The Red Ox design utilizes a patented piston control system to deliver precise pressure management in an easily accessible body for inline servicing, increased reliability, and reduced maintenance costs. The same commitment to simplicity of design was applied to ensure that the Red Ox is a cost-effective, single-device system with enhanced stability of control instrumentation that lessens valve wear and maintenance costs.
VRG products are designed to advance the energy transition while benefiting society as a whole by enabling customers to provide reliable, affordable access to cleaner energy. Transitioning to new technologies is expensive and difficult to manage for many organizations. A more streamlined approach to this transition can be supported by developing easy-to-implement and affordable net-zero technologies like those VRG Controls creates.
VRG Controls ESG Considerations for R&D:
- Through collaboration with customers in the design phase, VRG ensures the solution includes only what is required for optimal performance.
- Simplifying designs so that fewer components are included equates to less up-front and after-market costs to the customer.
- Streamlining designs and production to reduce the required material and waste produced.
- Optimizing designs for tighter control and less wear to extend equipment service life.
- Manufacturing products for seamless plug-and-play integration, configuration, and reconfiguration, to enable repair and reuse rather than replacement.
- Minimizing the equipment, parts, and tools required by operators and maintenance personnel.
VRG Controls & Armour Valve
Armour Valve is proud to partner with companies like VRG Controls, that value environmental, social, and governance performance innovation, especially in Canada’s natural gas industry that plays a vital role in the energy transition. As a VRG Controls distributor, we provide VRG Controls valves in various sizes, including PRVC rotary trunnion ball control valves in 2”-42” and CVET linear globe control valves in 2”-16”. Please contact us to learn more about the VRG Controls valve offerings we supply.
