Uptime
100%
since installation
Observed uptime as of the case-study date, with ongoing performance dependent on field conditions and operation.
100% uptime vapor recovery through wet gas, winter conditions, and variable gas flow.
Fluidstream VaporCommander™ eliminated gas venting from oil storage tanks without relying on a conventional scrubber-based VRU design.
Allied Energy II inherited an Alberta, Canada facility with a problematic conventional vapor recovery unit that could not operate consistently under real field conditions. Fluidstream’s patented VaporCommander™ was installed to provide reliable vapor recovery, emissions control, and low-touch operation in wet gas service, variable gas flow, and harsh seasonal conditions in Alberta, Canada.
Performance snapshot
Reliable recovery where the previous VRU struggled.
As of the case-study date, VaporCommander™ had operated for over 17 months with 100% uptime, zero maintenance, no service requirements, and no filter changes. The unit eliminated gas venting from the oil storage tanks while operating through wet gas exposure, variable gas flow, hot summers, and two winters where temperatures dropped below -40°C.
Operating period
17+
months in service
The unit had operated for more than 17 months at the time of this case study and continued operation depends on field conditions and operating requirements.
Maintenance
0
service events
No maintenance, service, or filter changes had been required to date.
Emissions control
Gas
venting eliminated
The unit captured tank vapors that would otherwise have created venting or flaring exposure.
Background and challenge
The previous VRU did not match the reality of the fluid stream.
Allied Energy II acquired assets that included an existing facility with a conventional vapor recovery unit that could not operate consistently. The root issue was not simply that the prior equipment was unreliable. It was that the operating assumptions behind a conventional VRU did not fit the facility’s actual conditions.
The Alberta, Canada facility exposed the system to wet gas containing condensate and water, variable gas flow, and extreme seasonal temperatures. Conventional VRUs are typically protected by upstream scrubbers or separation equipment, but in real operation those components become failure points when liquid loading, flow variation, and winter conditions are present.
In cold-weather operation in Alberta, Canada, the mismatch becomes more severe. Liquids present in the gas stream can accumulate and freeze within scrubbers and upstream separation equipment. That can block drains, disrupt level control, increase liquid carryover risk, and lead to instability and higher maintenance requirements.
01
Acquired reliability problem
The facility came with a conventional VRU that could not consistently operate under field conditions.
02
Wet gas and variable gas flow
Tank vapor streams were not dry, steady, or ideal; the system had to tolerate condensate, water, and changing flow.
03
Winter freezing exposure
Liquids in scrubbers and upstream separation equipment can freeze, impairing drainage and level control.
04
Regulatory and ESG need
Allied required a reliable, cost-effective way to eliminate venting and support emissions compliance.
Why conventional VRUs struggle
Scrubber-dependent VRUs add maintenance risk.
Conventional VRUs usually rely on upstream scrubbers to remove liquids before compression. That approach can work when inlet conditions are controlled, but it adds equipment, drains, level controls, filters, and liquid handling points that require attention. In cold and wet operation, those components can become the source of instability.
01
Wet gas creates compressor risk.
When liquid bypasses or overwhelms upstream separation, carryover can enter the compressor. That can lead to mechanical stress, lubrication problems, fouling, and increased service frequency.
02
Scrubbers add cold-weather failure points.
In winter, liquids can freeze inside scrubbers, drains, and upstream separation equipment. Frozen liquid accumulation can impair level control, block drainage, and increase the chance of shutdowns or carryover events.
03
Variable flow reduces stability.
Tank vapor generation is not always steady. Flow can rise and fall with facility operation, temperature, liquid levels, and production behavior. A VRU must tolerate these swings without constant operator intervention.
Fluidstream deployment
VaporCommander™ installed December 2024
Allied Energy II selected Fluidstream’s VaporCommander™ because it offered a different operating methodology from a conventional scrubber-protected VRU. VaporCommander™ is designed to operate directly on wet and variable vapor streams and to compress wet gas within the compression chamber rather than depending on upstream conditioning as the first line of reliability.
The result was a simpler vapor recovery approach: fewer separation-related failure points, less dependence on scrubber draining and filtration, and a system better aligned with real tank vapor conditions.
What changed
Venting eliminated with no maintenance required to date.
Since installation, the unit has captured tank vapors that would otherwise have been vented. As of the case-study date, Allied had not required maintenance, service, or filter changes, and the system had maintained 100% uptime for more than 17 months.
This outcome is especially relevant because the operating period included harsh Alberta, Canada winter conditions below -40°C, where conventional scrubber-based VRU systems can experience freezing-related instability.
Technology differentiation
Patented wet-gas compression logic.
VaporCommander™ is supported by Fluidstream’s patented multiphase compression approach. The system architecture is designed around liquid-influenced compression behavior, wet gas service, and changing operating conditions.
01
Wet gas handled within compression.
Instead of requiring a scrubber to make the stream acceptable to a gas-only compressor, VaporCommander™ is designed to manage wet gas directly within the compression process.
02
No scrubber dependency.
Eliminating upstream scrubber dependency removes a class of maintenance-intensive components and avoids common winter failure points caused by liquid accumulation and freezing.
03
Variable-flow operation.
The system is suited to tank vapor conditions where flow can vary with production, temperature, liquid level, and facility operation, rather than assuming a narrow steady-state operating point.
Fluidstream’s patent portfolio, including US11098709B2, CA2843321C, CA2883283C, and US10221664B2, supports its technical positioning around multiphase compression and liquid-aware compression response. US11098709B2 is especially relevant when discussing how Fluidstream technology accounts for liquid-influenced chamber behavior. The practical impact is clear: VaporCommander™ eliminated gas venting without relying on a conventional separation-first VRU configuration.
Field results
Over 17 months of 100% uptime at the time of reporting.
As of the case-study date, VaporCommander™ had operated for over 17 months with 100% uptime, zero maintenance, no service events, and no filter changes. This observed performance reflects continuous operation to date; future performance will depend on ongoing field conditions and operation.
Gas venting from oil storage tanks eliminated.
100% uptime observed since installation as of the case-study date.
No maintenance, service, or filter changes required to date.
Reliable operation through two winters, including temperatures below -40°C
in Alberta, Canada.
“From an operations perspective, it’s been a reliable and low-touch solution, and we’ve been very satisfied with its performance in the field.”
Richard Grenville, VP Production, Allied Energy II Corp.
Why no maintenance was required
The reliability result is tied to system architecture.
The absence of maintenance over more than 17 months reflects a system architecture that avoids several major failure mechanisms common to conventional VRU systems in wet and cold service.
No scrubber maintenance burden.
Because the system does not depend on upstream scrubbers to protect the compressor, it avoids routine scrubber draining, filter changes, level-control problems, and freeze-related scrubber instability.
Wet gas compatibility.
Liquids are managed within compression rather than treated solely as upstream contaminants. This reduces exposure to conventional wet-gas failure modes such as carryover, fouling, and lubrication-related instability.
Reduced mechanical stress from liquids.
Fluidstream’s liquid-aware approach is intended to reduce sensitivity to entrained liquids and transient flow conditions that can destabilize gas-only compression systems.
Simpler surface configuration.
Fewer external conditioning components mean fewer components that require inspection, draining, winterization, service, or replacement.
Cold-weather operating advantage.
By eliminating upstream separation dependency, VaporCommander™ avoids common winter failure points where water and condensate can freeze in scrubbers, drains, and separation equipment.
Low-touch operation.
The unit has operated as a reliable field system rather than a maintenance-intensive emissions control device requiring frequent intervention.
Technical fit summary
Why VaporCommander™ fit this VRU application.
This case demonstrates that vapor recovery reliability is not only about compressor horsepower. It is about whether the system can handle the real fluid stream, including wet gas, variable gas flow, seasonal temperature swings, and emissions-control uptime requirements.
Conventional VRU
Often depends on scrubbers and upstream separation to protect the compressor, creating
additional maintenance points and winter freeze risks.
Scrubber-based protection
Can reduce liquid carryover under controlled conditions, but liquids can accumulate, freeze,
block drains, disrupt level control, and increase maintenance exposure in cold service.
Operational requirement
Allied Energy II needed reliable emissions control, wet-gas tolerance, variable-flow
performance, and minimal field service burden.
Fluidstream
VaporCommander™ compresses wet gas directly, eliminates scrubber dependency, and delivered 100%
uptime with no maintenance or service required to date as of the case-study date.
Next step
Evaluate whether VaporCommander™ fits your tank vapor recovery application.
Fluidstream can review tank configuration, vapor rate, wet gas composition, condensate and water exposure, winter operation, regulatory requirements, power availability, H₂S exposure, and maintenance expectations to determine whether VaporCommander™ is a fit.