Renewable Natural Gas and Biogas

The field of Renewable Natural Gas and Biogas Upgrading is rapidly evolving in the United States. There are multiple groups, from developers, engineering firms, project management groups, and companies with proven technological capabilities all coming together to expand the U.S. industry. All these groups need the right manufacturer to produce the processing skids and container-based systems to effectively bring a Renewable Natural Gas project to fruition.

While there are many manufacturers who fabricate steel components, there are only a few that have the technical ability and project management know how for biogas projects. Here are some thoughts on what to look for in finding the ideal manufacturing partner.

Biogas projects are very complex and require many partners to build an entire system. The manufacturing of the processing equipment requires a partner with multiple capabilities. Key capabilities include:

• Substantial experience fabricating complex processing skids, containers, vessels, and other equipment
• Qualified welders and pipe-fitting talent
• Qualified electrical technicians for assembly of panels and controls
• Experienced project management capabilities to interact with the various partners throughout the manufacturing process
• Ability to fabricate stainless and mild steel components
• Qualified to meet ASME and UL requirements for certain types of vessels
• Consistent quality program that includes meeting testing and documentation requirements
• Full Factory Accepted Testing (FAT) quality program
• Facility size and support to fabricating large vessels and containers
• Engineering expertise in the manufacturing process to analyze projects for optimal results
• And when required by project specification, made in America with American labor and American steel

MARKS Design and Metalworks, located in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, has extensive experience in Renewable Natural Gas, Wastewater, and Biogas Upgrading projects. MARKS has been completing complex manufacturing projects for more than a decade. During this time, the leadership of MARKS has developed the technical prowess to create a successful partnership with the Biogas Industry.

Biogas equipment is often large and complex. So having a single facility to handle the full gamut of these project requirements ensures consistency in the process. Bringing the manufacturing together in one house simplifies the process and gives more schedule flexibility. For example, as is often the case in complex projects, a component is late in arriving. But work does not have to stop and wait for that component when working with one manufacturer. They can simply work on another part of the project while waiting for the late arrival.

MARKS operates out of a 145,000 sq ft facility, with 24 gantries and a clear 45 foot span, there is capability to manufacture vessels up to 15 tons.

Project specifications often call for specific credentials for the manufacturing partner to meet the requirements of the end-user. The most common requirements include:

• Qualified and certified TIG and MIG welders
• Qualified and experienced in designing and fabricating pressure vessels with the ASME U stamp
• A panel and electrical shop that has the necessary Underwriter Laboratories stamps, such as UL508A

MARKS maintains all the credentials needed to meet project specifications.

The quality of the manufacturing process matters all the way up the project chain right up to the final customer. Areas of quality to look for in a manufacturing partner include:

• Ability to maintain and produce all the required project documentation
• Demonstration of continuous testing and inspection throughout the manufacturing process including a fully defined quality program
• Factory AcceptanceTesting (FAT) built into the production process

Quality processes define manufacturing at MARKS. Our Quality program includes initial and ongoing discussions and defined test plans for the entire manufacturing process. Specific quality testing includes detailed visual inspections by our qualified quality coordinator and 100% hydro testing of vessels and piping.

Documentation is critical for these projects. MARKS maintains all ASME documentation required to comply with Pressure Vessel requirements. We also provide a manufacturer’s data book to accommodate manufactured equipment if specified by the project, as well as providing as-built documentation support.

MARKS provides experienced support to our customers for their FAT during mechanical and electrical testing processes. We work to ensure our equipment doesn’t leave our facility until the customer fully validates it.

The key to a successful partnership with a manufacturer is their experience and capabilities in working through a large complex project. The most cost-effective approach is to have most capabilities under “one roof” to reduce supply chain issues and simplify coordinating various equipment fabrication.

MARKS capabilities include the ability to fabricate both mild and stainless steel components. This is particularly a cost-saving capability to have the same manufacturer complete the stainless steel portion of the project, but all the mild/galvanized structural work and assembly. For MARKS to provide this convenient manufacturing option, we ensure isolation between dissimilar metals during assembly, all the way down to keeping the nuts and bolts separated.

For those customers interested in simplifying their supply chain, MARKS has their own UL508A panel shop on premises. This allows us to build the electrical panels for a project on-site and ensure they fully align with the equipment.

In addition, MARKS provides electrical assembly on-site. This capability fully integrates the fabrication of the equipment with the wiring installation and instrumentation hook-ups for the electrical elements of the equipment. With everything completed at the manufacturing facility, it simplifies installation at the site

The best manufacturing partner in a biogas project is one who has the experience to optimize their customer’s designs for the manufacturing process with an eye to reduce costs. While many manufacturers can build from specifications, it takes special expertise to understand the customer’s end product and think through the most efficient methods for making that product.

At MARKS, our manufacturing engineers start every customer project with an optimization review. We are looking at the customer’s designs and consider the manufacturability with an eye for cost and scheduling reductions where possible.

As part of this manufacturing optimization review, our experienced engineers and project management team reviews the project scope as it applies to particular pieces of equipment. Where it is feasible, we advise the customer to design features that could be modified or may be unnecessary from a scope perspective, thereby reducing a customer’s costs.

While often overlooked as part of manufacturing, preparing complex equipment for shipping and re-assembly is an important part of the overall process. MARKS has broad knowledge of how to break down large equipment for seamless re-assembly at the installation site

Having an experienced project management team at the manufacturer is key to a successful partnership. The manufacturer’s project management team is your advocate at the factory.

At MARKS, our team has led projects for nearly every piece of biogas upgrading systems, particularly fabricating complex processing skids, containers, vessels, and other equipment. With an eye to efficient manufacturing and scheduling timelines, our project management team works to advocate priority within the day to day operational schedule. MARKS Project Manager is the liaison between the customer and the manufacturing operational team, keeping a focus on scope, priorities, and timelines for successful project completion.