Frequently Asked Questions
Answers From the People Who Build It.
Straight answers on the equipment we design, fabricate, and support in the field, line heaters, dehydration units, and the engineering and fabrication capability behind both.
Line Heaters
Keeping Gas Above the Hydrate Point.
The most common questions we hear about indirect fired line heaters, sizing, and NFPA 87 fuel train requirements.
A line heater warms gas ahead of a pressure drop so it does not get cold enough to form hydrates. When gas drops pressure across a regulator, valve, or choke, it cools rapidly (the Joule-Thomson effect). If any moisture is present, that cooling can form solid, ice-like plugs that restrict flow and damage valves. Heating the gas first keeps it above the hydrate formation point on the other side.
Basis: General industry knowledge
A burner fires into a firetube inside the heater shell, which warms a bath (commonly water and glycol) surrounding the tube. The gas flows through a separate coil submerged in that bath, so it picks up heat without ever touching the flame. Keeping the gas stream and combustion separate is the main safety advantage of the indirect design.
Basis: General industry knowledge
A fuel train is the set of valves, regulators, and safety shutoff devices that controls fuel to the burner. In the U.S. it is governed by NFPA 87 (or ASME CSD-1), and heaters rated at 12.5 MMBTU/hr or higher generally require double block and bleed valves. Westerman line heaters offer customizable fuel train options and a standard burner management system, so the train is matched to the heater duty and the applicable code.
Basis: General industry knowledge (NFPA threshold is a typical reference point, not a Westerman spec) | Confirmed Westerman fact (fuel train options, BMS standard)
Sizing starts with the gas: composition, flow rate, inlet and outlet pressure, required inlet and outlet temperatures, and total heat duty. Westerman line heaters range from 50,000 BTU/hr to 12 MMBTU/hr, with coils rated up to 10,000 psi, and each one is custom designed around the operating case instead of pulled from a catalog. Send us your gas analysis and conditions and we will size it.
Basis: General industry knowledge (sizing inputs) | Confirmed Westerman fact (size range and coil rating, confirmed Oct 2, 2026)
Turbines and reciprocating engines need fuel gas superheated above its hydrocarbon dew point, commonly cited as 10 to 20°C (about 20 to 35°F), so no liquid reaches the combustion equipment. Even a small amount of liquid carryover can damage internal components and affect equipment warranties. On data center and on-site power projects, heating is part of fuel gas conditioning, and it is far easier to design in at the start than to add after commissioning.
Basis: General industry knowledge (superheat range is an industry figure, not a Westerman-tested number; present as "commonly cited")
Dehydration Units
TEG Dehydration, Explained.
What TEG dehydration is, why it's the industry default over DEG, and what happens when upstream filtration isn't doing its job.
A glycol dehydration unit removes water vapor from natural gas so it meets pipeline spec and avoids hydrates and corrosion. Gas flows up a contactor tower against lean (dry) triethylene glycol, which absorbs the water. The wet glycol is then heated in a reboiler to drive the water off, and the regenerated glycol is recirculated.
Basis: General industry knowledge
TEG is the default because it reaches the dew points most pipelines require with a standard reboiler, tolerates higher regeneration temperatures than DEG, and has the largest installed base for parts and service. DEG has a lower purchase price and can show lower BTEX emissions, but it usually needs added regeneration equipment to match TEG dryness. For most compressor station and gathering applications, TEG is the simpler, better supported choice.
Basis: General industry knowledge (DEG emissions advantage is real and worth acknowledging if a customer raises it)
Poor upstream filtration is one of the most common root causes of dehydration problems. Liquid hydrocarbons, compressor oil, corrosion inhibitors, and fine solids cause foaming in the contactor, which carries glycol out with the gas, fouls filters and heat exchangers, and lets water content drift off spec. Fixing contamination at the inlet is usually cheaper than treating the symptoms with defoamer or frequent glycol changeouts.
Basis: General industry knowledge
Most U.S. pipeline tariffs limit water content to about 7 lb of water per MMscf of gas, though the exact limit varies by pipeline and contract. Missing it can mean penalties, curtailment, or shut-ins. Always confirm the spec against your specific tariff before sizing the unit.
Basis: General industry knowledge (7 lb/MMscf is a widely cited benchmark, not every tariff; keep the "about" and "varies" wording)
Dehydration units come from packaged-equipment manufacturers that pair ASME pressure vessel fabrication with glycol process engineering. Westerman designs and builds glycol dehydration units in-house, as fully engineered custom units or Westerman standard designs. Designs go up to 250 MMscfd with ratings up to 1,440 psi and towers up to 72 inches in diameter (built in-house up to 60 inches, larger through bought-out components). NACE sour gas service options are available, and a burner management system is standard.
Basis: Confirmed Westerman fact (capacity, pressure, tower, NACE, BMS from your spec sheet; glycol (TEG) technology confirmed by Lee Oct 6, 2026)
Engineering, PM & Fabrication
What the Certifications Actually Mean.
What to look for when evaluating a manufacturer for custom engineered, mission-critical equipment.
The ASME U stamp shows a pressure vessel was designed, fabricated, and inspected to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, including material verification, welding inspection, pressure testing, and sign-off by an authorized inspector. For a buyer it is a direct signal of build quality, and in most jurisdictions a legal requirement before a vessel goes into service.
Basis: General industry knowledge
The U stamp certifies new pressure vessel construction. The National Board R stamp authorizes a shop to repair and alter existing pressure vessels and boilers. A manufacturer with both can build new equipment to code and also service or modify equipment already in the field, which matters for long-term support.
Basis: General industry knowledge | Confirm before publishing: if you add "Westerman holds both," confirm which shop holds the U and R stamps
A code shop is a fabrication facility accredited to build pressure vessels, boilers, or piping to a specific code, most often ASME. That means welders qualified to ASME Section IX, certified welding inspectors, in-house nondestructive testing, and an audited quality system, all backed by a stamp rather than a claim of capability.
Basis: General industry knowledge
A skid moves fabrication, welding, and testing into a controlled shop instead of the field. That generally means tighter quality control, faster installation because the unit arrives largely complete, and a design built from the start around startup, commissioning, and maintenance access.
Basis: General industry knowledge
At minimum, look for ISO 9001:2015 for quality management, ASME Section VIII for pressure vessels, and a National Board R stamp if repair and alteration support matters. Depending on the application, ask about API Q1, API 12F, NACE, and NDE Level II/III capability. Westerman certifications include ISO 9001:2015 (Bremen, OH), API Q1, ASME Section VIII, National Board R, API 12F, UL 142, and NACE, plus NQA-1 for nuclear work.
Basis: General industry knowledge (what to look for) | Confirmed Westerman fact (ISO 9001:2015 is held at the Bremen, OH facility only, confirmed by Lee Oct 6, 2026; the other certifications come from the locations page build) | Confirm before publishing: which shop holds API Q1, ASME, R stamp, API 12F, UL 142, NACE, and NQA-1. Add the location to each the way ISO is shown, or the answer implies company-wide coverage.
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