Third Party Certification Seen as Crucial as Oil and Gas Companies Look to Enhance Equipment Safety for Workers and the Environment
HOUSTON, TEXAS---December 19, 2011---Demonstrating a commitment to help industrial customers ensure the safety and security of their energy delivery and production equipment and facilities, GE (NYSE: GE) today announced its Becker Emergency Shutdown Valve (ESD) offering has received an important safety certification---the IEC 61508 Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3).
Attention to safety has intensified in the oil and gas, petrochemical and other process industries over the past decade, driving the global demand for safer systems to protect both workers and the environment. Consequently, operators in key regions around the world---from the US to Europe and China---are looking to improve the safety of their equipment and reliability certifications such as the SIL3 are increasingly important.
The SIL 3 certification was performed and awarded by Exida, a leader in safety and security processes. An SIL rating measures the ability of a system to reduce the overall level of process risk in safety applications. GE's SIL 3-certified Becker emergency shutdown valve incorporates the Becker Full Port Ball valve as well as the Becker VRP-SB-GAP and Masoneilan SVI II ESD products.
"SIL certification provides our customers with a third-party validation and improved confidence that our emergency shutdown valves have the capability to help reduce risk and improve safety within a facility," said Mike Lee, product line leader---Becker Valves for GE Oil & Gas. "While GE's Becker products are designed with performance and safety in mind, the certification will provide an added peace of mind for processes that require a higher level of reliability and risk reduction."
"The SIL 3 certification for GE's Becker valve product line helps to strengthen GE's competitive position in the oil and gas industry as more pipeline operators are requiring vendors to include their safety records and certifications as part of their project bids," Lee added.
Exida performed a rigorous evaluation process to ensure GE's Becker products met global development and manufacturing quality requirements set forth in IEC 61508. GE also underwent an evaluation to demonstrate its products will perform their key safety function when demanded in a system. SIL 3 certification is unique and valuable because it encompasses the entire emergency shut-down valve system---including the valve, actuator and instrumentation---rather than individual components in the valve system.
GE formally integrated its Becker emergency shutdown valve product line in February 2011 when GE completed its $3 billion acquisition of Dresser, Inc.
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