The Gas Machinery Research Council's 2017 Annual Report to Membership is available here.
Message from GMRC Chairman of the Board of Directors:
I am pleased to announce that 2017 was another successful year for GMRC. We continue to be a premier natural gas industry organization and I am very proud of where we are and how we got here, as should you.
Membership numbers have remained relatively steady at 74 full and associate member companies. The 2017 Gas Machinery Conference held in Pittsburgh drew over 1,100 people, who took advantage of the many technical presentations and short courses. GMRC sponsored over $490,000 in research in 2017 with $682,000 in research planned for 2018.
GMRC was founded in 1952 to address pulsation and vibration concerns in our industry. However, this subject has matured and many tools are now available to address these issues. Looking at the suite of projects for the last few years, we now see many research dollars focused on solving issues with dry gas seals and dealing with wet gas.
Last year marked the beginning of a resurgence in the energy industry in general, and the natural gas industry, in particular, after a prolonged downturn. Companies are approaching this most recent recovery with caution and restraint – keeping resource levels low and limiting non-capital budgets.
One of the results of this most recent downturn has been the loss of a great deal of industry knowledge due to retirements and individuals making the decision to move to other industries. Ongoing training and professional development are both key to the success of our industry, and I urge you to consider a robust training program as a requirement for your personnel. Remember, training your people and having them leave is not an ideal situation, but it is better than not training them and having them stay.
GMRC is financially healthy with a research reserve balance over $3 million and a robust research plan moving forward. In unison with our parent organization, the Southern Gas Association, and working with complementary organizations such as PRCI, GMRC continues to advance technologies for improvements in safety, reliability, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
It has been an honor to once again serve as your chairman and to work with the many volunteers that make up the board of directors and various committees. These volunteers are individuals who have a passion for the industry, have the desire to be involved and continue to volunteer their time to GMRC and the natural gas industry, while supported by their member companies.
Remember that you, the membership of GMRC, are the main reason for our continued success. Your support and dedication of the organization and your willingness to become involved have helped bring about positive change in our industry and within the organization.
On behalf of the GMRC Board of Directors, Project Supervisory Committee and the Gas Machinery Conference Planning Committee, I want to thank you for your commitment and support.
Michael A. Smith
Vice President, EnSite USA
Chairman, GMRC Board of Directors