Autumn 2026

In tank storage, terminal, pipeline, and process applications, valve actuation is a vital part of safe and reliable operations. For operators, the challenge is not only selecting an actuator capable of delivering the required torque or thrust. It also ensures that the actuator supports safe valve movement when required, while remaining practical to install, commission, operate, and maintain.

In many tank and terminal environments, equipment must perform in exposed or hazardous areas, often as part of wider safety instrumented systems. At the same time, operators are looking to reduce complexity, improve maintainability, and gain better insight into the condition of field assets.

Electro-hydraulic fail-safe actuation provides one way to address these requirements. By combining electric operation with hydraulic control and mechanical spring-return or accumulator fail-safe functionality, these actuators can deliver controlled valve movement during normal operation and reliable movement to a defined safe position when required. Rotork’s Skilmatic SI range has been designed for this type of application, bringing the key elements of a fail-safe actuation system together in a self-contained unit.

The role of fail-safe actuation

In critical flow control applications, it is important that valves move to a known position in response to an emergency demand, loss of signal or loss of power, depending on how the actuator is configured. In tank farms and terminals, this may include isolation duties, shutdown applications, loading and unloading operations, product transfer systems, or safety-related valve functions.

A fail-safe actuator is designed to move the valve to a predefined position, such as open or closed, when a specified condition occurs. This supports plant safety by helping to isolate flow, prevent escalation, or protect equipment and personnel. For many applications, the requirement is not simply that the actuator operates under normal conditions, but that it performs reliably under abnormal conditions.

The Skilmatic SI range is designed primarily for fail-safe applications where functional safety is paramount. The actuators can be supplied as fail-close or fail-open on loss of emergency shutdown (ESD) signal and, when selected, on loss of power supply. They can also be supplied with a stayput option on loss of power supply, where the application requires the valve to remain in position.

This flexibility is important because fail-safe requirements vary by process, valve duty, and site philosophy. Some applications require immediate closure to isolate flow, while others require a valve to open or remain in position to maintain a safe operating condition.

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