Custom-Engineered Timken(R) Bearing Helps Drive Oil Drills Deeper

Custom-Engineered Timken(R) Bearing Helps Drive Oil Drills Deeper The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR) announced today that its custom-engineered thrust bearing has equipped a subsidiary of Lufkin Industries Inc. to outfit deep-sea oil drilling rigs in search of deeper deposits beneath the world's oceans. Composed of a special grade of Timken(R) steel, the bearing was designed to withstand application of 1,000 tons of pressure without compromising performance. Lufkin France S.A.S., a subsidiary of Lufkin Industries, Inc., approached Timken for assistance in reaching ever-deeper discoveries of deep-sea oil. The gear drive on a standard oceanic drilling platform relies on a gear reducer to power the miles of pipe that delve beneath the ocean floor to extract the oil. This reducer rotates on a large thrust bearing weighing 444 pounds. Timken designed a power-dense thrust bearing for Lufkin that could contend with the immense pressure demands of this application and enable deeper drilling. "When we needed to improve the performance of critical equipment, Timken provided a bearing solution that has enabled our customers to extend their search for oil. Enhancements like Timken's thrust bearing are essential in today's competitive environment," said Robert Guizzetti, engineering manager of Lufkin France. "One of Timken's specialties in the power transmission area is power density - that is, packing the most power into the smallest bearing possible," said Michael J. Connors, president of Timken's Process Industries business unit. "We applied both our unique knowledge of bearing fundamentals and steel metallurgy to produce a solution that contains a special grade of Timken steel plus a special profile and finish. These kinds of solutions create extra value for customers." About Lufkin Industries Lufkin Industries, Inc. sells and services oil field pumping units, foundry castings, power transmission products and highway trailers throughout the world. Headquartered in Lufkin, Texas, the company has vertically integrated all vital technologies required to design, manufacture and market its products.