Dora Partners’ 2026 Compressor Report Covers Reciprocating Units, Motor-Driven Trends

The international compressor market is experiencing a gradual shift as centrifugal units slowly take over applications that were once dominated by reciprocating models, but the reciprocating market remains stable per Christean Kapp of Dora Partners. Additionally, as sealed motor-driven units gain increased popularity in Europe to reduce methane and CO₂ emissions, the trend fails to pick up popularity across the Middle East and North America due to a lack of environmental concern.

TURBO: Reciprocating compressors remain a $3.9B market with over 5,000 frames annually. What applications are protecting that market from centrifugal encroachment?

Kapp: Well, once again, it’s basically size. Below 5,000 – 7,000 hp without electricity, your only options will be reciprocating [compressors] or a couple small screw compressors. This is still upstream: well compression, gas processing, and smaller pipeline compression. We do have special duties in industrial air and refineries, where the application is so small that only a reciprocating compressor makes sense.

There are also technical reasons why reciprocating compressors may be preferred. If you have very high-pressure ratios (high-head application), then reciprocating compressors are more effective and able to handle these duties in a cost-effective manner. Gas storage, gas reinjection, CO₂ storage, and particularly hydrogen will continue to be done with reciprocating compressors.

TURBO: Europe is pushing sealed motor-driven units to reduce methane and CO₂ emissions. Do you expect that trend to spread to North America and the Middle East?

Kapp: Not really, but I’ll see China do a lot in this space with India slightly involved. The Middle East and North America are not that environmentally concerned, certainly not the Middle East. Anything that is environmental—reducing methane, reducing CO₂ emissions, or switching over to hydrogen and ammonia as an environmentally friendly carrier—is typically mandated by governments.

With the Trump Administration soft-pedaling the EPA regulations for CO₂ on power plants and not wanting to go down that route, I don’t see North America heading this way. This leads to a lot of confusion with some operators as they know it’ll eventually come, but they’ve taken their foot off the gas pedal. I’m actually a great fan of sealed motor-drive [compressors], as many people haven’t realized that hermetically sealed compressors eliminate the need for compressor stations.