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Offshore solution comes onshore

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Oilfield Technology,


Offshore platforms which are new or still at the design stage have proved a growing market for Australian reel specialist ReCoila, signalling a fight back against imported product from distant continents.

With offshore oil and gas platforms throwing up various challenges of isolation and conditions extremes, ReCoila Managing Director Mr Michael Pawson says a domestic based solution is starting to make more sense to operators faced with hose handling duties.

“For quite a few years, the offshore sector was a very tough industry for us to gain greater market share, even though our location and engineering/design expertise represents pure positives to all types of offshore energy operators by the Australian coastline,” said Mr Pawson.

“It seems our persistent argument that reel requirements for such specific locations should be serviced from the closest domestic point has taken effect.

“This is largely because they are round-the-clock operations and having access to new and replacement technologies at the doorstep make a critical difference in downtime and potentially lost productivity.

“Also, because we are increasingly being invited to tender for solutions at the design stage, it is creating a much better solution-driven process which instigates highly suitable, customised outcomes from which optimised productivity is gained.

“Local presence is one thing, but it’s also the high level of complexity that we can look after which has added to what is now a genuine history in the offshore business and capabilities are finally gaining due recognition.

“A lot of ReCoila technology tends to go on new platforms. It’s a growing sector of our business and we are winning business in this sector through tenders.”

Offshore platforms have widespread requirements for reels, be it fuelling, lubricating, product transfer, safety equipment and fire-fighting systems, pumping, bilge control and others, so the reel requirements are just as widespread.

Being in a sea environment, all reels are subjected to a potentially corrosive environment so just about every reel needs to be designed, built and supplied to AS1940 Standard (often in a marine grade 316 stainless steel).

“There are all types of international operators in Australian waters right around our enormous coastline,” said Mr Pawson.

“But that doesn’t mean they should be sourcing from their own nations. An Australia-based supply chain is closer, faster and have personnel on hand.

“This is indicative of Australian industry right across the board; and as we have proven with the offshore sector, proximity and technical ability is an asset in the supply chain and proves Australian industrial companies can have their specific market advantages over the rest of the world.”


Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/09072014/offshore_solution_comes_onshore/

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