29 April 2014
UAE-based global marine solutions provider Marsol International and chemical engineering specialist Aubin Group announced on Monday a partnership agreement to provide an "industry first" total pigging solution for non-piggable pipelines.

Marsol and Aubin delivered a solution to achieve a world's first by completing the successful displacement of pipeline preservation fluid in three 48-inch pipelines using sales oil and providing an extremely cost effective, environmentally-friendly solution.

This saved a client in excess of $3million, they said in a statement.

Following successful field trials, the two firms have joined expertise to provide the Middle East, Far East and African markets with a complete product and engineering solution where conventional pigging is not applicable.

The application is ideal for older fields that were not designed for pigging and/or have suffered damage. The solution is also well suited to pigging or cleaning pipe infrastructure which contains 90-degree bends and/or T-pieces that has varying internal diameters in the same configuration. The solution reduces the need to strip down, clean and reassemble components, and also reduces the potential for environmental damage.

The partnership will enable Marsol and Aubin's clients to benefit from Marsol's asset management, marine services and pipeline operational engineering capabilities combined with Aubin's pipeline pigging tool EVO-Pig and pipeline cleaning 'pipeline gels'. 

Mike Young, Managing Director of Marsol International, said: "Marsol and Aubin have developed a relationship which is based on a technical solution rather than product supply.  With Marsol's onsite engineering and technical ability, and Aubin's innovative product development in the area of pipeline gels and pigging, we are in a very strong position to offer our clients a cost and time saving solution.  We are looking forward to expanding the offering to new and existing clients who have previously been unable to find an effective pigging solution in the market."

Raymond Stirton, Well Services and Pipelines Director of Aubin Group, said:  "Aubin's pipelines division is achieving a strong presence in the Middle East and this partnership is the logical step which allows us to offer clients in the region an industry-first solution. 

© The Saudi Gazette 2014