TPI July 2014

business & market news

OMS wins Queen’s Award for innovation Oil and gas pipe measurement specialist Optical Metrology Services (OMS) has won the 2014 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for its SmartFit™ service, a system for managing pipe preparation and fit-up in readiness for welding prior to pipe laying. (steel catenary

risers) and flowline pipes to tight specifications is critical. Counterboring the pipes might not be a viable method of controlling pipe geometry due to cost considerations or to limitations on pipe wall thickness. In order to prevent bottlenecks during welding and to minimise project delays and risks, oil industry owners, pipelay contractors

Used in the oil and gas industries, SmartFit ensures accurate fitment of pipes prior to welding and laying in trenches, preventing environmentally damaging leaks. OMS also developed bespoke laser measuring equipment and methodologies with supporting software, for optimising pipe fit-up. The service reduces costs through faster pipe laying and improves quality by eliminating mismatched pipe ends. Hugh Davies, client solutions director at OMS, commented, “Everyone at OMS is honoured to receive this award because innovation has always been a priority here and a cornerstone of this company’s growth and financial success over the years. Innovation is something that the UK excels at and so the competition for the Queen’s Award must have been intense.” Founded in 2006, OMS is a privately held company based in Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire, UK. The company also has an office in Houston, Texas, USA. Since 2006, OMS has grown company sales revenues by at least 100 per cent per year, with around 90 per cent of annual turnover from overseas customers.

OMS staff outside the company’s UK offices

position on each pipe end. In the bead stall, these marks are aligned to achieve best rotational position so that misalignment is minimised. Any problem pipes that won’t fit at a specified HiLo are also indicated and re-sequenced or removed completely so that fit- up problems do not occur, avoiding production delays due to mismatched pipes. Optical Metrology Services Ltd – UK info@omsmeasure.com www.omsmeasure.com

and welders need to capture, record and analyse pipe end geometry quickly and accurately. This measurement data can help to ensure that pipes delivered into the bead stall will fit together within the welding specification requirements. Typically, end dimensioning and fit-up involves collecting pipe measurement data. Automatic, laser-based measure- ment tools are used to measure geometrical features of pipe ends, performed onshore or offshore. Data from laser measurement tools can then be made available to OMS’s SmartFit pipe optimisation software, which uses pipe measurement data to analyse, predict and control pipe fit- up, before the pipes are brought into the bead stall for welding. This averts production issues relating to poor fit-up and manages the assembly of problem pipes in order to maximise welding productivity. Each pipe end is measured, identified and entered into SmartFit, which then analyses fit-up of pipes, allowing the operator to mark the best rotational

Dedicated supplier of seamless steel tube and pipe!

• EN 10294 • EN 10305 • EN 10216 • EN 10297 • EN 10210 • API 5L • ASTM A106 • ASTM A179

In oil and gas pipeline projects, the welding of fatigue-sensitive SCR

Progress for Tube Developments Tube Developments has reported that it is pleased with the first quarter of 2014, with an increase in project work and providing customers with piping solutions around the world. The company has been successful in working with many oil and gas companies, some of which include Premier Oil, Conoco Philips and BP Angola. In May 2014, Tube Developments added Qatar Petroleum to the list of companies where it has achieved Approved Vendor status. The company’s QA/ QC procedures and manuals are assessed and approved by each customer prior to achieving this type of status. Tube Developments Ltd – UK info@tubedev.com www.tubedev.com

Member of the ITA Contact: Tel: +44 (0) 2084 530046 Emails: info@qualitube.co.uk 0.8A Europa Studios Victoria Road London NW10 6ND

www.qualitube.co.uk

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July 2014 Tube Products International