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A leading BRANDT for HDD solutions

As market leaders in oil and gas, National Oilwell Varco (NOV) has been manufacturing shakers and centrifuges, its flagship products, for more than five decades – longer than many companies have even been in operation.

With 70 per cent worldwide offshore market share in conventional oil and gas field supplies, NOV Regional Sales Manager for the Far East Alec Cochrane says its equipment and services easily translate to the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and microtunnelling industry and has for some time.

Intersected technologies

“We’ve actually always been involved in the HDD industry, more so in Europe,” says Mr Cochrane.

“For the past 15 years, we’ve been involved in supplying equipment mainly to rig builders like Herrenknecht, and also offering our equipment as a complete service by renting our equipment and supplying operating personnel.”

NOV’s experience in the oil and gas sectors carries through to the trenchless industry and Mr Cochrane says the equipment, technology and methodology are often intertwined.

“Equipment we provide to oil and gas can be transferred into HDD and is a really good fit because the HDD companies face the same challenges that the oil and gas companies face, just in a different environment.

“Instead of being offshore, you are onshore somewhere and, sometimes, it can be really remote. So, it’s very important that the equipment is reliable and that it doesn’t break down, which can cause financial penalties to our customers.”

COE Drilling continues to operate a wide range of machinery and equipment, manufactured and supplied by NOV.

BRANDT™

NOV’s industrial segment, BRANDT Industrial Technologies, focuses on the equipment trenchless companies need to separate drilling solids by designing, manufacturing and selling its renowned BRANDT solids control and waste management products and services.

Mr Cochrane says the company is an enabler of technologies for the industry by offering high performance equipment to save operators time and money, improve overall drilling performance and lower its customers’ bottom lines by efficiently separating solids.

“By focusing on the performance of the equipment and getting the best out of the equipment from the design, [our equipment] can process more fluid volume and we can process it more efficiently, which means we can save the customers money on their fluid and waste disposal bill,” says Mr Cochrane.

“We are trying to reduce the amount of waste generated and reduce the amount of fluid wasted by helping reclaim drilling fluids for re-use.”

The company manufactures and supplies high performance equipment that can process faster, more efficiently and down to a much finer spec with regards to cut point than competing machinery.

Mr Cochrane says although some HDD companies in Australia may not have heard of BRANDT, its long-term involvement in the drilling industry makes it one of the most experienced manufacturers in the field.

Comprehensive service

NOV retains its position as an industry pioneer by not solely being a manufacturer of BRANDT equipment, but also supplying and renting the equipment and providing experienced personnel.

“We provide a service, we don’t just sell,” says Mr Cochrane.

“We can also rent the equipment and we can provide competent people to optimise the equipment, which ultimately means they will drill faster.”

Long-term customer COE Drilling can attest to this comprehensive service, with COE Drilling Operations Manager David Newitt saying its projects are always planned to use the correct equipment and personnel.

“With this we engage NOV trained personnel to operate and run our mud systems,” says Mr Newitt.

“We have found this works very well as we have the support of NOV with their personnel knowing the equipment and have been able to get direct information on any issue that may arise.”

Mr Newitt adds that NOV’s vast knowledge of the work, not only in running and renting the systems, but also designing and building mud systems, pumps, shakers and more is reassuring.

“Knowing we can pick up the phone and have access to an abundance of support from NOV is priceless.

“Dealing with them onsite or over the phone is also easy; you know that if you have any issue and you need advice, support or parts, NOV will do their utmost to help you.”

NOV has also supplied machinery to Australian HDD specialist HDI Lucas, with transactions dating back a whole decade; HDI Lucas is still using the equipment on NOV’s rigs today, posting on social media that the VSM300 Shaker was “running well” while taking a cut on the pipe-side of a project.

This long-term, ongoing relationship demonstrates not only NOV’s commitment to its customers, but the incomparable quality of its design and manufacturing process. Among its global network of sales, service, manufacturing, distribution and waste treatment facilities, NOV has operations across both the western and eastern coasts of Australia.

This article was featured in the September 2020 edition of Trenchless Australasia. To view the magazine on your PC, Mac, tablet or mobile device, click here.

For more information visit the National Oilwell Varco website.

If you have news you would like featured in Trenchless Australasia contact Assistant Editor Sophie Venz at svenz@gs-press.com.au

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