Have you ever wondered what happens to an oilfield rig when it reaches the end of its lifespan?

Laws and regulations around the world dictate that these pieces of equipment must be disposed of properly and safely.

Doing so is referred to as decommissioning, a process that involves dismantling equipment, cutting pipes and plugging holes in the earth’s surface.

Decommissioning and demolishing an oil rig takes just as much work as building it - and companies are always seeking methods of carrying out this task safely and efficiently.

NuWave Industries, an innovative leader in the field of facility decommissioning and abandonment, offers a water jet cutting service that offers increased safety, minimal environmental disturbance and significant savings in time and money.

Decommissioning and Abandonment

Decommissioning is the final stage of an oil and gas project - the facilities are dismantled and the surrounding area returned to its previous state.

This process prevents petroleum companies from walking away from completed drilling projects and allowing the equipment to disintegrate.

However, it has to be done to oil and gas industry regulatory standards. 

Not only does NuWave provide the innovative technology to get the job one, they also provide cost-effective solutions for decommissioning that involves identifying all salvageable equipment, ensuring pipelines and pumps are properly sealed, treating and isolating residuals and properly deactivating all equipment.

In order to disassemble the structure properly, they take the time to understand how it was assembled before formulating a comprehensive decommissioning plan that maximizes efficiency and results as well as focuses on health and safety.

Hydro-Cutting Technology

NuWave was the first to market hydro-cutting technology and continues to innovate the process to serve their clients’ needs.

Hydro-cutting, or water jet cutting, is a process that uses special tools that are capable of cutting into metal or other materials using a jet of water at a high velocity and pressure. This can also be accomplished by using a mixture of water with an abrasive substance.

During a decommissioning project, cutting through existing pipes can create a huge safety risk, especially in potentially explosive atmospheres or around flammable materials.

The self-cooling attributes and lack of ignition source when it comes to hydro-cutting ensures that the metal remains unharmed and unchanged while eliminating the risk of burns and explosions.

Hydro-Cutting on the Move

Hydro-cutting is not a technology reserved only for decommissioning projects. The integration of high-pressure hydro-cutting with a tracked mobile carrier provides a fast, non-labor intensive and adaptable service for most cutting needs!

NuWave’s hydro-cutting technology can cut through tank windows, tank floors, flat surfaces and tank roofs - as well as aircraft wings and fuselages.

The mobile high-pressure hydro-cutting and related equipment (pumps, hoses and reels) are all designed to facilitate rapid setup and rig-down. 

Each cutting nozzle can cut through .25 inch plate at speeds up to 2.5 feet per minute.

Environmentally Friendly

NuWave’s hydro-cutting process eliminates the need for harmful chemicals, meaning that no substances can contaminate soil and the soil is disturbed only minimally.

This means that a site can return to its natural state in a shorter period of time.

There’s no doubt that their innovative technology has changed the way the oilfield industry can safely, and with considerations to the environment, dismantle decommissioned projects.