Bahrain company signs pipeline technology deal

06/11/2014 05:36 AST

Bahrain-based solutions provider OAK Utility Solutions and Development has entered into an exclusive licence agreement to bring a new pipeline rehabilitation technology known as XHab to the Middle East.

Headquartered in Bahrain with offices in the UAE and Turkey, OAK is an international developer of clean-tech sustainable energy and water utilities and provider of specialist service solutions to the oil and gas and petrochemical industries.

OAK's integrated business model is built around four core business lines: infrastructure service solutions; renewable energy utilities; project management and feasibility services and operations and management services.

OAK leverages its resources and expertise across each of these business lines to provide its clients with a comprehensive range of innovative and emerging service and product based solutions tailored to meet their specific requirements delivered by expert project management resources based in Bahrain.

OAK's professional staff are highly experienced chartered engineers and certified project managers.

XHab is a new, patented technology for the external rehabilitation of pipelines. It can be used to refurbish long lengths of ageing, dented or corroded pipelines and can be applied while the pipeline remains in operation.

The XHab rehabilitation process involves helically wrapping multiple layers of an ultra-high strength steel strip over an existing pipeline, using a fully automated wrapping machine that can refurbish up to 1km per day of onshore and offshore pipelines.

XHab adds steel back to the pipeline wall, thereby reinforcing and increasing its operating capability.

It is also a single solution for multiple types of anomaly repairs and can be used to reduce the hoop stress in an operating pipeline to meet class change requirements.

'This is a novel game-changing technology that will have a positive impact on the region as XHab is able to rehabilitate aging pipeline infrastructure without disrupting operations,' OAK's chief executive Gareth Brown said, following the signing ceremony in Houston, US.

'This underpins OAK's model of providing sustainable infrastructure solutions that are in high global demand, and places OAK in Bahrain as a net exporter of pipeline infrastructure solutions across Europe and the Middle East and North Africa region.

'Our continued success supports the Economic Vision 2030 or continued private sector growth, recognition and stability, he said.

'The official launch will occur in the first quarter of 2015 followed by pilot projects and demonstrations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi,' he added.

Gulf Daily News