Bewi Energy recyclable pipe protectors reduce use of virgin plastic

While plastic can be a tremendous resource for industry, the production and disposal of virgin plastic is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. The oil and gas industry, for instance, uses millions of plastic thread protectors for transporting pipes.

These protectors are produced in more than 1 000 variants predominantly using virgin plastic, which are often used only once and then landfilled or incinerated. This amounts to tens of millions of metric tons of virgin plastic per year.

Bewi Energy has developed the patented Tubular Smart Protector, a reusable and recyclable protector for protecting the threads and sealing surfaces of OCTG pipes.

The Tubular Smart Protector fits all thread patterns on the same size column, reducing the number of variants needed from more than 1 000 to less than 50 and simplifying logistics.

The protector is evolving into an Intelligent Tubular Protector where a smart chip monitors external physical impact, humidity, temperature and presence during transport. Product, manufacturer and customer data is made available through individual scan or automatic cloud-based reporting. An LED will visually report any problem needing inspection.

The Tubular Smart Protector can save companies 75 per cent in operational time and reduce costs by 40 per cent compared with traditional protectors. Moreover, a robot can remove the protectors from the pipes once on the drill floor, improving QHSE.

Bewi Energy uses a subscription model to ensure that its protectors are returned and recycled, creating a circular material stream. A deposit scheme motivates companies to return the protectors, which are cleaned, ground and used to manufacture new products.

The solution significantly reduces the linear use of virgin plastic in the oil and gas industry. This can result in an 80 per cent reduction of carbon emissions for one plug and abandonment operation, according to one life cycle assessment.

More than 100 million new pipe protectors are manufactured each year. As a disruptive innovation, the Tubular Smart Protectors will appeal to companies seeking to make their operations more sustainable and profitable.

Target customers include OCTG pipe manufacturers, oil and gas operators, oil and gas service providers, and pipe manufacturers around the world.

The protectors are currently available in a limited number of column sizes. Please contact the company for available sizes. A full range will be introduced during 2021–2022.

The Tubular Smart Protectors are also suitable for use in other industries, such as on water distribution and sewage pipes.