Wireline Issue 48 - Summer 2020

He continues: “A lot of the preparation work for the long term capacity expansion of the site is already completed and given the long time horizons that the oil industry operates on, we can invest to expand capacity essentially when customers need us.” “The site was chosen with a view to be more than big enough to serve the North Sea in its entirety for probably the next 20-30 years. It’s takenwith a very long- term view — a lot of investment is already committed.” With that in mind, SNF is already looking to its newest tranche of customers. “We’re talking to various operators with projects in differing states of advancement and will tailor our capabilities to meet their needs,” Woollin says. Thinking globally SNF’s plans to increase global capacity are as much about supply chain resilience and risk reduction as market share and existing market demand. In light of the recent disruptions caused by COVID-19, the ability

SNF’s Billingham site is ideally located to support EOR projects on the UKCS.

can be reduced by up 65% and by removing the need for further exploration along with associated risks and costs. SNF estimates that the use of CEOR polymers can enable CO2 emissions to be reduced by around 50% primarily based on the vastly reduced amount of water requiring pumping, treating and handling per barrel of oil produced.” Ahead of the market The 50-acre site in Billingham forms the bedrock of SNF’s growing links with North Sea oil and gas producers. Development began in 2013, though Woollin recounts a long process of land grading and construction before the facility itself was able to open. The first production train opened in 2018 and is used mainly to serve the UK water and wastewater industry. A further two production lines, with world-scale capacity aimed exclusively at oil and gas customers, will be commissioned later in 2020, having been delayed by the impact of COVID-19.

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