Fastener Supply Chain for Subsea Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny
FEATURE
UK-based Beck Prosper Ltd. (BPL) expressed concern over consolidation by European suppliers of high quality fastener producers for the oil and gas industry.
The company “has been serving the petrochemical and energy industries as a high integrity bolting manufacturer for over forty years but has previously never had the need to manufacture its own nuts by the forging process,” BPL stated on its website.
For years BPL has machined nuts in-house where higher quality is required, while purchased commercially produced forged nuts for most petrochemical and general fastener requirements.
But the company said most European suppliers of nuts forged to ASTM standards “have subsequently either closed or become distributors for Far Eastern products due to the commercial demands of the industry.”
In response, BPL forged direct alliances with Asian sources, setting up testing facilities in China. But “two years ago the Subsea sector started to ask for a higher integrity fastener with more demanding properties and an improved process control.”
In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig catastrophe — which exploded on April 20, 2010, killing a crew of 11 and causing the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history — the subsea sector has increased its focus on product integrity.
“Requirements are increasing in documentation, testing, inspection and metallography and this is expected to further increase as more severe environments are exploited and legislation intensifies,” according to BPL.
BPL is working with specialty fastener manufacturer Cousin et Malicet of France to develop a range of hot forged nuts “which address the above issues by working to a specification and testing regime far greater than the current ASTM standard.”
BPL has also doubled the size of its inspection department to offer positive material inspection, magnetic particle inspection and 100% visual and dimensional inspection. In addition the company has installed a metallography laboratory and employs four metallurgists.
“All this represents a major investment to guarantee the supply and integrity of an item as simple as a nut.” ©2011 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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