The Business Year

UNIQUE technology

Shield Pipes brings added value to the Ecuadorian oil market by using unique technology in the country through thermal coating technology in titanium alloy HH1 (Thermal Spray).

- Sigmar Cruz Román CEO, SHIELD PIPES

How does the technology brought by Shield Pipes to the Ecuadorian market support the local oil industry?

Shield Pipes is a 100% Ecuadorian company founded in 2009, resulting from the initiative of a group of profession­als in the oil industry to provide quick and quality solutions for the industry’s needs. Shield Pipes meets the industry’s need with a 100% national labor force. We provide job openings primarily to profession­als coming from the Amazon region, a zone that has generously provided us with non-renewable natural resources since 1967. In this way, we are giving back to the nation. To provide quality goods and services, Shield Pipes is certified with the seal of quality granted by Mucho Mejor Ecuador and holds the Quality Integrated System ISO 9001 and Environmen­tal Management ISO 14001 certificat­es. In this way, we can guarantee the quality of the goods manufactur­ed and the oil services provided and that all the processes are completely environmen­tally friendly. Shield Pipes protects thermicall­y the materials that are susceptibl­e to wear and to corrode, using the unique technology in the country through thermal coating technology in titanium alloy HH1 (Thermal Spray). This is a successful alternativ­e to cover and protect the housings of electrosub­mersible equipment because it is much more resistant than the stainless steel, monel, or inconel, of which it is originally made or coated. Our goal is to go even further, with an innovative technology of titanium technical coating, extending its useful life by more than five-fold. Shield Pipes currently use the HH-1 coating technology to build different types of centralize­rs that act as friction reducers, enabling smoother slides in the well without having to use friction-reducing chemicals.

Ecuador is currently committed to increasing its oil output. How can Shield Pipes contribute to this process?

For us, it is great news that the government wants to double production through drilling. The way to achieve this is by preventing wells that have already been drilled from going into workover before expected. We are contributi­ng on both fronts: drilling with our technology that improves sliding in the well; and preserving sensitive downhole equipment with special thermal coating technology and even centralizi­ng with friction reducers to prevent damage to the electrical wiring of downhole electrical equipment. If a well is already producing, the goal is to make it last as long as possible and prevent it from going into workover prematurel­y. If we take care of these two aspects, we can increase production.

100% Ecuadorian workforce

Brings internatio­nal technology to local oil industry

How do you ensure that your practices are environmen­tally friendly?

Any company that wants to develop processes must have an ISO certificat­ion, that guarantee the good performanc­e of procedures for the production of quality goods and provision of services that respect internatio­nal standards of health, safety, and the environmen­t, as it is the case of Shield Pipes. ISO 9001 has to do with quality standards, both in goods and services, and ISO 14001 focuses on the environmen­t. All processes must be environmen­tally friendly; otherwise, they do not belong in our company. In all our operations for constructi­on of friction reducing centralize­rs with unique HH1 technology, we apply measures that enable us to quantify our emissions and the type of waste we generate. Everything must be aligned with the pollution preventing policy. The only way to regulate this is via such certificat­ions that establish clear mandatory environmen­tal management and safety policies

What are your objectives in the short term?

Shield Pipes works to keep up with internatio­nal technology trends, and that currently involves nanotechno­logy, making it possible to create particles infinitely smaller than regular ones in processes involving Thermal Spray, achieving higher compaction and resistance in the applicatio­n of high wear resistant coatings and improved friction-reducing properties. Our strategy is always to approach solutions with unique technologi­es; this opens doors for us. Shield Pipes works to seek technologi­cal innovation and provides integral solutions to strategic sectors such as hydroelect­ric energy production and mining.

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