STATS technology sees Australia market grow

Just one year on from establishing a new entity in Australia, pipeline technology specialist STATS Group (STATS) is looking forward to a bright future after securing frame agreements with some of the region’s largest Tier 1 operators.

A wider market understanding of the company’s patented BISEP® double block and bleed isolation technology has laid the foundations for growth which is being realised with contract wins and formal long-term strategic relationships.

STATS has been engaged on a large variety of Australasia projects since 2017, when it made its market entry with the hot tap isolation of a 10” LPG pipeline in Victoria on behalf of a major operator, using its double block and bleed BISEP tool.

Building on a reputation for innovation and responsiveness, in 2020 STATS was awarded a long-term call-off contract by Santos to cover its assets in Queensland and South Australia. And last year, STATS’ expertise was in demand when the company was commissioned to complete two 12” BISEP intervention projects in Darwin, four 14” BISEP workscopes in Perth, and in Victoria’s Bass Strait provided a range of hot tapping and remote isolation services on an offshore platform.

Encouraged by positive client support and multibillion dollar investment programmes in Australia’s energy and infrastructure sectors, last November STATS announced plans to set up a Perthregistered business with a planned investment up to A$2 million in equipment and support infrastructure.

This commitment is paying off, with increasing numbers of oil and gas operators and contractors now opting to use STATS on pipeline intervention projects and through the establishment of frame agreements which are in place with a significant number of major gas distribution companies.

Gareth Campbell, STATS Group’s Regional manager for Asia Pacific, said: “As one of the ‘youngest’ players in the Australian pipeline intervention market, we focused on demonstrating to clients the advantages of our block and bleed technology compared with more traditional products.

“We are finding that once our BISEPs have been used in a shutdown or maintenance scenario, it changes an operator’s perception of how isolation projects can be executed, and this is reflected in the significant uptick in activity we are now experiencing.”

STATS’ global approach to expanding its geographic presence is to establish a strong local infrastructure with a permanent portfolio of equipment and personnel. “We are wellplaced in terms of the range of equipment we have in-country to service existing contracts and to take on new work, but will continually add to that to meet the expected growth in demand,” added Campbell.

“We are committed to our long-term strategy of increasing market share in Australia’s pipeline sector, further capital investment in the years ahead and the ongoing recruitment and development of local personnel, confirming that the ‘youngsters’ have a lot to offer clients and the sector.”

We are well-placed in terms of the range of equipment we have in-country to service existing contracts and to take on new work, but will continually add to that to meet the expected growth in demand

CONTRACT WINS: STATS Group is seeing increasing interest in its BISEP isolation technology in Australia.

STATS Group’s BISEP technology at work in Perth, Austrailia.