Dry ice blasting for NORM-contaminated coil tubing reel reduces time and waste
A North Sea oil and gas operator required the urgent decontamination of approximately 27,000ft of coil tubing. The tubing had been rejected by another facility, where scrappage was presented as the only viable option.
The asset was critical to ongoing operations. Replacing it would have caused significant cost and project delay. The client needed a rapid, non-destructive solution that would remove external NORM contamination while preserving the integrity of the tubing.
Ultra-high pressure water jetting - the industry standard for NORM cleaning - was not suitable for this equipment. An alternative method was required. Our NORM team assessed the challenge and delivered a workable solution capable of recovering the asset within the required timeframe.
Client
Major international energy operator
Scope
NORM, Environmental Services
Location
UK
At a glance
- Delivered a rapid, non-destructive dry ice blasting solution to remove NORM contamination from a 43 tonne coil tubing reel, avoiding scrappage and preserving asset integrity.
- Completed decontamination in just 5.5 days, achieving high cleaning rates while minimising secondary waste and maintaining full NORM compliance.
- Restored the asset to operational condition, preventing costly replacement and project delays through a controlled, efficient and compliant remediation process.
Approach
Following technical assessment, dry ice blasting was identified as the most suitable solution for external NORM contamination removal. The method is non-destructive, generates significantly less secondary waste than water jetting, and protects asset integrity. We conducted validation trials on comparable items to confirm process suitability before mobilisation.
We coordinated specialist transport and cranage to safely receive, offload, and position the 43 tonne reel within our facility, as well as designed and erected a multi-level scaffolding habitat.
The team achieved cleaning rates of approximately 5,000ft per day. The full 27,000ft of coil tubing was successfully decontaminated in just five and a half days.
Impact
The reel was restored, cleared, and returned for reuse - eliminating the need to scrap a 43 tonne asset and preventing project delay.
Dry ice blasting delivered:
- Comparable timeframe to water jetting
- Reduced secondary waste generation
- A non-destructive cleaning solution preserving equipment integrity
- Controlled, compliant management of NORM throughout