However, smart manufacturers in this arena have used the dip to assess capability and capacity, ready to take advantage when the sector returns to growth. And things look good on that front, with the office for National Statistics reporting in May that the UK oil and gas industry increased production by 17% in February and 10.9% in March, versus the same months last year.
Of course, the north-east of England is a prime support hub for the UK’s oil and gas sector. Here, Gateshead-based Express Oil and Gas has made a major investment in large capacity multi-tasking machines from Yamazaki Mazak (01905 755755), in order to help it produce well-heads, conductor housings and casing hangers, as well as Christmas tree parts and assemblies, plus connectors for control modules and risers.
“We knew we could get a better value hour from a multi-tasking machine,” says managing director Gary Thirlwell. “It would also allow us to take some of the risk out of machining certain components. Before, we would have to turn and then re-set the workpiece on another machine before starting to mill. The tolerances between the turning and the milling are so tight that, if you get it slightly wrong, the whole component is potentially scrap. We knew that with multi-tasking we wouldn’t have to take the workpiece off the machine and we wouldn’t have to reset it.”
Express Oil and Gas initially installed three Mazak Integrex models, an e-670H, e-650H and an e-800H, and immediately began to reap the rewards. For example, using its existing capabilities the company says that one specific subsea component would take circa 19 hours, excluding setting times, and would involve three machine tools and multiple operations. However, with the Integrex e-670H, cutting times were reduced to just over six hours, using one machine and just two operations. Most recently, the company has acquired an Integrex i-400, which will form part of a new manufacturing cell producing valve components.
“Typically, in the oil and gas market right now, everybody is taking a hit of around 15-20%,” says Thirlwell. “If you can’t get that out of your production times, then it comes out of your margins and your profit, so we need to machine more efficiently.”
This article was first published in the June issue of Machinery magazine.
