OSL Iagifu workshop certified

OIL Search Ltd’s machining and repair workshop at the Iagifu Ridge has obtained an international accreditation.
After two years of hard-work, training, up-skilling and an investment of more than US$3 million in high-tech equipment, the Iagifu workshop recently passed a rigorous test of accreditation into the almost excusive club of the American Petroleum Institute (API).
API accreditation is the most difficult world-class rating to achieve by any company manufacturing drill pipes, accessories and other equipment in the oil, gas and mining industry.   
The first major step to achieve this occurred last June when the machine shop passed a quality audit to achieve a licensing agreement from NOV Grant Prideco to cut their propriety “XT” thread connections . 
This was a gigantic leap forward for the machining facility.
The latest step to achieve API accreditation has now enabled Oil Search PNG  and host country to be recognised among a few developing countries in the world with an API certified oil country machine shop.
“The drill pipe used to go by truck down the Highlands Highway to Lae and then loaded on ships to Singapore for repairs … that is expensive and wastes time” maintenance supervisor Brian Innes said.
“The turn-around time was about six months and we can  not afford that.”
“It’s been a long hard road,” maintenance superintendent Mark Hansen, with a great sigh of relief as he received the certificate, said.
 “The rules and pre-requisites for meeting the API requirements are so difficult that normally it would take a number of attempts, but our team passed the first time.