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Element opens new oil and gas materials technology centre

World dzԹ,


Element Materials Technology, the USAdzԹs largest independent materials testing and product qualification testing provider, has opened a new flagship Oil and Gas Materials Technology Centre in Houston, Texas.

Officially launched by President and Chief Executive Officer of Element, Charles Noall, the event was attended by many key clients including Baker Hughes, BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Serimax, Technip and others. A keynote speech was given by Skip Herald, VallourecdzԹs North American Managing Director. The first-of-its-kind dzԹOil and Gas Materials Technology CenterdzԹ offers clients unparalleled capabilities including fracture mechanics and engineering critical assessment, NDT and corrosion testing, across a broad range of metal alloys, thermoplastics, composites and elastomers.

Representing the companydzԹs largest ever single site investment in capabilities the laboratory, known as Element Houston, represents a total investment in excess of US$ 5 million.

Opening the laboratory, Charles Noall said: dzԹThe launch of Element Houston is a pivotal milestone in ElementdzԹs growth strategy to collectively expand services to the Oil and Gas majors and their supply chain partners. Staffed by some of the very best testing experts the industry has to offer, Element Houston builds on other recent significant relocations, acquisitions and expansions at the organisationdzԹs locations around the world and incorporates knowledge gleaned from our global platform of 16 facilities and over 500 experts dedicated specifically to the Oil and Gas sector, leading to the completion of a pioneering location capable of providing a truly unique suite of services across a range of material types.

ElementdzԹs EVP for Oil and Gas, Dr. Rod Martin, added: dzԹOil and Gas is a key focus for Element and the creation of this world-class laboratory reflects an ongoing trend of our customer-led strategy that informs our sustained, focused investment in capacity and capabilities and credibility to fulfill the current and future needs of this technically driven sector.dzԹ

Located on a 5.3 acre campus adjacent to the Houston energy corridor, the sitedzԹs state-of-the-art testing facilities, proprietary technology and an innovative design offer clients significantly extended capabilities, reduced testing lead times and increased operational efficiency. This includes an expansion of its metallurgical testing capabilities with new machine shop capability to support its routine, fracture mechanics and ECA testing. A new polymers facility has been developed in collaboration with the State of Texas GovernordzԹs Office and the Emerging Technology Fund also promoting close collaboration with Texas A&M University. In addition, there is expansion of other core business areas including NDT, Air Emissions, Consultancy and Failure Analysis.

Encompassing a main facility of 40 000 ft2 housing all core testing capabilities plus a vastly expanded 15 000 ft2 facility for onsite NDT, the Materials Technology Centre delivers a 50% increase in testing capacity over ElementdzԹs previous laboratory based in the city. The laboratory is staffed by 95 personnel and new key equipment includes wire EDM, water jet, four new servo-hydraulic machines for fracture mechanics and a High Pressure High Temperature laboratory for sweet and sour exposures to metal and polymeric materials.


Adapted from press release by

Read the article online at: /business-news/25072014/element-opens-new-oil-and-gas-materials-technology-centre-in-houston/

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