United Special Technical Services (USTS) has established itself as a pioneer in providing high-performance thermoplastic lining solutions in the oil and gas, water, mining, and industrial sectors. Through strategic global technical partnerships, the company supports customers to address corrosion and abrasion challenges across various steel asset, such as pipelines, fittings or vessels. Jonathan Hickey, General Manager, spoke to Hannah Barnett.
Located in Saudi Arabia, United Special Technical Services (USTS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Oman-based Special Technical Services. Using polymers or non-metallic products to protect the internal surfaces of steel assets, USTS has built a solid reputation as an innovative solution provider across the MENA region, a major factor in the success of its operation.
“Clients come to us because they know what to expect,” said General Manager Jonathan Hickey. “They know they’re going to get solutions that they can trust. That’s not just from our technology and process perspective, but it’s the people that have been involved in the last decade and a half of development. That’s why our clients keep coming back to us, because they know that they’re going to get answers they can trust.”
Pioneering the technology
Testament to the company’s success in the region, USTS now operates in over ten countries and has completed over 15,000 installations of its flagship Tite Liner® technology. With anything between 15 and 20 sites running concurrently, activity is rapid, and the business is supported by a skilled workforce of around 400 personnel deployed across the GCC.
“That number is significant because we are probably the largest lining contractor in the Middle East,” said Mr Hickey. “This enables
us to take up additional work as and when it arises. We are not restricted operationally.”
Tite Liner® technology has been around for over forty years. In 2012, the company formed a joint venture with partners in the United States to bring it to the Middle East. Tite Liner enables a thermoplastic liner to insert into a host pipe. The tight-fitting liner acts as a continuous barrier between the host pipe and any corrosive or abrasive material, while utilising the mechanical strength of the steel host pipe.
It is an efficient and cost-effective solution to protect new or existing pipelines, and its use can often extend the life of an asset. There are also no pressure limits or host pipe diameter limits that this technology can be installed in.
“We initially introduced Tite Liner® in Oman, and since then, it has expanded to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE (Abu Dhabi) and some other parts of northern Africa,” said Mr Hickey. “So, the region is well aware of what that technology is, the benefits and how superior it is when comparing to other alternatives.”
Recently, the company successfully launched Bondaliner™. Until this point, the specialised technique of installing non-metallics on the internal surfaces of complex shapes was not available in the Middle East. The technology allows thermoplastic polymers to bond mechanically to the internal surface of tanks, vessels, pipes, fittings and other types of complex process equipment. The resulting polymer layer adds protection against corrosion and abrasion and resistance to chemicals inside the system.
“USTS invested a significant amount of money to bring the Bondaliner™ technology
to Saudi Arabia,” said Mr Hickey. “Then, in 2019, we opened a specialised facility to produce the technology in the Kingdom.”
In 2022, the company completed the installation of the largest Tite Liner® project in the region, for Saudi Aramco. This involved a 42-inch diameter carbon steel pipeline that stretched for 37 kilometres, marking a significant achievement that has been recognised throughout the region
Fostering partnerships
Alongside supplying the technology, USTS is also known for heavy investment into R&D. This involves working closely with clients, listening to their problems and trying to co-develop solutions.
“That’s one of the reasons we introduced the Bondaliner technology here,” Mr Hickey explained. “We’ve got ongoing pilot projects with several National Oil Companies (NOCs), developing new technology solutions to address our clients’ internal corrosion issues. Bondaliner™ came in as a solution to water
application. We’re now developing it for use in both crude oil and gas applications.”
USTS has developed a patented WeldTite™ flangeless connector, which is now being used throughout the Middle East. This flangeless connector offers a solution not only to the potential issue of buried flanges but also can resolve various Client procurement challenges.
“What we offer our clients is really a design, procure and install solution,” Mr Hickey explained. “It’s not just an install-only offering, that design and procure aspect is critically important. We design things with very stringent tolerances, so once we get to the procurement of materials, we need to rely strongly on the complete supply chain to ensure we are getting a product up to the standard that we expect. That standard is generally more stringent than the typical oil and gas market.”
Close collaboration with suppliers is, therefore, critically important for success at USTS. As a company based in the Middle East, localisation is mandatory. This means, as part of the localisation scheme in the regions they operate, companies working there must hire nationals.
“We’ve worked with different suppliers to establish In-Country Value,” Mr Hickey said. “Building that localisation of the supply chain is very important for what we do. At the same time, we invest in our people. The retention of staff is vital; we see guys that have been in this business for 20 plus years and we really value that. But what we’re especially focused on now is being a leader
in localisation throughout our businesses. We want them to be here in 20 years, developing and selling our products.”
In the pipeline
Looking ahead, USTS intends to continue to invest heavily in the region in both new facilities and new technologies. For example, the company plans to expand into the downhole tubular markets.
“We’re working with our North American Partners to bring another new technology to the region,” explained Mr Hickey. “When we first started, in 2012, we had a solution for horizontal pipelines. In 2019, we developed a solution for fittings and vessels extending from the wellhead, through the pipeline and into the facility. Now, we’re going down the well. So, we can offer a non-metallic corrosion protection solution from the bottom of the well, all the way through the pipeline and facilities. It really is a complete A-to-Z solution, no other business in the world offers something like that.”
The biggest challenge currently facing the oil and gas sector, and many others like it, is
instability in the market. This, in part, comes from uncertainty about the future of the energy transition, causing many NOCs to carefully consider where to invest resources.
“That’s really the biggest risk for us as a solution provider,” Mr Hickey concluded. “We rely on these decisions that are being made at such a high level, but we don’t have any say. However, I’ve been in the Middle East for 10 years and I’ve got confidence in the policies and the decision-making taking place. I think the opportunities are endless, provided you are willing to adapt and grow your business with the changes happening around you.” n
