About Us
Swiftpipe was founded in 2008. The purpose and objective of the company is to improve the efficiency of laying pipelines using innovative and proven technology which joins steel line pipe without welding. Swiftpipe aims to reduce significantly the cost of laying pipelines not only for oil and gas projects but for any project where steel line pipe is used to transport fluids or gases.
Pipelines form a major part of the capital expenditure of any development project and the actual laying of the line pipe is usually the most significant part of the pipeline cost. Swiftpipe uses technology which substantially reduces these costs by increasing the speed of joining line pipe by using safer and more environmentally friendly methods compared to conventional welding techniques. This technology is called Zap-Lok® and is manufactured by Zap-Lok Pipeline Systems Inc based in Houston USA. Zap-Lok® is a steel to steel mechanical interference joint and requires no welding or x-ray inspection. Laying speeds of over 1000ft (305m) per hour have been achieved using Zap-Lok® and it can be used to lay both onshore and offshore pipelines. The ends of the line pipe are specially prepared using Zap-Lok® equipment then the ends are pressed together in the field to make a pipeline joint which is rated the same as a welded joint but made at much lower cost.
Zap-Lok® is not new but is well established and proven technology which has been developed and refined over many years. Originally designed by Baker Hughes in the 1970's the technology has been successfully developed for commercial use by Zap-Lok Pipeline Systems Inc.
Swiftpipe has an Alliance Agreement with Zap-Lok Pipeline Systems Inc to market and supply use of Zap-Lok® technology and equipment for preparation of line pipe and for joining the line pipe in the field. Details of Zap-Lok® technology and the equipment we use is in the technical section of this website.
As a service provider Swiftpipe does not actually lay pipelines but makes the Zap-Lok® joining equipment available to established pipe lay contractors who work with us to install the pipeline for the owner or project operator.
Swiftpipe was founded by Bob Moore who has more than twenty five years of senior executive experience in the upstream oil & gas industry. When asked about the reasons behind the formation of Swiftpipe Bob said:
"Throughout my career I have worked for several independent oil companies where control of project costs was an important issue. Historically this has been very important in periods of low or volatile oil prices. As smaller and more marginal fields are discovered and brought on stream cost control becomes even more critical for project economics. Pipeline 'tie back' costs are usually a key component of the facility cost and projects can be shelved or even cancelled if these costs are too high or cannot be controlled. This fact became even more apparent to me as a co-founder and commercial director of Granby Oil & Gas plc. In 2007 we were operator of a small gas field development in the Southern North Sea which had a 15kms tie back pipeline to a gas gathering platform. The cost of laying this pipeline was a major part of the project cost. Later I was introduced to David Roberts the founder and President of Zap-Lok Pipeline Systems Inc. David and his team have developed and manufacture a very successful technology called Zap-Lok® which is very beneficial for pipeline cost and efficiency savings. I believe substantial project cost savings could have been made for our project had this technology been available for use in the Southern North Sea at the time given the equivalent cost of a pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico laid using Zap-Lok®. David modestly told me that despite its success, mainly in the USA, Zap-Lok® is generally regarded as a "niche" technology. I am delighted that Swiftpipe has now formed an Alliance with Zap-Lok Pipeline Systems Inc under which I believe we can work together to make Zap-Lok® available to a wider market and to help turn it into "mainstream" pipeline technology which is a place it deserves. Given the current condition of the capital markets and volatility of commodity prices I cannot think of a better time to achieve this."