COKEBUSTERS is a Private Limited Company concerned primarily with delivery of high quality service to the worldwide Oil Refining Industry. With Headquarters in the United Kingdom, Cokebusters specialises in the provision of mechanical decoking and associated intelligent inspection of fired heater process tubes. Cokebusters is best placed to concentrate on the development of scientific advances in these demanding, high technology services.
The Corporate MISSION STATEMENT is typically a grand declaration expressing the highest ideals of customer care, usually filled with guarantees of best efforts from all corners of the Company. Rather than composing a collection of well-chosen words of promise, we offer the appropriate words of Michael Collins, the 20th Century Irish patriot:
"We will survive and prosper if we export to the growing and sophisticated markets of the World goods and services of a quality which they are entitled to demand, at a price beyond which they will not pay, and on the day they rightly demand delivery. To meet this, there is only one criterion: the pursuit of excellence."
Engaged nearly 100 years ago in bitter struggle for independence, Collins had the vision to look forward to peacetime, understanding that all must compete in quality & price to win and retain customers. Despite the time passed since expressing this inspiring statement, little has changed in client demands for goods & services of high quality, allied with prompt delivery at a fair price.
With the benefit of over 18 years of experience in this niche activity of fired heater tube maintenance, Cokebusters has developed and grown to become the leading Centre for independent scientific advancement of fired heater tube decoking & inspection technology.
So, how does COKEBUSTERS achieve this high quality, with cost and time efficiency?
A successful mechanical decoking operation is directly dependent upon three key components:
- The scraper pigs – technology ownership, with control of production.
Cokebusters scraper pigs have been developed since the turn of the century to take the middle line between hard bodied and soft core pigs. With its patented feature of the Uniformly Distributed Load, Cokebusters pigs are tough enough to remove the hardest coke, yet designed in a manner which protects tube wall metal from damage. These pigs are made at the Cokebusters Technology Centre, removing dependence upon outside suppliers.
Importantly, close control of casting methods guarantee consistent product quality, also allowing valuable adjustment input from skilled decoking operators. Attention is drawn to the web site section entitled "New Technology".
- Specialist machinery & associated equipment – ownership, design & fabrication.
At its Technology Centre, Cokebusters designs and fabricates the specialist machinery, along with all accessories. Controlling ownership is critically important to availability and flexibility, without dependence upon outside providers. Each new machine includes minor improvements on previous production, with a readiness to include useful suggestions from decoking operators.
Critically, decoking operators are engaged periodically in the assembly of machinery. This gives them valuable knowledge of mechanical & electrical systems, helping their abilities to quickly locate and repair faults should they occur during site operations.
With care for the environment and in pursuit of clean collection of coke particulate, machines are designed to capture the majority of removed hydrocarbons. This contaminant material is collected in the on-board holding tank through two stages of filtration, leading to quantities often measured in tonnes recovered during a typical process furnace decoking operation. Attention is drawn to the web site section entitled "Equipment".
- Direct employment of trained & skilled manpower.
It is a certain truth that decoking activities are skill sensitive. All Cokebusters operators are full time and long serving direct employees. The company has a policy not to use sub-contracted labour. Not only does this control quality performance, but also impacts importantly on site safety.
Cokebusters is unique in its personnel training programme. All decoking operators are graded, with the requirement for practical and written examinations to be elevated from Grade 3 to Grade 1, and to ultimately achieve the Grade 1S rating required for Supervisor qualification.
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These three essential ingredients required for delivery of high quality service to refinery clients are closely supported by enlightened central management. Resources are prioritised with an aim to ensure availability to meet shifting client demands.
The fourth ingredient for the new COMBINED SERVICE is Merlin Tube Inspection by Intelligent Pigging. For further information, attention is drawn to the section entitled "Tube Inspection"
Cokebusters has operated under ISO 9001:2008 QA procedures since 2006, using these internationally accredited quality guidelines to direct management of all procedures.
Cokebusters has operated under ISO 18001:2007 OHSAS safety procedures since 2008. Subject to external annual auditing, this international qualification has assisted compliance with all site safety procedures and helped to maintain ZERO lost time incident record on all worldwide operations since the Cokebusters amalgamating incorporation in 2005.
Although not yet awarded, the third element in this set of international approvals is the ISO 14001 environmental accreditation. During 2012 Cokebusters has a formal working arrangement with senior universities to introduce monomer recycling of used scraper pigs. Given that mechanical decoking is inherently an environmentally kind process, this final solution of material recycling will lead to compliance under the most demanding terms of ISO 14001.
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The Cokebusters headquarters is situated on the Airbus Industries & British Aerospace complex on the outskirts of Chester UK, approximately 200 miles northwest of London. All pumping unit machinery and scraper pigs are manufactured and maintained by Cokebusters. The Company does not have any affiliation with other Pig Decoking organisations.
Aside from the MERLIN tube inspection, Cokebusters does not offer other industrial services and so is able to concentrate on the design and manufacturing of scraper pigs, along with associated operating science and specialist machinery. Cokebusters business therefore is concerned with all features which form the ingredients of first class on site decoking performance, as follows:
- Cokebusters Scraper Pig
- Specialist Pumping Unit Machinery
- Quality Personnel Employment and Training
- Associated Monitoring and Measurement Science, including Merlin Tube Inspection
- Environmental Care and Safe Collection of Hydrocarbons
Put simply, at Cokebusters there is recognition that some Refiners may remain content to use the traditional fired heater tube cleaning and de-carbonising method of Steam & Air Decoke. Without condemning this practise, it is helpful to reasonably try to point out the deficiencies of an old procedure, whilst focusing on the cost, time and environmental improvements which can be achieved through the regular adoption of the Cokebusters modern decoking technology.
To find the nearest contact point for service in your area, return to the world map and enter through your region, then refer to "Contacts".
