Structure-flex long life reusable bulk bags

The Structure-flex Original Big Bag is superior to standard PP (Polypropylene) FIBCs, Tay Sacks or bulk bags because of inherent fabric properties and unique welded construction. The Big Bag can be tailor made with a variety of fabrics, including food grade, oil-resistant and anti-static properties. Every fabric is water resistant. A welded construction provides maximum strength and creates a dust proof, weather proof, contaminant free bulk bag container.
Thermoplastic bulk bags also ensure complete product integrity, particularly suitable for high value chemicals, such as barite and bentonite products used in oil and gas drilling operations. Dry bulk product can be stored for long periods of time if necessary with no risk of UV damage to the bulk bag or water damage to the product.
As with most bulk bag products, the Original Structure-flex Big Bag can be tailor made in a variety or colours, shapes and sizes. A variety of lifting arrangements including straps or lifting rings can be applied and bulk bags can be manufactured to include drawstrings, special closures, skirts, baffles etc all designed to match perfectly to the required filling and discharging equipment.
Thermoplastic long life bulk bags are capable of a great number of trips and can last for many years. This means the Original Big Bag is cost effective on a per trip basis, reduces environmental impact due to a much longer life span and space saving compared with steel containers.

Structure-flex have been supplying this type of product to Proline Systems Inc. It is now over ten years since Structure-flex Limited and Proline Systems Inc began working together. In that time trade between the two companies has experienced a steady growth, but the past 12 months have seen a spectacular tenfold increase.

Proline Systems Inc, based in Los Angeles, supplies storage and transportation systems for the offshore oil industry, the requirements of which are highly specific and governed by law, and Proline is closely involved in two key elements of its supply chain – drilling fluids and drilling cuttings.

Drilling fluids are required in significant quantities at various stages of oil exploration, and the industry was finding that the traditional use of small sacks for transporting the large quantities of chemicals needed was highly inefficient. The disposal of the vast amounts of paper involved in this packaging was also exceptionally environmentally harmful.

Likewise, Proline realised that a robust system was needed for the disposal of drill cuttings, the waste product generated by drilling, following the directive that these should be transported back to shore from the rig for cleansing.

Proline has many years of oilrig experience around the world, and has developed considerable credibility within the industry. It developed the concept of a flexible, reusable system for the safe, cost effective transportation of both chemicals and drill cuttings which would be beneficial for both these functions. This was when the relationship between Structure-flex and Proline was born.

The result of the close association of the two companies resulted in the development of a heavy duty version of the original Structure-flex Big-Bag capable of meeting the industry requirement and withstanding the demanding weather conditions associated with offshore rigs. They are manufactured in the UK with utmost safety in mind and are thoroughly tested to meet stringent guidelines before being shipped.

Other products manufactured by Structure-flex Ltd include:

Envirobags – transit container for drill cuttings

Envirobags provide a flexible transit container for transportation and treatment drill cuttings. The Envirobag solution is a more cost-effective alternative to expensive steel cuttings boxes and they are often used to provide a contingency in the event of drill cuttings box shortage.
The oil-resistant flexible bag also has a smaller footprint than traditional steel boxes and is more adaptable, which saves deck space.

Webbing slings and round slings

Webbing slings can be manufactured with up to 24t safe workloads and in multiple widths to 1,200mm wide. Higher capacity and wider slings can be made as multiples of our standard range.
Round slings can be manufactured up to proven breaking loads of 500t, with up to 30m circumference. Custom designed slings and lifting nets can be made to individual client specifications and fitted with a variety of end terminations.

Flexible tanks for drilling fluid transportation

Flexi-tanks are flexible tanks for all bulk liquid transportation applications. Flexi-tanks' flexible cube design means they can be used for the safe transportation of drilling fluids, the temporary storage of diesel products and even as bladder tanks for transporting and storing potable water.

Proofload bags – load testing bags

Proofload bags are water-filled test weights for testing cranes and are manufactured in sizes from 1t to 35t. Through our global strategic partnerships we can provide a worldwide testing service. Our partners include Proofload NL and Extreme East Rigging Services Limited.
Our water-filled testing equipment range also includes lifeboat test bags, enabling us to provide a complete test equipment range.

The latest development with Structure-flex’s proof test bag product, is build a reliable network of companies worldwide to service the demand for proof testing with water bags. As a result of a recently concluded agreement with the Newfoundland rigging experts Extreme East, Structure-flex is now set to become a global supplier of durable, high quality proof testing bags to the Canadian and North American oil, gas and mineral exploration industries.

Extreme East is part of the DF Barnes Group and is heavily involved in the supply of rigging and lifting equipment for a wide range of land and offshore explorations. From the end of April, a fleet of Structure-flex's proof testing bags will be available from Extreme East's head office in St John's Harbour, Newfoundland, a location which is some twenty miles closer to the water than any other supplier of proof testing equipment.

As the manufacturer of the Original Big Bag, Structure-flex has been a supplier to the international oil and gas exploration and production industries for nearly forty years. Its expertise in manufacturing bags and bulk containers from sheet thermoplastic materials is ideally suited to the production of proof testing bags, and Sales and Marketing Manager, Matt Doughty sees this new trading partnership as an important business development opportunity, saying:

"The relationship with Extreme East will enable us to become a major water weights supplier in the North American marketplace. As mineral exploration increases, so does the need to test and certify an increasing range of lifting equipment, so this is a market place with considerable growth potential."

The DF Barnes Group has strong customer relationships with companies such as Oceaneering, the Penney Group and Canadian Natural, and Extreme East will use its reputation for coupling quality products to high levels of customer service and technical support to provide a low cost total supply chain for proof testing bags.