Unity, Europe’s largest independent provider of well integrity services and technology, has completed its first energy transition project, providing wellhead expertise to support drilling and coring operations at a new, state-of-the-art UK polyhalite mine.
Polyhalite and Woodsmith
Anglo American is a leading global mining company that is currently constructing the Woodsmith Mine near Whitby in North Yorkshire. It is championing a more sustainable and ecologically friendly method of mining and is hoping to boost organic farming with its natural polyhalite fertiliser which boasts the lowest manufacturing carbon footprint of all fertilisers.
Agriculture is facing the significant challenge of how to grow more food to feed more people, while combating climate change and healing damaged soils. Polyhalite is a naturally occurring mineral fertiliser, mined from geological seams, which contains four vital plant nutrients – potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. It can be used in a wide range of farming systems and provides prolonged availability of nutrients, with many studies demonstrating significant improvement in crop yield, health and quality compared to traditional products. The nutrients in polyhalite also support healthy soil structure, vital for long-term farming sustainability.
Polyhalite deposits exist in several places around the world, but there is a proliferation around the North Yorkshire Coast. The industry continues to evolve and partly due to the increase in conventional fertiliser prices, a drive towards more organic practices, combined with positive research into the benefits of its use, polyhalite has become an attractive commodity.
In developing the new Woodsmith mine – Anglo American is minimising environmental impact by keeping a large portion of its operations underground. This includes an impressive 37 km long tunnel to transport the raw polyhalite to Teesside for processing and export. Anglo American estimates a resource of around 2 billion tonnes, so mining the recoverable reserves could continue for 100 years with a maximum annual output of 13 million tonnes.
Transitioning Oil and Gas Expertise
Following competitive selection, Unity was engaged by Anglo American to install two new wellheads at Woodsmith, to facilitate exploration drilling and core sampling. The scope also included decommissioning and retrieval of the wellheads at the end of the operations.
Unity was engaged from an early pre-planning stage to ensure a seamless integration of expertise and processes. The company supplied a range of project management, technical skills and equipment, working closely with the client and their tier one agent.
Unity’s technical experts inspected and installed critical components for each wellhead section including valves, seals, slips and gaskets, supervising cold cutting and welding work and pressure testing seals and flanges. Returning at the end of the drilling and well abandonment work, Unity decommissioned and removed the wellhead sections, protecting the integrity of individual components.
Stuart Slater, Unity’s Technical Sales Director, explained: “Completing our first energy transition project is an important step for Unity in actively demonstrating that our Wells, Innovation and Decom services and technology suit all well types, no matter which sector. With thirty years of experience in traditional oil and gas operations, including mitigating the risks of harsh downhole environments, we are well positioned to support mineral extraction, gas, hydrogen and carbon storage projects. As new wells are installed or old wells develop in maturity or are re-engineered to transition from one sector or well type to another, our in-depth knowledge will extend productive life and ensure safe and efficient operations to sustain future generations.”
