The Situation:

In March of 2008 National Oilwell Varco (NOV) a design, construction and product manufacturer for the oil and gas industry worldwide contacted SlipNOT® to provide a non-slip product for a shaker/degasser demonstration platform.  This platform would surround state of the art products manufactured by Brandt a brand of National Oilwell Varco at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, TX.

The Solution:

SlipNOT® recommended that NOV use slip resistant aluminum plank for the project.  Plank is manufactured in 2’ and 3’ wide by 28’ lengths and then ripped to the width and cut to the length required.  SlipNOT® informed NOV due to the specialized widths available; there may be some small gaps between the adjacent panels based on the sizes required for this project.  The cut piece is then trim banded with 1” x 3/16” aluminum plate.  The end banding helps keep the panel from bowing during the SlipNOT® process.

NOV also wanted it painted gray to always make the display appear new and fresh over time.  Aluminum will not rust due to its properties.  The paint we suggested was a water-based paint which is easy to find and match for the future.  For long term use, we suggested SlipNOT® Grade 3 surface which is coarse and will provide peak-to-valley surface depth of approximately 0.035”.  We informed NOV they could add up to 10 mils of additional paint without affecting the slip resistance of the surface.

The Impact:

The planking fit nicely around the Feed Degasser and the King Cobra, Venom Series, Shaker while providing an aesthetically pleasing yet slip resistance walking surface for professionals visiting the Offshore Technology Conference demonstration.