Few decisions are as important to oil and gas companies as the choice of a transloading or custody transfer system. The need for accurate measurement and transfer of liquids in bulk handling applications are critical to these industries. “Choosing a Custody Transfer manufacturer is a key factor in the decision process for an end user or engineering firm”, says Steven Valenti, Director of Sales Transloading & Fluid Handling Division at Envirosep. “When a company chooses a short or long term partner for Transloading & Fluid Handling projects, it is essential that they completely understand the credentials and intricacies that a manufacturer secures”.

So how does a company choose the right Custody Transfer skid provider? The keys to making a sound decision include understanding each of the following needs for a specific project, what components will be custom built and the manufacturers vying for the job. How the selection process is developed and implemented are also critical.

To help companies become more familiar with skid manufacturer solutions, this article poses five key factors that you need to consider before choosing a partner in your Custody Transfer skid provider.

1. Certified Fabrication and Design

Once a company has a document stating its project requirements, it can begin to search for a custody transfer skid provider. . “Many companies say they do custom engineered design and manufacturing, but that can mean a lot of different things,” says Valenti. “You have to do research up front to narrow down your list of prospective providers to those that actually can do what you’re looking for.”

After identifying a number of vendors, a company must find out which of them have specific competencies required by the project. A company should look for a provider that staffs a highly qualified team of engineers in house, Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Chemical and Electrical. The company should also ensure that the manufacture facility is AWS and ASME certified. Finally, make sure the facility is code stamped to your needs. “Our staff of licensed Engineers cover all principles and disciplines that include PE and PMP. In addition, we have in house our Quality Control Manager that is AWS/ASME certified along with his staff of over 18 AWS certified welders. Our shop is code stamped that includes U, UL, PP, UM, NB and more”, added Valenti.

2. Single Point Accountability

Potential providers should have a designated project management team to work with the company from submittal through delivery. “Single point contact ensures that our partners are receiving the upmost customer service commitment by being accessible for their industry demands”, states Robert Isom, Director of Business Development for Transloading & Fluid Handling Division at Envirosep. Things to consider; does your provider have established relationships with industry suppliers? What type of service is important once the project leaves the facility? “Our obligation is our partners. That means we take a professional approach to the industry by developing relations with key industry suppliers which in turn, allows us to provide added value to our skids, our customer and ultimately the end user”. We continue that service out in the field from startup through the life cycle of our equipment”, added Isom.

3. Environmentally Controlled Facility

So what is the company’s project direction on assembly, labor, project management and shipments? A company needs to make these type of decisions based on economies of scale. Many variables need to be taken into consideration for example; weather, labor cost, contractors, lodging, infrastructure, etc., especially if you choose to build on-site or location. In most cases, depending on the project, it makes more sense to partner with skid provider that builds in an environmentally controlled facility. “We are very proud of our facility”, states Joe Martin, Project Engineer and PMP for Envirosep. Martin adds, “We have two 40,000 sq. ft. buildings with plans for expansion, 60 tons of lifting capacity per bay, on-site engineering and testing facility. What’s more important however is our people. We have extremely low turnover and they are not bouncing from site to site on a daily basis for a project”. When a project has been completed and tested to exceed standards, Envirosep loads and ships to location. “While I do not like to overuse the analogy of “plug and play”, that is essentially the intent of a packaged skid. We have been successfully shipping skids and systems globally for over 18 years now and understand the requirements”, says Martin.

4. Highly Competitive Pricing and Lead Times

Located in Georgetown, SC, EnviroSep is privately held and has a labor rich environment. “The agreements we have established with our suppliers along with the employment cost index allows us to be extremely competitive”, says Valenti. He continues, “We have been diligently working on standardization which sounds crazy as every project provides new challenges which results in customization. Although the skids are custom, the parts, motors, pumps, valves, meters based on application become standard. So our ultimate goal is to offer a list of skids to choose from as a starting point but in addition, offer spec adders to meet the customer’s scope. This has a direct impact on reduced lead times and overall lower price”. To sum it up, Valenti likes to brand Envirosep as, “Large Company Proficiencies with Small Company Flexibility”.

5. Experience with Success

Finally, what reassurances does a company have when choosing their skid provider? Many skid providers, new or established, need to have a quantitative portfolio.

Based on 18+ years of successful experience working in a variety of industries that include Engineering, Power and Energy, Food and Beverage, Chemical Process and Petrochemical, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics, Commercial Buildings, Hospitals and Healthcare, Mining and Minerals, Data Centers and Telecommunications, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical, Aerospace and Defense to name a few, EnviroSep is more than a skid provider. “We have the experience that is demanded by the industry standards”, states Brian Coakley, V.P. of Sales at EnviroSep. “If you look at our extensive portfolio, our capabilities range from small, standardized pumping equipment packages to complex, engineered systems. Our goal is to integrate these traits across all vertical markets which provides the tools needed to succeed” added Coakley. What does that mean for the Transloading and Fluid Handling market? “Envirosep has a proven track record”, says Valenti. “Keep in mind, you can make anything look good on paper but you must be committed to building trust with respect in doing what’s right for the customer, doing what you say and performing with merit”!