Brazil finds Fast way to cut oil pollution thanks to NI firm

Petrobras, Brazil’s biggest business and the world’s 12th largest oil company, has ordered equipment from Fast Engineering in Antrim as part of its strategy to counter pollution.

Fast signed a deal with state-owned Petrobras following participation on an Invest NI stand at the Rio Oil and Gas Exhibition and World Petroleum Expo in Rio de Janeiro in September. The order was the first secured by the Northern Ireland company from the oil producer.

Petrobras will locate FASTANKs – a highly portable containment tanks pioneered by the Northern Ireland company – at a series of counter pollution bases along the coast of Brazil in the event of oil spills.

Welcoming the contract between Fast Engineering and Petrobras, Alan Hingston, Invest NI’s Trade Director, said: “Fast Engineering is a fine example of a small business which has become an international leader in a niche sector through continuous investment in trade and innovation.

“The company has used a broad range of trade services, including missions and exhibitions, to support an aggressive export strategy. By maintaining close contacts with its target markets Fast Engineering has been able to pinpoint opportunities to add value to its products.

“Our participation at Rio Oil and Gas is part of an ongoing programme of activities for this important sector. Over the past year, we’ve provided opportunities for Northern Ireland companies to build contacts with the oil and gas industries in the North Sea, Norway and in key Middle East markets including Iran."

The order now means that virtually all the world’s oil exploration companies now depend on FASTANKs for spill emergencies.

Fast Engineering, which employs 10 people at Antrim, has also supplied tanks for use by Russian exploration companies on the remote Sakhalin Island. In addition, the company recently worked round-the-clock to meet the demand for its tanks from emergency teams tackling the huge oil spill on Spain’s northern coastline.

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