The centre will act as a learning environment, showcase 3M’s technologies and expertise in innovation, and serve as a catalyst for collaboration between 3M and the oil and gas industry professionals in Saudi Arabia and the region

3M, a global innovation company, plans to open an Innovation Centre of Technical Excellence in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, in the fourth quarter of this year.

Located in Al Othman Office Tower, Al Qashlah District in Al Khobar and spread across a cumulative area of 250 sq m, the new innovation centre has been built and equipped with many materials manufactured by 3M itself. It took around six months to finish the construction of the centre, says Imad Abusbeitan, Lab and Technical head, 3M, Saudi Arabia.

The centre in Al Khobar will showcase 3M solutions which are specific to the oil and gas industry, he says. The solutions will cater to three main areas which are protecting people and the environment, extending the life of critical and expensive assets, and improving productivity and maximising operational efficiencies.

A wide range of different solutions will be featured under each one of these areas including, but not limited to, a comprehensive portfolio of personal safety solutions as well as workplace safety solutions; a differentiated portfolio of corrosion protection, erosion protection, and maintenance solutions (including electrical, communication, fire protection, abrasives, tapes and adhesives); and a range of advanced material additives for drilling and cementing, sand control systems, well stimulation, and chemical processing, he says.

3M Innovation Centres of Technical Excellence are a testament to 3M’s commitment to answering the ever increasing needs of companies and consumers around the world. They are designed to demonstrate 3M’s 46 core technology platforms and how these technologies combine together and result in unique and innovative solutions, he explains.

Through dynamic displays and interactive, hands-on demonstrations, customers come to 3M innovation centres to collaborate with 3M experts and explore creative solutions to help their businesses grow and succeed. They actually see, hear, touch and interact with the technologies on a first hand basis.

"Today, 3M has Innovation Centres of Technical Excellence in over 30 countries worldwide including in Riyadh where we have created a sprawling facility," he says.

"We are now in the process of completing our latest innovation centre in Al Khobar Eastern Province. This will be among the very first 3M customer centres of its kind globally, that is dedicated to the oil and gas industry. The oil and gas industry is a key focus for 3M in Saudi Arabia as we have more than 10,000 applicable products and solutions for the oil and gas industry.

"Since the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important oil and gas hubs globally, we decided it should be the home of our unique facility which will allow us to present the latest innovations that can help achieve optimum efficiency with minimum footprint.

The Innovation Centre of Technical Excellence

"Furthermore, the facility will also serve as a training hub where 3M experts will share knowledge and global best practices with key stakeholders of Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas sector, thereby helping them achieve their respective development plans," he says.

The Innovation Centre of Technical Excellence has been created to act as a learning environment, showcase 3M’s technologies and expertise in innovation, and serve as a catalyst for collaboration between 3M and the Oil and Gas industry professionals in Saudi Arabia and the region. Anyone who is linked to the oil and gas industry, whether they are students, potential customers, business partners, or research and development experts, can visit the centre to test a host of 3M’s often ground-breaking innovations.

"Now that 3M is closer to its customers, local businesses can benefit from our global research and development strengths and can help us customise our products to meet their ever evolving needs," he says.

On why 3M chose Dammam for the centre, he says the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important oil and gas hubs globally. It is home to the regional offices of many leading oil and gas players as well as Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.

3M supplies thousands of products and solutions to the oil and gas industry which help overcome some of today’s toughest challenges. Its applications range from lightweight glass bubbles for reducing the density of downhole cements to high-performance coatings for corrosion prevention in extreme environments, and from reflective material for workers’ clothing, to safety solutions against chemical and mechanical hazards.

While it is difficult to list 10,000 solutions here, the following solutions are highlights of what 3M offer to each of the four key segments of the Oil and Gas industry:

• Upstream: for exploration and production, solutions to help improve drilling efficiency, maintain production pipeline integrity and protect valuable equipment and personnel;

• Midstream: for transportation and storage, solutions to protect pipelines against corrosion, manage underground assets and ensure reliable product flow even under extreme conditions;

• Downstream: for Refining and Processing, solutions to meet increasing global needs through improved productivity and reduced costs; and

• Retail and Marketing: for Gas Stations and Tankers, solutions to enhance branding visibility and site safety.