The Ausdecom-K2 Polymers Joint Venture:
Pioneering the Future of SURF Recycling in Australia
Nestled on the banks of the River Tyne in the Northeast of England, K2 Polymers has established its expertise in the recycling of factory surplus and decommissioned subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines (SURF). With over 25 years of experience, the company has successfully transitioned from initially recycling SURF manufacturers production off-cuts to recover the engineered polymers and ferrous / non-ferrous metals to providing end to end recycling and waste tracking for the growing offshore SURF decommissioning international markets.
Over the past 10 years, Ausdecom has a proven track record in the safe, self-forming decommissioning and demolition of large scale onshore oil and gas refineries, terminals and a large spectrum of high-risk heavy-industrial sectors including Chemical, Petro-chemical, Aluminium Smelting and Power Generation. During late-life operations of offshore oil and gas infrastructure, Ausdecom stands out as a trusted partner for entities gearing up for final asset retirement. With solutions that encompass every facet of onshore decommissioning and disposal for offshore installations and subsea infrastructures, they have carved a niche in this emerging Australian industry. Collaborative ties with port facilities and operators close to offshore oil and gas fields allow Ausdecom to offer streamline services, from port provisions and load-in preparations to dismantling, recycling and hazardous waste management in line with Commonwealth and State Regulations.
In the heart of this dynamic landscape, Ausdecom and K2 Polymers have come together, forming a 50/50 Australian partnership called SURF Recycling Services. With a shared commitment to a sustainable circular economy and a vision to revolutionize the SURF disposal and recycling sector required by the Australian oil and gas operators, this new joint venture aims to address the pressing concern of SURF materials’ mixed plastics and metals recycling. With current disposal routes in Australia often leading to landfill as the only option, SURF Recycling Services offers an alternative, fully traceable recycling solution. With a proven track record of achieving up to 98% recycling capabilities SURF Recycling Services is set to make a real difference to this market sector.
Plans are underway to set up a state-of-the-art recycling facility in Western Australia, strategically positioned to cater to the oil and gas operators off the northwestern coast of the country. Future endeavours also include replicating this service and recycling facility at Ausdecom’s headquarters in Laverton North, Victoria, ensuring that the southeastern Australian offshore SURF market is equally catered for.
Recent collaborations, including a Front End Engineering & Design Study for one of the major Australian oil and gas operators on the recycling of 144 km of flexibles, have not only validated the Australian joint venture solution but have also transferred the wealth of experience and expertise K2 Polymers have gained over 25 years in the UK to the Australian market.
Services offered by SURF Recycling Services include:
• Feasibility studies for selecting ports and quaysides tailored to projects
• Class 2 cost estimations and scheduling for onshore disposal phases
• Method selection for onshore dismantling and recycling based on specific offshore removal campaigns
• Engineering for quayside load-ins, laydown plans, and logistics
• Environmental controls at quayside from residual materials during downsizing and transport preparation
• Asset management: reuse, repurposing, dismantling, decontamination, recycling, and disposal
• Mature secondary raw materials end markets covering polymers, ferrous, non-ferrous metals
• Waste management, with a focus on hazardous and NORM management
• End-to-end material and waste tracking and environmental close out reports
