Featured Engineered to Order Oil & Gas Solutions

Clemco's Bulk Blast Machine, the Big Clem, fastened to a trailer for mobility and a media storage hopper on top

A top U.S. oil & gas company needed a high-performance blasting solution to restore and work over aging rail cars used to transport petroleum products, chemicals, and drilling materials. These rail cars—often corroded, coated with old paint, or contaminated from years of service—required full surface stripping and preparation before recoating, relining, or repurposing. The blasting system had to be robust, mobile, and OSHA-compliant, supporting both field-based operations and shop-based refurbishment workflows while maintaining environmental and safety standards.
Clemco worked hand-in-hand with the oil & gas company’s logistics, maintenance, and environmental compliance teams to design application-specific blast machines tailored to the size, material, and coating systems used on rail cars. The design process included:
- Analyzing the typical rail car conditions, including corrosion levels, scale buildup, and coating thickness
- Specifying abrasive types and nozzle configurations suited for large surface areas and structural steel
- Engineering portable, high-capacity blast pots for on-site flexibility and long run times
- Ensuring systems included dust suppression options, remote operation controls, and compatibility with containment protocols
- Factoring in operator safety, media reclaim efficiency, and air supply needs for full-field deployment or in-plant use
Clemco delivered a fleet of customized blast machines specifically engineered for rail car restoration, including:
- 6 cu ft and 10 cu ft pressure-hold blast pots with multiple outlet capability to support two or more operators
- Skid- and trailer-mounted bulk blast machines for deployment along railyards, terminals, or at repair facilities
- Heavy-duty blast hoses, nozzles, and metering valves designed for extended use on large steel surfaces
- Moisture separators and breathing air filters to ensure safe, uninterrupted blasting in variable field conditions
- Support for integrating with containment enclosures, vacuum recovery systems, or paint shop transitions
The result was a versatile, high-output blasting solution that empowered the oil & gas customer to safely refurbish rail assets, extend the life of rolling stock, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect valuable materials in transit—while reducing rework and improving operational efficiency.

Rail Car Blasting

Oil & Gas: Rail Car Blasting

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Pre-assembled abrasive blast room in grey for large scale blasting projects

A major oil & gas company required a large-format, automated blast room to prepare sections of drill pipe destined for deep exploration wells. These pipe sections must endure extreme downhole conditions including high pressure, torque, temperature, and corrosive media. The goal was to remove mill scale, rust, and surface contaminants to achieve a precisely controlled anchor profile for specialized coatings that prevent wear and corrosion. The solution had to accommodate long pipe lengths, enable high-volume throughput, and deliver uniform, spec-compliant surface finishes in a safe, efficient environment.
Clemco worked closely with the oilfield service team, maintenance engineers, and coatings specialists to design an automated blast room system that met both operational and quality requirements. Key considerations during the design phase included:
- Accommodating pipe sections up to 40 feet in length and various diameters
- Engineering automated pipe rotation systems and multi-axis blast nozzle gantries to ensure consistent 360° coverage
- Selecting abrasive media and blast pressures optimized for steel pipe surface prep without damaging threads or critical tolerances
- Integrating media reclaim systems, dust collection, and air quality controls to maintain clean operation and abrasive efficiency
- Designing the system for remote control, recipe programming, and compatibility with existing logistics and coating workflows
Clemco delivered a massive, fully automated blast room tailored specifically for high-throughput drill pipe surface preparation, featuring:
- A custom-engineered blast enclosure with reinforced steel construction, high-output lighting, and operator safety interlocks
- Automated blast nozzle gantries programmed to track and blast pipe surfaces while pipe sections rotate on motorized rollers
- A high-performance abrasive recovery and reclaim system with full media classification for long-term efficiency
- PLC/HMI-based controls with recipe management for different pipe types, allowing consistent, repeatable surface results
- Full training, startup assistance, and documentation to support safety, productivity, and API/Q1 compliance
The result was a world-class surface preparation environment that enabled the oil & gas customer to achieve faster turnaround times, improved coating adhesion, and greater pipe reliability for critical deep exploration operations—ultimately boosting uptime and lowering long-term maintenance costs.

Drill Pipe Preparation

Oil & Gas: Drill Pipe Preparation