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Environmental packaging – Thinking outside the box

Standing out among dusty drill sites and on the back of trucks, AMC’s bright green containers with a yellow lid have made them an icon of the global drilling industry. Throughout the years our packaging has changed to withstand the harsh elements on drill sites, long journeys to our global client base and focus on reducing impact on the environment, while keeping our products as fresh as the day they were manufactured.

As environmental awareness grows in today’s society, so does the demand for sustainable packaging. IMDEX’s leading brand, AMC is committed to being at the forefront of innovation and sustainability in the drilling industry, endorsing practical ways to reduce packaging waste and promote sustainability.

At AMC we utilise a global QHSE Management System and QHSE Star Rating System to continually monitor, audit and improve our products, services and internal practices. These Systems have been developed in line with the OHSAS 18001 and ISO 9000 series of management system standards and best practices. They ensure legal compliance and an overarching commitment to quality, health, safety, environmental matters and risk management.

AMC has responded to the industry’s concern by offering flexible packaging options such as cardboard boxes suitable for powder and liquid drilling fluid products. These options are made from raw materials and use less than 10% of the plastic compared to rigid packaging. These options have been vigorously tested and carefully thought out to withstand the harsh activities of drilling.

By encouraging clients to utilise these options, AMC has seen a reduction of plastic and landfill issues on site, as well as several efficiencies in safety and logistics. These new environmental-friendly packaging options also require less energy to produce from socially responsible suppliers.

The cardboard outer is fully biodegradable and recyclable; boxes are also water-resistant and strong enough to withstand transport and the elements. For liquid products such as AMC TORQUE GUARD™ a bladder insert with easy pour taps are incomparable to lifting a heavy cube of product. When packed into boxes, we are able to reduce the amount of packaging required to be disposed of by 95%.

The cardboard box option is also smaller and more ergonomic for lifting, being less heavy than plastic. A lighter load of 20kg will assist in reducing risk of physical injury through mishandling. The reduced weight of these packages also enable more flexible for transport, such as the ability to utilise up to 50% more litres per pallet than rigid containers and reduce overall transport costs.

“Drilling optimisation is the key focus for AMC moving forward. Our business is thinking beyond the supply of quality drilling fluids, we are investing in technology and researching new ways to drill safely, effectively and sustainably. We are redefining the way our products are used, capturing data and delivering improvement in processes to minimise risk and improve profitability before our clients even start drilling.” Troy Giesler - AMC Minerals General Manager

Other technologies such as our Solids Removal Unit™ range also support the mantra of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” and complement our biodegradable and environmentally friendly drilling fluid range. AMC’s SRU™ range recycles used drilling fluid, maintaining fluid properties in optimum conditions and reducing excessive consumption of mud and water. This can have a number of flow on effects to an operation, affecting productivity, safety, logistics and the environment; not limited to:

  • Improved on-site health and safety by reducing manual handling and excessive mixing
  • Reduced water consumption mud usage and cartage costs
  • Eliminated the cost of digging and rehabilitating sumps
  • Increased drilling productivity and KPIs
  • Minimised site re-mediation and environmental management costs
  • Reduced site footprint
  • Facilitated access to environmentally sensitive or remote drill sites
  • Reduces the wear and tear on rig components
  • Minimised formation damage
  • Reduced rig maintenance and breakdowns.

It’s important to ensure that sustainability goes hand in hand with innovation. In doing so, operations can trust that drilling operations not only benefit from a reduced environmental impact, but also welcome greater efficiencies in operations. This is an indirect, but necessary, way to achieve a greater, global goal of sustainability.

Standing out among dusty drill sites and on the back of trucks, AMC’s bright green containers with a yellow lid have made them an icon of the global drilling industry. Throughout the years our packaging has changed to withstand the harsh elements on drill sites, long journeys to our global client base and focus on reducing impact on the environment, while keeping our products as fresh as the day they were manufactured.