> Name, job title and length of time working for Pipetech
My name is Brian Thain, and I’m the Operations Manager for Pipetech in the UK. 2026 marks my 10th year working here.
> Can you share a brief overview of your career journey before Pipetech, and what inspired you to join the team?
I started my oil and gas career in a workshop environment, maintaining diesel-driven jetting pumps for Powerflo Rentals before moving offshore with the team. After two and a half years, I transitioned to Rigblast—later becoming part of Stork—where I initially worked offshore as a fitter and progressed to supervisor within 18 months.
Over the next 15 years, I held a variety of offshore roles across multiple regions worldwide, gaining extensive hands-on experience in operations, supervision, and the delivery of industrial waste management services. When the time felt right to move into an office-based career path, I moved into the role of Technical Support Engineer. In this position, I supported new Project Management graduates, helping them develop their understanding of offshore operations and guiding their early career development.
During this period, I was also involved in the evaluation of new technologies, which was where I first learned about Pipetech and its plans to enter the UK market. This exposure broadened my interest in innovative solutions and contributed to the progression of my career in operational leadership.
> From starting at Pipetech as a Supervisor to becoming Operations Manager, what pivotal experiences along the way have most shaped the way you lead today?
Looking back on my progression from Supervisor to Operations Manager at Pipetech, the biggest influences on how I lead today come from working within a small, highly involved team. Because of our size, none of us—including myself—operate within a single-role mindset. We all contribute across the full range of business deliverables, and that collective approach has shaped my leadership style.
I have always believed that a team is only as strong as its weakest link. For me, that means sharing knowledge openly across the business in both the UK and Norway, mentoring our adhoc team, and encouraging everyone to voice their ideas and opinions. Creating an environment where people feel empowered to contribute is essential—not only for individual growth, but for the long-term success of the business.
> What does a typical day look like for you, and what are your key responsibilities?
A typical day for me involves managing the operational workflow to ensure all projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in line with client expectations. My day usually begins with reviewing the status of ongoing projects and identifying any emerging operational priorities. I also assess resource allocation to make sure we have the right personnel, equipment, and support in place to handle both planned activities and reactive work.
Throughout the day, I work closely with clients to understand their requirements, provide updates, and ensure alignment on scope, timelines, and deliverables. Internally, I collaborate with our team to support planning, problem-solving, and cost control, helping to keep projects on track and within budget.
Maintaining strong HSE performance is a core part of my role. I regularly review procedures, planned scope documentation, and available equipment to ensure compliance and proactive risk management. This helps us maintain safe operations while meeting client needs efficiently.
> Tell us about a recent project you have worked on, including any challenges encountered and solutions implemented?
A recent project I led involved responding to a short-notice call-off for a client experiencing an unplanned shutdown of a critical system. We were given less than a week to mobilise, so one of the primary challenges was rapidly assembling the right resources. Despite the tight timeframe, we successfully built a 25-person site team using expertise from both UK and Norway.
Another major challenge was that the job required significant real-time engineering. Because the shutdown was unplanned, much of the scope had to be assessed, designed, and executed on the ground. This required strong coordination across disciplines, clear communication, and quick but informed decision-making to keep activities progressing safely.
As a result, we delivered the largest financial UK project to date and completed the full scope within the expected six-week timeframe, achieving zero downtime and no HSE incidents — a significant accomplishment given the highly reactive nature of the work.
> What separates Pipetech from existing operators in the market?
We always take the time to understand our clients’ needs and work closely with them to ensure the right resources are allocated, enabling us to deliver a cost-efficient and time-efficient service.
How does Pipetech’s Downhole Scale Remediation (DSR) technology transform operators’ approach to downhole well scale removal?
Pipetech’s Downhole Scale Remediation (DSR) technology fundamentally transforms how operators tackle downhole scale removal by replacing reactive, high-risk interventions with a precise, non-damaging and environmentally responsible solution. As an industry-first, UK-developed technology, DSR addresses one of the offshore sector’s most persistent challenges—severe downhole scale—without the compromises inherent in traditional methods.
At the core of DSR is a patented rotational high-pressure water-jetting system, integrated with an adaptive semi-rigid tracking hose. This combination enables operators to navigate complex downhole geometries and remove scale from wellbores, safety valves, perforations and other critical components, restoring them to bare metal with previously unachievable precision – without chemicals and without damaging the asset.
By eliminating reliance on chemical treatments or aggressive mechanical tools, the DSR offers a safer, cleaner and more efficient alternative that reduces environmental risk, shortens intervention time and improves operational certainty. Early testing demonstrates the technology’s ability to enhance production efficiency, reduce well downtime, extend asset life and support emissions-reduction goals, making it a step-change solution not only for oil and gas operations, but also for emerging CCUS applications.
> What has been your top highlight during your 10 years at Pipetech?
There have been many highlights throughout my career — from building strong collaboration between our Norway and UK teams in the early days, to developing and deploying our pressure containment tool for online process cleaning and now being part of the DSR development team.
> What is the best professional advice you’ve received during your career?
The best advice I’ve received is to make decisions based on facts, but don’t ignore your instincts — they’re built on experience and to take ownership, even when it’s uncomfortable because taking accountability builds trust within your team.