ESR Technology, a United Kingdom-based engineering, safety and risk management consultancies, has announced that Total E&P UK Ltd. has joined its HOIS joint industry project concerning improved nondestructive testing in the oil and gas industry.

ESR Technology hosts and manages HOIS, which is the primary industry forum for discussing inspection issues and exploiting improved inspection technologies for applications in the oil and gas industry, with a particular focus on upstream areas.

"Total looks forward to actively participating in the HOIS JIP," says Billy Mackay, senior inspection engineer with Total E&P UK. "The inspection challenges presented by mature assets and modern plant facilities are best tackled by sharing current knowledge with industry peers and by contributing to the development of existing and new technologies. Total view HOIS as the ideal technical forum to deliver solutions to these inspection challenges in a cost effective manner."

HOIS is a well-established joint industry project. Its membership of 27 includes major multi-national oil and gas companies, leading inspection service companies, two of the world's largest nondestructive testing equipment suppliers and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Member organizations cover a wide geographical area including Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.

"We are delighted to have Total on board," says Steve Burch, HOIS program manager. "To have a company of their size and influence in the oil and gas industry join HOIS can only help to further strengthen its position as the leading industry forum for oil and gas related inspection issues."

HOIS is operated by ESR Technology Ltd.