Cokebusters International

08/09/2026

We're so looking forward to attending this XRG Technologies, LLC event in Rotterdam on the 24th of September!

Tackling fired heater fouling has been at the heart of what we do at Cokebusters for over 21 years, so this is exactly our territory.

The seminar will cover fouling types, the impact on efficiency, reliability and emissions, mitigation strategies and decoking, alongside real-world case studies and lessons learned from across the industry.

Our MD James Phipps will be presenting technical insights from the field, drawing on two decades of hands-on experience solving exactly these challenges for clients worldwide.

If you're attending, we'd love to connect. Will we see you there?

📍 Rotterdam Marriott Hotel, 24th September

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03/09/2026

Ever wondered why our data software is called ROXTAIL?

Years ago, founder John Phipps got talking with the inventor of RoxAnn - a seabed classification system that uses echo sounder data to map the material characteristics of the ocean floor, turning raw acoustic readings into visual, colour-coded terrain maps.

He explained where the name came from: partly a nod to what the system was actually mapping, "rocks and...", and partly a nod to his love of Sting and The Police and their song 'Roxanne'.

John never forgot this and when it came to naming Cokebusters' own proprietary software, the parallel felt too good to ignore! This is the system that takes raw ultrasonic inspection data and turns it into numerical outputs, C-scans and full 3D visualisations.

It was different data in a different industry, but the same idea: turning something you can't see into something you can properly understand.

And so ROXTAIL was born!

Not every piece of engineering history needs to be entirely serious. Sometimes a good name is just a good name 🎸

01/09/2026

Well this is exciting!

Cokebusters has been named a finalist in not one, but two categories at the EIC (Energy Industries Council) World Energy Supply Chain Awards (WESCA) 2026!

Collaboration & Technology.

Both categories reflect our continued investment in R&D and the partnerships behind it, including our Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with the University of Strathclyde, which have driven real advances in machine learning and ultrasonic signal interpretation over the past few years.

Being recognised alongside the biggest names in the global energy supply chain is a genuine honour and a reflection of the work our Technology Department and wider team put in every day.

Winners will be announced at the WESCA ceremony on Thursday 29th October, at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square. Fingers crossed 🤞

27/08/2026

Last year we put "The CB Way" in writing and here's why...

Over the past 21 years, Cokebusters has grown from a small family business into an international company serving the global energy industry. With that growth comes a big responsibility to protect the principles, standards and behaviours that have defined us since day one.

The CB Way is our values framework. It applies to everyone, from the Board of Directors to the newest recruit and it's built around eight simple pillars:

Excellence Focused - Get it right first time
Results Driven - Get the job done
Innovative - Generate ideas
Flexible - Happy to adapt
Communicative - Get involved
Team Focused - Think of others
Trustworthy - Act with integrity
Performance Oriented - Want to improve

These are the principles upon which the company has operated for two decades: promoting from within, designing our own equipment, refusing to compromise on safety and choosing long-term reliability over short-term shortcuts.

It's not always easy to cling to such foundational values as a company expands and like all growing businesses we've hit bumps along the road. But having these core pillars set in stone reminds us every day who we are and why that matters.

25/08/2026

We recently found and precisely located a 50.3% wall loss in a transfer line that had been dismissed as "unpiggable".

Transfer lines get overlooked more often than they should. Operators focus inspection resources on larger pipelines, while shorter transfer lines carrying their own serious safety risk go unassessed because their tight bends, tee-pieces and schedule changes are deemed to be beyond the capability of conventional cleaning and inspection tools.

We've put together a free case study showing exactly how our MK5 Smart Pig inspected one such line; navigating the geometry that had ruled it out of previous inspection attempts and identifying a significant defect using axial measurement and C-scan data.

Inside, you'll find:

• Why transfer lines are frequently under-inspected and the safety risk this creates

• How the MK5's titanium body and 5 MHz ultrasonic probe array navigate tight bends and tee-pieces

• The specific defect identified and how the finding was verified on site

If you're responsible for transfer line integrity, it's worth five minutes!

📥 Download the free case study here: https://cokebusters.kit.com/ili-unpiggable-transfer-lines

20/08/2026

Same capability, different footprint - why do we have two types of Double Pumping Unit in our fleet?

When Cokebusters was founded waaaaay back in 2005 we saw a problem.

Our Double Pumping Units were highly effective, but the standard trailer-mounted format - shaped by North American road transport conventions -wasn't always the right fit for overseas shipping or congested shutdown sites where laydown space is at a premium.

So we did what we always do. We went back to the drawing board and we innovated, designing and building the first containerised DPU.

Our container units deliversidentical capability to our trailer-mounted ones with twin independent pumping engines, bi-directional operation, a fully manned control room and two-stage water filtration, all built into a 40ft Hi-Cube shipping container.

The benefits of this bijou DPU extend far beyond size.

A containerised unit can be lifted directly onto a freight vessel, opening up cost-effective deployment to regions where transporting an oversized trailer would be impractical or prohibitively expensive.

Two decades on, that early decision now supports our fleet across the Middle East, South America and the Far East and we're seeing demand grow from US clients on congested sites.

Capability should never be compromised, but how that capability is packaged should always respond to where and how it needs to be delivered.

Read the full story behind the design 👇

https://cokebusters.com/news/containerised-vs-trailer-mounted-dpu/

Discover the engineering thinking behind Cokebusters' containerised and trailer-mounted Double Pumping Units — same capability, different footprint, built for the realities of every site.

18/08/2026

Not every job calls for the same inspection tool, so we built two.

We're pleased to introduce clearer naming for our Smart Pig technology: UT HELIX and UT AXIS.

UT HELIX is the result of over two decades of continuous development for inspecting furnaces, coils and serpentine arrangements. It's built to navigate the tightest geometry - 1D bends, diameter changes and restricted access points - across tubes, pipes and pipelines from 1.5" to 12" diameter, at lengths of up to 15km.

UT AXIS takes that same compact capability and adds a dedicated odometer system, correlating every ultrasonic reading with a precise axial location. Deployed through existing inline pig valves, it's purpose-built for pipelines from 4" to 12" that have previously been considered unpiggable using traditional multi-bodied tools.

Both deliver up to 60,000 measurements per linear metre and both navigate complex geometry that conventional tools can't manage, but they're designed to solve different problems.

Over more than two decades in the inspection industry, we've learned that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead we believe in understanding the asset, the access and the outcome required and then choosing the tool engineered specifically for the job.

If we don't have a tool suitable, then give us time and we'll invent one!

Get in touch to learn more about our inspection services 📞

13/08/2026

Two members of our Operations Team have received promotions this week, so we thought we'd celebrate with a curry... in a heatwave! 🥵

At Cokebusters our site operators are graded according to their level of skill, experience and competency. Training is all carried out in-house and we are keen to support each member of the team to achieve their highest potential within the company.

Last September Mike Muia rose from a Grade 2 operator to a Grade 1 and has now been promoted to Operations Project Supervisor just 11 months later.

Steve McDonald joined us as an Operations Technician just over a year ago and has been promoted to a Grade 2 operator. We did give him the opportunity to make a speech in front of all his colleagues, but he politely declined!

Congratulations to Mike and Steve! Both promotions well deserved 👏

10/08/2026

It's here! Our new website is live 🎉

The new and improved cokebusters.com has been a long time in the making, but we're very proud of it. It's a much more accurate reflection of who we are and the range of services we offer in 2026.

What's new:
• Dedicated pages for every service mechanical cleaning, inline inspection and integrity management across fired heaters, steam generators and pipelines
• A full Technologies section covering full specification of our Smart Pigs, Double Pumping Units, Header Bypass System and more
• A brand new Knowledge Hub - news articles, case studies, FAQs and a glossary of inspection terminology

Designed with the user in mind, it's a content-rich site which truly reflects our twenty one years of engineering expertise in a very niche industry.

We'd love for you to take a look around and if you have a cleaning or inspection challenge you'd like to discuss, the contact page is a good place to start 🔧

👉 https://cokebusters.com/

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We provide proprietary products and expert consultancy as part of a holistic offering: finding more effective and efficient methods to clean and inspect tubes, pipes and pipelines and maintain energy infrastructure. As a family business, we never lose sight of the importance of personalised service....

07/08/2026

The walls are up! 🏗️

Progress at our new Americas Operations Centre in Houston is moving fast and this video clip shows just how far things have come since we broke ground earlier this year.

The steel frame is up, the main structure is taking shape and the building is starting to look exactly like the vision we've been planning for a long time.

The team is on track to move in at the end of 2026, with an official opening planned for January 2027.

We can't wait!