The American consumer no longer chooses their grocery items based on price alone, often opting to buy from companies who employ organic methods of growing food or have a reputation for being “green.” The energy industry is no exception to this same decision-making process. However, sustainability in the energy industry goes beyond the traditional definition of choosing to employ the use of solar panels over oil or gas resources. With the American boom in natural gas, many oil and gas producers are updating old equipment to keep up with demand and as late model equipment becomes idle, it begs the question of what happens to those capital-intensive assets.
Leading companies in the energy sector are particularly interested in avoiding any risk to their brand, and gaps in sustainability can harbor potential damage to overall reputation. Oil and gas and mining companies are often portrayed in a somewhat negative light, providing further complications beyond the standard safety measures in risk management. This is where surplus and idle assets can become equivalent to gold for companies in the energy sector. Whether companies are dealing with late-model line pipe, hydraulic equipment, energy turbines, or even gas plants and oil rigs; choosing to dispose of the assets in a sustainable manner can improve overall “green” metrics for the company while providing working equipment for another company that may require the asset.
(Bylined article by Gardner Dudley, Vice President and General Manager for Network International, a Liquidity Services’ marketplace)
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