3M has announced that it has opened a new plant in Brazil to make ‘glass bubbles’, which are hollow microspheres that allow deep-sea oil and gas drillers to operate at greater depths.

The company now has five plants making ‘glass bubbles’, with the others in France, South Korea and the USA.

The 25,000ft2 Brazil facility is in Riberião Preto, which is approximately 200 miles North of São Paulo.

“An additional production facility is necessary to meet the projected level of demand,” said Keith Rutkowski, Business Manager for speciality additives in 3M’s Energy and Advanced Materials Division.