DEEPOCEAN GROUP NEWSLETTER 2016 NUMBER 3
INTO THE DEEP 2
CONTENTS
03 Intro 04 News 05 Ethics & Compliance 06 HSE 08 The Fleet 09 Technology 16 Operations 18 Events 19 People
EDITOR Ellen Kristin Bauer-Nilsen
COMMITTEE Anna Masztalerek Johnny Andre Spangberg Jon Inge Pedersen Katie Johnson Laila Thorvik Marianne Mjølhus Hovda Magnus Campbell Olaf Alexander Hansen Scott Roberts Tom Howard Vigleik Ølfernes Heien DESIGN Garp Design PUBLISHED 15.12.16
INTRO
DEAR COLLEAGUES, In November we announced the successful conclusion of our CollabOcean project. The international investment firm Triton will become the new lead shareholder of the DeepOcean Group of companies and will, in collaboration with some of the existing shareholders in DeepOcean, support the company’s growth over the coming years. Through this equity raise and the future support of Triton, DeepOcean is well positioned to weather the downturn in the oil & gas markets and also to take advantage of growth opportunities in the oil & gas and renewables markets. This transaction has achieved the following key objectives for DeepOcean. •
In Triton we have found a strong and experienced lead shareholder with key competencies in strategy, business development and operational excellence to support the company going forward
•
With the capital raise we have ensured a significant strengthening of our balance sheet. In today’s markets, having a strong owner and a solid financial position is an important competitive advantage as our clients increasingly focus on counterparty solidity and long-term viability when allocating contracts
•
Through the agreed charter rate reductions and voluntary compensation reduction by 86% of our employees we have lowered our cost and improved our competitiveness
Although I am extremely pleased with the significant new equity investment and the strengthening of our balance sheet we should not forget that we are still operating in very tough oil & gas and offshore renewables industries and need to control cost and execute well.
Yours truly
I would like to thank all employees again for their dedication and contributions and extend my appreciation to the project team who worked on the successful completion of project CollabOcean. The transaction is expected to close around New Year.
Bart Heijermans Chief Executive Officer
INTO THE DEEP 3
INTO THE DEEP 4
NEWS
MEET THE NEW MAJORITY OWNER As announced on November 24th, funds advised by Triton, an international investment firm, becomes the new majority owner of DeepOcean. Triton is expected to take the lead in the New Year.
“We are very much looking forward to working together with the management team and the Board of Directors to build an even stronger company”, says Fredrik Brynildsen who coordinates Triton’s Norwegian investment advisory activities. FUTURE GROWTH Triton is a strong and experienced owner with key competencies in strategy, business development and operational excellence. The investment firm’s strategic insight and operational know-how within the industry will support the future growth and development of DeepOcean. “Our goal with DeepOcean is to grow and thereby create long-term value. Triton believes this company will become a driving force for consolidation in the industry. We are impressed by DeepOcean’s track record, which we will seek to build on,” says Brynildsen. MARKET OUTLOOK Triton has followed DeepOcean and the market closely for some time and is experienced in the oil & gas and renewable sectors. Even though the offshore market has been hit hard during the past few years and Triton expects periods of turbulence, the investment firm believes in investing against the cycle. The subsea market is big, and the installed base is getting older, creating a market for inspection, maintenance and repair. “Triton has the financial strength to support DeepOcean. A strong owner and a solid balance sheet is an important advantage for DeepOcean as the clients increasingly focus on counterparty solidity and long-term viability when allocating contracts”, says Brynildsen.
Fredrik Brynildsen
TRITON,
A STABLE AND EXPERIENCED OWNER Founded in 1997, Triton currently holds 28 companies in its portfolio. Together they have a combined sale of €13.4 billion and around 75,000 employees. Triton invests in and supports the positive development of medium-sized businesses based in Northern Europe, Italy and Spain. Within this European region, Triton focuses on businesses in the Industrial, Business Services and Consumer/Health sectors.
ETHICS & COMPLIANCE
INTO THE DEEP 5
RESPECT DIVERSITY OVER HOLIDAY SEASON (AND ALWAYS) With the winter holiday season upon us, it is more important than ever to realise we are a multinational diverse workforce, with a mixture of cultures and beliefs from all around the globe. Understanding and respect for that diversity should permeate our everyday dealings with colleagues, suppliers, and business associates alike. WHAT IS DIVERSITY? By valuing diversity we acknowledge and appreciate everyone’s differences, perspectives, and unique contributions. It also means respecting the communication and work styles of others and the roles they play in our organisation. A work environment in which everyone feels respected and included helps us retain the valuable talent, increase motivation and drive innovation; all of which make us a stronger organisation. LAW AND POLICY Certain characteristics are protected by law from workplace discrimination. Those include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. We should always take care not to engage in any discriminatory behaviour which may have consequences both for our Company and the individual. But more than that, DeepOcean wants to go beyond the law to foster an atmosphere of diversity and respect for everyone, both inside and outside our organisation. You can support this important goal by acting professionally, exercising good judgment, and avoiding questionable behaviour. WORKPLACE RESPECT By judging or stereotyping people we risk creating a negative work environment. Try to see past differences and appreciate other points of view. At the core of respecting diversity is understanding and appreciating everybody’s right to be different, free from discrimination, valued as an individual, and having a right to their own beliefs and values. Avoid insulting or threatening others, telling inappropriate jokes, or displaying potentially offensive messages or pictures. Be aware of appropriate personal boundaries and physical contact, making
sure to respect others’ beliefs and preferences. If you offend someone, make a sincere effort to apologise. DIVERSITY AND HOLIDAYS So why bring up this subject in relation to the winter holiday season? Well, the answer is simple. With the multitudes of Santas, ornaments, and Christmas songs played in every store, it may be easy to forget that a significant number of people do not celebrate Christmas. In reality, many different events, both spiritual, religious, and tradition-based, are celebrated in many different ways during these times. Let’s not forget that our well-intentioned greetings may be uncomfortable to those of our colleagues and associates who do not share our beliefs. What then should we do? We should realise that people celebrate a variety of holidays during this time of year, and some people choose to celebrate none. Be respectful of these differences by taking an interest in other people’s traditions and making them feel welcome. Don’t be afraid to ask people what holidays they celebrate. Find out what they do during this time of the year that is special. Let it be an opportunity to learn about different cultures and religions and the traditions that accompany them. Our organisation is committed to a culture of respect. This means appreciating others’ unique perspectives and backgrounds. It is up to you to help us maintain a positive work environment. Your efforts help us all create a better place to work and grow. So, let’s all have happy holidays, whatever they are! Compliance Team
Authors: Compliance Team by Anna Masztalerek
INTO THE DEEP 6
HSE
SAFETY COACH, SCOTT ROBERTS For the past eight months, I have been fortunate and privileged to find myself working as part of the DeepOcean team, successfully delivering on various projects within the Norwegian continental shelf, for clients including BP, Statoil and ENI. What struck me, while working with our clients, is that all three operators, as you would expect, place safety as their ‘top priority’ – yet, individually, they all had differing levels of expectations therein.
The beauty, and perhaps a key part of DeepOceans’ success, is that whomever we deliver work for, we manage to maintain our own identity and uphold our integrity throughout operations – whilst exceeding our client expectations, delivering reliably, efficiently and safely. In part, I think our collective success, from an HSEQ viewpoint, can be found within our corporate DNA, and desire to: • • •
Prevent something bad from happening Stop something bad (should it happen) from becoming worse Recover from something bad once it has happened
do that, things can get a little more complicated. If you break the definition down, you see there are three areas of focus needed to drive the right behaviours of HSE Operational discipline: • • •
his understandings and expectations of a TBT were, he explained: ‘It is to ensure a process of formal planning
Knowing what is the right thing to do Be willing to always do the right thing Ensure that others also do the right thing
We have a collective responsibility and ownership to safeguard that the policies and procedures (within our HSEQ management system) governing our operational activities comply with company, legislative requirements and industry best practice, and from a delivery perspective, that there is a consistent and reliable implementation of the policies and procedures by all personnel • at all levels within the organisation. This can only be achieved when we are united and understand the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ we are seeking to achieve, this methodology has driven specific coaching focus areas, targeting control of work, communication, workforce engagement and authentic leadership.
What is the secret to DeepOcean’s success? The answer is simple… It’s you, it’s all of us, everyone that is part of the DeepOcean team. It is true, DeepOcean does attract and retain the best talent in the industry, and we are all integral to the successes of the organisation, but we cannot rest on our laurels, we need to be mindful that we can also be the victim of our own, and DeepOcean’s, failures. The primary focus of my role over the past I would like to share three short examples eight months has been to work alongside of good, positive, safety behaviours I have the relevant individuals, teams, depart- observed during my time offshore that I ments and crews that have delivered believe can be emulated throughout the success for our BP, Statoil and ENI clients; organisation. Each are simple illustrations focussing on the operational discipline of that personify the tenets of HSE Operathose engaged with HSE matters during tional discipline, (1) knowing what is the project execution. Operational discipline right thing to do, (2) Being willing to always I would define as ‘doing the right thing, do the right thing, and (3) Ensuring that the right way, every time’. This is a pretty others also do the right thing: simple definition, but when you start thinking through the implications of what it takes • When invited to attend a Toolbox Talk for both employer and employee to be prop(TBT) aboard the Edda Freya, I took the erly equipped and have the motivation to opportunity to ask the talk leader what
and discussion has taken place with everyone involved in a task, that will confirm the task, the steps involved, and to delegate duties. Awareness of any risks and hazards are raised, as well as counter-measures to ensure safety. It’s a final check and balance to make sure everyone is clear and understanding of the expectations to complete the imminent task safely.’ The talk leader ensured his team were aware of all details within the Task Plan, SJA, MSDS and the Permit, before allowing work to commence. Aboard the Edda Fauna, I was able to offer support (not that it was required) when an individual noticed something not right about a fellow colleague’s working practices. Without hesitation, he immediately chose to intervene. For many, an intervention can be difficult to commit to, due to the internal battle of emotional (heart) over logical (head) demons. Nonetheless, with confidence this individual safely interrupted his colleague and began to explain: ‘Can I have a chat with you? I really don’t want you getting hurt, but I have noticed that…’ I believe that an intervention is a demonstration of DeepOcean’s key values; Attitude, Courage and Teamwork, and that the biggest unsafe acts are failing to intervene, and not accepting an intervention in an encouraging manner.
Only recently, I was accompanying a Super-
HSE
visor on an impromptu tour of the back deck on Edda Freya. He elected to participate with the ACT for Safety Programme. I believe the Supervisor’s creative use of ‘open’ questions during the safety dialogue conversation made the experience all the more natural, non-confrontational and relaxed for all concerned. Examples of the questions he asked that created real meaningful and insightful dialogue included: • •
How can you and others get hurt? What might you have missed or forgotten to do? What if something unexpected happens?
ingrained and limiting beliefs of a minority of personnel, where their everyday language included commentary such as ‘we have always done it this way’, ‘the paperwork is all in order’ and ‘it is just routine work, we’ll be okay’.
today, here, now, to us… but we are only kidding ourselves – eventually, something will happen. Blinded to the mistakes that can be made, and if we aren’t focussed on the task, routine or not, if we don’t take our safety seriously, if we stop being uneasy, Again, we need to be mindful; the fact that if we stop looking for warning signs, if we an incident hasn’t happened doesn’t mean stop asking ‘what if’ questions… if we aren’t that it won’t. In our line of work, every inci- aware of our own complacency, we will dent-free day that passes might increase the become its victim. On this basis, some partchance of one happening. There is no escap- ing thoughts from myself:
ing the fact that danger lurks down every corridor, across the deck of every vessel, within every one of our offices. This danger • cannot be seen by the naked eye, nor can it be heard, touched, tasted or even smelt. These simple, and effective examples all Personal protective equipment does little share common themes - namely, that Deep- against it, risk assessments rarely identify Ocean employees understand what good it, yet it is the single most common cause safety performance looks like, that people of injury in today’s work place. What is this genuinely care for the safety of their silent and devious danger that stalks our colleagues, and that people do challenge every move? It’s called complacency. the status quo, actively monitoring safety in real-time. To become complacent with our own safety can turn both the complex and basic tasks Through the openness and honesty of that we complete daily into the perfect certain personnel, the main challenges expe- recipe for disaster. We are all guilty at times, rienced by myself offshore stem from the of telling ourselves it won’t happen to me,
Nothing is routine. Paperwork alone will not keep us safe. Don’t assume that everything will be OK, just because it has been until now.
Scott Roberts, Safety Coach
INTO THE DEEP 7
INTO THE DEEP 8
THE FLEET
VESSEL OF THE YEAR CAMPAIGN DEEP VISION
1
DINA STAR
2
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA - Total recordable injuries frequency - Safety observation cards close outs - Environmental releases - Vessel operational uptime - Client feedback
ATLANTIC CHALLENGER
3
TECHNOLOGY
WORKING IN MEXICAN WATERS In Mexico, ROV projects are mostly undertaken on chartered vessels of convenience or on vessels provided by the client. This means generally a mobilisation from zero, involving the visits to the vessel, engineering for class-approval/certification, preparation/maintenance of the ROV system, documentation - mostly in Spanish though sometimes in both English and Spanish, temporary import of rented survey systems, etc. The majority of vessels chartered by ourselves some 30km in total. The “Crest Bazan 2” is a are Chinese-built and operate on 50Hz power, 60m vessel and the first challenge presented so we need to mobilize external 60Hz gener- was working in the dangerous waters offshore ators. Most vessels only provide very limited Veracruz in the winter period. The so-called satellite communication services, requiring “Norte” is a cold front that comes from the the mobilisation of external systems. Vessels north, almost at weekly intervals, with assoof convenience here in Mexico also do not ciated vicious storms, building up steep seas normally have USBL systems, so prepara- offshore sometimes reaching a wave height tions for side-mounted pole arrangements of 7m, requiring sheltering either in port or at are required. Sometimes vessels have a very the anchorage location of Veracruz. Weather low free-board, and depending on the time of down-time was almost 50%. Note that the the year and location (weather, seas), we need choice for a relatively small and cost effective to prepare for pedestals to lift the entire ROV vessel was based on the fact that the Castoro system off the deck (crane, winch, containers, 10 would also not be able to operate in seas generators etc.) to allow for safe operations when Crest Bazan 2 was likely down on weather, with water on deck. In all, mobilisations here which gave us a competitive edge against the are quite intensive. With the expertise built big ROV spreads of the competitors. up over time, we normally do not exceed the 5-day limit we set ourselves for a successful A second challenge was to cope with the diffimobilisation from zero. We can occasionally culties encountered in dealing with the port be hampered by the weather conditions (trop- of Veracruz. This is an international container ical rain showers means stopping all welding port, and for every movement of equipment or operations during mobilisation), or the shal- personnel, customs are involved, often creatlow water ports (Ciudad del Carmen and ing delays in services to be delivered to the the second closest port Seybaplaya) where vessel. The port unions are another source departures can only be around high water tide. of difficulties, often putting up time-consumUncertainty of custom delays, when equip- ing barriers in dealing with services required ment arrives from Houston to Merida, can when in port. Thanks to the good perforpush mobilisation schedules to the limit at mances of the vessel, ROV and our Survey and times, but as in previous years, 2016 was a ROV team, we were subsequently awarded the year where we met our mobilisation goal. trenching phase of the 30km of Lakach pipelines in June 2016. We successfully undertook We mobilised for the Saipem Lakach project this part of the project from the vessel DP1 on DP2 “Crest Bazan 2” in October 2015 and “Swiber Ada” in the summer of 2016, which we undertook the pre-lay survey, pipeline start-up already mobilised for two other projects in the support for Saipem pipelay barge Castoro 10, spring, the Ayatsil as-built project for Swiber touch down monitoring and as-laid surveys Subsea Offshore and the FPSO anchor line of two 18” gas pipelines, in water depths of inspection of FPSO “Yúum K´ak´Náab” for 25m in offshore Veracruz to the 130m contour, BW Offshore. Standby for weather dropped
from some 50% to 17%, a significant change with the winter works on Crest Bazan 2. Another mobilisation was for DEMAR for the as-built inspection of the PP-KU-M to PP-LUM-A 14.5km pipeline, this was done on the Client vessel DP2 “Normand Pacific”. There was not sufficient time available on this project to allow for the engineering and class approval/certification of the ROV crane, and we undertook the project using the vessel’s crane. Careful planning and interaction with the vessel marine crew was required for this operation, and the project was successfully completed in a safe manner. Maintenance is one of the most important factors to keep our system operational all the time. The corrosive effects of high humidity, relatively hot climate and salt have a much bigger impact than in areas such as the North Sea. This requires regular services to, or replacements of, air-conditioning systems, the regular application of anti-corrosion measures, installation or replacements of additional fans inside electronics pods, replacement of winch cables once a year, regular certification of all lifting points on containers, base frames, crane and winches etc. As a potential consequence of electronics failure with very high temperatures, the spares level in Mexico is very high; we carry a back-up for almost every system. That, together with an experienced Mexican ROV and Survey team, helped us to maintain breakdown levels at a minimal and acceptable level. Author: Jon Inge Pedersen
INTO THE DEEP 9
INTO THE DEEP 10
TECHNOLOGY
GEM PROJECT This project was initiated late 2015 as part of the as-yet-to-be-awarded Tullow TEN contract. The Tullow TEN development project had a stand-alone contract for the installation of a Gas Export Manifold (GEM) in order to connect the existing field called Jubilee and the new field TEN together, therefore being able to export produced gas from the two offshore fields in the existing Gas export pipeline going to Ghana. The project started with a feasibility study performed in Q1 2016 to determine if the Rem Forza was suitable to install the Pile and Manifold. The main reason for this study was that the weight and dimensions of the equipment to be installed was on the limit of the Rem Forza’s crane capacity. The study concluded that Rem Forza was to perform the required tasks. This resulted in a full EPIC (Engineering Procurement Installation Commissioning) contract for transportation, procurement, installation and commissioning of the Pile and Manifold.
From left: Andreas Bergum PE, Paul Deans HSE, Johnny Spangberg CM, Helge Austerheim PM, Kåre With OM, Sigbjørn Svendsen EM, Espen Nordahl PE
Engineering began in the early summer of 2016. When the contract was signed, our dedicated team of engineers, led by Helge Austerheim, arrived in Ghana to complete and execute both engineering and offshore operations. Once the method statements, design, procurement, subcontracting and hydrodynamic analysis kicked off in August, we spent approx. 1,5 months on this engineering package. More than 1000 pages of documentation were prepared, quality controlled, issued for comments and implemented, all to ensure smooth, efficient and safe operations.
One of the challenges of this project was the road transport of the Pile and Manifold from fabrication yard, to load-out quay. This initially started more as a comment towards the client Tullow, as they initially wanted to transport the equipment by use of Tug and Barge with associated high costs and risk, and we, in typically good spirits, responded, “Why don’t we just transport it by road?”
Whereupon the client replied, “Prove it can be done, as we don’t think it’s possible!” We found a transport company willing to do so, and hence we ended up as road transporters. Good experience. The offshore execution started with preparations and welding activities on-board the Rem Forza on 8th September. The pile
TECHNOLOGY
DeepOcean Ghana Ltd. (DOGL) have, as many of you know, recently installed a 75T suction pile and a 150T manifold on top of this suction pile – called the “GEM project” (Gas Export Manifold) installation.
and manifold were transported from the fabrication yard in the weekend of 10th September, and the subsea installation was completed by 15th September. All in all, this particular project was a very good one for both DeepOcean Ghana and DeepOcean as a group. Not only commercially, but also as a good learning experience for a number of the engineers involved in the project. Some of the work tasks performed were outside of our normal operational expertise and the client Tullow really took ownership in providing support that we found to be beneficial. One of the resources made available to us was the 76-year old client representative
known as “JP” (Jean Pierre Branchut). A legend within the subsea oil & gas industry, he is one of the North Sea pioneer divers, with an impressive track record. This project was his final project before retirement. GEM has been a good project, where our meeting with competent people and their experience transfer have brought DeepOcean new knowledge on the deep waters of Ghana.
Author: Johnny Andre Spangberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J9L1dX9F80
INTO THE DEEP 11
INTO THE DEEP 12
TECHNOLOGY
STATOIL MARIA MARINE OPERATIONS PROJECT The DeepOcean SURF Exam With the delivery of an empty 9,2m reel back to the GE facility in Newcastle on the 20th of October 2016 the operations of the Statoil Maria Marine Operations project was completed. What a journey this reel and all other assets and personnel involved in this project have been on! Involving four vessels, Deep Vision, Havila Phoenix, Edda Fauna and, of course the newly-built Edda Freya, the Statoil Maria Marine Operations Project has contributed highly to vessel utilization this year with a total of more than 140 vessel days booked. The work took place around the Kristin and Heidrun platforms and is all about connecting the Wintershall Maria Field to Statoil’s platforms. The offshore operations have consisted of two campaigns. The first, a preparatory work campaign, took place in June with the Edda Freya. The Kristin Production Riser N-101 was decommissioned and disconnected from the riser base and a 170Te horizontal riser anchor was installed at Heidrun. 170Te of course being a modest lift for the Vessels 600Te crane; however, 170Te is still equal to the weight of 170 Volkswagen Golf 1985 models. When August arrived it was finally time to put the Edda Freya and the entire DeepOcean SURF capabilities to the test. Since the contract was awarded, the SOW had increased significantly and now consisted of • • • • • •
Replacement of the 10-inch P-101 production riser at Kristin Replacement of the Kristin DEH Riser Installation of Maria Dynamic Umbilical Riser at Kristin Installation of a Maria Water Injection Riser at Heidrun Installation of a 700m Feeder Cable at Kristin Installation (including two splices) and
•
Trenching of a 19km Fibre Optic Cable from Kristin towards Åsgard Trenching of a shorter section of an existing 10-inch water injection riser at Heidrun
A lot of work needed to be performed within a very short time as usual, this time due to Kristin having a production shutdown and vessel entrance allowed in the red vessel exclusion zone for only 3,5 weeks. It was a massive task to get all the required work done within such a short time frame. However, innovative engineering, vessel schedule planning and effective operations
made it possible to reach this target. A key factor in this respect was to do as much preparatory work as possible prior to shutdown. This actually included pre-installing and wet storing a complete riser outside the vessel exclusion zone 200 metres away from the Kristin platform, freeing Edda Freya for other tasks, thus letting Edda Fauna hand over the top side end when entry into the red zone was allowed. Smart thinking which contributed highly to securing this project during tender. The most difficult offshore task of this
TECHNOLOGY
Edda Fauna and Edda Freya in efficient interaction with the Kristin platform in the background
project had always been the DEH (Direct Electrical Heating) Riser Replacement and surely the assumption was granted. To replace the DEH riser a subsea junction box (SJB) connected to the riser in the near end and with cables in the far end (see illustration) needed to be recovered to deck. When the old riser connected to the SJB was almost recovered to deck, the riser parted from the SJB causing the old SJB with the far end cables to fall to the seabed. Luckily no persons were injured and there was no material damage on the vessel. The root cause for this incident has been established to be the old SJB termination design being unfit for purpose which of course was not DeepOcean’s responsibility. An onshore task force was summoned, procedures created and the risk was assessed together with offshore personnel on the vessels. The old SJB was removed, cables sorted and eventually recovered back to Edda Freya’s deck, so
that operations could continue as planned to our customers’ great satisfaction. Another key aspect making this project possible was the successful implementation of a new vessel and crew. Our client Statoil being very much aware of the risk using a new built vessel payed strict attention to construction schedule updates, crew training etc. The Maria Project is proud to forward the following statement from our client “it feels like the vessel has been running for years”. A big thanks to the vessel crew! In conclusion, DeepOcean has passed the SURF exam and are ready to take on even more complicated projects. Excellent feedback was received from our client during post operation, confirming our view of a JOB WELL DONE! Thanks to all involved, be proud of the journey we have started and what we have achieved!
The task force in action with the right attitude for solving the situation with the SJB.
Authors: Olaf Alexander Hansen and Vigleik Ølfernes Heien
INTO THE DEEP 13
INTO THE DEEP 14
TECHNOLOGY
T3200 CREATING A GAME CHANGER Standing next to DeepOcean’s T3200 tracked trenching vehicle for the first time, it is hard to do anything other than grin. With an overall length in excess of 22m, height of 8m and width of 13m across the tracks, the machine is on a different scale to other subsea trenching assets. It is a common request from visiting clients to have a souvenir photograph taken standing within its 2.5m high track assemblies. T3200 was originally conceived for the trenching and stabilisation of large ‘trunk-line’ pipelines of up to 1.5m external diameter, which goes some way to explain its extraordinary scale. Equipped with a unique triple chain cutter configuration, and 3200 horsepower of cutting and dredging power (hence the name T3200), the vehicle is capable of mechanically cutting a 2-metre vertical depth v-shaped trench with 45° side walls in cemented seabed materials as it tracks forward. This high level of installed power, along with the packaging versatility offered by the size of the vehicle, also makes it an ideal platform for other trenching configurations. In recent years the offshore renewable and power cable market has increased in size significantly, driving projects further offshore and into more challenging seabed conditions. This, coupled with stringent burial requirements, a demand for deeper trench depths and limited market capacity, was the catalyst behind DeepOcean’s decision to invest in the T3200 and deliver a game-changing trenching system. In 2014 a modular ‘jetting cassette’ system, which can be fitted in place of the original chain cutting system, was developed. Rather than mechanically cutting the seabed, this uses high pressure water jetting to fluidise the seabed via ‘jet swords’ which are lowered either side of the product being buried, a technique which is particularly effective in sandy or soft soil conditions. Further jetting and dredging capability was also installed at this time, through the addition of an articulating frame at the aft of the vehicle, giving it the ability to trench down to depths of 3.5m. In order to make T3200 the complete solution for burial of the largest flexible products, including deep burial in hard ground conditions, a further programme of modification and development has been undertaken throughout 2016. This has involved the development of a modular chain cutting system which mounts to the vehicle in place of the jetting cassette. This uses a single chain cutting boom which can be lowered into the seabed to create a slot trench of up to 3.5m depth and extends the T3200’s capabilities to include burial in more challenging soil conditions, including harder clays, chalk and rock. The jetting capability on the rear articulating frame is retained in this new configuration. This maintains the excellent burial performance of the vehicle in sandy conditions and makes T3200 the most versatile and capable trenching tool on the market.
The basic sequence for burial of products with the T3200 in this new configuration is as follows: With the cutting tool in its stowed position, and the rear jet swords fully raised, the vehicle is deployed to the seabed to land astride the product. Forward and aft grabs on the vehicle are then used to pick the product up from the seabed and raise it to the required height for loading, at which point the cutting tool is swung into position below it. The product is then lowered and loaded into a trough and bellmouth structure which sits directly above the cutter and protects the product as it passes through the vehicle. The rear jet swords can then be lowered to sit either side of the product as it exits the vehicle. The vehicle is now ready to begin burial, with the cutter and jet swords being energised and gradually lowered as the vehicle tracks forward until the required trench depth is achieved. While the basic principles of this operation are very straightforward, in developing this new configuration for the T3200, every aspect of the design was reviewed in detail to ensure product safety and class leading performance. Central to the performance of the machine is the cutting system technology which provides the primary trenching capability in cohesive soils and hard ground. The basic principle is a tried and tested formula, utilising a multi-link mining chain system mounted around a rotating boom. A carefully sequenced pattern of cutting picks is mounted on the forged steel links of the chain to deliver an optimised cutting and material transport sequence as the chain rotates. While the basic layout of the cutting system is based on well-proven technology, the T3200 implementation has also been developed to include a number of class-leading innovations. Firstly, the chain system has a high degree of configurability to suit specific customer and product requirements. The boom length can be changed to suit maximum trench depths from 1.5m up to 3.5m and the chain width is also configurable between three fixed settings. This allows the layout to be tailored, ensuring that the trenching operation removes no more material than is necessary, hence optimising the speed and efficiency of the burial operation. Coupled with this high degree of configurability of chain size, the motor drive system utilises a dual motor configuration which delivers an impressive 800kW of cutting power. A further innovation is provided in the form of the chain flushing system. This utilises a series of high pressure water jets to dislodge
TECHNOLOGY
cohesive soils which would otherwise clog the chain and reduce its ability to remove material from the trench. As well as conventional jets positioned at the sides and top of the chain, T3200 includes a ‘through chain’ flushing capability which directs jets from inside the cutter boom to optimise material removal.
time measurement of how hard the equipment is being worked with respect to its design limit, taking into account loading history and cumulative damage to components. Once fully developed, this will provide an invaluable tool to inform operational decision-making and maximise uptime.
Other modifications include the incorporation of a new depressor system within the jetting assembly on the rear articulating frame. This assists in lowering the product as it exits the vehicle and also demonstrates that the required burial depth has been achieved. Multiple sensor arrays are included where the depressor contacts the product to ensure it is detected at all times and the hydraulic system is configurable to ensure loads applied to the product are always within allowable limits.
Following completion of the upgrade programme in the Autumn 2016, the vehicle was put through a programme of successful offshore trials before being put to work on the burial of export cables at Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm. Trenching performance to date has been impressive with the T3200 creating trench depths between 1.5m - 3.0m and achieving progress rates of 300m/hr.
As with all subsea machines, reliability is a key concern. With this in mind, the first phase of a Condition Monitoring System has been developed as part of the upgrade programme. The intention of this system is to use information gathered from multiple sensors, incorporated within the design of the vehicle upgrades, to feedback on their performance and provide advance warning on any deterioration in equipment condition. As well as providing early warning on potential equipment failures, the system will also provide real
T3200 is a recognised project enabler, offering our clients previously unavailable capability to satisfy consented burial requirements. We look forward to further successful trenching operations with T3200, including the trenching of the NEMO Link HVDC Interconnector between Belgium and UK in 2017.
Author: Magnus Campbell - Senior Project Engineer
INTO THE DEEP 15
INTO THE DEEP 16
OPERATIONS
OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS
A: EDDA FAUNA – RE-DELIVERED TO OWNER C: N/A P: N/A
A: DEEP HELDER C: NOBELWIND P: BLIGH BANK PH2 OWF
A: MAERSK RECORDER C: NOBELWIND P: BLIGH BANK PH2 OWF
A: DEEP WAVE C: LAID-UP NORWAY P: N/A
A: DEEP VISION C: NORD STREAM P: PIPELINE SURVEY
A: REM FORZA C: IDLE IN GHANA P: N/A
A: DINA STAR C: TULLOW, GHANA P: IMR
A: EDDA FLORA C: ENGIE P: GJØA INSPECTION & SURVEY
A: REM OCEAN C: STATOIL, CURRENTLY SUSPENDED UNTIL 1/3-17 P: IMR
A: HAVILA PHOENIX C: JAN DE NUL P: RACE BANK EXPORT TRENCHING
A: GO PEGASUS RE-DELIVERED TO OWNER C: N/A P: N/A
A: ARBOL GRANDE C: DIAVAZ P: IMR
A: VOLSTAD VOLANTIS C: NOBELWIND P: BLIGH BANK PH2 OWF
A: MAERSK CONNECTOR C: PRYSMIAN P: WESTERN LINK
A: ATLANTIC CHALLENGER C: DIAVAZ P: IMR
A: REM INSTALLER C: NOBELWIND P: BLIGH BANK PH2 OWF
OPERATIONS DeepOcean operations continue around the world, with projects since the last newsDeepOcean operations continue around the world, with projects since the last newsletter performed in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the Greater North Sea, Africa and the Far letter performed in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Ghana, Greater North Sea and the East. Operations included IMR, Survey, Subsea Installation, Construction and Trenching Far East. Operations included IMR, Survey, Subsea Installation, Construction and for a range of customers, including a number of long-term contracts. Trenching for a range of customers.
A: EDDA FREYA C: ENI P: IMR
A: DEEP ENDEAVOUR C: LAID-UP NORWAY P: N/A
KEY A = ASSET C = CLIENT P = PROJECT
INTO THE DEEP 17
INTO THE DEEP 18
EVENTS
WindEnergy Hamburg Some 35,000 visitors took part from 48 countries with 1,400 companies exhibiting. The DeepOcean team exhibited from the 25th-27th September and presented our latest innovations to the subsea cable market. The event was a great opportunity to meet with Clients and discuss our ongoing project activity, whilst identifying future opportunities. The stand incorporated eye-catching graphics and premiered our latest videos and animations (www.youtube.com/user/ deepoceanonline/videos). The Maersk Connector model was the star of the stand and generated many interesting conversations. In 2017 the expo moves to London. DeepOcean will be there.
DeepOcean make a splash at WindEnergy Hamburg 2016, the world’s largest expo for the offshore wind industry.
DeepOcean has been present at various exhibitions and conferences in 2016 UTC 2016 Bergen, Norway 14.- 16. June
Author: Tom Howard
ONS 2016 Stavanger, Norway 29. Aug. - 1. Sept.
WIND ENERGY Hamburg, Germany 27 - 30. Sept.
PEOPLE
Love to Ride Throughout September 2016 the DeepOcean Team in Darlington, UK took part in the Tees Valley “Love to Ride “Workplace Cycle Challenge. This was a fun and friendly competition for employees to compete individually, within their departments and against other organisations of a similar size within the Tees Valley region. Throughout September, our employees cycled 3,391 miles in 188 trips, 65 of which were commute trips to work, racking up 356 commute miles.
Author: Katie Johnson
For the most part of the competition we were in 1st place, however we were unfortunately beaten at the final hurdle and within our category came 2nd overall with 13,553 points. It was a really great effort by everyone involved, especially those who took part in the Coast2Coast in September. Also congratulations to the Engineering team who came first in their category with 6,001 points.
INTO THE DEEP 19
INTO THE DEEP 20
PEOPLE
LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE Working in a foreign country requires some understanding of the local language and, as with all languages, there are words with double meaning. For a Norwegian with very limited knowledge of Spanish before heading to this beautiful country, one of the main tasks was to learn the language as quickly as possible. Author: Jon Inge Pedersen
And, of course, practise as much as possible when meeting the locals. I also learned very soon that my limited knowledge in the use of Spanish phrases or words could often be quite entertaining for the Mexicans. Some recommendations below if you are considering living in a Spanish- speaking country. One of the more basic mistakes is for someone to declare that they are “caliente” on a particularly hot day (I made this mistake after climbing seven floors in 34 degrees to the office). So, if you are a man and say you are caliente, you have just announced to all you are in a state of sexual arousal. I would highly recommend that the readers make an effort to know the difference between caliente and calor. Another slip of the tongue that can get someone in trouble is the mispronunciation of the common greeting buenas noches. I think the mistake comes when the neophyte blends the words nachos and noches, most likely the only two “n” words known, and comes up with naches. The phrase used by this unsuspecting Anglo then becomes buenas naches, which is street Spanish for nice butt. If used in the right place it will get laughs from the locals. Used in the wrong place it could definitely cause some trouble.
Some time ago, I heard a woman call out to the bartender for the use of his pen: “Do you have a pulpo?” She had not been in the country long but still wanted to use some of the Spanish she had learned, which included both pluma and pulpo, probably her only two p words. Without missing a beat, the bartender politely asked how she was going to write with an octopus. Spanish slang uses commonplace words to describe the private parts of both men and women; so many innocent-sounding words can have a secondary totally different meaning. Upon finishing a meal at a restaurant, you might want to ask for a toothpick. The phrase I had learned to use was tiene un palillo? until a Mexican friend suggested that I might want to say it a different way. Palo is Spanish for stick and palillo means little stick, which has always made sense for a toothpick.
However, palo is one of those doublemeaning words that can be trouble if used in certain ways. I was very surprised to learn that I had been asking waiters if their manhood was minuscule. Now I ask for a pica de diente and no longer get funny looks from the restaurant staff.
If you find yourself in one of these situations where you have used the wrong word or phrase and attempt to apologize, be careful how you phrase your rejoinder. Estoy muy embarazada would seem to be the correct way to say “I am very embarrassed.” However, the actual translation of this phrase is “I am very pregnant.” So, lesson learned, use your Spanish often. Even though it may be far from perfect it will endear you to the locals and they in turn will assist you in learning their language. Always remember, even bad Spanish is better than no Spanish at all.
PEOPLE
ART
We work alongside our colleague’s week in week out, but how much do we know about them outside of work? Who amongst us has hidden talents that we don’t know about?
DANNY KELKAR
A person with such talent is Danny Kelkar, Senior Project Manager within our Darlington Team. Having worked at DeepOcean for nearly 12 years both in the Singapore office as well as the UK, Danny is currently leading the Nemo Interconnector project, an electricity link between the UK and Belgium. But who knew we had an extremely talented artist amongst us?
Danny, has a love as well as a significant talent for painting which he inherited from his late father, the renowned artist Madhusudan Kelkar. Whilst studying his degree in Naval Architecture at IIT Kharagpur, India he pursued his passion in art which has continued throughout his life. The extensive travel he has undertaken both personally and professionally has allowed him to refine his gift for understanding the characteristics of landscapes as well as human life and translating that to true pieces of art. However, it’s not only his artistic talent which should be recognised but both Danny’s and his wife Mohini’s commitment to humanitarian work. This has been achieved by the generous contribution of over 30 paintings to a special exhibition in Darlington entitled “The Art of Giving”, which took place between 7th and 19th November 2016. The signature piece and a personal favourite of Danny’s was the “Touch of Waves” which was sold at auction for over £600.00. This piece along with other with others such as “Blue Ripples”, “The Ajanta Caves” and “The Market Square” they hope to exceed the target of £7,000.00, which he
raised 2 years ago with a similar exhibition of his work. The proceeds from these works will be shared between 3 charities all close to Danny’s heart; St Teresa’s Hospice (supporting individuals are carers with palliative and end of life care within the Tees Valley region of the UK), Lok Biradari Prakalp (a
social project involving a hospital, a school and an animal orphanage) and Quest (an organisation focusing on the enhancement of quality of education in rural tribal areas in India). Congratulations to Danny and all involved.
Author: Katie Johnson
INTO THE DEEP 21
INTO THE DEEP 22
PEOPLE
Hjelmeland, 27-28 of August 2016
WEEKEND HIKING TRAIL TO
“SKOMAKERNIBBÅ” (OR “SHOEMAKER’S CRAG”) This is the third autumn that a group of hiking enthusiast colleagues from the office have taken part in this sporty and social event, based on private initiative. This time our trip went to Hjelmeland and ‘Shoemaker’s Crag’. Marianne Hovda from Hjelmeland did a fantastic job as our group-leader this time.
PEOPLE
Three of us started the day with a healthy and refreshing swim in the fjord. We all met at around 9 o’clock, ready to start our adventure. The weather was a bit cloudy in the morning, but it cleared up during the day. We all work in different departments, but it’s amazing how well we get to know each other while we’re walking, climbing and small-talking along the route. We definitely experienced a wonderful hiking trail in such a nice and breath-taking nature. At the top we ate lunch while sitting in the heather, while enjoying the stunning view. After a great hiking day, we all deserved a
glass of champagne, some spa treatment and a good three course meal at Hjelmeland Spa Hotel. The next day; Marianne took us on a sightseeing trip aof Hjelmeland and showed us her brother’s high-tech barns where cows are milked automatically by robots and all the animals roam freely. The farm has 65 cows, 200 cattle, 100 calves, 600 pigs (150 pigs 4 times a year) and 10 sheep for pleasure :-) Milk production per year is 621.000 litre. This was a fabulous weekend and will become an annual happening :-)
“The Shoemaker’s Crag” towers 700 metres above the Jøsenfjord. The rock formation is a well-kept secret and a true hidden pearl, with few visitors. Track: Marked. 5-6 hours there and back at normal speed. The trail has steep sections, but is well secured. The legendary hiking distance along Jøsenfjorden is about 12km. Recommended season: April-October.
Legend: The legend tells that an itinerant shoemaker was sentenced to death. He was pardoned by some good people on the condition that he should sit on this mountain’s outermost tip and finish a pair of shoes that he was working on. He crawled beyond the narrow ridge and started his work. As he was hammering the last few nails in place, he saw a wedding procession rowing across the fjord beneath him. He became dizzy, lost his balance, toppled off and disappeared into the abyss. Skomakarnibbå was named after this tragic event, and will fall into the fjord when seven sisters who marry on the same day, as they row across the fjord. So it is important to keep an eye on the wedding advertisements in these parts.
Authors: Marianne Mjølhus Hovda and Laila Thorvik,
INTO THE DEEP 23
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