Subsea UK News - June 2016 Issue

SUBSEA UK NEWS THE MAGAZINE FROM SUBSEA UK WWW.SUBSEAUK.COM JUNE 2016

LOOKING TO THE UK FOR OUR EXPERTISE IN THIS ISSUE The Importance of Learning from Other Industries SubseaIntel’s Q2 Market Activity Report Incubation: Supporting Small Businesses News and Events from the Subsea Sector

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The voice of the subsea industry. Working for its Members | Supporting and Promoting Providing Leadership | Driving Collaboration | Influencing | Internationalising | Adding Value

NSRI: Expert Skills Showcase to Support Small Pools

Fundamentals of Subsea Systems

22 June 2016 Aberdeen, UK

28 June 2016 Aberdeen, UK

Subsea UK Networking Event in Great Yarmouth

Golf Day

29 June 2016 Norfolk, UK

19 August 2016 Peterculter Golf Course, Aberdeenshire, UK

NSRI: Developer's Day & Technology Showcase

Subsea South-East Networking Event

15 September 2016 Aberdeen, UK

22 September 2016 London, UK

Underwater Vehicles Conference

Rio Oil and Gas 2016

27 September 2016 Aberdeen, UK

24 - 27 October 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Subsea Asia 2016

Subsea Expo 2017

29 November - 2 December 2016 Singapore

1 - 3 February 2017 Aberdeen, UK

These are some of Subsea UK’s events but please visit our website for full details of all forthcoming events.

www.subseauk.com

FOREWORD

Welcome to this Edition of Subsea UK News This edition of Subsea UK focuses on UK markets, exports and diversification opportunities. These areas will shape and influence the future of our members’ businesses and the markets in which we operate.

We’re now 18 months into one of the worst downturns in the history of oil and gas. It’s true to say that for some, it’s never been tougher but with adversity comes opportunity and we must focus our attentions on where those opportunities lie, so that we can exploit them now and in the future.

Neil Gordon, Chief Executive, Subsea UK

Subsea UK’s vision is to maintain and build on our world-leading position by championing the sector and identifying the opportunities to grow and diversify at home and abroad.

A strong heritage of pioneering innovation, honed in the North Sea, has led to the UK forging its position in the global subsea arena. Our technology, experience and expertise are still in demand around the world. To fully capitalise on this demand, particularly in a challenging market, we must bring forward a fresh wave of technology and innovation and work more collaboratively across the supply chain to apply these solutions wherever they are needed in the world.

In June, we will be hosting our annual parliamentary reception at Westminster to connect our member companies with MPs. This valuable event is about making sure our politicians and their advisers understand the strategic importance of our sector in recovering the North Sea’s remaining reserves, its impact on the economy and the support it requires in these testing times.

With government and industry working together, we can ensure a strategic approach to growing the UK subsea sector’s reputation, technology base, international capabilities and diversification plans.

While oil and gas remains as the dominant energy sources in the UK, offshore renewables are now playing a vital part in the future energy mix and we are beginning to see subsea mining emerge as a potential growth sector.

Harnessing a range of oil and gas and renewable resources is essential if we are to ensure security and longevity of energy supply.

This also means that engineering skills required in this industry are going to be in demand for many years to come and investing in the talent of tomorrow is still crucially important. Together, government, industry and academia can help inspire a new generation of subsea engineers who will drive our industry forward in the long-term.

More than ever, the subsea sector needs an informed, robust and proactive industry body which will speak out in support of the sector, identify opportunities and help companies capitalise on them. Subsea UK is totally focused on and committed to giving you the market intelligence, advice, support and added-value services you need to navigate through the current choppy waters.

Neil Gordon Chief Executive, Subsea UK

Subsea UK Subsea UK News, produced by Subsea UK, reaches over 15,000 subsea-affiliated subscribers each issue.

Subsea UK is the champion for the UK subsea industry. We act for the entire supply chain bringing together operators, contractors, suppliers and people in the industry.

With some 53,000 employees, worth almost £8.9 billion in services and products and with over 750 companies, the UK subsea industry sector leads the world in experience, innovation and technology. The UK will maintain a leading technological edge by sustaining and expanding this important business sector.

Whether you are a company looking to join and reap the benefits or an individual looking to develop your career in the subsea industry, explore our website or contact us to find out how Subsea UK can help you, your business and your industry.

Find out more at www.subseauk.com

New Members 2H Offshore Engineering Ltd Attollo Offshore Claxton Engineering C-MAR Group Conductor Installation Services HPR ROV Ltd InterMoor Longdown EIC Manufacturing Technology Centre

Mirage Machines Ltd National Composites Centre Offshore Installation Services (OIS) Ltd Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Pacson Ltd Rochling Engineering Plastics (UK) Ltd The Visa Team Ltd Whiskerstay Ltd

To view the full Subsea UK members list, visit the Subsea UK Directory at www.subseauk.com

Forthcoming Events June 2016 NSRI: Expert Skills Showcase to Support Small Pools 22 June 2016 Aberdeen, UK Subsea UK Networking Event in Great Yarmouth 29 June 2016 Norfolk, UK August 2016 Golf Day 19 August 2016 Peterculter, UK September 2016 NSRI: Developer’s Day & Technology Showcase 15 September 2016 Aberdeen, UK

Subsea South-East Networking Event 22 September 2016 London, UK Underwater Vehicles Conference 27 September 2016 Aberdeen, UK November 2016 Subsea Asia 2016 29 November 02 December 2016 Singapore February 2017 Subsea Expo 2017 01-03 February 2017 Aberdeen, UK

These are some of Subsea UK’s events but please visit our website for full details of all forthcoming events www.subseauk.com

Subsea UK News is a magazine which invites contributions from the subsea industry, and is published by Subsea UK. The views and opinions expressed herein are not those of Subsea UK News or its owner, Subsea UK. The opinions and views expressed herein are those solely of individual contributors, and do not reflect in any way those of Subsea UK News, Subsea UK or its staff. All materials published in this magazine are published with the consent and authority of the authors.

Subsea UK News makes no representations about the suitability of any information and/or services published for any purpose. Subsea UK News is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims, all liability for, any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages (including damages for loss of business, loss of profits, litigation, or the like) of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information published within this magazine. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in Subsea UK News, no guarantee is given that the information published is correct, complete, reliable or current, and its publication in this magazine does not constitute an endorsement by Subsea UK News.

To contact Subsea UK News, please email editor Dan Fearon at magazine@subseauk.com

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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BUSINESS

Rotech Subsea Deploys Industry-leading CFE Solution on Major Hughes Sub Surface Engineering Project Rotech Subsea has confirmed its position at the forefront of the subsea excavation sector with the successful completion of a major cable deburial and reburial project for Hughes Sub Surface Engineering.

The new cutting-edge ‘RS’ Controlled Flow Excavation (CFE) technology deployed by Rotech Subsea during the operation is set to revolutionise the sector by being faster, more cost effective and safer than older generations of Mass Flow Excavation (MFE) equipment.

The advantages of Rotech’s RS design and TRS system – which boast more power and enhanced features compared with older generations of MFE equipment – were evidenced on this project.

TRS1 equipment was safely deployed (at a depth of 1.5m in 5m water depth LAT) to perform the successful deburial of the cable, recovery and jointing repairs before post trenching the cable ends and joints. These were lowered in excess of 2.8m depth in only two passes, due to the dual capabilities of the TRS1, providing a safer, faster and more cost effective solution than could have been achieved with older-generation equipment.

TRS1 Controlled Flow Excavation System

The TRS1 was operated at a safe non–contact 2m stand-off distance above the 132kV export circuit cable at all times because of excavation restrictions set by the Marine Warranty Surveyor. The TRS1 easily accomplished this due to its higher CFE velocities and advanced jet capabilities. The RS system reduced the number of passes required whilst lowering the cable into a deeper, narrower trench.

“I must congratulate Rotech on a very professional approach throughout the project,” commented Mike Bailey of Hughes Sub Surface Engineering upon completion of the operation. “The crew especially are a credit to themselves and Rotech.”

Speaking about the project, Director of Rotech Subsea Stephen Cochrane said: “The successful completion of this project has ably demonstrated that our new technology offers enhanced jet profile, improved performance, higher velocities, greater control and precision, improved stability and higher cutting capabilities than existing technology.

“ The knowledge acquired by our team from over 21 years’ experience in the subsea excavation sector – added to the ability to conduct extensive in-house testing to compare capabilities of existing and new equipment – means we can confidently promote the benefits of our new RS CFE technology and take pride in being the world leader in the design, manufacture and operation of CFE equipment.”

Sonardyne Deep Water Pressure Testing Facility Available to Hire Subsea technology company Sonardyne International Ltd., has announced that it is making available to hire its new deep water hydrostatic pressure testing chamber, one of the largest in the UK.

large single instruments or multiples of smaller instruments and components at the same time. It can be programmed to meet the requirements of specific industry standards including pressure cycling, ramping and holding.

Located at its headquarters in Yateley, 40 miles south-west of London, the facility is now open to third party companies and organisations to test the integrity of their underwater components and instruments by simulating water depths up to 6,300 metres (20,670 feet).

A dedicated Test Engineer supervises all testing activities, providing clients with full reports which include applied pressure graphs, test certificates and photographic records. Full technical and custom engineering support is also available on-site.

Hydrostatic testing is the most reliable and cost-effective way to validate the integrity of subsea equipment before it is deployed in the field. With an internal diameter of 0.76 metres and internal length of two metres, Sonardyne’s chamber is able to accommodate

Sonardyne’s deep water pressure chamber is able to test the integrity of underwater components and instruments by simulating water depths up to 6,300 metres (20,670 feet).

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

BUSINESS

Tritech’s Gemini NBI image of Rotech’s recent cable trenching project. The image clearly visualises the trenching operation which was carried out by Rotech’s TRS1 controlled flow excavation tool. Image courtesy of Rotech Group Ltd.

Rotech Subsea Confident in Tritech Gemini NBI Tritech International Ltd, announces that Rotech Subsea Ltd has purchased Gemini Narrow Beam Imager (NBI) systems.

The sonars are to be installed in single head or dual head configuration for use on Rotech’s RS range of excavation tools and will support the increased volume of work they are securing worldwide in the oil and gas and renewables sectors. The Gemini NBI can communicate over Ethernet or VDSL and for this installation the systems will run in VDSL mode. The Gemini NBI systems will run on the newly introduced Tritech Gemini 72VDC VDSL Interface Unit, which will supply the sonars with sufficient power to operate over a 300m cable. The unit connects to an Ethernet port on a standard PC running the Gemini software.

Scott McLay, Sales Director, Tritech, commented: “The Gemini NBI has proven to be highly effective at target visualisation in low visibility and turbid waters, providing real-time high speed acoustic images. The sale of the Gemini NBI systems to Rotech Subsea demonstrates the market desire for field-proven technology and it is encouraging that despite current industry challenges, there are still opportunities for our customers and our highly reliable technology.”

Rotech Group Ltd is a technology-driven group of companies providing innovative products to the energy industry and is based in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.

The Gemini NBI operates at 620 kHz and has a 1 degree narrow vertical beam to enable users to accurately identify acoustic target positions. Offering high-speed multibeam imaging, the Gemini NBI is ideally suited for trenching and excavation operations in poor visibility conditions as it features a 130° swath and 0.5° horizontal angular resolution providing 10mm range resolution. Control of the Gemini NBI is via the standalone Gemini software package on a Tritech Surface Control Unit (SCU) or on a desktop PC or laptop.

Kevin Cargill, Subsea Operations Manager, Rotech, commented: “Rotech Subsea has witnessed first-hand the clear imagery of the Gemini NBI which has allowed us to successfully complete both inshore and offshore jobs, including a recent harbour clearance where the sonar also provided continuous visualisation as we excavated towards the harbour wall. We have also used the Gemini NBI in cable de-burial and post-trenching projects where continuous observation of the task was critical. We are, therefore, confident that the Gemini NBI systems will further enhance the capabilities of our RS range of excavation tools in visibly-challenging environments.”

Tritech Gemini NBI dual-head system.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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BUSINESS

GE will complete manufacture of the flexible risers for Prelude at its Newcastle facility, where it has invested more than £15m to expand its production carousel capacity. The new carousel bays were officially opened in April 2014.

GE Oil & Gas’ Tyneside Facility Starts Production of Flexible Risers Destined for Shell’s Landmark Natural Gas Project, Prelude GE Oil & Gas’ Tyneside manufacturing facility has started production of four high pressure, high temperature (HP/HT) dynamic flexible risers destined for the world’s largest floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, Prelude, to be operated by Shell, located 250km off the coast of Western Australia.

GE has partnered with Shell on the project since 2011, following an initial order for turbomachinery equipment. The two companies have since collaborated on the subsea flexibles scope to ensure that the raw materials and proposed end-product are qualified in accordance with the project’s stringent quality and technical requirements, a coordinated effort that led to Shell Australia awarding a multi-million dollar contract to GE in April 2014.

GE will complete manufacture of the flexible risers at its facility in Newcastle, UK, where it has invested more than $21m (£15m) to expand its production carousel capacity, enhancing manufacturing capabilities and equipping the site with the ability to accommodate larger diameter risers, which can be produced and delivered in optimum single lengths. The new carousel bays were officially opened in April 2014.

Rusty Justiss, General Manager of GE Oil & Gas in Newcastle, said: “While the low oil price has impacted investment in both FLNG opportunities, and many oil and gas projects globally, floating

liquefaction is still seen as an important solution for monetising stranded gas reserves, as with Prelude. It is exciting to think that technologies being developed and manufactured here in the North East are going to be deployed on such a pioneering project, which will be the largest FLNG facility in the world today. The work we are doing here in Newcastle will be important in driving success for future gas developments and I am proud of the work our teams are doing locally to contribute to the development and deployment of future-orientated technologies, globally.”

The result of GE Oil & Gas’ product development efforts is a robust, high-technology system designed to meet multiple challenges including high pressures and operating temperatures, rapid depressurisation and climactic weather conditions.

Once manufactured, the flexible risers will be packaged onto purpose built large-diameter reels and transported more than 11,000kms between Newcastle and South East Asia in readiness for subsea installation.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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BUSINESS

Subsea Innovation Successfully Delivers 16˝ Pipeline Connectors to RasGas in Qatar Subsea Innovation, one of the world’s leading subsea equipment suppliers, is pleased to announce that it has completed the design and manufacture of two 16˝ mechanical pipeline connectors for use by major oil & gas operator RasGas. These are the first systems that Subsea Innovation have produced for RasGas who have a total production capacity of 37 million tonnes of gas per annum from its facilities in Qatar which are serviced by 27 LNG vessels.

These connectors, which have been shipped to Qatar, are part of the critical contingency measures that RasGas have in place to support their operational pipelines. The connectors have been designed to withstand pressures of up to 345 BARG, requiring tests to be completed to 431 BARG to take into account safety factors. The acceptance of these stringent tests was achieved as a result of a pressure hold for 4 hours with a 0% pressure drop. One of the most rigorous test scenarios in the company’s history.

The connectors were designed to design code ASME VIII DIV 2.

The significant difference between these connectors and others that Subsea Innovation have produced previously, is that they were required to meet RasGas’ onerous weld specifications that included being Inconel clad. Inconel cladding provides additional protection for the pipeline against the sour gas that it is transporting and is notoriously difficult to apply and machine.

As well as securing the order to deliver the connectors, Subsea Innovation were also successful in securing an order from RasGas for

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

the delivery of four structural pipeline repair clamps, again to act as contingency against leaks or damage, for pipelines ranging from 16˝ in diameter to 38˝. The heaviest of these clamps will weigh in at 50 tonnes and require testing to 431 BARG. These clamps will be of the largest diameter that the company has ever supplied and are subject to the same welding qualification as the connectors.

Dave Thompson, Subsea Innovation Technical Director, said: “Completing the Connectors

is a major achievement for Subsea Innovation.

It demonstrates our capability to design and manufacture industry leading solutions for major oil and gas operators around the world.”

The design, build and test was carried out at the company’s 40,000 square foot headquarters on Faverdale Industrial Estate in Darlington, which was opened by HRH Duke of Gloucester in November 2014.

BUSINESS

relleborg Sealing Facility in the T UK Obtains ISO/TS 29001:2011 Chris Busby, Product Manager

Trelleborg Sealing Solution’s seal manufacturing facility in Tewkesbury, England, is believed to be the first of its kind to obtain a prestigious international quality standard.

The facility, which is one of the prime European production and development sites within the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions manufacturing network, has achieved PD ISO/TS 29001:2011.

Meeting the standard reflects the facility achieving high standards in the design and manufacturing of elastomer products with robust processes in place as well as a commitment to reduce waste and prevent defects.

Chris Busby, Product Manager for the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions in Tewkesbury, said: “As a centre

of excellence for high pressure elastomer materials for a variety of challenging industries, such as, oil and gas, and aerospace, we are constantly striving to achieve exceptional standards.

“Obtaining the quality management system PD ISO/TS 29001:2011 at the Tewkesbury facility is a further example of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions going above and beyond in the pursuit of excellence.”

The production site passed two assessments and a final appraisal during a rigorous eight-month period.

According to accreditation body BSI, the plant now “operates a quality management system which complies with the requirements of PD ISO/TS 29001:2011 for the following: the design, development, manufacture and supply of elastomer-based sealing systems for a wide variety of applications. Predominant activities include elastomer molding, machining and laboratory testing, for the aerospace, chemical processing, oil and gas, semi-conductor and other industries.”

The 6,000 square metre site, based in International Drive, Tewkesbury Business Park, became fully operational in 2008 and employs more than 130 people.

Products designed and made at the plant include O-Rings, FlexiMold™ large diameter joint free seals, engineered molded parts and large diameter V-Rings.

High performance elastomer materials developed at the site include Isolast® Perfluoroelastomers and XploR™ advanced elastomers for oil and gas applications.

io oil & gas consulting Delivers to BP io oil & gas consulting, an independent venture backed by GE Oil & Gas and McDermott, has enhanced its portfolio of work with two successive studies on a project for BP. io initially completed a feasibility study for BP that contributed greatly to improvements in the concept for a project that allowed both the capital cost and schedule to be significantly reduced.

Since this project-enabling work, io has expanded its role by deploying io’s fully Integrated Asset Approach (reservoir to production infrastructure through to delivery point) to further define and refine the concept choices. io’s CEO Dan Jackson said: “Since beginning operations a year ago, io has grown steadily with an expanding client base of innovative companies that want to make a lasting difference in the sector. BP encompasses this type of forward thinking, and we are thrilled to have built a relationship and look forward to supporting current and future operations.

“ io’s bespoke ‘Integrated Asset Approach’, which has systems thinking at its heart, guarantees that clients will get the best value solution for their project. The approach represents a radical shift in the industry, increasing certainty of a positive FID. Increasingly, our clients look for strategic counsel as well as technical advice to manage risk and enhance economic viability, and io is unique in its ability to offer this.”

Adrian Luckins, VP Global Projects Solutions for BP, said: “io is a fresh new player in the market and we are seeing real value in their expertise.”

io oil and gas consulting CEO Dan Jackson

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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BUSINESS

MDL Delivers Innovative Well Intervention System to Magma Maritime Developments (MDL) has delivered a new flexible pipe deployment and retrieval system for Magma Global, set to significantly reduce the costs and risks of light well intervention for the offshore oil industry.

The m-IDP (Integrated Deployment Package) was unveiled at the company’s assembly and testing facility in Peterhead, at a client Open Day co-hosted with Magma.

Derek Smith, CEO of MDL said: “We are pleased to present this latest addition to our portfolio, which, combined with Magma’s m-pipe®, opens up a whole new proposition for offshore light well intervention.

Well intervention project managers and engineers from across the UK were able to take a close look at the system at the event, before attending a technical session explaining the combined application of the m-IDP system with Magma’s m-pipe®, designed for high flow rate, high pressure hydraulic pumping from the back deck of smaller vessels.

“In delivering this system, we combined our knowledge of the harsh marine environment and challenges faced on the vessel’s back deck, with our ethos of delivering the most compact, safe and user-friendly equipment to offshore operators globally.

The m-IDP is a compact, highly developed and multi-function system designed specifically for installation, retrieval and storage of 3-inch 15ksi m-pipe® - the lightweight pipe manufactured by Magma Global.

“ This integrated system, coupled with the unique capabilities of the m-pipe®, is set to become an invaluable solution for operators with multiple well intervention projects, regardless of their geographical location.”

Thanks to the flexible m-IDP design, m-pipe® can be installed over the moon pool or side or over the stern of the vessel as required.

The complete package is due to travel to the Gulf of Mexico, with the first deployment expected by the end of 2016.

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

BUSINESS

Houlder Handling Equipment Set to Work on Rampion Construction Houlder has successfully delivered the first of two offshore Pile Upending Tools for the Rampion offshore wind farm development, off the Sussex coast. The specialist marine supplier is leasing the innovative handling equipment to the Rampion project being developed by E.ON, the UK Green Investment Bank and Canadian energy company Enbridge Ltd. Through wireless auto-engagement, the tools help reduce crane times and installation costs while keeping personnel away from hazardous deck locations. They are also the optimal solution where the lifting point overhangs the deck or is otherwise out of reach.

The remote controlled hook-up and release system engages directly with the foundation pile flanges. It is a self-contained system with rechargeable hydraulic and electric supplies. Recharging is carried out at a deck-mounted docking station, avoiding the need for additional umbilical connections or power lines during lifting operations.

Andy Lovell, the Project Director said: “The tools are compatible with 855t, 5m diameter piles. These are not small pieces of equipment and handling them offshore, let alone upending them from 0 to 90 degrees, is one of the riskiest operations during wind farm construction. Our Andy Lovell, tool needed to be incredibly robust, but also Project Director lightweight enough to ensure easy integration with existing craneage. Some very ingenious design work has gone

into the steel structure and hydraulics. It also goes without saying the control system needed to be simple to use but also provide complete fail safety.”

“ By working with E.ON and the Rampion project so closely,” adds James A. Russell, Houlder Marine Equipment Director. “Houlder is playing a key role in developing UK offshore wind infrastructure – providing a fantastic opportunity to innovate. We can do this because our engineers have practical hands on experience of offshore construction.

Our work is not theoretical and this feeds into our equipment designs including the Rampion upending tools. We supply on a completely turnkey basis on both our purchase and rental contracts.

Customers experience a seamless design, fabrication and installation service. When requested we also offer training, maintenance and emergency call-out services.”

The first of the tools was installed on the MPI Discovery in January 2016. The second will be delivered to the Pacific Orca installation vessel later in the year alongside other Houlder handling equipment currently in development.

The Rampion Offshore Wind development is due to be completed in 2018.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Learning from Other Industries is Vital

David Rennie, International Sector Head (Oil and Gas) at Scottish Enterprise

The oil and gas industry has undergone significant changes over the last two years as a result of the sharp fall in oil prices, making operating conditions in the North Sea increasingly difficult.

Scottish Enterprise has been running a series of resilience events to asset companies to help them adapt to the new oil price environment, where the focus has been on practical advice to help companies adapt in areas such as operations, financial management and efficiency. These offer practical advice on the necessary steps which must be taken to revise their strategies to ensure they are fit for the future.

This is just one way Scottish Enterprise is helping companies to become more resilient, providing the tools and understanding needed to ensure sustainability at $50 oil.

Challenging times require challenging thinking. The oil and gas industry must do all it can to achieve greater efficiency and get new technology to market much quicker. As part of this new thinking, there is an opportunity for oil and gas companies to learn from other sectors that have faced similar challenges but are perhaps further ahead in their journey to reinvention.

Scottish Enterprise Atrium Court 50 Waterloo Street Glasgow G2 6HQ enquiries@scotent.co.uk 0300 013 3385Â www.scottish-enterprise.com

Sharing knowledge and solutions across industries can lead to incremental improvements but could also be the catalyst for a “light bulb� moment, leading to a radical shift in behaviour, process or technological application that solves one or several problems.

It may not be possible to replicate everything that other industries have done to deal with such situations, but there is much to be learned from the business models that have been adopted and implemented to improve processes and profitability.

The aviation industry, for example, has faced major hurdles over the years, including serious earnings slumps as well

as exposure to volatile commodity prices, without compromising on safety. Airlines need to make significant and ongoing improvements to operate more efficiently.

With few exceptions, the most successful are those with

FEATURE ARTICLE the strictest cost controls, achieved through standardisation and improved operating models.

Likewise the UK automotive industry, which has experienced its fair share of hardship over the years, has fought back to retain its position in the European car market, competing against leading manufacturers in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. By working smarter, investing in technology and strengthening its engineering capabilities, it transformed itself. These tremendous strides in the face of adversity have ensured our country is a globally recognised destination for high quality vehicle manufacture.

The oil and gas industry must embrace a similar open-minded approach to remain globally competitive. Applying key learnings from such sectors can provide valuable lessons to address cost escalation. By simplifying and improving specifications, standards, technology and project execution, the industry can adopt these best practices and tackle inefficiencies. Learning from other sectors is also an important issue at the Energy Jobs Taskforce, which was set up in January 2015 to provide short term support to companies and individuals impacted by the downturn. It also works with the industry to help deliver longer term structural change.

Companies fully recognise they must adapt to survive but often when faced with change, there is a reluctance to break old habits, with the fall-back position being to always do what you’ve

always done and resorting to short-term tactical measures to cut costs. But unlike previous downturns, the challenges are far bigger and meeting them requires transformational change to become leaner, stronger and more efficient.

The recovery will be longer this time and no one can predict what things will look like at the other end. Innovation and collaboration may be the two most over-used words at the moment but if we can be imaginative in our innovation and determined and genuine in our collaboration, then we will be better placed to face what tomorrow brings.

Employee engagement also plays an important part in transformation. It is important that staff are aware of the difficult decisions that must be made and the reasons why. Earning trust will make sure they get behind the drive for change.

Empowered staff will adopt different practices and recognise the vital role they play in the process.

Strong leadership is therefore required to build a robust, compelling vision for cultural change that employees will invest in.

For many sectors collaboration comes naturally and working in partnership with other companies within the same field is standard operating practice.

While there are encouraging signs that the oil and gas industry is working together, there is still a long way to go with changes in behaviours, mind-set and cultures needed.

When it comes to safety, the industry is very transparent and quick to share best practice, doing whatever is needed to avoid potential risks. However, there is a hesitancy to share information and fully engage with other companies when it comes to technology and innovation. We need to look at how the approach to safety can be spread to other parts of the industry.

Companies need to be asking themselves how their technical developments are addressing the challenges the sector is facing and invest wisely in R&D, linking up with external partners when possible to boost competitive edge and drive growth.

As many are finding, the adoption of new techniques can help improve exploration and production rates and embracing a flexible, open culture is conducive to fostering cutting edge technology and innovation.

With billions of barrels of oil and gas equivalent on the UKCS still up for grabs, there are compelling reasons why the industry must refocus, borrowing ideas and best practice and learning lessons from other sectors, to create a more efficient and sustainable future.

Scottish Enterprise is already offering a wide range of support, advice and services to over 340 companies covering topics such as leadership, support for innovation, international activity and manufacturing efficiency. We stand ready to do all that we can to help the industry at this time and we can also offer access to ideas and learnings from other sectors and key companies that we work with.

BUSINESS

Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering Delivers Innovative Shuttle Valve Solution Hydraulic solutions provider Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering has developed and delivered a new shuttle valve to assist a North Sea operator with the issue of leaking control modules in a mature subsea field.

The solution was developed following an approach to Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering regarding interflow as a result of suspected malfunctioning internal shuttle valves within a number of ageing Subsea Control Modules (SCMs).

“Working closely with the client’s own subsea engineers, a solution was created to restore the system’s dual redundancy function without the considerable expense of recovering the SCM to repair the existing internal valves,” says Ronald Whyte, managing director, Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering.

“The resulting product is a shuttle valve that can be externally mounted and installed on the top of the SCM by divers. This solution bypasses the existing malfunctioning internal valve by taking hydraulic supply via the existing infield header, through the new valve and back into the SCM using the original input locations.”

Manufactured at Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering’s Aberdeen facilities, the new stainless steel shuttle valves were delivered on time and are now ready for subsea deployment. With a working pressure of up to 10,000psi, the valves are suitable for pipeline or manifold mounting.

“ The ease and speed with which the valves can be installed, in comparison with the traditional approach of recovery and repair, means that they offer operators a solution that is both quick and cost-effective,” says Ronald. “Our manufacturing and engineering teams thrive on helping clients to develop new solutions to ongoing problems.”

The new externally-mounted shuttle valve is a cost-effective solution

Founded in 1948, Schoolhill Hydraulic Engineering has over 30 years’ experience in the design and production of subsea engineering products, including gripper cylinders for running tools and quick exhaust valves (QEVs) for subsea trees and high integrity pressure protection systems (HIPPS). In recent years the company has formed collaborative relationships with complementary businesses to increase its capabilities and service offering to the subsea sector. These include the provision of sales and technical support for Spanish-owned Glual Hydralica’s range of subsea piston accumulators and an agreement with Stockton-based fabrication provider Francis Brown Engineering (FBE).

JFD Orders Caley Ultra-Compact, Road Transportable, Dive Bell Handling System Caley Ocean Systems, part of the Seanamic Group, is supplying a portable saturation dive bell handling system to submarine rescue and specialist subsea operations company, JFD (a part of James Fisher & Sons).

Caley has designed the dive bell handling system to meet exacting width requirements, at just 3m it will be one of the most ultracompact, fully road transportable, dive bell handling systems ever made.

The dive bell handling system is designed for over-the-side and moon pool deployment of the bell. Its modular construction, together with small footprint, enable the bell handling system to be deployed

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

on a number of vessels of opportunity. Type approved by Lloyd’s Register, the handling system’s variable speed electric winch enables precise control and positioning of the bell and its guide wire and clump weight. The dive bell will interface with a JFD decompression chamber.

“ A typical road transportable dive bell handling is around 5m, by reducing the width by 40% to 3m we’re able to greatly increase the ease with which the handling system can be transported to even the most remote location,” said Gregor McPherson, sales director, Caley Ocean Systems.

SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT

Market Activity Report Q2 2016

Using the market intelligence tool, SubseaIntel, we have compiled this report covering the latest oil & gas developments worldwide.

SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT

Overview The subsea contracting industry is doing its best to adapt to the ‘lower for longer’ oil price environment. There has been a rally since February, but the market is still apprehensive. There have been significant project cancellations and major job losses for both the contractor and oil company communities.

However, despite stringent budget cuts, operators are continuing to progress development projects to which they are already committed, and to look at ways of bringing down the costs per barrel on both these and future projects.

There is a growing focus on decommissioning, while the growth in wind farm projects provides further employment.

Statoil has driven down breakeven costs for its field development projects to less than $50/ bbl CEO Eldar Saetre reported in April. Saetre said: “Last year I challenged every project to get to a breakeven level below $50/bbl... In 2013 we had an average breakeven price for the portfolio of about $70/bbl, including Johan Sverdrup. Today the breakeven point has been reduced to about $40/bbl. In the meantime we have sanctioned several projects with an average breakeven of less than $30/bbl.”

Gulf of Mexico ExxonMobil achieves first oil from Julia field in GoM; currently drilling its third well.

West Africa Eni starts production from Mpungi field.

Dynamic Industries refurbishing used 500 ton production platform and 300 ton jacket for Eni’s Nene field.

North Sea In the UK sector of the North Sea first oil flowed in April from Premier’s longdelayed Solan field, originally due on stream in the fourth quarter of 2014. Maersk Oil has achieved various milestones for the Culzean field. Sembcorp in Singapore cut first steel for the topside modules in April, and Heerema completed and installed the WHP jacket in the same month.

Talisman Sinopec’s Montrose BLP has been loaded out from the fabrication yard and was installed mid-May. Statoil is continuing to progress Mariner on the UKCS, but has decided to pause the concept selection process for the Bressay field, due to the challenging market conditions. Tullow Oil has commissioned Jee to investigate the most appropriate options for decommissioning its UK southern basin Thames area assets.

Offshore Norway, Eni’s Goliat oilfield in the Barents Sea finally came on stream in March. Statoil is still looking to develop the Johan Castberg field with a much reduced cost base.

Progress continues on Statoil’s giant Johan Sverdrup field, with

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

development drilling starting in April. Statoil is also eyeing the development of Utgard as a subsea tie-back to the Sleipner facilities. It has awarded contracts for decommissioning of Huldra, having found no takers for the re-use of the platform.

Gulf of Mexico ExxonMobil achieved first oil in April from the Julia field in GoM, under budget and ahead of schedule. The first production well is now online and a second well will start production in the coming weeks. The initial development phase uses subsea tie-backs to the Chevron-operated Jack/St. Malo production facility. The Maersk Viking drillship is currently drilling a third well, expected to come online in early 2017. Production results will assist in the evaluation of additional wells included in the initial development phase. ExxonMobil says it is on track to start up 10 new upstream projects in 2016 and 2017, adding 450,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day of workinginterest production capacity. The company is enhancing resource value through production optimisation, technology application and cost management.

MARKET ACTIVITY REPORT

North Sea First oil from Premier’s long-delayed Solan field.

Maersk Oil achieves milestones for Culzean field.

North Africa Eni granted the Zohr development lease for Shorouk gas field.

Australasia Browse joint venture participants have decided not to progress with the FLNG development.

North Africa In the North African region, the Egyptian authorities have granted Eni the Zohr development lease, allowing for the development of the gas field, located in the Shorouk concession, offshore Egypt. The development plan envisages the start of production by the end of 2017, just two years after the discovery, with a progressive ramp up until reaching a volume of about 75 MMcmd of gas (equivalent to around 500,000 boed) by 2019. Eni says the quick realisation of such a large project will be possible through cooperation with Petroject, Enppi and Saipem contractors, who have always contributed to the success of Eni’s development activities in Egypt.

BP continues to progress the second phase of the West Nile Delta project, comprising the Giza, Fayoum and Raven subsea fields offshore Alexandria, Egypt. It has awarded Subsea 7 an EPIC contact for the subsea infrastructure from 12 wells, with 80kms of umbilicals and 220kms of pipelines. It also includes the installation of the export lines from the subsea location to the Idku terminal. OneSubsea, has a contract to supply the subsea production systems. Giza/Fayoum will be tied-back to modified

onshore Rosetta facilities and integrated with a new onshore plant for Raven.

West Africa In West Africa, Eni received approval in February for the Coral discovery, located in Area 4, offshore Mozambique. The approval relates to the first phase of development of 5 TCF of gas. The plan for development foresees the drilling and completion of six subsea wells and the construction and installation of a Floating LNG facility, with a capacity of around 3.4 MTPA. Eni has started production from the Mpungi field in the West Hub development project, within block 15/06 of the Angolan Deep Offshore at the beginning of the year. The start-up of Mpungi field, which follows the West Hub’s first oil from the Sangos field in November 2014 and the Cinguvu field in early April 2015, will bring to a production ramp-up to about 100,000 boed in the first quarter of 2016. Offshore in The Republic of Congo, Dynamic Industries is refurbishing a used 500 ton production platform and 300 ton jacket for Eni’s Nene field. The structure was expected to be loaded out in May.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT The FPSO Professor John Evans Atta Mills, destined for the TEN (Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme) fields, offshore Ghana, arrived in Ghana from Singapore in early March with almost zero carry over.

Tulllow Ghana expects the vessel to start producing oil from the TEN fields by July/August 2016. The FPSO was constructed by MODEC and will be operated by MODEC Ghana on behalf of the TEN Partners.

In view of the continued challenging market conditions for deepwater developments, Maersk Oil announced plans at the beginning of April to reduce its organisations in Angola and the US. The move will result in the closure of the company’s Houston office and a reduction of the Luanda team, impacting around 100 staff positions in total across the two sites. The decision follows extensive and ongoing work to reduce capex and improve returns of the un-sanctioned Chissonga project in Angola. Options include a future project developed jointly with other hydrocarbon discoveries in the same region.

“ Chissonga, like many deepwater projects in our industry, remains economically challenged in the current market environment. Maersk Oil remains committed to the Chissonga project and we have evaluated multiple options to commercialise these resources in the best interests of our partners and the Angolan authorities. In addition to work to reduce overall project costs we are also looking at options for a possible joint development,”

Australasia In Australasia, Woodside said in March that that following completion of FEED work, the Browse joint venture participants have decided not to progress with the FLNG development at this time considering the current economic and market environment.

Since FEED entry, Woodside has been focused on delivering targeted cost savings and value enhancements. While significant progress was made to improve project value, this has been offset by an extremely challenging external environment.

“Woodside remains committed to the earliest commercial development of the world-class Browse resources and to FLNG as the preferred solution, but the economic environment is not supportive of a major LNG investment at this time. Accordingly, we will use the additional time to pursue further capital efficiencies for Browse,” said Woodside CEO Peter Coleman. Woodside remains focused on satisfying its work programme commitments under the Browse retention leases. The Browse retention leases were renewed in 2015 and the current term of the leases ends in mid-2020.

commented Maersk Oil’s COO Gretchen Watkins.

Further Information The information contained in this report was gathered using SubseaIntel.

For more details visit www.subseaintel.com

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

FEATURE ARTICLE

NSRI: The Challenges of Subsea Storage, and bringing Academia Together with Industry Subsea Storage In April, NSRI (National Subsea Research Initiative) held the first of its focused workshops to address some of the preferred technological solutions that were identified at its hackathon events late in 2015.

The event aimed to break down the barriers to subsea processing and storage in an effort to stimulate investment in and encourage the development of emerging technologies which will speed up the shift from costly surface platforms to subsea plants which will be more cost-effective and enable recovery from smaller, harder to reach fields.

Industry professionals from across the country shared their knowledge and experience during a series of presentations on subsea storage issues, flow assurance, and the transportation of fluids.

They debated the way forward for subsea storage under the themes of concept selection, construction, and operations.

NSRI will now use these findings to determine the technology gaps and identify the viable routes to market for these emerging ideas. These will then be presented to the industry as opportunities which require further development at a time when operators move towards a more complete subsea development solution.

New Recruits

NSRI recently appointed two project engineers to support its small pools initiative as it ramps up its drive to identify and speed up the development of near to market technologies which will extend the life of the UKCS and maximise economic recovery.

Expert Skills Showcase In a bid to establish strategic partnerships, focused on solving real global challenges, NSRI will be inviting the UK’s leading universities who are active in the subsea space to present their capabilities to the industry.

The event, which takes place on 22 June will encourage companies and universities with the same goals to work together and push the frontiers of knowledge to drive innovation and economic growth.

Each university will deliver a presentation outlining what they can offer in terms of expertise and describe how the developer community can engage with them to get their ideas and concepts off the ground.

They will highlight some of the cutting edge activities currently in development to support the industry’s immediate and long term needs.

Jamie McCallum, who joins on secondment from Wood Group has been tasked with exploring the opportunities in offshore renewables for UK supply chain companies, whilst Christer Fjellroth who is on secondment from Wood Group Kenny will be focusing on subsea mining.

Over the next few months, they will also look at developing NSRI’s Matchmaker database to include a new platform aimed at partnering end users with technology researchers and developers in the renewables sector.

The Matchmaker resource is a starting point on which NSRI will build on to ensure that it truly represents the entire industry and relevant research organisations, providing the best and most relevant contacts and collaborations needed to progress the development of new technology.

NSRI’s Expert Skills Showcase Village Hotel, Prime Four, Kingswells, Aberdeen.

Those wishing to attend can book their place online via the Subsea UK website www.subseauk.com The NSRI is the technology arm of Subsea UK.

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June 2016

BUSINESS

Proserv Seals Significant North Sea Contract with Apache Global-leading energy services company Proserv has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract from Apache Corporation for work on the UK Continental Shelf.

Proserv will supply a subsea control system and associated topside and subsea interface equipment for use on the new Callater wells located south of the Beryl Alpha platform.

The latest award comes after Proserv successfully completed work for Apache on the Bacchus and Aviat extension wells for the provision of subsea control modules and services in the Forties field.

The design, manufacture and supply of the workscope will be carried out by Proserv’s team of subsea experts in Great Yarmouth, UK. This latest deal builds on a successful period for Proserv, the company revealed in April that is had secured a multi-million dollar contract with Statoil for the provision of production control equipment in Norway.

Proserv is set to supply five wellhead hydraulic power units (HPUs) for Statoil’s Gullfaks oil and gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Design, manufacture and supply will be carried out

by Proserv’s specialist engineering and project teams in Stavanger, Norway.

Bibby Offshore Awarded Multimillion Pound North Sea Contract

Jee Ltd Awarded North Sea Decommissioning Contract from Tullow Oil

Bibby Offshore, a leading subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, has announced a multimillion pound contract with a global energy player, to provide first gas and construction support on its assets in the Southern North Sea.

Tullow Oil has awarded a contract to Jee Ltd, the subsea engineering and training firm, to investigate the most appropriate options for decommissioning their Thames area assets.

The contract, due to be executed between Q3 and Q4 2016, will see Bibby Offshore’s construction support vessel Olympic Ares, and its diving support vessel Bibby Polaris, perform subsea engineering work 150km off the coast of Lincolnshire, in water depths of 21m and 48m.

Tullow has asked Jee to review the approach specified in their decommissioning programmes for these assets, and re-define the most appropriate decommissioning options for the subsea sections. The study, due to be completed soon, will assess what infrastructure can be left in situ. In instances where removal is deemed necessary, Jee will look for process efficiency to reduce associated costs.

Jee’s assessment will include decommissioning options for the associated components such as mattresses and grout bags.

The workscope, which includes precommissioning and commissioning support, involves Bibby Offshore carrying out a range of construction services comprising valve operations, spool installation, umbilical pull in and lay, trenching and stabilisation through installation of concrete mattresses. Supported by Bibby’s dedicated onshore engineering team, the company will have access to offshore construction and pull in/lay teams, ensuring efficiency and productivity is maximised.

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

The contract relates to the decommissioning of the Horne, Wren, Wissey, Orwell and Thurne fields in the Southern North Sea.

BUSINESS

Webtool Emergency Disconnection for Shah Deniz 2 Well Intervention and Workover Allspeeds has been awarded a contract to supply Webtool emergency disconnection tools for well intervention and workover in the Shah Deniz 2 field in the Caspian Sea. Webtool enables rapid cutting of umbilical multiple fluid transfer jumpers, electrical lines and tension wire, in the event of an emergency disconnect subsea.

Shah Deniz Stage 2 is one of the largest gas developments in the world.

The two Webtools are an integral part of an IWOCS-deployed, well commissioning tool. Within the tool, an umbilical is connected to sacrificial hoses and cable bundle securely positioned in the mouth of the Webtool emergency cutter. Once activated the sacrificial bundle is cut in a single operation within seconds.

Designed for deployment for extended periods subsea, the Webtool emergency cutter can be function tested in situ, ensuring the tool is ready for use in the event of an emergency.

The Webtool offers a highly effective way of managing emergency disconnections using a sacrificial bundle that can be readily replaced if needed. It is also one of a few tools to cut tension wire together with cables and hoses and meet required Technology Readiness requirements for this important subsea application.

Allspeeds EDT for Shah Deniz workover

Subsea & Splash Zone Integrity Support Specialist • • • • • •

Flexible Risers & Mooring Lines Risers Caissons & Conductors Subsea Pipelines Subsea Structures & Ship Hulls Other inspection challenges

Inspection & integrity assessment solutions featuring : • MEC-Combi inspection tools based on Magnetic Eddy Current (MEC) technique, a further development of the SLOFEC™ technique • Integrated Ultrasonic sensor array system & other advanced inspection techniques for comprehensive results • Integrated advanced cleaning system • Inspection-class / Work-class ROV & Installation deployment • High corrosion defect detection & mapping capabilities • Fast scanning in circumferential & axial orientation • No removal of coating required

Innospection Ltd, Unit 1, Howemoss Avenue, Kirkhill Industrial Estate, Dyce, AB21 0GP, Aberdeen, UK Tel : +44 (0)1224 724744 Email : info@innospection.com www.innospection.com

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Below: Lee Duncan, Namaka

Main Image: The team at Cambla

With this in mind, the industry body has developed its own incubator membership to provide advice and opportunities for young companies to help them find their feet and showcase services to the wider industry.

Incubator Membership Supports Firms’ “First Steps” in Industry Even the longest of journeys starts with a first step and Subsea UK is committed to supporting the businesses of tomorrow as they make their own way into the subsea world.

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

Open to subsea organisations less than three years old, the scheme is free for firms with an annual oil and gas turnover of less than £250,000 per annum.

The incubator membership includes access to workshops, seminars, networking events and space at the annual Subsea Expo. At the end of their introductory period, it is hoped firms will have experienced the benefits and take on a full membership.

Subsea UK currently has several incubator members. This includes Cambla, Namaka Subsea and Dry Ice Scotland.

Established in 2013, Cambla is an independent project services consultancy which offers expert project planning, risk assessment and cost control services for global subsea and marine projects.

Operating from its headquarters in Aberdeen, the consultancy has a worldwide service offering, supporting operators and engineers with subsea and marine projects from the initial concept through to final closeout.

Cambla has been a member of Subsea UK since May 2015 and utilised the membership benefits available to launch its new technology to the market.

Cambla launched its state-of-the-art software, the Schedule Animation Tool (S.A.T), at Subsea Expo in February 2015 followed by a new, upgraded version at SPE Offshore Europe in September. The technology is a world-first and has been developed to improve the accuracy of subsea operations whilst reducing the associated costs, time and safety risks.

The launch of S.A.T also saw Cambla herald its move into the decommissioning sector, after being awarded contracts with two major operators in the oil and gas industry. The contracts allow Cambla to provide expert project services support, whilst utilising S.A.T

FEATURE ARTICLE

Above: Cambla - Many vessels in close proximity

to ensure efficient and effective planning for decommissioning projects in the North Sea. Founder of Cambla, Alexander Macleod, said: “Joining Subsea UK has been of great benefit to Cambla. Our attendance at Subsea Expo provided us with the ideal platform for launching the Schedule Animation Tool, and having access to the Subsea UK News Hub allows us to regularly publish our company news updates.

“ We continue to fully utilise our membership benefits and regularly attend industry and networking events, which allow us to develop and maintain important relationships for future growth. The educational programmes have also been an excellent opportunity for our team, with two members of staff successfully completing Subsea UK’s online Subsea Engineering course” Another firm which has been making the most of its incubator membership is Namaka Subsea. The company, founded in October 2014, specialises in providing consulting services to the subsea industry and includes the auditing of diving and ROV contractors both operationally and technically.

Namaka, named after the Hawaiian goddess of

the seas, has also developed training courses essential for safer offshore operations, such as their Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) awareness course.

Operating in 15 countries worldwide, Namaka provides DiveCert, a dive equipment asset management software system. DiveCert assists compliance with best practice and meeting various different geographical legislations.

As part of their incubator membership, the firm had a stand at Subsea Expo and found the networking opportunities provided by the event particularly productive.

Lee Duncan, Namaka’s business development manager, said: “It has been very beneficial for us to work with Subsea UK in several ways.

The team are all willing to give you all the support you need and we have been able to take advantage of their training courses which are at good rates for members.

“For us, Subsea Expo was all about networking and it has helped raise awareness of our products and capabilities. We won contracts off the back of the show and also increased projects with existing clients. Subsea Expo is the right size in that it brings in international businesses and also has local companies that we can find synergies with.”

In addition to winning work outright, the team at Namaka Subsea discovered fellow incubator members at the neighbouring stand, Dry Ice Scotland, could be potential partners.

Dry Ice Scotland supplies on-site dry ice blasting services to the offshore and marine industries. They use high-density pellets of frozen CO2 to remove corrosion, coatings and a range of other contaminants such as grease and scale.

maintenance activities, particularly in sensitive areas where cleanliness or contamination may be an issue. Ed Nimmons, the firm’s commercial director, said: “The Incubator membership has been great for us. We were given a lot of support as newcomers to the industry and Neil Gordon, Chief Executive of Subsea UK, gave us great advice early-on as he could see the potential for the industry straight away.

“ Being an incubator member has been instrumental in enabling us to meet potential clients and break into the market.”

Dry Ice Scotland has already won work with operators in the North Sea and the firm has recently began working alongside Namaka Subsea.

“After meeting the team at Namaka, we saw that both companies could work together. We are targeting the marine industry as technical service providers and they are experts in marine consultancy and auditing,” Ed added.

“The response of the industry to our product has been fantastic. For the marine industry we can help with spot repairs, corrosion and defective coating. The blasting media sublimates into a gas on impact leaving no additional residue, bringing significant time savings compared to solid or liquid media.

There are also environmental benefits as all the carbon dioxide we use is recycled, so the whole process is carbon neutral.”

The firm is one of the first to offer the nonabrasive technology to the offshore and marine markets and has held a Subsea UK incubator membership since summer 2015.

Their process can save considerable time on blasting projects, and they work alongside a number of innovative coating manufacturers to reduce overall time associated with repair and

Before and after Dry Ice Scotland’s specialist treatment of a heavily corroded steel plate

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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TECHNOLOGY

Forum Energy Technologies (Moffat) - Hyperbaric Testing

Forum Launches New Test Tank and Receives Accreditation for the Calibration of Valeport Equipment in its Laboratory in Aberdeen Leading subsea technology provider Forum Energy Technologies (UK) Limited has unveiled a deep water test facility and received industry accreditation for the processes used in its calibration laboratory at its new European Operational Centre in Aberdeen.

The indoor test tank is one of the largest in the Northeast of Scotland and is dedicated to testing subsea tooling and survey sensors as well as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

Staffed by dedicated personnel, the test tank and laboratory have a primary purpose to provide full control, certification and faster turnaround in preparing Forum’s rental inventory. In addition, the firm also offer a full test and calibration service to customers.

Ian Porter, Vice President for Manufacturing Subsea, said: “Our continued investment in testing and

calibration capabilities ensures that clients can be assured our products have been prepared to the highest possible standards and comply to their specifications. This focus on delivering quality products means clients know they are receiving equipment that will perform reliably in the field and safeguard their project costs.

current meters, tide gauges, wave recorders and loggers.

In addition, seven of Forum Subsea Rentals’ (FSR) engineers have now received extensive training at Valeport on all aspects of the calibration of CTD and Sound Velocity parameters.

Elsewhere in the UK, Forum operates one of Europe’s largest hyperbaric testing vessels at its Moffat facility in Northumbria. The service is rated to 241bar (2400m depth) and is 2.4m in diameter with a length of 9.7m.

In North Yorkshire, Forum’s ROV manufacturing facility has a dedicated System Integration Test (SIT) facility. This includes an 11m x 9m x 6m tank which is capable of fully submerging and flying multiple ROV systems or complete trenchers.

All Forum UK’s facilities are accredited with ISO 9001 and are available for hire along with the technical support required to operate them.

“The latest facilities have been created as part of the consolidation of Forum’s Aberdeen businesses and to supplement those available in our other UK plants. Advantageously we now offer testing facilities in close proximity to our clients.”

The large fresh water tank, measuring 5m x 6m x 4.5m, is fitted with an overhead 10T crane, lighting, cameras and a viewing platform.

Forum’s calibration systems have been accredited by Valeport Ltd to ensure they provide traceable procedures for the recalibration of Valeport CTDs and Sound Velocity sensors and parameters fitted on

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

North Yorkshire Vehicles Test Tank

TECHNOLOGY

Sonavision Sells SV1010 Sonars to Detect Corpses Trapped Under Frozen Lakes Sonavision have sold 33 1200kHz frequency sonars to a client working to detect the bodies of the drowned dead that have been lost under frozen lakes.

The smallest in Sonavision’s range of sonars, the SV1010 uses a narrow beam just 1 degree wide to return a good-resolution picture, which can be boosted by micro stepping the motor. Sonavision’s free software allows the versatility to choose from four speeds to further enhance resolution.

Tuneable from 600kHz to 1200kHz, the SV1010 can serve greater distances, which helps with the initial tracing of the target. Tuning to a higher frequency on approach improves the resolution, allowing the client in this case to determine if the target is a body. Tilt in the transducer was introduced specifically for this application, and helps avoid reflection from the icy lake surfaces.

“ The SV1010 uses Sonavision’s free Sonar software, capable of tracking targets once you’ve locked onto them – ideal for locating objects at a distance and building a clear picture of what they are as you approach,” said Ravi Chandu, an engineer at Sonavision.

Diver tracking – Sonavision’s software can lock on and track objects, such as the divers (circled red) in this image

Flexible Pipe Wire Monitoring with MEC-FITTM Technique Flexible pipe sections stacked in the masts of the turret drag chain on the FPSOs are often subjected to external tensile armour wire disorganisation. Gamma radiation with images being captured on a film has been the traditional method of inspecting these flexible pipes and although this technique is widely used throughout the industry, it poses several issues.

Radiography could not be performed in the direction of the FPSO’s nucleonic detectors as this would trip the vessel’s High-Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS), causing an unplanned production outage. The entire turret area has also to be shut off to personnel during the inspection as radiography poses a significant danger to health and this prevents routine operations from taking place in the vicinity. In the case of a North Sea Operator, radiography could only achieved around 50% of the required work despite the inspection being performed for over nine months of the year.

Innospection was requested by the Operator to investigate a better way of inspecting the 6” and 10” flexible pipes on the FPSO’s turret with the aim to identify, monitor and measure the increasing wire gaps of the flexible pipes.

The electromagnetic MEC-FITTM technique developed by Innospection has been normally used for the inspection of flexible risers and pipes for the detection of cracks, pitting and general corrosion in the single and multiple wires.

As the inspection requirement differed from the intended inspection capability of the MEC-FIT™ technique, the technique was redeveloped to enable the detection of the signals from the surface and its repeatability in determining the individual wire gaps of the flexible pipes.

Another inspection challenge was the tight space of 150mm gaps between the flexible pipes where the inspection tool had to fit in. As a result, the flat MEC-P7 Scanner which is a small bespoke tool having a customised high resolution encoded drive for precise definition of the edges and distance to the neighbouring pipe was designed and developed.

Both the technique and scanner were successfully tested and validated onshore on an old section of a flexible hose with intentional damages prior to the offshore deployment.

All the 6” flexible hoses which make up 40% of the turret system were scanned in just two weeks. In addition to better coverage whilst maintaining image quality, the MEC technique has eradicated the risk radiation posed to personnel. Just two fortnightly trips are now required instead of multiple trips to complete the required inspection which results in substantial cost savings.

Turret on FPSO

Subsea UK News | June 2016

25

TECHNOLOGY

Realising Abundant and Affordable Offshore Renewable Energy for the UK With some of the largest targets for offshore renewable energy development in the world, the UK has a huge opportunity to lead in offshore renewable energy technology deployment and know-how.

There is potential to create an industry that will not only generate tens of thousands of jobs in engineering, manufacturing, installation, maintenance and operations services, but also contribute many billions of pounds to the UK economy in taxes and exports, possibly of the electricity itself, but particularly of the technologies and engineering know-how that go with it.

ORE Catapult’s 3MW drive train test facility.

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult is one of 10 technology and innovation centres established and overseen by Innovate UK, where the best of the UK’s innovative businesses and researchers work together to bring new products and services more quickly to commercialisation. Focusing on areas with great market potential, Catapults will open up global opportunities for the UK and generate economic growth for the future.

ORE Catapult is a critical element of a shared vision in which government, industry, academia and the supply chain all have vital roles to play. There is a need to learn commercial lessons from other sectors, such as offshore oil and gas, and deliver consistent, joined up thinking to provide investor confidence and maximise installed offshore renewable energy capacity and the resulting economic, social and environmental benefits.

Renewable energy is still relatively new, with challenges around costs, and that applies particularly to offshore. However, solving this is achievable by allowing innovation to thrive – focusing on common standards, scale on manufacturing and delivery.

ORE Catapult is focusing on collaborative programmes which have the greatest impact on industry cost reduction and on de-risking the technology required to commercialise offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. It has identified a number of specific technology innovation challenges in the offshore renewable energy sector, the resolution of which will help drive down the cost of offshore renewable energy

and have a positive impact on the UK economy. The Catapult is now working with the National Subsea Research Initiative to map out the opportunities for subsea technologies in offshore renewables.

The Catapult is looking for industry, large and small, to come forward with ideas to address these challenges, and work collaboratively with its own team of technical experts and test & demonstration assets to develop them into market-ready technology.

Atlantis Resources’ AR1000 tidal turbine being tested at ORE Catapult’s 3MW drive train test facility.

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

TECHNOLOGY

Early Adopters On-board for New Enhanced Production Technology Innovative technology developed to increase the recoverable hydrocarbons from subsea wells has secured early adopters in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico and West Africa regions.

Enpro Subsea believes its revolutionary Enhanced Subsea Sampling and Injection (ESSI) system, built around the firm’s Flow Access Modules (FAM), will pave the way in giving operators more control of their assets to manage production efficiency across all phases of the project cycle.

Managing director Ian Donald said: “Existing liquid intervention systems typically involve going in through the tree which requires a rig, or using a choke-replacement system. However, both of these methods have limitations in terms of the wide array of individual manufacturer specifications, crossed licenses agreements, increased payloads and flow restrictions. In addition to this, the ability to maintain standard tree access is also essential in an emergency well control situation.

“We set about addressing this issue by developing the ESSI suite of products that puts operators firmly back in control of their assets and at the same time, negates the need for bespoke subsea trees being produced. These critical pieces of subsea hardware can be standardised to produce fast track procurement, which we believe will give the industry the ability to manage production efficiency across all phases of the project cycle.”

With the universal subsea interface of the FAM, it means it is also capable of being deployed at multiple locations from which operators

can gain access to a broader flow rate and full sweep of production enhancement tools using standard ROV tooling. These enable multiple enhanced production operations, including, flow assurance, well control, scale squeeze, acid stimulation, hydrocarbon sampling, multiphase metering or multiphase pumping.

“Similar to a landing porch on the side of the well, it offers the first truly universal solution applicable to all trees by integrating with flow line connector rather than the tree to create a flow access point.

Mr Donald continued:

“In an environment where maximising return on investment from new and existing infrastructure is the major driver, having our ESSI solution rolled out in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico and West Africa has signalled confidence in our patented ESSI system, proven expertise, and strengthened our plans for growing the business across the globe.”

Subsea UK News | June 2016

27

TECHNOLOGY

The Subsea Equipment Australian Reliability (SEAR) JIP is searching for game changing technology

SEAR JIP Draws on Norwegian Expertise for Australian Challenges The Subsea Equipment Australian Reliability (SEAR) JIP has sparked significant interest in the subsea industry, with more than 70 companies submitting an expression of interest (EOI) to date.

Wood Group Kenny leads the JIP and its search for game changing technology. The EOIs are currently being reviewed by the participating operators to decide which opportunities to pursue further.

assists with co-ordinating efforts to resolve unanswered technical issues, and helps to share information regarding new technologies and their application.

SEAR JIP will attend the Underwater Technology Conference in Bergen, Norway, from 14-16th June to present on Australian challenges and opportunities. The aim is to collaborate with Norwegian companies and better align technology development with Australian challenges and conditions. The opportunity arose thanks to close collaboration with GCE Subsea.

Bob MacDonald, CEO of Wood Group Kenny, said: “In times where the industry is focused on improving efficiency and cost, collaboration and innovation need to be at the forefront of the shift to leaner asset management.

Gisle Nondal, R&D Manager at GCE Subsea, said: “Norway, and especially the members and partners of the Subsea Cluster, are at the forefront of subsea lifecycle services and technology. It is of strategic importance for GCE Subsea to contribute to increased collaboration with the Australian market by sharing our knowledge and experience to help increase cooperation and business between Australian and Norwegian companies.”

The SEAR JIP’s collaboration model is helping operators by systematically capturing subsea operational issues across numerous assets and equipment vendors to feed back to suppliers. It also

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“ The SEAR JIP has already been proven as a valuable technology facilitator; fast-tracking approval and adoption of new technologies.

In the long term, this work will help vendors improve their designs for warm water regions whilst also ensuring better reliability and reduced opex for the operators.”

Allan Pirie, chief executive of Ashtead Technology

Ashtead Enhance Aperto to Improve Equipment Rental Efficiency Every day millions of pounds of valuable subsea equipment is transported around the globe to meet the demands of complex offshore projects.

To give customers complete visibility on their rental equipment from initial enquiry through to order preparation and delivery, Ashtead Technology developed Aperto – a web portal that allows subsea equipment to be tracked in real-time, anywhere in the world.

This means customers can improve planning and project execution by knowing exactly what equipment they have on rental, where it is at any given time and have full access to key information critical to its operation.

Aperto was launched last year as part of the company’s drive to develop an increased range of added-value services which deliver cost savings and efficiencies and provides a wide range of information.

Following the launch and customer feedback, Ashtead has significantly enhanced Aperto to ensure it caters fully to the needs of its customers. The new features include full access to equipment manuals and user guides, a new search tool for tracking offshore assets by project and enhanced security for the protection of commercially sensitive data.

Allan Pirie, chief executive of Ashtead Technology said: “With increasing scrutiny on service and

cost across the industry, Aperto is our way of simplifying, speeding-up and streamlining the various processes involved in ordering and tracking rental equipment, and ensuring that the multiple people involved are all up to speed at the touch of a button.

“This in turn provides greater collaboration and knowledge sharing, swifter response times and increased control over rental equipment spend.

“At Ashtead, we remain committed to investing in market-leading technologies and the development of smart, simple solutions that complement our existing portfolio of value-added products and services. And, by working much more closely with our customers, we can collaboratively develop more efficiently engineered subsea solutions that reduce cost and risk.”

TECHNOLOGY

Atlantas Marine Launches New Video Tool for ROV Surveys Atlantas Marine Ltd has made its first move into ROV instrumentation with the design and manufacture of a video overlay device that makes cathodic protection surveys easier and faster.

The new tool displays the readings obtained by a cathodic protection probe as an overlay on the ROV’s video display. This creates a permanent record and eliminates the need for the ROV operator to make handwritten notes of individual probe readings while surveying the condition of a vessel’s anodes.

The new CP video overlay tool is the result of many years of practical ROV operation by Atlantas Marine Ltd. The company specialises in conducting underwater surveys for clients so first-hand experience has drawn on the company’s in-house technical expertise to devise this instrument which aid pilots of ROVs of any size.

The CP video overlay unit features a small black box that can be easily interfaced between the ROV’s cathodic measurement probe and the pilot’s video display. It answers a practical problem that Atlantas Marine ROV operators had experienced for many years and it now enables them to give their undivided attention to the task of operating the ROV and its probe. When the ROV is flown forward against an anode of a vessel, the current reading obtained by its probe is traditionally shown on a separate digital display. The ROV pilot must then write down the reading with reference to the specific anode. This can be a challenge if sea conditions are difficult or visibility is limited. The CP data overlay now makes this unnecessary as the probe reading is shown as part of the ROV’s permanent video record of the dive and can be reviewed later.

Atlantas Marine’s managing director, Charlie Foll, announced the new tool as an indication of the company’s growth potential: “The steady increase in our survey

and inspection work has given us a detailed insight into the practicalities of ROV operation. Whenever we encounter a technical problem, our skilled engineering team invariably enables us to solve it ourselves. This combination of skills makes it a natural progression for us to start making our own tools and it is now probably just a question of time before we present more ROV tools to the market.”

Atlantas VideoRay ROV with cathodic protection probe and new video overlay interface unit

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

GROWTH

Unique Group acquires Oceanwide Safety at Sea

Unique Group Creates Solid Platform for Growth

Since leading integrated subsea and offshore solution provider, Unique Group, announced plans last year to double its business globally, the company has restructured, completed two acquisitions, expanded its operations in the Middle East and moved into new sectors.

As well as acquiring Oceanwide Safety at Sea, which joined together two global leaders in the diving industry, Unique Group added Aberdeen-based GSE Rentals to its portfolio. Both have merged seamlessly into Unique Group’s operations, expanding the offer for clients and creating opportunities to innovate through increased capital investment.

Oceanwide leads the global market in the design, construction and maintenance of self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats and brings new capacity and wider access to European markets in particular. Already the combined company is looking at diversification through expanding that expertise into healthcare. From its Rotterdam base, specialist hyperbaric chambers – typically used for divers – are now available to medical centres and hospitals that are investing in intense oxygen therapy for the treatment of medical conditions, such as non-healing wounds and crushing injuries.

Still with a view on strengthening its presence beyond oil and gas markets, Unique Group made a significant move by acquiring GSE Rentals, specialist in high quality geophysical, hydrographic and oceanographic marine survey equipment. This gives increased capability for the group to extend into offshore renewable energy projects, submarine cables, dredging, ports and harbours and civil contracts. A recent development is the addition of Nortek’s long range profiling instrument, the Signature 55, to its global lease pool to meet clients’ requirement for deep water ADCPs, both moored and vessel mounted.

Harry Gandhi, CEO of Unique Group, said: “We firmly believe in finding new ways to remain competitive and sustainable, and we will do that through acquiring new partners for our portfolio, continuing to innovate and building a company that attracts the best talent because it offers great career opportunities. At the forefront of everything we do is a solid understanding of our customers’ current requirements and a structure that is flexible enough to respond to future opportunities.”

Hydratight Business Growth in MENAC Joint integrity specialist Hydratight has expanded its market coverage after parent company Actuant Corporation completed a $60 million deal to acquire the Middle East, North Africa and Caspian division of privately owned Canadian firm FourQuest Energy.

FourQuest MENAC’s business and assets have become part of the well-known Hydratight brand.

This includes 140 highly trained engineers, field technicians and support personnel.

Customers can expect the same high level of competency and skills with the benefit of additional services; chemical cleaning, hydro-testing, oil flushing, air/steam blowing, nitrogen/helium leak testing services and pipeline pre-commissioning.

Ken Bockhorst, president, Hydratight, said: “We’re delighted to add the services and talented employees of FourQuest MENAC under the Hydratight brand. We are pleased to have found a firm that so closely complements our offering in this growing region of the world. In difficult global oil and gas markets, we continue to strive to be successful in any market conditions.”

Matthew Baisley, MENAC regional business leader, Hydratight, said: “We can look forward to offering and providing a

broader range of integrated, value added maintenance, testing and verification services in this region, while continuing to deliver best practice in joint integrity assurance to our customers.”

Hydratight now has 1,400 employees globally, serving customers from 33 locations, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE within the MENAC region.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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TRAINING / PEOPLE

The Underwater Centre Delivers ROV Training to NZ Navy Dive Team A team from the Royal New Zealand Navy has recently finished an intensive ROV training course, delivered by The Underwater Centre at the Naval Base at Devonport, New Zealand.

The nine-day course focused on in-water operation training of the Saab Seaeye Falcon ROV, which is regularly used by the Navy for reconnaissance and security missions.

Warships were berthed very close-by, allowing the candidates to work under and around the vessels, carrying out a range of training exercises.

The course was split between classroom lectures and practical / in-water operational training and was specifically tailored by The Underwater Centre for the Navy, allowing the candidates to train within their own site with their own ROVs. The candidates were put through their paces by ROV Training and Operations Superintendent, Paul Bury, who has 15 years’ experience in the ROV industry, and has been training industry-ready ROV pilot technicians for over 13 years at The Underwater Centre.

“We spent an intensive nine days with the team teaching them all aspects of the Seaeye Falcon,” Paul said. “The ROV has been used by the Navy for a variety of operations – from reconnaissance prior to deeper diving and assisting in the recovery of sunken aircraft/ helicopter, to helping with marine accident investigations. The ROV can also be utilised for security reconnaissance for harbour inspections, hull inspections, mine location and disposal.”

“Throughout the duration of the training the water visibility was poor – less than 1.5m. This added to the challenge, but gave the candidates the best possible training in learning how to navigate in poor or zero visibility conditions. It meant that sonar training became essential and the class were able to fly the Falcon without cameras – using sonar images and sensor readings alone.

Luke, Shanon, Pumau, Te, Paul, Sam

“Once the team were accustomed to close-quarters control and navigation, the ROV was taken on longer and longer excursions, until eventually, the ROV was able to travel around the entire basin to the full extent of the tether. The long excursions allowed the candidates to identify previously unknown sonar targets and to investigate them.

“To increase the challenge, the candidates were also tasked with searching and then recovering sunken objects using the sonar for locating and then the manipulator for picking-up and recovering items. This kept the team busy with tasks getting progressively more difficult as they improved their skills.”

LT CDR Benjamin Martin, Mine Clearance Diving Officer at Royal New Zealand Navy, added: “The Royal New Zealand Navy Dive Training School is the lead underwater training facility in the New Zealand Defence Force. It provides trained personnel to the Littoral Warfare Unit, several Army units, the New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Customs Service.

“ Remote technologies are highly valued by the New Zealand Defence Force for the range of options they provide. Since its introduction into service, the Royal New Zealand Navy has utilised an observation class ROV to conduct operations ranging from hull inspections to deep recovery of helicopters in the alpine lakes of the South Island.”

James Fisher Subsea Excavation Appoints Asia Pacific Business Development Manager Ankit Munjal joins the experienced team at James Fisher Subsea Excavation, supporting Asia Pacific regional director Richard Beattie.

Ankit has significant technical and project management expertise, having worked in Australia and Singapore in field engineer and project engineer roles. His understanding of the full lifecycle of a subsea excavation project gives him an invaluable insight of clients’ needs.

Kenneth Mackie, managing director of James Fisher Subsea Excavation, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ankit to the team. His skillset will be a great asset to our existing and potential clients in the region.”

James Fisher Subsea Excavation has offices and equipment strategically located in Singapore and China to service clients throughout the region.

Ankit Munjal said: “I am looking forward to delivering practical and commercially sound subsea excavation solutions for clients in the Asia Pacific region.

“ James Fisher Subsea Excavation is the world’s leading mass flow excavation company so I am delighted to have the opportunity to further develop its presence in this important market.”

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

ACHIEVEMENT

Students Build Prototype for New Generation of Sailboat Boatbuilding students at Falmouth Marine School have been given an opportunity of a lifetime; building the first prototype International 14 racing dinghy, from the moulds of an innovative new design. The boat was commissioned by UK class measurer Pete Crockford of Restronget Sailing Club.

Peter said: “The International 14 named ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ was designed

by Dan Holman. It’s the very first of its design; the 14’s have not progressed in terms of haul shape in the last 10 – 12 years. I was sailing an older design of boat and wanted something in order to compete in the championships and came across a designer that presented me the first true new design. It’s narrower and more of a ‘v’ shape, like a speed boat, as opposed to a ‘u’ shape.

“ The ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ was unveiled at the RYA dinghy show. It was very well received by the class, designers and boat builders who were extremely impressed that it was student built.

The students fully engaged with the project and delivered a first class, high end International 14.”

Charlie Rae is one of the students that worked on the boat. She said: “It’s such valuable experience to work on a boat that will be used at a professional level. To be part of something using the latest techniques on a brand new design that no one else has ever built before is mind blowing. I don’t think any other college offers this level of engagement and development for their students.”

Peter Crockford began racing the International 14 over the next few weeks and his season will culminate at the World Championships in Carnac in Brittany, in September.

Programme Manager Jonathan Mills said: “We are extremely grateful to Peter for the opportunity and wish him all the best with the championships. Live projects for our students to work on are an essential part of the boatbuilding course. This project has really stretched them resulting in first class, work ready skills.

“The new International 14 mould and design was given to an ex world champion and that boat is now being built. The designer will have boat three, so at this time there will only be three of these designs in the world and our students built the first one.”

Mirage Achieves Five Years Without Lost Time Incident Mirage Machines, an Acteon company, has surpassed five years without a single lost time incident (LTI). The milestone was achieved across Mirage’s manufacturing and distribution sites operating from the UK, Houston, Singapore and Perth.

The in-situ machining products manufactured by Mirage are used widely across many industries, including the oil & gas, petrochemicals, power generation and nuclear sectors, so a strict QHSE health & safety culture is now firmly embedded within the company’s culture.

The Mirage safety programme engages the entire workforce and is managed through a robust reporting process and a health & safety committee.

Initiatives in place include ‘RISK’ cards (Reduced Incidents through Shared Knowledge), which can be submitted at any time by staff who see the potential for a safety improvement to be made.

Area safety inspections are carried out each month by all staff up to director level, with the five process steps of ‘sort, straighten, shine, standardise and sustain’ being applied to each working area.

Paul Humphreys QHSE Coordinator at Mirage, said:

“ Everybody’s opinion counts, so each individual card or audit is reviewed at high level. But what can make a huge difference is when we collate and analyse the data to see emerging trends and to identify the root cause of the issue.”

Acknowledging the achievement, Richard Silk, managing director of Mirage Machines said: “The commitment from everyone in the company has been outstanding. Our goal is, and always will be zero accidents or incidents. When you consider that we work with rotating machinery weighing up to six tons, to clock-up over 334,000 hours without a single lost time incident shows we are on the right path.”

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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ACHIEVEMENT

Queen’s Awards for Subsea UK Members Three Subsea UK members have received a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise – the country’s highest accolade for business success.

Viper Subsea, the Portishead and Aberdeen based subsea engineering company, won an Innovation Award for its groundbreaking V-LIFE Electrical Insulation Resistance Improvement System. Launched in 2013, V-LIFE was developed to help operators extend the life of their offshore fields and has since been deployed as far afield as Indonesia and Australia.

In recognition of its outstanding achievements in exports over the past six years, Aberdeenshire-based Flowline Specialists scooped an award for International Trade. Established in 2001, the company designs, engineers and manufactures a range of equipment to ensure the safe handling of flexible pipes, umbilicals and cables across the global oil and gas, subsea and renewable industries. Over the past seven years, the firm has significantly grown its presence overseas, having previously focused its efforts on the UK oil and gas market.

Flow measurement specialists, Litre Meter also secured an award for International Trade in recognition of its significant year-onyear growth of export sales from 2013 to 2015. This helped the Buckinghamshire-based firm achieve record growth in both turnover and profits resulting in a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 48%.

Ronald Archibald, head of UKTI Trade Challenge Partners said: “On behalf of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) I’d like to congratulate Flowline Specialists, Viper Subsea and Litre Meter on winning Queen’s Awards for International Trade and Innovation. This is great recognition for all their hard work and commitment.

“ UKTI has partnered with Subsea UK for many years to promote businesses in offshore oil and gas and looks forward to working with the industry body on future international campaigns to support UK subsea companies secure business, both at home and overseas.”

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious business honours, given only to companies or individuals who are outstanding in their field. The three companies were invited to a Royal reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen to be presented with their awards.

The team at Viper Subsea

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Subsea UK News | June 2016

ACHIEVEMENT

TSC Inspection Systems Win “Best Innovative Product” Award at NDT Level 4 Conference, Abu Dhabi TSC Inspection Systems are proud to announce that the ACFM® MagCrawler™ has won the award for “Best Innovative Product 2016” at the recent NDT Level 4 Conference, hosted in Abu Dhabi.

“We continue to develop innovative solutions that ensure our customers are equipped with the best-in-field technology as they implement their NDT programmes; often in the most challenging of environments.”

Recognised for innovation in it’s field, the ACFM® MagCrawler™ has been developed to enable the subsea ROV deployment of TSC’s ACFM® Array Probes; simplifying the inspection of offshore structure geometries, such as circumferential welds in pipes and tubulars, fillet and full penetration welds in plates; all typically found in the oil and gas sectors. The MagCrawler™ also provides a solution when access to areas is restricted, dangerous or expensive to reach using divers, such as the splash zone and confined compartments.

As a one-day event, the second NDT Level 4 Conference focuses on the Middle East region and aims to provide NDT experts an arena of expertise to host presentations and discussion forums on NDT. Key topic areas such as welding, Henry Sadek, Field Services Manager, coating technologies, technical TSC Inspection Systems & Capt. Saif training and new products are Al Hebsi - SVP Offshore Services, ESNAAD, ADNOC Group core themes - together with the application of innovative inspection technologies across key industrial sectors such as oil & gas, marine, civil and industrial infrastructure.

“ This recognition further solidifies TSC as a market leader for providing a comprehensive inspection technology platform that enables orgnisations to plan and deliver their IRM campaigns with high levels of accuracy, speed and flexibility,” said Henry Sadek, TSC Field Services Manager.

Alongside presentations from FARO, GE Oil & Gas, Proceq and Yxlon; TSC delivered a session on ACFM as an advanced NDT inspection technology and its flexibility throughout topside and subsea applications.

Seatronics and RTS Achieve 100 Successful Installations with Industry Leading SDM System Seatronics, an Acteon company, and Norwegian associates RTS, have achieved 100 successful global installations with the Subsea Deflection Monitoring system (SDM).

The SDM system aims to reduce the risk associated with both large and small installations. The system has an extensive history of successful operations in comparison to newer alternatives in the market.

The SDM is a time-saving monitoring solution used for the deployment and installation of subsea structures. Time-stamped data from pressure and attitude sensors are transmitted through an ROV hot stab connection or an acoustic modem. When installing the structure, the operator has full online feedback of its heading and deflection. The hotstab serves as a contingency solution where power and telemetry from an ROV can run the SDM. Additionally, subsea displays provide gyro, pitch and roll data. The SDM also includes remote control of all connected sensors, optional differential pressure monitoring of suction anchors, external sensor capabilities and customised logging intervals for long-time structure surveillance.

Phil Middleton, Group Managing Director, Seatronics, said: “The SDM system has an impeccable track record, setting the industry standard for such deployments. It is the solution of choice for all leading global subsea engineering contractors. It is due to the reliability of the SDM package that we have achieved 100 successful installations. The SDM has been developed by listening to feedback from many key

clients. Our 12-year partnership with RTS has been marked with new developments addressing efficiency and timesaving efforts offshore. The next generation is already in development.”

Freddy Knutsen, General Manager, RTS, said: “The first initiative to develop the SDM system came from one of the oil majors in Norway in 2007. The need for an instrument package that could give them safer, faster and more accurate structure installations was crucial. Since then, the SDM has become the industry standard for structure installations by all the major oil companies.”

The SDM system, manufactured and developed by RTS, is available for rental throughout Seatronics’ global bases, provided with offshore expertise and technical support.

Subsea UK News | June 2016

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Free Market Intelligence for Subsea UK Members In 2015 Subsea UK launched its market intelligence database, designed to help subsea companies seek out global opportunities. By providing a fully searchable online database, updated daily by dedicated staff, SubseaIntel now offers data on over 1,200 subsea projects worldwide.

An exclusive service to Subsea UK members only, SubseaIntel supplies valuable subsea market intelligence in one easy-to-search database. Members are given a unique login that lets them search and track global subsea discoveries and projects, view the latest information on vessels, and access contract details.

The database will allow them to identify which contracts have been awarded and to whom, when contracts are up for tender or renewal and what the values are, where available.

Data can be customised to review and compare the current status of subsea projects and developments as well as uncover the market-leading countries and industry trends. Information is categorised by a number of key factors including: region, operating or contracting company and water depth.

Users can tag any discovery, project, contract or vessel they want to monitor, and receive email alerts when an update is made to those areas of interest.

“Right now companies need all the support they can get, and SubseaIntel will give our members valuable business development and analyst support at no cost.”

Neil Gordon, CEO of Subsea UK said:

Arrange a tutorial Subsea UK also offers training on how to get the most out of SubseaIntel, through on-site visits or a 20-minute screen-share tutorial. To arrange a tutorial, please email info@subseaintel.com

The Benefits of joining SubseaIntel today: • Latest industry Intel from Subsea UK.

• Identity protection with secure encryption.

• User generated Intel from our database of over 300 members.

• Interactive, searchable database of current and historical worldwide subsea discoveries, projects, contracts, decommissioning programmes and vessels.

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• Subscribe to news RSS and data alerts by email.

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