Big Blue World The Global Newsletter of the Society for Underwater Technology
Issue 8, December 2023
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Contents 03 Welcome from the SUT East Med Branch Chair Dan Hayes
04 New Corporate Members 05 Publications UT2, Underwater Robotics, MTS Journal
06 Events & Training Diary 07 SUT Annual Report 2022-2023 08 SUT News 8 | Jane Hinton - 30 years at the SUT 10 | AGM - new SUT President Benj Sykes 13 | SUT Perth and SUT-US Branch Chairs 14 | 2023 Awards - Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration, LennardSenior Prize, Mick Cook Site Investigation Award 16 | Rest in Peace Captain Don Walsh 17 | Greensea Systems evolves into Greensea IQ
18 Innovation 18 | The Shift to Industry 4.0 20 | Subsea Power Monitoring Innovation Key to Lowering Offshore Costs in the Gulf of Mexico
22 OSIG 2023 - Innovative
Geotechnologies for Energy Transition
24 Reports of Recent Events 24 | LSE Branch Pub Quiz Winners 25 | ADIPEC 25 | Welcome back to SUT KL!
Big Blue World™ Editor: Emily Boddy emily.boddy@sut.org Contact Emily to submit an article, send in Corporate Member news, member updates and photos, or to find out about advertising and sponsorship opportunities in Big Blue World™. youtube.com/SUTMedia twitter.com/SUT_news instagram.com/societyforunderwater linkedin.com/company/sutuk
26 Updated OSIG Guidance Notes
facebook.com/SUT.org
28 Next Issue
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Welcome from the new East Med Branch
Welcome I’m pleased to welcome you to the December issue of Big Blue World as chair of the newly formed SUT EastMed branch. For the last two years, engineers and scientists in the region have been informally discussing the idea of forming a branch, and we have finally made it official earlier this year. Historically, cooperation among countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean has been fragmented, but after lots of back and forth among potential members and the SUT leadership, we felt that improving the ability for professionals and students to network across borders and Dan Hayes across disciplines as much as possible would result in opportunities for SUT EastMed Branch Chair cooperation and streamlining of efforts. Offshore energy projects are active in this region, with several ultra-deep and deep natural gas fields at different phases of maturity. Besides the difficulty of working in great water depths, environmental sensitivity is high because of the nature of the ultra-oligotrophic (low production) sea and unique seamount and canyon ecosystems. Offshore renewables and offshore aquaculture are extremely challenging in most of the Eastern Mediterranean because of the narrow continental shelves which rapidly fall away to abyssal depths. Personally, I see these issues as strong drivers for cooperation and innovation of many types. Low-impact exploration and exploitation of deep water environments promote new technologies and methods as does the need for better scientific understanding and management tools. The socioeconomic push towards reduced CO2 emissions has increased this drive, and the commonalities of the issues faced makes cooperation among regional efforts potentially beneficial to everyone. The SUT EastMed branch aims to bring together people from different sectors of technology (energy, environment, robotics), from different types of organizations (academic and research organisations, small and large companies), and from as many countries as possible, so that ideas can more easily be shared and mutually developed. Finally, the new branch has identified needs and opportunities for public outreach in the region, not just for university students looking to build a career, but to secondary and even primary school students who are unlikely to be aware of the amazing technology being used or developed, often just down the road. Future events are being planned to support both professional networking, as well as public outreach. In Cyprus, where I lead a small research and consultancy company, environmental surveys are being carried out using traditional (vessels, buoys) and autonomous (underwater gliders, ROVs) systems, and offshore wind, wave, and aquaculture facilities are being actively investigated in various research programs by consortia of research organisations and SMEs. At the same time, of course, many large companies have been actively exploring for and extracting hydrocarbons in this region using state of the art technology. Unfortunately, these two worlds of research and commercial activity do not intersect as much as they could, despite the potential advantages for both sides, often just for a lack of communication avenues. Daniel Hayes, PhD is Managing Director of Cyprus Subsea Consulting and Services C.S.C.S. Ltd, Visiting Researcher at the Oceanography Center of the University of Cyprus, and chair of SUT EastMed. He is also the National Focal Point for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), member of the OceanGliders GOOS steering committee, and member of the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) Operations Committee. SUT EastMed aims at including subject matter experts, outreach and education experts, policy and business stakeholders interested in underwater technology activities in countries bordering the Eastern Mediterranean (such as Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon). If you’d like to find out more about how you can be a part of this branch, contact eastmed@sut.org.
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New Members
Welcome to our new Corporate Members The Society offers enhanced communication with other companies, government, organisations and individuals working in the area of underwater technology in specialist disciplines.
Click here to find out how your organisation can join the SUT as a Corporate Member and the benefits it includes.
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Publications UT2/Underwater Robotics - The magazines of the SUT Click to read the latest issues
Marine Technology Society Journal (MTSJ) The Marine Technology Society Journal is the flagship publication of the Marine Technology Society. It publishes the highest caliber, peerreviewed papers, six times a year, on subjects of interest to the society: marine technology, ocean science, marine policy, and education. The Marine Technology Society has published the MTS Journal under its current title since 1969.
Click to read the latest issue.
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Events & Training Diary 2024
MARCH
JANUARY
Oi International 2024
SUT KL Monthly Session
10 January 2024 Loco, KL Aberdeen – AGM & Pub Quiz
17 January 2024 OGV Podium, Aberdeen SUT US – Networking Event
17 January 2024 Red Lion Pub, Houston, TX
SUT KL Monthly Session
13 March 2024 Loco, KL AOG Energy 2024
13-15 March 2024 Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre Perth – Positioning and Survey Course
10th Anniversary SUT-TAMU Student Chapter
20-21 March, 2024
18 January 2024 Texas A&M University, Houston, TX
APRIL
Aberdeen Branch Business Breakfast & Subsea Market Outlook 2024
30 January 2024 The Marcliffe Hotel, Aberdeen
FEBRUARY SUT-US Networking Event
1 February 2024 Union Kitchen, Houston, TX
Aberdeen – Subsea Awareness Course
5-9 February 2024 Palm Court, Aberdeen
Perth – February 2024 Evening Technical Meeting - Reefs & Wrecks
7 February 2024 Parmelia Hilton Perth
SUT KL Monthly Session
14 February 2024 Loco, KL Champagne Conversation
21 February 2024 Velvet Oak Tavern, Houston, TX
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12-14 March 2024 ExCeL - London
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MCEDD - Deepwater Development
9-11 April 2024 Hôtel Mövenpick, Amsterdam SUT KL Monthly Session
10 April 2024 Loco, KL Perth – April Evening Technical Meeting
17 April 2024 Parmelia Hilton Perth
MAY Perth – Subsea Awareness Course
6-10 May 2024 Parmelia Hilton Perth SUT KL Monthly Session
8 May 2024 Loco, KL All-Energy
15-16 May 2024 SEC, Glasgow
SUT Annual MemberReport News
Click below to read the SUT Annual Report for the year July 2022 - June 2023
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SUT News
Jane Hinton - 30 years at the SUT Jane Hinton, Membership and Finance Officer at the SUT, is not only a valued member of staff but also holds the esteemed title of being the organisation’s longest-serving employee. This year, 2023, marks an incredible milestone as Jane celebrates 30 years of dedicated service at the SUT. Jane’s journey with the SUT actually began in 1983, when she worked for us in membership and events, but left after three-and-a-half years to work more locally to her home. Her son Nicholas was born in 1991 and she rejoined SUT in 1993 (having kept in touch The SUT office in London, 1983. Jane sits second from right. with Jean and Monica Events Manager and Publications Officer) when she covered a maternity leave and the rest is history! Over the last 30 years, Jane has witnessed significant changes and growth within the SUT. Jane has witnessed six CEOs at the helm: Geoff May, David Wardle, Ian Gallett, Bob Allwood, Steve Hall, and, now, Cheryl Burgess. The SUT has weathered two industry crashes, demonstrating its resilience and ability to bounce back. In 2003 and 2004, the SUT expanded internationally, establishing branches in Perth and Houston. Although international branches were not present when Jane initially joined, she has seen the SUT grow and embrace a global reach over the years (now 12 international branches!). The SUT’s physical presence has also seen changes, with offices moving around different parts of London. In 1993 the SUT HQ London office was located in Birdcage Walk, within the building of The Institute of Mechanical Engineers. It then moved to Bird Cage Walk, Mark Lane (within the offices of IMarEST) – The Institute of Marine Engineers as they were then known, Coleman Street (again with IMarEST), then independently to Fetter Lane, Chancery Lane, and finally John Street, before the big move to fully remote working in 2020. Jane’s journey within the SUT began with responsibilities in membership and events, as well as managing a training course. As the SUT expanded, so did Jane’s workload. She took on bookkeeping and accounts tasks, albeit on a much smaller scale than today’s membership, given that the organization had around 1000 individual members and a few corporate members in the early years. Jane pursued an AAT course in accounting (Association of 8
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SUT News
Left - Jane gets fitted for diving gear at Fort Bovisand, Plymouth which used to be a diver training centre where the SUT annual Physiology of Diving course was held (organised by Jane). 1984.
Accounting Technicians) to further enhance her skills and contribute to the financial management of the SUT. Jane now manages all the financial and membership matters of 1500+ individuals and 150+ corporate members. In addition to her professional achievements, Jane has built strong social connections during her time at the SUT. She fondly recalls the vibrant social life in London, particularly the great events and memorable moments shared with colleagues like Bob and Ian. The opportunity to visit Houston stands out as a highlight, where she enjoyed wonderful social events and had the pleasure of meeting Patsy and Jodie, as well as enjoying frequent trips to the Aberdeen office. Since working at the SUT Jane has had two sons. She loves travel, gardening, cricket, rugby, and supporting Harlequins (you can find her cheering them on in the winter on a Saturday afternoon!). When Jane eventually retires she plans to travel overseas to watch as much cricket as possible! Jane is a huge asset to the SUT HQ team; her experience and knowledge of the Society is second to none and we are incredibly lucky to have her.
Thank you, Jane, for all your hard work and everything you have done and continue to do for the SUT.
SUT HQ staff enjoying a drink at the local pub to the office on Fetter Lane, The Old Bank of England, in 2011. L-R Cheryl Ince, Ian Gallett, Michaelagh Broadbent, Bob Allwood, Jane Hinton
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SUT AGM London
Ørsted’s Benj Sykes becomes President of the SUT
Four SUT Presidents, past and present L-R Moya Crawford, Benj Sykes, Judith Patten MBE, Prof Ralph Rayner
This month’s AGM of the Society for Underwater Technology marked the official handover to newly elected officers in three senior posts – President, Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer; the announcement of a new Fellow of the Learned Society; and of winners of four Awards. These being The President’s Award, the Gwyn Griffiths Award for Underwater Robotics, the Lennard-Senior Award; and the Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration. Once all the formalities were concluded SUT members were treated to a look at decarbonising the energy system by Abigail Davies PhD with particular reference to decommissioning. Benj Sykes, Vice President, Head of Environment, Consenting and External Affairs at Ørsted has been elected SUT’s President, Nick Swift becomes Hon Secretary, and Mick Cook returns as Hon Treasurer. Sue John continues in her role as SUT’s Chair. As SUT’s Chief Executive, Cheryl Burgess explained: “Benj Sykes will bring valuable insights and connections to the Society. He has worked extensively in both the offshore oil and gas and the offshore renewables sector. Through his current role at Ørsted, and previously at the Carbon Trust, and his nonexecutive roles in the Offshore Renewables Catapult and previously the Offshore Wind Industry Council and RenewableUK. He is a current member of the Board of the Global Underwater Hub. “His experience and connections are well suited to helping the Society navigate the energy transition; helping to guide the offshore oil and gas sector through the energy transition, while building a stronger position in offshore renewable energy and the wider components of a sustainable ocean economy.” Benj Sykes, now a Fellow of the SUT, said: “Renewable energy will be at the heart of the world’s future energy systems. I’m looking forward to helping champion the SUT on its journey to playing a full role in the energy transition as we move away from fossil fuels and towards a cleaner, greener future.”
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SUT AGM London The President’s Award Outgoing SUT President, Moya Crawford, revealed that: “This year’s winner of the SUT President’s Award for outstanding achievement is Mr Ali Hynd, Vice Principal of Mintlaw Academy in Buchan, NE Scotland and the pupils he inspires in Mintlaw ROV, a very professional school club run under his technology remit. “It has been awarded in the face of very stiff opposition, as a shining example of what can be achieved in the most formative stages of life when the creative and rewarding relationship between mentor and young minds is operating at its best. Directed by a strong sense of purpose and supported by the community, including industry, the focus of overcoming the challenges of delivering function in the underwater realm has developed personal skills and generated opportunity as well as being an applied learning experience. “Together, they are a shining example to us all one which justly deserves the honour of the President’s Award, to acknowledge their effort and commitment. This will be handed over at Subsea Expo in Aberdeen in February 2024 and we look forward to covering their joint achievements in full, then.”
Abigail Davies Following the formal proceedings Abigail Davies spoke on decarbonising the energy system, which she described as “one of the most pressing issues of our time” and presented her PhD work investigating the greenhouse gas emissions from decommissioning and how the results can be used to inform decarbonisation decision making. Abigail has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry working in various roles in geosciences for operators and supply companies. Having very recently completed her PhD in the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from decommissioning Abigail joined the Robert Gordon University in September as a lecturer in sustainability. Her research interests include quantification of GHG emissions from the energy system, including GHG emissions transition pathway mapping, sustainability, circular economy and climate change mitigations.
Speaker Abigail Davies and her highly topical presentation on decarbonising the energy system
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PARTRAC ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF OCEAN.DAT: A METOCEAN AND SEABED DATA PRODUCT FOR THE CELTIC SEA FLOW REGION
OCEAN.DAT: A METOCEAN AND SEABED ATLAS AND DATABASE FOR THE CELTIC SEA FLOW AREA
Image courtesy of BW Ideol
www.partrac.com The area of ocean on the UK Continental Shelf off the coast of Wales and the South West of England referred to as the Southwest Approaches has recently been identified by The Crown Estate for a new leasing opportunity for the first generation of commercial-scale floating offshore windfarms (FLOW). It is considered to be a particularly high energy and challenging setting: exposed to substantial wave energy; deep water; strong prevailing wind direction; and a complex seabed. An early understanding of the offshore site characteristics in terms of the metocean conditions for prospective (i.e. pre-lease award) sites within the FLOW area is critical to a risk-based assessment of site feasibility. Early insight can help to reduce uncertainty in: extreme conditions, design load calculations, defining requirements for the collection of in situ measurement data, assessing the viability of mooring options and anchorages, and providing an indication of available construction-phase and operational weather windows. As efforts continue to reduce the cost of energy, and the floating wind sub-sector is set to boom, an early understanding of metocean conditions and associated project risks for proposed development sites has never been greater. To contribute to this understanding, Partrac have developed OCEAN.DAT, a product that we are making available to all potential FLOW developers and marine contractors interested in The Crown Estate’s upcoming Celtic Sea floating wind tender round. It is a comprehensive, integrated GIS and database product comprising over 100 parameter map layers and over 500 metocean hindcast timeseries datasets across the Celtic Sea Region. It enables users to obtain an initial high-resolution (<5 km grid) understanding of extreme and operational metocean conditions, including wind (at 10 m above sea-level), across regional and subregional (project development area) scales.
Rotterdam House, 116 Quayside, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE1 3DY
In addition, it provides access to information on other spatially and temporally varying phenomena such as nearbed ocean processes and the seabed environment, including sediment composition and seabed mobility. The map layers and time-series datasets of metocean conditions comprise 40-year hindcast modelling of wind, wave, current and water level parameters (these layers and datasets are available for purchase individually or in bundles). OCEAN.DAT has been comprehensively verified using in situ measurement data sources, and model performance (assessed against industry standards) is judged to be very good. Matt Wright, Associate Director at Partrac stated: “We have developed OCEAN.DAT to be a product that we are offering to all potential Celtic Sea FLOW developers, to assist them in their early-stage site selection, characterisation and engineering feasibility assessments of potential development sites in the region. The high resolution hindcast modelling, validated and verified agains’t measured data from within the [Celtic Sea] model domain, and the subsequent production of hindcast data, extreme statistics, and spatial layers that are presented within the product are normally only commissioned and prepared for individual developers, via bespoke studies, that cost on the order of tens of thousands of pounds. By offering OCEAN.DAT to all potential FLOW developers we are able to provide a very competitively priced atlas and database of metocean and seabed conditions, that we consider will be invaluable for site selection and feasibility”. For further information about OCEAN.DAT and details of the various spatial and hindcast datasets available please contact Matt Wright (matt.wright@partrac.com).
A Venterra Group PLC member company
SUT News
Branch Chairs SUT Perth A heartfelt thank you to Steve Duffield for his outstanding tenure as Chairperson of the SUT-Perth Branch Committee from 2021 to 2023. Steve’s commitment and leadership have driven our organisation’s success and growth. While concluding his tenure as Chairperson, Steve remains a vital link as one of the local SUT Council Members representing Australia at global SUT roundtable discussions. “I’d like to take a moment to express my gratitude to the former chair and SUT Council Member, Steve Duffield. As his vice for the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his dedication to the Society and his hard work in engaging with the staff and committee.”, said Bukkie Orugun – SUT Perth Vice-Chair 2022/23 Thank you, Steve, for your continued support and contributions to the SUT community.
SUT-US Congratulations to Andy Hill on his recent appointment as the new SUT-US elected Chair! Your dedication and leadership skills will be a great asset to our organisation. We would also like to express our gratitude to Tricia Hill for her outstanding contributions during her tenure as SUT-US Chair. Her hard work and commitment has raised the bar. Tricia and Andy will work together during a one year transition period. Best wishes for a successful term, Andy!
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SUT Awards Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration
SUT Awards 2
Lennard-Senior Priz
Recognition of outstanding individua in the field of Marine Renewab
Norma Hogan works for Highlands and Islands Enterprise a Tidal sector for 15 years. Never on the front line, in the headline
She is the person working behind the scenes to support decision and keeping policy direction on track to support a sector that sh transformational for the UK, Scotland and specifically the Highl Dr Peter Girguis, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and Adjunct Oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, described by his peers as ‘the epitome of a deep-sea explorer’ and ‘a man for all ocean seasons”, has been announced the winner of the 2023 Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration by the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT).
Her role has covered infrastructure, supply chain, specific techn development. She knows all the developers, people within Gov and confident to all.
Without people like Norma, working constantly to steer the sh nascent sectors would not happen. Thank you, Norma, for all y
Peter Girguis’ prolific career is dedicated to increasing understanding of the animals and microbes that thrive in the deep sea. His profound dedication lies in advancing deep-sea exploration to expand humanity’s understanding of the natural world. Colleagues have paid tribute to his leadership, attributing it to his capacity for expansive thinking in ocean science – considering what the field requires to flourish and identifying emerging scientific questions. Receiving news of his win he said: “I am deeply honored to be the recipient of this award. I know there are many others who qualify for this recognition, so I view myself as representing all of us, from all backgrounds and walks of life, who have contributed to ocean exploration. “To paraphrase Captain Walsh, there’s a lot of work left to do in exploring and understanding our ocean, so I will continue to do my part and support as many others as I can on our journey to further understand this ocean world on which we live.” Further information on Peter Girguis and the lab’s work is at girguislab.oeb.harvard.edu/
Norma Hogan (L) receives her award from SUT CE All-Energy in May 2023
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2023
SUT Awards SUT’s Inaugural Mick Cook Marine Site Investigation Award
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Tor Inge Tjelta was the inaugural winner of the new Mick Cook Site Investigation award, which was presented to him by Mick Cook at the 9th International SUT OSIG Conference held in London in September 2023. Mick Cook said: “Having had a wonderful and fulfilling career in which I have worked with some exceptional people, I was keen to give something back to say thank you for all the good times I have had and to all the good people I have encountered. “The Mick Cook Award is just that and is aimed at recognising ‘Significant contribution to marine site investigation and characterisation with a focus on geophysics and geotechnical engineering’. The inaugural winner of the award, Tor Inge Tjelta, is an extremely worthy recipient, having contributed hugely to our industry over the past 40+ years.” Tor Inge Tjelta’s response several days after accepting the Award still demonstrated his surprise: “Thank you all for this nomination and award. It will, perhaps more than anything, continue to inspire me for the future. And when I see who are on the committee, I consider it an absolute honour and can only say thank you very much again to you all. It came as an utter surprise and I’m completely stunned, and speechless. Thank you!” Tor Inge Tjelta’s Mick Cook Award recognises his many creative contributions to offshore site investigations and geotechnical engineering. The SUT’s Award panel appreciated first his integrated geological, geophysical and geotechnical approach for complex settings ranging from hazardous Caspian Sea conditions to the Dogger Bank glaciotectonic sequences. The panel noted additionally his pioneering role in advancing sampling, insitu and laboratory testing techniques, his fundamental role in developing deep skirted Gravity Base solutions and his effective championing of suction caisson pile technology. The Panel also applauded his exemplary role in proving these novel developments through instrumented field testing and monitoring, and advanced analysis. Society for Underwater Technology
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SUT News
Rest in Peace Captain Don Walsh On Sunday, 12 November 2023, the ocean science and technology community lost one of its finest. Don Walsh will forever be remembered as a pioneer in exploration and especially for his famous first, when he and Jacques Piccard piloted the bathyscaphe Trieste to the deepest point in the World’s ocean with their dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 1960. He will also be remembered for his lifetime of contribution to ocean technology. But for those that had the honour of knowing him, he will most be recalled for his humility, kindness and generosity. A true renaissance man and someone whose attributes we should all strive to emulate. The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and Marine Technology Society (MTS) will continue to remember him in a very special way by means of the annual Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration.
SUT Members - if you or your company has news or an update they’d like to share in Big Blue World please contact emily.boddy@sut.org 16
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SUT Member News
Greensea Systems evolves into Greensea IQ: A unified vision for ocean robotics Greensea Systems Inc., a renowned leader in ocean robotics, has officially evolved into Greensea IQ, marking a strategic consolidation of its former subsidiaries, Bayonet Ocean Vehicles Inc., and Armach Robotics Inc. This transformation positions Greensea IQ as a prominent force in the world of uncrewed and autonomous systems, with the overarching goal of enhancing human-kind’s interactions with, and understanding of, the world’s oceans. CEO of Greensea IQ, Ben Kinnaman emphasises the central goal behind this transformation, “the three arms of Greensea IQ collectively embody the overarching idea of maximising the capabilities of ocean robotics. This empowers us to explore deeper into the world’s oceans, enhancing both persistence and reach, all while ensuring efficiency, safety, and productivity.” This shared ethos forms the cornerstone of Greensea IQ’s new identity and serves as the guiding principle that binds its components together in a collaborative pursuit of oceanic advancement. Greensea IQ’s innovative technologies are poised to revolutionise maritime industries globally, with OPENSEA, its versatile framework for robotics, serving as a common thread in all its activities. EverClean, its autonomous hull cleaning service, ensures peak ship performance, fuel efficiency, and reduces carbon emissions. OPENSEA empowers this service with efficient route planning and hull condition surveys. Plans are in place to scale this service across a multitude of ship types in the coming years. Its technologies are also making strides in the defense and environmental sectors. Its EOD Workspace software platform offers autonomous capabilities for mine detection and classification, reducing risks in hazardous environments. It is also finding applications in offshore renewables, performing surveys for pre-construction work and beach landings. The restructuring provides Greensea IQ with the platform to expand and better serve clients worldwide, with likely expansion into Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia. This will allow for closer service depots for robot deployments and more effective customer support. It marks a significant step in the world of ocean robotics, underscoring Greensea IQ’s commitment to innovation while highlighting its ambition to align business growth with environmental sustainability. Society for Underwater Technology
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Innovation
How Ingenuity Must Touch All Corners of the Energy Sector in the Shift to Industry 4.0 Alasdair Cowie, MD of Cortez Subsea and Business Development Director for MCS Group The reaction to technology advancements in the energy industry has been interesting to observe over the years. It can vary from reluctance to being an early adopter through to all-absorbing, depending on the product and application. But with industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution, in full swing it’s safe to say that operators no longer see the application of new technology as the riskier proposition in comparison to existing, proven approaches. Recent world events have put the sector under increased pressure to enhance domestic energy security and deliver on net-zero MiniSpector ROV commitments. Embracing Industry 4.0 means harnessing intelligent machines and new technology to transform how energy is produced and distributed. The result is a more efficient, safer and sustainable way to keep the lights on. Our Innovation House
Innovation is in the DNA of the MCS Group. Our products and technical services focus on operational efficiency with the use of advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT). The group consists of three complimentary businesses, MCS, DeepTech and Cortez Subsea, which together deliver technology application across data management and inspection, ROV services and intervention and pipelines and tie-ins. Our vision is to become the world-leading underwater technical solutions company, using our proprietary technology, to transform the global energy and marine sectors. All of our solutions are underpinned by our dedicated Innovation House, where 30 per cent of our global team is focused solely on research and development. Here our engineers in underwater robotics, electronics, control, hydrodynamics, software and mechanical design are committed to tackling our clients’ challenges with our own designed and patented technology. We know embracing new ways of working is critical as we prepare our industry for the future. Robustly Remote
We are gearing up to launch our Ocean Aurora Remote Survey Vessel (RSV). This future-ready technology has been developed to perform subsea survey and inspection operations without a manned survey vessel and therefore with a significant cost saving. It is semi-submersible, fully autonomous and can be controlled onshore to safely deploy and recover our MiniSpector® and ProSpector® ROVs for structure and pipeline inspection. These mini ROVs have been designed to be small and nimble, but can
Ocean Aurora Remote Survey Vessel (RSV
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Innovation Dexter AI Manipulator for diverless tie-ins
withstand higher currents than other similar models on the market. We have also built-in our Photo Realistic 3D Cloud (PRC) technology which creates interactive, 3D models or ‘digital twins’ of any scanned object with highly accurate measurement to the nearest millimeter. Alternative Automations
We are also champions of alternative and proven pipelay methods including our own designed and patented Modular Pipelay System (MPS®), which is coupled with mechanical connectors, to offer a semi-autonomous pipelay process and an efficient and economical alternative to welding. Currently in the development stage, our Dexter AI Manipulator enhances our group’s remote technology capabilities further with the ability to complete pipeline tie-ins and install riser clamps without the need for saturation divers. Secure Subsea Systems
ROV intervention services are a key part of our offering, and we work closely with our clients to design solutions to their challenges and maintain the efficient operation of their assets. As part of an ROV intervention response, we designed an emergency system to transmit power from the surface, through a downline, to connect with subsea infrastructure. As a follow-on from this piece of work we are now building the first subsea battery system which will power drilling centers at 1450m below the surface. Our SubCell deepwater subsea battery consists of modular lithium industrial batteries, housed in a mechanical enclosure, and can power-up subsea components for up to 30 days with a monthly Modular Pipelay System recharge from the surface. (MPS) on DP2 vessel Philosophy for the Future
Our philosophy is to always wonder, how can we do things better, quicker, safer and cleaner? How can we work with our clients to increase efficiency, reduce carbon footprint and advance our industry? We know this way of thinking not only enhances our competitive advantage but catapults business leaders and magnifies operational excellence. Innovation and its worldwide application are what will build the energy systems of the future globally.
Photo Realistic 3D Cloud (PRC) model
V) (2)
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Innovation
Subsea Power Monitoring Innovation K Offshore Costs in the Gulf of Mexico Asset owners and operators have always looked to manage costs in offshore operations, but since the price of crude plummeted in 2015, reducing CapEx and OpEx – without cutting corners on safety – became a matter of survival. And it was innovative technology solutions that came to the rescue. This is according to Houston-based Jamie Carrig, newly appointed President of Viper Innovations Inc., the first of Viper Innovations’ subsidiaries outside of the UK. Having been at the heart of the Gulf of Mexico’s (GOM) activities since 2015 in his previous role, Jamie has experienced some of these technologies first-hand. “It’s a simple equation. When the price of crude falls, many projects are no longer viable. The supply chain has responded with transformative technology that’s had a massive impact,” he explains. “The new technology, or it could be existing technology gaining greater penetration, balances that equation by introducing efficiencies, boosting productivity or lowering costs.” Why a continued focus on cost reduction when oil prices have soared? With the exception of the huge pandemic-induced fall in the Spring of 2020, the price of oil per barrel has risen from a $28 low in late 2015/early 2016 to hovering around $80 per barrel in late 2022 and an average of $75 during 2023 so far. Jamie continues: “Even though the price of crude has recovered, the reasons for a focus on cost reduction go beyond a simple desire to optimise profitability.
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Although that’s important, of course. Profits mean sustained investment which in turn fuels continuing global growth in energy supply to meet growing demand.” An increasing number of new projects on the outer continental shelf (OCS) of the GOM are in deeper water. This usually means more challenging operating conditions, more complex and resilient subsea infrastructure, and therefore higher costs. In addition, there are a growing number of high pressure and/or high temperature (HPHT) projects at different stages of development. Onshore wellheads and shallow water platforms with dry tree systems use well-established technology to manage HPHT and have mature regulatory frameworks. Deep water subsea HPHT production is happen-
ing but is relatively new, both in terms of technology and regulation, and is currently higher cost. Regulatory burdens and environmental legislation in the region have not significantly increased since 2015 – the last major overhaul was in 2014 post Deepwater Horizon – however there is an ongoing and constant rise in compliance costs. How is innovation reducing subsea costs in the GOM? Currently, there is a focus on getting new production wells onstream via tiebacks to the existing infrastructure. In turn, this means the focus is on subsea infrastructure. So, when operators are looking to save costs, they are looking at subsea technologies.
Innovation
Key to Lowering
the last 5 or 6 years that have ultimately reduced production costs per barrel. There are dozens more.
which is a genuine gamechanger. In the GOM deployment case study we’ve published, activating V-LIFE generated a 100-fold IR increase on V-LIFE IR recovery technology the same day, as the initial 460kΩ – a gamechanger for GOM reading rose to 43.8MΩ within hours. operators? Within a week this doubled again, Based out of Houston, Jamie’s primary and the operator now integrates the solution into its asset management role in US operations and the GOM strategy. No intervention was needed. is to introduce more operators and OEMs to Viper Innovation’s subsea “I chose to join the Viper Innovations insulation resistance solutions for con- team because it has unique technolotrol and power cables and expand the gy. This technology, V-LIFE, provides current customer base. He is following a preventative and active ‘healing’ a model applied successfully by Viper solution for low IR caused by water Innovations across many oil and gas ingress. It can recover IR with none of regions globally. the expensive and production halting interventions I’ve outlined.”
Does he believe that Viper Innovations’ solutions have a role to play in reducing costs per barrel in the GOM, like the other technologies he highlights? This is where Jamie, an electrical and communications engineer by background who worked in subsea electrical distribution and asset integrity and the wider marine industry gets excited: “Since 2015, innovations have snowballed. Standardisation and automation have helped to streamline the supply chain, while step change reductions of both the size and weight of subsea trees have helped to take cost out of new fields and tie backs. From an operations perspective, there have been many improvements. Robotics and autonomous systems are driving efficiencies in inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) and our Insulation Resistance (IR) monitoring and recovery technology can help here too.” These are just few areas of offshore oil and gas field innovation launched in
The hardware part of the solution, V-LIM, is installed on the topside so requires no subsea intervention. V-LIFE can be enabled to heal the low IR via a simple configuration file being applied. V-LIFE is a dry installation and is activated in response to falling IR. Working in tandem, V-LIM and V-LIFE can actively heal control and power cable damage without downtime and the resulting loss of production.
“Absolutely. Our solutions are key technologies that enable operators to reduce the costs of operations, and they are already having a huge impact.” “We’ve just published a case study about one successful deployment that’s prevented a communication loss in a critical subsea control system.”
“With our permanent local presence in the GOM, we can support operators and OEMs with the options they have to tackle IR challenges that don’t involve expensive interventions, production downtime and millions of barrels, and dollars, in lost production.”
“If an operator has an IR issue, production could be lost. Before it is lost there’s traditionally three options: a subsea intervention to find the issue, which is costly and time consuming. Replacing the hardware, which could be an entire umbilical, meaning the system is out for as much as one to three years while the replacement is manufactured. Or maybe let the channel die if the wells are not that economically viable.” According to Jamie, a deployment of Viper Innovations’ electrical line integrity monitoring solution, V-LIM, enables the deployment of V-LIFE,
Jamie is already busy working in the GOM to share Viper Innovations’ suite of subsea solutions, which are an important part of the industry’s tool kit for remediating IR issues. If you want to learn more, visit viperinnovations.com or contact Jamie at Jamie. Carrig@viperinnovations.com.
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OSIG 2023 Conference
Innovative Geotechnologies for En
9th International SUT OSIG Conference | 12-14 Sep Toby Powell, OSIG Conference Chair The SUT Special Interest Group; the Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics (OSIG) Committee held its 9th International Conference in London from 12th to 14th September entitled, “Innovative Geotechnologies for Energy Transition”. This conference series has been running since 1979 and remains the longest running event of its type worldwide bringing together the global Geoscience, Geophysics and Geotechnical Engineering communities to share the latest experience, learnings and innovations. Since the last conference in 2017 the global conscience has shifted again, with increasing focus on climate change and the transition particularly to offshore renewable sources for humanity’s energy supplies. Never has it been more important nor in the public focus to strengthen the collaborations between the disciplines of Engineering Geology, Geophysics, Geohazards and Geotechnical Engineering. Especially given that so much of the technical and commercial success of each offshore renewable energy project rests on the geotechnical dissemination and quantification of ground risk based on geological and geophysical interpretation. For the first time in the conference series history, this event sold out and was
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oversubscribed, which was an incredible response. Six hundred academics and industry professionals were hosted at Imperial College London, with the conference dinner being held at the stunning Natural History Museum. Delegates attended from 35 countries and over 45 Universities were represented making it a truly global event. The 9th International Conference presents the strongest technical programme of the series to date and was the first event to incorporate the SUT’s newly awarded SCOPUS indexing for bibliometric referencing, significantly enhancing the Society’s standing as a learned body. The ten Keynote Addresses were presented covering subjects from new offshore soil types identified in the US, to floating and fixed wind foundations, to applications for CCS and uses for AI. This was in addition to the 250 internationally peer reviewed SCOPUS indexed conference papers. Our philosophy was to give all who successfully submitted conference papers the opportunity to present their work, and so parallel sessions ran throughout the three days. Technical sessions were divided into 22 sessions successfully chaired by a team of 44 academics and professional pairings that combined experience as well as opportunities for younger industry members. The teams of Chairs were also split equally between women and men to send a strong message about this sector of the offshore energy space.
OSIG 2023 Conference
nergy Transition
ptember 2023 | London
We were honoured to continue our association with the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) as we hosted the 6th McClelland Honours Lecture delivered this year by Imperial College’s own Professor Richard Jardine. Two awards were also presented during the conference. The first was to the winner of the International Student Poster Competition; Elizabeth Hamilton of University of Massachusetts – Amherst in the US, with the two Runners up Abigail Bateman and James Creasy both being from the University of Bristol in the UK. The second was the inaugural Mick Cook award for significant contribution to Marine Site Investigation and Characterisation within the disciplines of Geophysics and Geotechnics. This was presented to Tor Inge Tjelta, formerly
of Equinor. The Conference Organising committee wishes to thank Andy Hill, Peter Allan and Mick Cook for their continued support and contributions to these awards. Finally, special thanks musty go to the OSIG organising committee, the scientific committee and our team of session Chairs and Co-Chairs for all their voluntary effort and input to producing this conference. Above all, the SUT staff deserve particular praise as without their enormous energy, humour, and dedication the continued and growing success of this conference series would not have been possible. We look forward to the 10th International Conference in 2027, planning starts in early 2024!
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Reports of Recent Events SUT London & South of England Branch Annual Pub Quiz 14 November 2023 | Ye Olde Watling, London
L-R Alexander Muir, Michael Gormley, Ledum Hyacinth Promise-Birah, Raksha Lalwani, Zainab S.
Congratulations to the ‘Petrofacts’ for winning the SUT London Branch Annual Pub Quiz 2023! On a cold November evening, we battled our way through the many rounds of question in a packed upperroom of the Ye Olde Watling pub near St. Paul’s, London filled with more than a dozen quiz teams of SUT members and friends, including a team of the HQ SUT staff (our first quiz appearance of many, we hope!). The evening was a huge success, thanks for our brilliant quiz master Andrew Tebboth, and to Iain Knight, SUT London and South of England Branch for organising the event. A big thank you also to our sponsors for the evening CONSUB and Petrofac. Until next year! Will the Petrofacts retain their title in 2024?!
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Reports of Recent Events ADIPEC 2024 2-5 October 2023 | Abu Dhabi, UAE The SUT Middle East branch committee have come together twice and recently over a very busy ADIPEC where SUT had a stand in Hall 15 (Marine & Logistics Zone). It was supported by many members of the committee and SUT local chair Adrian Phillips chaired two of the subsea SPE technical sessions under ADNOC Marine & Logistics Commitee.
Welcome back to SUT KL! After a hiatus of almost three years, the SUT Branch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia became active again in August 2023, due to a joint initiative by Marian Copilet, Raj Thangavelu and David Trees. Monthly meetings are taking place every second Wednesday of each month at Loco, a popular location in Changkat, and awareness and attendance of the event is increasing. Selection for a new committee is underway and elections are planned to take place in January 2024. Society for Underwater Technology
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SUT Publications
Updated OSIG Guidance Notes available now (FREE for SUT Members!) Since the first publication of these Guidance Notes, in 2014, there has been a significant increase in the scale and number of offshore renewable energy projects. Download your copy now by clicking here. If you are an SUT Member you may download this publication for free by logging into your SUT Member Area, then clicking on ‘Access Media and Publications’.
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Reports of Recent Events
The Underwater Technology Podcast will return to your speakers in early 2024! Tune in for great conversations with inspirational speakers and our new host Martin Stemp! Catch up on previous episodes here
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Future Issues
We Want to Hear From YOU We’re looking for SUT member-written articles focussing on INNOVATION and on the BLUE ECONOMY. Additionally, if you are a corporate member and have a short update you’d like to include please contact Emily Boddy for details on how to get your company news included in the SUT newsletter. Issues will be quarterly and can include: • Welcome from the CEO
• SUT Member news
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• Young Professionals International
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We value our members and your contribution is very important to us at the SUT If you would like to contribute to any of the above features, as an individual member or corporate member please contact Emily Boddy, SUT Communications & Publications Officer - emily.boddy@sut.org NEXT issue March 2024 Deadline for submissions - 16th February 2024 28
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