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ADIPEC 2023 preview

ADIPEC 2023 will strengthen partnerships in the energy industry. This international platform convenes global energy producers, consumers and innovators to accelerate game-changing solutions and transformational progress for the future of energy. Click here to book your visit 2023

MEET THE TEAM

Managing Director

John White

Editorial Manager

Phil Nicholls

Editorial Assistants

Imogen Ward

Hannah Barnett

Finance Director

Filomena Nardi-Smith

Feature Writers

Andy Probert

Romana Moares

Richard Hagan

Colin Chinery

Sales Director

Richard Brightmore

Sales Manager

Helen Leisi

Project Managers

Alexander Paterson

Tony Ingrouille

Kym Hamilton

Chris Renicar

David Earl

Connor Doddington

Verity Manning

Lisa Smith

Carl Millican

Research Editors

Judi Wheaton-Mars

Jeff Johnson

Ginelle Lorenzo

Natalie Martin

Business Development Manager

Darren Foiret

Events Manager

Jasmine Lodge

Art Director

Ian Spencer

Art Editor

Philip White

Webmaster

Michael Stamp

Designers

Sarah Jones

Georgina Harris

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Pick me, Boss! Pick me!

Welcome, Dear Reader, to the latest edition of Inside Oil & Gas. After a spate of cold weather, we finally have clear blue skies today. This always lifts the mood within the company, as the sunshine floods the office and encourages staff outside at break.

Another reason for the improved morale is the number of events back on the calendar this year. We are proud to already be official media partners with EEEGR, SPE Offshore Europe and ADIPEC. Attendees will either see some of my team, or an event-focussed edition of the magazine available within the press areas.

We love attending events to meet our customers in person and make new friends. I must disappoint some team members as they beat down my door for permission to attend. Given the chance, they would all visit and chat with you, leaving me sat here alone...

Actually, that’s quite appealing sometimes!

So, if you are visiting an energy event this year, chances are we enjoy a partnership

with the event to promote it, along with our customers who are exhibiting. But you will not have my whole team running around excitedly, as I usually only send three or four representatives.

Sadly, we cannot attend all events, much as my team would love that. However, we pride ourselves in our media partnership with many events, often as part of a collaboration lasting for several years. Over this time, much has changed within the energy world.

Many of you exhibiting this year will be promoting your sustainability credentials, along with your continued hard work, latest products, services and innovations. We can help you gain recognition through our global readership, with advertisements, featured articles, news reports and, of course, event previews. So, please keep in touch if we can help you achieve this.

In the meantime, we hope to speak with many of you at these exciting events. Right, I’ve earned my tea break outside on our picnic bench in the sunshine.

John White Managing Director

Managing Director John White attempts to keep staff in the office, as events lure them away.

Rosetti Marino

05-06 July 2023

Connecting Green Hydrogen Europe 2023

Connecting Green Hydrogen Europe 2023 is Europe's must-attend conference and exhibition that brings together the entire hydrogen value chain. The focus is on developing solutions and innovations for low-carbon hydrogen production, efficient storage and distribution, and applications in various stationary and mobile applications in Europe.

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24-25 May

Southern North Sea 23

2023

The East of England Energy Group’s flagship Southern North Sea conference and exhibition is back for 2023. The ambitious net zero energy goals of 2030 take centre stage at this year’s SNS2023, the biggest celebration of energy in the East of England.

event will c learning to bringing

24-25 May

2023

The Digital Oil & Gas Summit

The 4th edition of The Digital Oil together an exclusive commun stakeholders from worldwide op and technology providers to debate and and trends shaping the digital transform

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-08 September 2023

hore Europe 2023

E Offshore Europe is the energy indus’s platform for navigating towards a tter energy future. The 50th anniversary reate a space for collaboration and drive the oil and gas sector forward, gether the entire energy value chain.

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02-05 October 2023

ADIPEC 2023

ADIPEC is an international platform convening global energy producers, consumers and innovators to accelerate game-changing solutions and transformational progress for the future of energy. Hosted in Abu Dhabi by ADNOC, ADIPEC builds on its 39-year legacy of innovation and evolution for the entire energy ecosystem.

[click here] for weblink

& Gas Summit brings ity of around 120 major perators, EPCs, regulators d discuss the key issues ation of the industry.

Why not give your event exclusive coverage to thousands of readers and connections globally? Contact us: media@insidepublication.com

Latest developments from the French industry

FRANCE

TotalEnergies and Paprec develop the first French value chain for advanced recycling of plastic film

TotalEnergies and Paprec, leader in plastic recycling in France, signed in March a long-term commercial agreement to develop a French value chain for advanced recycling of plastic film wastes. The agreement will secure the supply of TotalEnergies' future advanced plastic recycling plant in Grandpuits.

Following the terms of this agreement, Citeo, the main organisation in charge of end-of-life household packaging in France, will provide a stream of flexible plastic waste sorted from post-consumer packaging.

This stream will be delivered to the Paprec Plastiques 80 plant in Amiens (France), where a first-of-its-kind sorting and preparation line will be built. TotalEnergies will use this French-origin waste in its advanced recycling plant at the Grandpuits zerocrude platform and will produce recycled plastics which have the same properties as food-grade virgin plastics.

The advanced recycling plant, built by TotalEnergies (60%) and Plastic Energy

(40%), will be able to process 15,000 tons of waste per year and is scheduled to be operational in 2024.

About Grandpuits

Commissioned in 1966, Total's GrandpuitsBailly-Carrois refinery was for a long time the only refinery in the Paris region. In September 2020, TotalEnergies launched a project to convert the site, in line with its strategy to become carbon neutral by 2050.

This zero-crude project, with a total investment of more than €500 million, is based on the development of several future-oriented activities in the field of biomass, renewable energies and the circular economy: chemical recycling of plastic waste, production of bio sourced and biodegradable bioplastics, production of biofuels for the aviation sector, construction of a solar farm and electricity storage by batteries. The start-up of these new units began in 2022, and they should all be operational by 2025. n

Latest developments from the American industry

USA

bp leans into convenience and mobility across US

bp Products North America Inc, a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of bp plc, has reached an agreement to purchase TravelCenters of America, one of the country’s leading full-service travel center operators. The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory and TravelCenters of America shareholder approval, will be for $1.3 billion in cash.

TA’sstrategically located network of highway sites complements

bp’s existing predominantly off-highway convenience and mobility business, enabling TA and bp to offer fleets a seamless nationwide service. In addition, bp’s global scale and reach will, over time, bring advantages in fuel and biofuel supply as well as convenience offers for consumers.

New mobility

The acquisition will provide options to expand and develop new mobility offers including electric vehicle (EV) charging, biofuels, renewable natural gas (RNG) and later hydrogen, both for passenger vehicles and fleets.

Convenience is one of bp’s five strategic transition growth engines in which it aims to significantly grow investment through this decade. By 2030, bp aims for around half its annual investment to go into these transition growth engines. Over 2023-2030 it aims that

around half of its cumulative $55-65 billion transition growth engine investment will go into convenience, bioenergy and EV charging.

National portfolio

The acquisition is expected to bring around 280 TravelCenters of America sites, spanning 44 US states nationwide, into the bp portfolio. These travel centers, which average around 25 acres, offer a full range of facilities for vehicles and fleet trucks, including more than 600 full-service and quick service restaurants, as well as truck maintenance and repair services.

Around 70% of TA’s total gross margin is generated by its convenience services business, almost double bp’s global convenience gross margin. bp also announced plans to invest $1bn in EV charging across the US by 2030.

As part of the transaction, TA will enter into amended lease agreements with Service Properties Trust

COUNTRY FOCUS

Latest developments from the South Korean industry

SOUTH

KOREA

South Korean President and Aramco CEO attend S-OIL’s $7bn Shaheen ceremony

In March, South Korean President Yoon and Aramco President & CEO Amin H Nasser attended the breaking ground ceremony for the $7 billion Shaheen petrochemical project in Ulsan, South Korea.

Ministers and senior officials from both countries also attended the milestone event. The Shaheen project, which was announced in November 2022, is being developed by Aramco affiliate S-OIL and is a key part of Aramco’s regional crude to chemicals strategy.

“We are deeply honoured by the presence of His Excellency President Yoon at this historic breaking ground ceremony,” said Amin H Nasser, Aramco President & CEO. “Shaheen is among Aramco’s biggest international downstream investments, representing a significant and sizeable step forward in our liquids-to-chemicals expansion and another major milestone in further strengthening our presence in Korea.”

About Shaheen

Shaheen is Aramco’s biggest investment in Korea to date and is expected to be one of the largest integrated steam crackers in the world. It is also the first major commercial deployment of Aramco’s

thermal crude to chemicals technology, that was developed in collaboration with Lummus Technology.

The $7 billion Shaheen project aims to convert crude oil into petrochemical feedstock and would represent the first commercialisation of Aramco and Lummus Technology’s TC2C thermal crude to chemicals technology, which increases chemical yield and reduces operating costs. It follows an earlier $4 billion investment into the first phase of the petrochemical expansion completed in 2018.

Located at S-Oil’s existing site in Ulsan, the new plant is planned to have the capacity to produce up to 3.2 million tons of petrochemicals annually and include a facility to produce high-value polymers. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.

The steam cracker is expected to process by-products from crude processing, including naphtha and off-gas, to produce ethylene — a building block petrochemical used to make thousands of everyday items.

COUNTRY FOCUS

Latest developments from the UK’s industry

KINGDOM

UK first for onshore gas transmission as Belfast supply flows uninterrupted

Industry-leading technology from engineering specialist STATS Group (STATS) has been deployed in Northern Ireland while vital work is underway converting a coal-fired power station to gas. The Kilroot power station, located on the shores of Belfast Lough, once supplied one-third of Northern Ireland’s electricity but faced closure next year because it could not meet low-carbon environmental standards.

Power station owners EPUK Investments committed to a major project which would transform Kilroot into a more environmentally friendly energy producer, securing its future and jobs, while also strengthening Northern Ireland’s energy security

A crucial stage of the project required Mutual Energy, the owner and operator of major natural gas pipelines across Scotland and Northern Ireland, to tap into its Belfast Gas Transmission Pipeline (BGTP) to tie-in a new line and block valve arrangement to provide a gas supply to Kilroot.

But the BGTP supplies gas to thousands of homes and businesses across Northern Ireland, and it was inconceivable that the supply could be turned off while the pipeline tie-in work was carried out. The solution was to deploy STATS’ BISEP pipeline sealing technology in two locations, which allowed

a leak-tight isolation to be installed while a live gas feed to Belfast consumers continued through an integrated bypass without interruption.

Investing in the future

STATS has an international reputation for providing leak-tight pipeline isolation and intervention tools to the oil and gas sector and is broadening its scope into renewable energies, including CCUS (carbon capture) and hydrogen.

The BGTP pipeline block valve and offtake connection works are nearing completion, allowing a connection to the new pipeline later in 2023. Kilroot power station is part of a larger plan to create a £600 million energy park by EPUK Investments which represents the largest ever single investment in electricity generation in Northern Ireland. n

Oil & Gas asks the experts about their personal experience in the industry

minds inside Oil & Gas

Question: What steps will your sector need to take to become more environmentally sustainable?

The industry not only needs to continue upgrading its technologies, but also maintain high standards in the education of drivers to help minimise carbon emissions and maximise fuel economies

Ziyad Mohammed, Operations Manager, Cardiff General Transport

As a family-owned company, we try to lead from the front with the desire to meet the net-zero demands. We have invested in solar panels and we are evolving our targets. Similarly, it remains an environment of transition for the rest of our industry

Tom Beales, Director, Armultra

I think the industry is still in its infancy when we talk about being net zero. However, it is moving in the right direction in becoming more environmentally conscious and ensuring our collective carbon footprint is reduced

Fuad Nazim, Executive Director, PetroGas Piping

There’s already a big programme in oil and gas to decarbonise and to extract fuels in a more sustainable way. Similarly, in renewables, operators are taking measures and pushing the likes of CRP Subsea to improve their carbon footprint. I think these pressures will be applied continually for the foreseeable future

John Drury, Managing Director, CRP Subsea

I believe that drilling rigs and oilfield equipment are extremely necessary for the security of society’s energy needs. However, we need to improve the way that we do things as an industry. Technology will play an increasingly important role and companies will need to become greener to survive, meaning lower carbon emissions, intelligent designs, reduction of fuel consumption, optimisation of drilling processes and other factors

Bernardo Pettenatti, Business Development & Contracts Manager, Caroil

INSIDE OIL & GAS MINDS

Inside

Ship operations will need to become more environmentally friendly. This is achievable for now through better efficiency and new hull designs. Happily, the shipping industry - which is quite technologically driven - is taking big steps forward and in my experience, when the industry moves, it’s in the right direction

Giles Heimann, Operations & Ship Management Director, EDT Offshore

First of all, they need to limit their emissions. So, all of the plants that extract gas or oil, should create carbon capture fields in order to inject the waste of CO2 during the process of extracting the oil or gas. Carbon capture fields are something that is really on the mind of every end-user for investing. And the second thing is to push for hydrogen as a renewable energy for the future

Armando Albertazzi, Business Development Director, DVG Automation SpA

Our launch of Sol Ecolution is the answer. It’s how we’ll make our business more sustainable, while also helping our customers, stakeholders, governments and so forth, to become more sustainable. Our Group’s commitment to Sol Ecolution in terms of capital, people and other resources is a demonstration of that

Dami Adesegha, Regional Manager, Sol Ecolution

We continuously bring new technology to the flag states and regulatory societies, supporting them to update and improve the codes and in so doing, to improve our sector’s sustainability. We play a big part in that and have done so for many years

Charles Kohnen, Co-Founder, SEAmagine

We would love to hear your answers, so send an email over to our Editorial Manager, Phil Nicholls, and share your thoughts to all our readers.

media@insidepublication.com

First Middle East LNG cargo to Germany successfully delivered by ADNOC

In February, ADNOC delivered of the first shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Elbehafen floating LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany.

Produced by ADNOC Gas at Das Island, Abu Dhabi, the shipment of 137,000m3 of LNG is the commissioning cargo for the new floating LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel and the first-ever LNG cargo to be shipped to Germany from the Middle East. This landmark cargo follows the inaugural ammonia shipment in October 2022, and furthers cooperation on energy security, decarbonisation and lower-carbon fuels between the UAE and Germany.

The cargo delivery to RWE Aktiengesellschaft (RWE) marks an important milestone in developing Germany’s domestic LNG supply infrastructure, supporting the country’s energy security with natural gas. The cargo is sufficient to produce approximately 900 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to supply a quarter million German homes for a year.

“After the arrival of the floating terminal in mid-January, the first LNG delivery from the Middle East is the next important step,” said Andree Stracke, Chief Executive Officer, RWE Supply & Trading. “The development of the LNG supply infrastructure in Germany continues to make rapid progress. RWE is providing support wherever we are needed. I am pleased that we have ADNOC as a strong partner and that we are working together to secure Germany's energy supply.”

The UAE-Germany Energy Security and Industry Accelerator (ESIA)

Agreement was signed in September 2022 to accelerate projects of joint interest between the two countries in energy security, decarbonisation and climate action. As part of the agreement, ADNOC entered into an LNG

Latest innovations from the oil and gas industry

supply agreement with RWE, with further cargos reserved exclusively for German customers in 2023.

ADNOC also entered into a number of agreements with German customers, including Steag GmbH and Aurubis AG for demonstration cargos of low-carbon ammonia, a carrier fuel for hydrogen that can play a critical role in decarbonising hard-to-abate industry sectors. n

Latest innovations from the oil and gas industry

Enteq Technologies qualifies alternative to traditional RSS technology in Norway field trials

Enteq Technologies (Enteq), the energy services technology and equipment supplier accelerating the energy transition through innovative alternatives to traditional technology, has successfully drilled 100m in granite during field trials. This achievement qualifies the SABER Tool’s capabilities as a gamechanging alternative to traditional rotary steerable systems (RSS).

The SABER Tool (Steer-At-Bit Enteq Rotary Tool) is a step change in directional drilling technology, developed by Enteq Technologies and based on a concept created by Shell. The ingenuity of the SABER Tool approach lies in the application of proven technologies in novel ways to achieve a sleek, elegant and mechanically simple design, thereby improving reliability and project uptime versus traditional RSS solutions.

Rather than using pads or plates for steering, the SABER Tool uses an internally directed pressure differential system across the bit face. By removing these external con tact points, the tool reduces wear and improves reliability, while also achieving true at-bit steering for the first time. The sleek, plain collar design also allows for a smoother borehole, further improving reliability, uptime and cost efficiency.

Enteq’s novel solution aims to disrupt the RSS and drilling industry by offering unmatched attributes for operators and service companies, and new levels of performance against the market leaders. By opting to drill 100m in granite, one of the hardest and highest vibration environments for drilling, SABER successfully demonstrated the functionality of key elements of the innovation. During testing, the engineering team was able to identify minor enhancements to the control system, and to ensure that the tool is suitable for use in extreme conditions and non-traditional applications, like geothermal drilling.

With its ability to operate in high pressure and high temperature environments, the SABER Tool is suitable for use in geothermal drilling and methane capture in mining, ideally positioning it to support the energy transition. n

Unity develops first additive manufactured well control component

Unity, Europe’s largest provider of well integrity solutions, is developing a new additive manufactured lightweight gate which can be retrofitted to Xmas Tree gate valves to remediate seal integrity issues in low-pressure wells. The new technology is a result of a collaborative research and development project with Net Zero Technology Centre and Spirit Energy.

The gate has been designed as a solution for late life, depleted and shut-in offshore wells, where the tubing head pressure is too low to effectively seat the gate and seal the well. Unity’s patented design reduces the weight of the gate by around 60%, while retaining its intrinsic strength and would save operators in the region of £250,000 per well by replacing a single surface component rather than the complete well control package.

A full replacement of bespoke, low-pressure wellhead equipment would also require significant downtime, so this new solution offers the opportunity to rapidly remediate the issue and minimise associated production loss.

The UKCS and other regions have many low-pressure brownfield wells, with increasing numbers continuing to enter this phase. The most recent ‘Wells Insight Report’

from the UK’s North Sea Transition Authority, published in October 2022, states that the current active UKCS well stock comprises 2,629 wellbores, of which 1,661 are producing, while the number of shutin wells rose by 65 to 781 in 2021.

Shut in well stock is now at a historical high with 30% of all wells being shut in, with significant intervention on infrastructure cited as one of the top three limiting factors. This is well above the KPI of 10% set by the Wells Task Force and many of these wells might still be valuable if production was restored.

With a patented design, engineered by the team at Unity, the new technology is entering the latter stages of development. Prototype testing has already been completed on a 2-1/16” gate and a 5-1/8” gate is now in manufacture to further prove the concept and qualify the product for commercialisation.

INNOVATION FOCUS

Latest innovations from the oil and gas industry

Halliburton and Siguler Guff announce joint venture for emissions management software

In February, Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) and Siguler Guff & Company, LP announced the launch of Envana Software Partners, LLC. The new venture provides critical emissions management software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to track greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas industry and beyond.

The Envana™ digital emissions management solution provides a smarter and more accurate picture of emissions, which gives companies actionable information to manage and reduce their total carbon footprint. The Halliburton-created software incorporates the company’s operational expertise and oilfield best practices. Future Envana products that are now in active development will support methane detection and quantification management.

The venture’s first offering, Envana Catalyst, is a SaaS solution that helps increase transparency of the environmental impact of drilling, completions, and production operations. It can improve the visibility of greenhouse gas emissions tracking and forecasting companywide and can provide support for actionable recommendations throughout upstream asset life, from planning and design through execution. Envana Catalyst allows customers to choose the methodologies used to estimate emissions from a library of emissions sources tailored to the oil and gas industry, update them as needed, and track any changes.

With its documented API, Envana Catalyst can integrate with existing customer software to automate emissions forecasting

and tracking, or users can model emissions manually using the Envana Catalyst interface. Halliburton currently uses Envana Catalyst to help monitor and manage the emissions footprint of its products and services.

Halliburton Landmark will serve as the channel partner for the new venture by providing sales support through its global relationships and reach. Built on the flexibility and operational fidelity of iEnergy® hybrid cloud, the Halliburton Landmark secure cloud environment, Envana Catalyst delivers emissions data from planning and operations to users. Envana Catalyst is available both as a standalone solution and, as additional functionality, integrated into E&P workflows within the Halliburton DecisionSpace® 365 suite of products. n

pump for CCS Selecting the best

Pumps play an important role in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Selecting the most effective pump is the key to achieving low operating costs, cutting CO2 emissions, and limiting the global temperature increase. Senior Product Development Manager Jens Peter Hansen and Key Account Manager Marius Berg Rygvold from DESMI outlined the options.

For nearly three decades, the UN has organised global climate summits. The final text of the latest summit, the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, includes a provision to boost low-emissions energy. This requires the combination of many different technologies to help cut emissions – including Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) systems.

What is the potential of CCS?

The International Energy Association (IEA) provided an excellent overview of the potential of capturing, storing and utilising CO2. It estimates that 45 Mt/year is currently being captured, but this must increase to 1,300 Mt/year in 2030 to meet the net zero emission scenario (NZE). Around 35 facilities are already in operation, and over 200 new facilities are planned for 2030. However, this corresponds ‘only’ to 220 Mt/year of CO2 being captured, so facilities for at least another 1,000 Mt/year will be required soon to meet the NZE target.

Today, most facilities are installed to capture CO2 emitted from natural gas and hydrogen processing plants. Ironically, the captured CO2 is mainly used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). However, as oil production must decrease in the future, most of the planned facilities are aimed at power plants, plus the cement and steel industries, as these sectors are impossible to electrify completely due to the nature of their raw materials. Furthermore, captured CO2 should not be used for EOR but stored permanently underground.

The CO2 scrubbing process

Capturing the CO2 in a scrubber or absorption tower is the most common and well-known method for Carbon Capture. A liquid mixture of water and an organic amine is circulated between an absorber and desorber unit.

The inlet flue gas is brought in direct contact with the liquid in the absorption or scrubber tower. The scrubber is usually

a packed-bed type and typically 20-40 metres. A relatively high tower is needed if the concentration of CO2 is low in the flue gas, or if high removal efficiencies are required.

The lean amine is fed into the top of the scrubber and is enriched with the CO2 by flowing downwards in counter-current with the flue gas. A first pump is used to force the solution through a plate heat exchanger and to the desorption or stripping tower. The CO2 is released in pure form by heating the liquid in the reboiler section. A second pump is used to force the liquid through the hot side of the plate heat exchanger and back to the absorption tower again. An additional cooler is often required to reduce the evaporation of water in the absorption tower.

Calculating pump expenses

The simulation results are based on many preliminary assumptions which must be further validated and adjusted as more experience with the process is gained. However, it is interesting to relate the calculated pump power to the amount of CO2 captured, thus reaching an initial estimate of the operating expenses.

1,061kW of electrical power (496kW + 565kW) is used by the two pumps catching 20kg/s of pure CO2. This is equivalent to

52kJ/kg of CO2 or 14kWh/ton of CO2. At an electricity cost of €0.15/kWh, the operating expense for the two pumps will be €2.1/tonne of CO2.

As CCS plants become more widespread and operate with increased capacity, selecting the most appropriate pump(s) for a certain scrubber installation is a major task; particularly considering that two or three pumps are often installed in parallel to provide redundancy in the scrubber system. At a CCS plant capable of processing 5Mt/year, for example, annual operating expenses with the pumps used in the example above would be €2.1 million. At this scale, even small power consumption reductions make a significant differ ence to the costs. Selecting pumps that are sized correctly and operate at, or near, their best efficiency point (BEP) is an effective way of reducing expenses.

Tips for selecting pumps

Too much of a safety margin is often added in the design phase, meaning that the pump will typically operate far from its BEP. In the worst cases, the pump may even run outside the recommended operating area, which is between 70 and 120% of its BEP.

It is usually better to add a safety margin in the frequency converter so the pump can

here to see

run at higher RPM in extreme cases where max flow and head might be required. This will save both CAPEX and OPEX as smaller pumps can be installed, and it will be easier to operate them efficiently. The pumps will also run with fewer vibrations and generate less heat, meaning there will be less potentially damaging excess energy.

A low NPSHr value is often required. For the rich amine, the solution is almost saturated with CO2 and therefore has a relatively high vapour pressure. For the lean amine, the solution will contain little CO2, but the temperature will be higher and therefore will also cause a relatively high vapour pressure.

Full range of pumps & tools

DESMI has developed more than 60 centrifugal pumps for the scrubbing industry, generally designed for low NPSHr values. Most of the pumps are available in highgrade stainless steel or super duplex steel. The Dual Cartex seal is recommended due to the toxicity of the MEA. The sealing system can also be connected to an external barrier fluid to ensure that the gaskets will not exceed their maximum temperatures.

For projects using a less toxic solution of water and potassium carbonate instead of an amine, cheaper pump materials and standard balanced sealing systems can be used; the potassium acts as a buffer to ensure an almost neutral pH-value.

Conclusion

If CCS is to make a significant contribution to reaching the world’s climate targets, the technology needs further development. Researchers worldwide are intensively searching for more efficient liquids that require less energy for regeneration. However, this may be at the cost of reduced reactivity, meaning larger scrubbers, or more liquid must be circulated to catch the same amount of CO2. These challenges will be overcome, and future CCS solutions will become more effective, capturing ever larger amounts of CO2 using minimal energy.

Pumps are not the only important component of a CCS plant. Components such as compressors and reboilers consume far more electricity. However, given the number and scale of future CCS plants, and the fact that succeeding at the green transformation will require us to lower energy consumption in all industrial sectors, selecting energy-efficient pumps for CCS applications makes good financial sense. This is also an effective way of contributing to reaching current and future climate targets.

Click

the range of centrifugal pumps from DESMI for CCS and other applications

Interesting and unusual oil and gas facts from around the world

FACT M AT TER of

The US produces more than 10 million tonnes of hydrogen annually – most of which is extracted via a process known as steam methane reforming.

As of 2022, the largest UK wind farm was the London Array Phase 1. Located off the coast of Kent, the farm has 175 turbines and generates enough clean energy to power around 500,000 homes.

I n 1910, an oil well located in San Joaquin Valley, California blew out, creating an impressive geyser that reached a height of 145 metres, and a flow rate of around 125,000 barrels a day.

The world’s smallest oil refinery, founded in 1933, is the C & H refinery, in Wyoming, USA. The refinery processes 190 barrels of crude oil per day.

In 2022, the UK extractive industry provided an estimated GVA of £26 billion. Oil and gas accounted for more than 85% of this.

In 2021, 4.2 billion tonnes of oil were produced globally.

Biogas is produced after bacteria has broken down organic materials via anaerobic digestion.

It is predicted that by 2026, there will be a demand for 104 million barrels of crude oil globally, per day.

Every problem is a gift, we would not grow without problems

– Anthony Robbins –

“ “

DORIS launches engineering and project management office in Guyana

DORIS is pleased to announce the expansion of its international footprint with the establishment of its presence in Guyana. DORIS Guyana Inc will provide Engineering and Project Management Services to energy projects in Guyana, while contributing to the social economic progress of the country by developing and using local resources in its support of Guyana meeting its energy goals.

DORIS is a leader in the provision of engineering, advisory, and project management services to the energy

industry. With almost 60 years of experience, DORIS supports clients around the globe and is committed to making conventional energies cleaner and renewable and new energies possible. This change is enabled through the delivery of reliable, environmentally integral, and innovative projects.

DORIS supports the oil, gas and LNG industries by improving carbon footprints, reducing costs, optimising performance, and improving safety. Across decades of experience, the company has achieved over 100 world firsts.

Amarinth wins another order from Iraq Gates Contracting Company

Amarinth, a world-leading, net-zero designer and manufacturer of low lifecycle cost centrifugal pumps and associated equipment, primarily for the offshore and onshore oil and gas industries; nuclear and renewable energy generation; defence; desalination; process and industrial markets, has won another order from Iraq Gates Contracting Company (IGCC).

This further order for Amarinth from IGCC is for two bespoke API 610 12th Edition VS4

vertical pumps with Plan 53B seal support systems. The 3.5m long flare drain pumps are destined for the Rumaila oil field, a super-giant oil field located 50km to the west of the city of Basra, southern Iraq.

The Rumaila field, managed by the Rumaila Operating Organisation, is estimated to contain 17 billion barrels, the largest oil field ever discovered in Iraq and considered the third largest oil field in the world.

Equinor acquires Suncor Energy UK

Equinor UK Limited has signed an agreement to acquire Suncor Energy UK Limited for a total consideration of $850 million.

The transaction includes a non-operated interest in the producing Buzzard oil field (29.89%), an additional operated interest in the Rosebank development (40%) and Suncor employees based in the UK who work with these assets.

Equinor has been a reliable, broad energy partner to the UK for almost 40 years, developing domestic energy resources,

generating low-carbon electricity, and supplying the equivalent of 29% of the UK’s total natural gas demand in 2022. Equinor is looking to further support the UK economy by investing billions in crucial energy infrastructure, including offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and power, plus oil and gas.

The transaction will add approximately 15,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day equity share in 2023 and create synergies with Equinor’s existing operations.

The latest company and industry related developments from the oil and gas world

Shell completes acquisition of renewable natural gas producer Nature Energy

Shell Petroleum NV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell), has completed the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Nature Energy Biogas A/S (Nature Energy).

By purchasing the shares in Nature Energy, Shell has acquired the largest producer of renewable natural gas (RNG) in Europe, its portfolio of operating plants, associated feedstock supply and infrastructure, its pipeline of growth projects and its in-house expertise in the design, construction and operation of innovative and differentiated RNG plant technology.

This acquisition supports Shell’s ambitions to build an integrated RNG value chain at global scale and to profitably grow its low-carbon offerings to customers across multiple sectors.

Nature Energy is a cash generative business, and the acquisition is expected to be accretive to Shell’s earnings from completion and to deliver double digit returns. Nature Energy will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell, initially under its existing brand.

Welltec A/S acquires Autentik AS to expand intervention service offering

Welltec

A/S, a market leader in completion and intervention within the energy industry, has announced the acquisition of Autentik AS, a niche technology provider specialising in electric wireline fishing and interventions.

The acquisition represents a move by Welltec to expand its downhole intervention capabilities and is in line with the company’s vision to be number one provider of hi-tech, innovative products and services.

With the Wellgrab™ ERFT rated to 100,000lbs tensile load, it matches perfectly with Welltec’s 100,000lbs Well Stroker® tool. This combination enables operators to remotely and repeatedly ‘latch’ and engage with a downhole fish and sustain a pull force of up to 100,000lbs. It is this sustained application of force that provides the ability to free a stuck downhole fish and enables recovery.

Oilfield Helping Hands celebrates 20 years of providing aid to oilfield families

Oilfield Helping Hands (OHH), a nonprofit organisation helping oilfield families in financial crisis due to no fault of their own, is celebrating 20 years of providing support to industry families.

Since 2003, OHH has given $5.9 million to more than 1,000 industry workers and their families. What began as a small fundraising effort for a family facing unforeseen medical expenses, has grown into a national organisation.

OHH now includes five active chapters within the US oilfield community, including

Appalachia (Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia and Pennsylvania), Haynesville (East Texas and northwest Louisiana), Permian Basin (West Texas and eastern New Mexico), Rocky Mountain (Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming) and its flagship location in Houston.

OHH is led by volunteers and is supported by corporate sponsorships as well as funds raised from multiple events throughout the year. To learn more about supporting OHH, please visit: oilfieldhelpinghands.org.

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FE ATURED IN THIS ISSUE

caroil rosetti marino edt offshore ocean aero seamagine armultra asap industries manufacturing dvg automation fg valvole

Drilling in the jungles of sub-Saharan Africa is no small feat. With temperatures that routinely can reach 40 degrees Celsius and humidity of 90-95%, it requires specialised people, dedicated machinery and particular expertise - precisely the formula that Caroil has spent two decades perfecting. Richard Hagan spoke to CEO & General Manager Steve Lamet and Business Development & Contracts Manager Bernardo Pettenatti to find out what it takes to be successful in the jungles of Africa.

Caroil, headquartered in France, is a specialist contractor providing drilling rigs and associated services for oil and gas operators in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thanks to a highly qualified workforce of technical personnel and a diverse fleet of four drilling rigs, with capacities varying from 1,200 to 1,500hp, Caroil is capable of addressing the most challenging drilling and reservoir conditions faced by its customers.

With nearly 700 wells drilled to date, Caroil continues to maximise its competitiveness in the drilling services

industry through its technical expertise and mobilisation of new, state-of-theart equipment.

Company history

Caroil was created as the drilling subs idiary of Maurel & Prom Group, and officially launched its operations in the M’Boundi Field in the Republic of Congo in 2003.

Initially, the group’s strategy was to have Caroil perform all of the group’s drilling projects worldwide. However, amidst a global oil boom in the early

‘00s with accompanying high demand for rigs, Caroil substan tially expanded its fleet, providing drilling services to several other oil and gas operators in the region.

At its peak, Caroil had a comprehensive fleet of 15 drilling rigs operating in seven countries and two continents. After the major industry downturn between 2014 and 2015, the company decided to refocus its strategy and resources, consolidating its activities exclusively in sub-Saharan African markets.

The decision soon bore fruit, and by 2018, Caroil had established itself as a specialist contractor in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a new executive and management team. Caroil was present in Gabon and Congo, while active in other challenging oilfield environments including Cameroon, Tanzania and Uganda.

Training tomorrow’s professionals

Today, Caroil has a workforce of approximately 230 highly skilled employees spread across two major facilities, consisting of headquarters and training centre in Pau (France), as well as an operational

base and a modern training centre located in Port-Gentil (Gabon).

At its operational base in Gabon, Caroil s upports its rig operations in the region with maintenance, repairs and rig-up preparations. The training centre, accredited by IWCF and IADC (industry-recognised bodies), delivers technical drilling and well control programmes to several organisations in the region. This training centre is a highlight for Caroil, according to CEO & General Manager Steve Lamet: “Students enjoy all of the necessary amenities, plus a state-of-the-art well control and drilling simulator, allowing students to immerse themselves in drilling operations, all from the comfort of our training centre.”

The right tool for the job

Caroil recently welcomed an exciting and very impressive new addition to its fleet: Rig Maghèna is a 1,200hp AC Electric

drilling rig specifically modified to conquer the challenges of sub-tropical drilling oper ations. The rig has state-of-the-art technology, featuring equipment from top manufacturers in the industry. With cyber chair controls, alongside other advanced tools, Caroil expects to deliver higher drilling and rig moving performance for its customers, thus supporting them in optimising their projects and costs in a highly competitive environment. Many other equally impressive specifications confirm that Rig Maghèna is a drilling tour de force.

But getting it to its present site was not easy. “Sourcing and purchasing Rig Maghèna was a very challenging and demanding project,” said Business Development & Contracts Manager, Bernardo Pettenatti.

The rig was sourced and then re-designed and fully recertified in

ELECTRIC HORSEPOWER INC.

Electric Horsepower Inc. designed and manufactured Rig Maghena through a collaborative approach, producing a high-specification AC double that we are confident will be a high performing rig for years to come.

As an industry leader in drilling rig refurbishments and AC upgrades, EHP is excited with the deployment of Rig Maghena for Caroil.

Edmonton, Canada, a project lasting eight months.

“The mobilisation of the rig from Edmonton to Port-Gentil, Gabon, was very complex,” continued Mr Pettenatti. “We moved the rig in convoys of trucks for approximately 3800km from Edmonton to Houston, where it was placed on a vessel for shipping to Gabon That, in itself, was a milestone for us as it involved coordination with multiple service providers and customs authorities in three different countries.

“ The rig was then moved on river barges and trucks to the drilling site of a major operator in Gabon and fully rigged-up fo r the commencement of operations. We’re confident that Rig Maghèna will be a game-changer not only for Caroil and Maurel & Prom Group, but also for our other customers in the region.”

Rig Maghèna now deservedly takes its place as a centrepiece in Caroil’s fleet, allowing the company to decisively deliver modern, high-tech drilling technology to clients in Gabon and other markets. “It’s

a clear example of Caroil’s constant investments in the modernisation of its fleet,” said Mr Pettenatti. “It features a state-of-the-art design and rig technology and will allow us to substantially enhance the drilling and rig moving performance we can offer our customers.”

Solving challenges

Caroil has a strong reputation for delivering specialised drilling services in subtropical Africa, one that has been hard-earned because operating in that environment is challenging. “The specifications of our rigs are very important to our success,” Mr Lamet noted. “The rigs must be tropicalised to operate in these regions, as the temperatures frequently reach 40 degrees Celsius, with air humidity at between 90 and 95%. Therefore, the rig must be designed and rated to operate in these conditions.”

Caroil’s operations must resolve additional challenges relating to remoteness and environmental sensitivity. “This requires us to carefully plan

and organise things ahead of time,” said Mr Lamet, “Especially given the difficulties in obtaining parts and services in these areas, as well as ensuring that we are complying with the environmental and safety regulations of the countries in which we provide our services.”

Throughout its history of operating in various African countries, Caroil has developed a track record of being a flexible and creative contractor, focused on finding solutions to its customers’ drilling challenges. A project that Caroil carried out between 2019 and 2020 in Gabon is a particular highlight of its capabilities in that regard.:

The project involved drilling an exploratory well located within a logistically challenging and extremely environmentally sensitive area. It consisted of placing Caroil’s C07 (a 1500hp Electric Rig) onto a combifloat which then moved approximately 5km up a man-made river channel to the wellsite area. The well was located in a swampy, flooded environment, making it

extra-challenging. Some features of the rig had to be redesigned simply in order to get the rig onto the barge.

Despite these substantial challenges, the project was a success, and executed as planned, without any incidents or accidents.

In conclusion, Mr Lamet touched on the company’s vision for its future: “Given the success with Rig Maghèna, we hope to develop further opportunities to replicate that approach for other clients. In a time when the fleets across the region are ageing, it’s all about understanding the customer’s needs and then sourcing and redesigning a rig to fit those needs, followed by efficiently mobilising, commissioning and then safely operating the rig for that specific customer.

“Ultimately, we hope to continue driving our reputation as a contractor with technical knowledge and proven-track record in delivering fit-for-purpose rigs and solutions, with the ability to address the specific needs of our customers.”

Rosetti Marino is turning its hand to helping customers transition to renewable energy and decarbonisation. It has excelled in the manufacturing of complex turnkey solutions for the oil and gas industry. CEO Oscar Guerra discussed the company’s decision to delve into the renewable energy sector with Imogen Ward.

Rosetti Marino is aiding its customers in the transition to renewable energy, thanks to an upstanding reputation for durable, top-quality products for the offshore and onshore energy sectors.

“Rosetti is an incredibly flexible company, made up of extremely innovative minds,” CEO Oscar Guerra said. “There’s a lot of freedom within the company to explore potential business ventures, and the decision to offer electrification of existing offshore oil and gas assets is a great example of that. We discovered, by talking to our peers in the oil industry, that there was an extremely high demand for this.”

In 1925, Rosetti began operating as a mechanical workshop; since then, the company has successfully expanded its repertoire, diversifying into shipbuilding and the construction of offshore steel structures.

Energising the future

Rosetti is also dedicated to helping customers achieve their ambitions of decarbonisation. In line with the EU’s commitment to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the company offers several different services that relate to renewable energy.

The design and construction of carbon capture plants, as a solution to reduce clients’ carbon emissions, is one example of these offerings. “We have witnessed a demand for carbon capture,” Commercial Manager FJ Ploeger explained. “These platforms inject carbon into underground wells rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. This industry device is very similar to offshore platform construction – an area that we are very experienced in – as they both

require piping, control systems and compressors. This is just one of the ways that Rosetti Marino is looking to help reduce greenhouse gases in the energy sector.

“Excitingly, another project we are working on relates to wind power hubs. These utilise excess amounts of wind generated energy to produce hydrogen in electrolysis plants. This hydrogen is then stored away for a windless day, when it can be used as a back-up energy supply. To do this the plants feed the stored hydrogen into fuel cells, resulting in the production of electricity.”

As part of its exploration of the renewable energy sector, Rosetti purchased Green Methane: a leading designer and manufacturer of converted biogas plants. This helped diversify Rosetti’s onshore activities, enabling the company to produce highly efficient and costeffective biogas.

Electrification was another hot topic Mr Ploeger discussed regarding Rosetti’s extensive services: “We have a significant partnership with Global E&C in Scotland, working together to complete offshore electrification projects in the UK.

“We also have a highly trusted partnership with a technology provider, an electrical system integrator in Norway. ABB is highly skilled and experienced in the energy transition landscape.”

This partnership will see efforts focused on older oil and gas field infrastructures, enabling operators to utilise electricity generated from wind farms or from shore.

Engineering the energy sector

During the ‘60s and ‘70s Rosetti focused its efforts on the oil and gas industry. Prominently standing out from the crowd, the company built most of the oil and gas

structures located along the Adriatic coastline. Keen to continue its striking presence within the energy sectors, Rosetti decided to expand its corporate structure with the creation of subsidiaries and strategic partnerships.

This started with the establishment of Fores Engineering and Rosetti Engineering (formerly Basis Engineering), which were formed as part of Rosetti’s goal to fully integrate all its services. As a result, Rosetti’s international reach increased substantially; the company now supports customers in more than 10 countries.

Today, Rosetti is one of the few remaining companies in Europe to gain EPCI con tracts

(giving the company a strong competitive edge over its counterparts). This multifaceted approach means the company completes project management, engineering, procurement, construction, transportation and installation for all awarded contracts – removing any risk of delays that result from out-sourcing.

“We take full responsibility of EPCI contracts,” Mr Guerra said. “This really aids

us across all energy sectors that and our extensive knowledge of the industry.”

Piomboni is the company’s main construction yard and consists of over 100,000sqm of open space (workshops and fabrication facilities take up 2,300sqm of this space). Piomboni is mainly used for the fabrication of offshore platforms and complex large steel structures.

Also located in Ravenna is the Via Trieste prefabrication workshop; this smaller location covers a total area of 70,000sqm and has rolling facilities. The main activities that occur here relate to prefabrication support for the fabrication conducted at the Piomboni yard.

The other yard under the Rosetti name is the Temir-AT. Located in the Kazakhstan province of Mangystau, this yard expands Rosetti’s capabilities and broadens the company’s reach in the Asian energy markets. It specialises in

the production of topsides, living quarters and integrated modules. With large construction projects often underway, the company fully utilises the 200,000sqm construction yard.

Revitalising passion

Whether in the oil and gas industry or the renewables sector, Rosetti is determined to help the next generation of engineers find their calling. “Now, more than ever, the world is trying to minimise the effects of climate change,” said Mr Guerra. “The younger generation are heading this movement, and we want to support their goals within the energy sector. This is another reason why we feel our transitioning services are just as important as our more traditional solutions.”

Rosetti’s goals of diversification would not be possible, however, without the help of its suppliers. “We have devel -

oped long-standing relationships with our supply chain,” Mr Guerra said, “which have de-risked our EPCI activities.

“These suppliers work tirelessly to ensure we don’t suffer from extended delivery times, and are essential to us. Putting it simply, without them we just wouldn’t exist.”

With growth in mind, the company plans to remain vigilant when it comes to future business opportunities. “We always stay alert for any new markets, and we will continue to do this going forward,” Mr Guerra concluded. “We are eager to adapt to these markets because it exemplifies our plethora of skills.

“As a continuous innovator, we are extremely receptive to new technology and any future manufacturing demands. This is part of what makes Rosetti Marino such a strong contender in the energy industry.” n

CEO Oscar Guerra

STRENGTH IN MARITIME DIVERSITY

With over four decades of experience in the shipping industry, EDT Offshore has evolved from its origins in cargo, towage and salvage into a uniquely diverse maritime company. Today, it operates in a range of sectors including oil and gas, marine construction, ship management and operations, as well as - unusually - aviation. Richard Hagan met with Operations & Ship Management Director Giles Heimann and Head of Chartering & Commercial John Stamoudakis to learn how this dynamic company continues to evolve.

From its headquarters in Limassol in Cyprus, EDT Offshore has established itself as a key player in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an additional physical presence in Greece, Israel and Egypt.

Established in 1980, this family-owned company at first operated in the cargo, towage and salvage sectors. Over time, EDT Offshore aggressively pursued a diversification policy that initially saw the company enter the oil and gas market in which it continues to provide support vessels and shore-based infrastructure.

Further diversification efforts followed, ultimately leading to the company’s

impressive current portfolio of services. EDT Offshore’s clients benefit from a flexible advanced fleet, as well as ship agency logistics and operations; ship repair facilities catering to both the commercial and luxury yacht markets with their own dry dock facility; ship agency operations; oil and gas field support services; and its unique aviation arm in Paphos in Cyprus which operates hangarage facilities and cargo handling services.

A vessel for every job

The diamond in EDT Offshore’s crown is its impressive fleet of 24 seagoing vessels. The fleet is headed by a trio of multipurpose support vessels (MPSVs), the EDT Jane, EDT Hercules and EDT Protea.

The Jane, Hercules and Protea are considerably modified to carry out a variety of functions for EDT Offshore’s clients and include features such as twin Remotely Operated Vessel (ROV) hangars, deep-sea heave compensated cranes, and expanded

crew and charterer accommodation. Jane and Hercules are both Ulstein-built vessels and feature Ulstein’s famous X-Bow. Also known as an inverted bow, this bow was first launched in 2005. It features a wavepiercing design proven to reduce pitching and bow impact loads in bigger seas, making the vessel more stable during poor weather conditions and improving crew and passenger comfort.

The fleet also features a variety of support and supply vessels, tugs and anchor handling tug supply vessels as well as offshore supply and survey support ships. Two dredgers - the EDT Oxyrinchus and EDT Yam - support the company’s construction services, while the landing craft EDT Arlene II is on hand for specialist support to any project requiring it.

Finally, the company’s newly acquired EDT Aeolus is a specialist, strong and highly capable AHST delivering an impressive bollard pull of 103 tonnes. She’s designed to handle large deep-sea ocean towages while also offering heavyweight anchor handling services.

EDT Offshore furthermore owns and operates several substantial open deck barges for transporting cargo by sea, in support of rig operations for example. Since the company has its own tugs, the entire barge and towing operation can be offered to customers as a complete package and handled entirely in-house.

That is the EDT difference, according to Giles Heimann, Operations & Ship Management Director: “All of the major oil operators and big EPCI contractors trust us with their biggest and most challenging assignments. We aren’t your typical ship owner since we have our own maintenance facilities, including mechanical and electrical workshops, welding workshops, carpentry workshops and a floating drydock. We take huge pride in maintaining our fleet to a very high standard, which we’re able to do largely in-house.”

Into the North Sea

EDT Offshore’s fleet is kept extremely busy. EDT Protea is in the midst of a fiveyear contract, while another three of the company’s ships operate in the North Sea and one operates exclusively in the Persian Gulf.

The company’s North Sea operations are a particular highlight. There, EDT Jane is committed to a long-term contract with a major EPCI contractor, in terms of which she is busily inspecting, repairing and maintaining several platforms in the area.

“This programme has seen the Jane working on most of the major UK North Sea sector platforms,” said John Stamoudakis, Head of Chartering & Commercial, “such as the Buzzard Complex, Britannia Field,

Caledonia Fields, Elgin Fields and the Gannet Fields. We’re expecting this programme to continue into 2024 and beyond because these platforms need a lot of ongoing work.”

People power

The company’s diverse fleet and operational activities are powered by a dedicated staff of 500 people, of whom about 170 are onshore. The shore-based team is spread across offices in Cyprus, Egypt and Israel. The majority, however, are based in EDT Offshore’s headquarters in Limassol.

Thanks to EDT Offshore’s wide variety of operational activities, the staff are kept constantly busy, as Mr Heimann explained: “We’re set up like most other shipping companies in that we have separate

departments looking after crewing, health and safety, technical operations and technical purchasing as well as a chartering team looking after commercial operations of the vessels.

“But we go one step further by doing most of the maintenance ourselves. While we have some sister ships, much of the fleet is different in terms of design, construction

and build, so it takes a very dedicated team of professionals from across the company to keep these vessels in tip-top condition.”

EDT Offshore recently celebrated a major milestone with the launch of its brand-new ship and company management system. “It’s been a threeyear project,” Mr Heimann explained. “Covering every facet of our operation, from finance to operations, chartering and everything in between. All our ships are connected to the system and are live within it. It’s been a major project, but the whole company is now operating within one unified system. It’s a huge milestone that substantially improves our operational efficiencies and capabilities.”

Going green in Scotland

One of EDT Offshore’s latest projects is an especially impressive example of the company’s capabilities. “The SeaGreen project – Scotland’s biggest offshore wind farm - is one of our latest projects,” said Mr Stamoudakis. “We’ve been engaged in this project since 2021 with our flagship EDT Hercules.

“We’re doing the grouting for all of the jacket foundations for the wind farm. This phase, involving 150 jackets, is planned for completion in April 2023. Once the project is complete, it will save Scotland about 2 million tonnes of CO2 per year and will power 1.6 million homes: that is two-thirds of the homes in Scotland.”

Meanwhile, EDT Offshore’s fleet is moving towards green technology, too. The company is actively reviewing future fuel options including dual fuels, batteries and more. “It’s all very interesting,” Mr Heimann concluded. “The way ahead right now is improved ship efficiency; modern hull design is critical. But we’re constantly looking at where the market is going and at what the future may hold.

“All of our plans will be based on where we see future requirements. There’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding the ability of batteries to cope with vessel operations. There’s also a lot of talk about hydrogen and gas power. We’ll need to ensure that these systems can work for us, but as we see advantages for our vessels, we’ll certainly follow that road.”

TRANSFORMATIONAL

AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY

Ocean Aero has created the world’s first, and only, environmentally powered Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV), the TRITON. It collects data both above and below the ocean’s surface and can relay it from anywhere. The company designed and built the innovative TRITON and its communication platform, offering both ready-to-deploy packages and custom payloads for an array of applications. Hannah Barnett spoke to CEO Kevin Decker, Chief of Staff Keith Blystone and Marketing Director Anastasia Flaherty to find out more.

The TRITON, sailing autonomously.

The time for AUSVs is now and Ocean Aero has seized the innovation potential. Commercially active for not much more than two years, the company has seen a staggering growth rate of over 100% per year. With 75 staff situated in Gulfport, Mississippi, it is set to open brandnew headquarters and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility of 67,000 square feet in the summer of 2023.

As Kevin Decker, CEO at Ocean Aero, pointed out, autonomous systems offer several core value propositions. The first is a reduction of costs, “ranging from fuel, to insurance, to dispatching human beings on boats, to the charter and the depreciation of those vehicles in the first place,” as he put it. The second is an increase in safety. Whether that means colder, stormier or simply more remote environments, being able to send robots to the far reaches of the ocean is a safer proposition.

“The third is that an autonomous vessel enables you to have a more ubiquitous presence,” Mr Decker continued, “and to collect a larger volume of data because you can cover more places with the same budget, using smaller, more agile vehicles to get out there.”

Then there is the value added by the removal of human error. “The data can be more accessible and of higher quality if you reduce reliance on manual human efforts. This is the promise of autonomous vehicles,” said Mr Decker. “No one is suggesting that we replace humans altogether, but in general these tools augment people who are in the ocean anyway, in command centres. And this is helping to give those human operators more data, faster and easier, so that they can make better decisions. The machines are tools.”

The TRITON

Key among these tools is the TRITON, the world's only dual-modality, surface and subsurface vehicle in one platform. “The

Aerial view of the TRITON’s solar panel exterior. The TRITON is fully wind and solar powered. With 470 watts of charging capacity per hour, the TRITON can recharge itself and power its payloads persistently for long-term autonomous missions.

The TRITON swimming below the surface and acting as a submarine for unparalleled ocean data collection and threat evasion.

TRITON is literally a sailboat that transforms into a submarine and it’s the only thing like it in the world,” said Mr Decker.

The TRITION is wind and solar powered and fully autonomous. This autonomy allows for extended deployment and broad scope mission execution in remote ocean domains for long periods of time. Intelligent software manages the TRITON, so users can focus on analysis, mission planning and other valuable tasks.

The TRITON is an excellent tool for the oil and gas industry, because it can swim to

an area with a suspected problem fully equipped with a variety of different diagnostic payloads. These payloads include fluorometers and water sampling units to determine levels of oil present in the water. The TRITON’s payload bay is agnostic and can be equipped with any array of custom payloads to serve its desired function and mission set. Data is then collected and sent back to the operator to help them verify the issue.

As Anastasia Flaherty, Marketing Director, explained: “One of the most significant and distinguishing features of the TRITON is that it’s fully wind and solar powered: it’s a Net Zero vehicle. In a time when there's so much pressure nationally and globally on clean energy, there's a spotlight on oil and gas. There are questions about how operations are being shifted to be more sustainable and cleaner. The TRITON is a pioneering part of that process. It can detect leaks, playing a big part in helping the environment in that sense, but on top of that, the TRITON itself operates cleanly.”

The value added

As well as being energy efficient, the TRITON can also help a company save money, particularly during storms and their aftermath, as Chief of Staff Keith Blystone explained: “Every day a platform is down, it is estimated to lose, on average, a million dollars of rev enue. Our value proposition is that we’ll have the TRITON swim out there prior to a hurricane and have it dive and hold position while the hurricane comes through. It can hold position up to eight days if you want it to.”

The TRITON, offshore in Gulfport MS, lowers its wing to prepare for diving.

The TRITON turns to avoid the oncoming boat from which it is being photographed; obstacle avoidance programming allows the TRITON to recognise obstacles and change course autonomously.

The TRITON, keeping watch on a foggy Gulfport morning. Radar technology allows full situational awareness in all weather conditions.

Once the hurricane passes, the TRITON reemerges. It is equipped with pan-tilt-zoom cameras and other sensory equipment, to take visual inspections and upload that information back via satellite communications.

“We're making big strides in improving the communications gateway,” Mr Blystone continued. “It can be difficult when you’re gathering data out in the Gulf to send it back to shore. Satellite communications are good, in that they are available everywhere. But they have low data transfer rates, making it difficult and costly to send still images or video. And there are not a lot of other options.”

To address this, Ocean Aero have partnered with Silvus Technologies to improve high data transfer back to a shoreside location in Houston, Texas. “It’s really stepping up communications technology,” Mr Blystone said, “from what was possible even three to five years ago. And that means faster decision making in the Gulf.”

Ocean Aero sees valuable applications in leak detection and verification utilising fluorometers and water sampling, as well as pipeline inspection utilising side-scan sonar.

The company is also working closely with Hess Corporation. “They are our big partner here in oil and gas. They've been a phenomenal group to collaborate with, we have been working together for the last two years,” said Mr Blystone.

The future

Mr Decker was confident about the TRITON’s place in the oil and gas industry of the immediate future. He saw improvement in both the hardware and software of the machine as inevitable.

The Ocean Aero team.

The TRITON dives to observe a submerged wreck.

“Adding more sophisticated payloads will mean we can execute more applications,” he said. “It doesn't mean we have to build an entirely new TRITON, it just means we need to modify the payloads. And I think the more that we can tailor those packages, the better off our customers will be.

“Add to that, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence: this will enable us to do things like swarm the vehicles autonomously together in fleets. The operator can program each TRITON for a specific mission, and the machines will figure out how to execute these missions alongside each other and react to environmental conditions by themselves.”

Though this is an industry with vast potential, any emerging and evolving business has challenges. Mr Decker identified the issue of developing a more efficient battery management system as payloads increase, because “payloads use power.”

In general, though, the CEO remained excited about what he saw as the potential to change the world at Ocean Aero’s fingertips. “It's not like we're building pen and paper here,” Mr Decker enthused. “We're doing something for the future, that eventually all of humanity will benefit from. Something that is the synthesis of multiple advancements and disciplines. Science has really jumped forward. You couldn't do this five years ago, but we can do it now.” n

Kevin Decker giving an address to the company.

A SEAmagine 3-person Aurora submersible depth rated to 1000m, whilst diving in French Polynesia, made a scientific discovery with the first ever recorded sighting of a “Prickly” Shark in that part of the world

EXPLORING THE DEPTHS

SEAmagine, based in California, designs, engineers and manufactures a range of small private submarines with the capability to take humans safely and confidently into the depths of every corner of the world’s oceans. After almost three decades in business, SEAmagine continues to set the standard for the industry. Co-Founder Charles Kohnen spoke to Richard Hagan about the business of carrying people into earth’s most spectacular, wondrous and hostile environment.

SEAmagine was founded in California in 1995 by brothers Charles and William Kohnen, who were soon thereafter joined by Ian Sheard. The trio, all engineers, were drawn from the offshore oil industry and NASA’s Aerospace industrial sector.

In 1995, there was no company in the world focused on building submersibles. At that time, recalled Mr Kohnen, the oil and gas and defence sectors had replaced submarines with remotely operated vehicles, and later autonomous underwater vehicles: “SEAmagine was instrumental in the revival of the manned submersible sector. It was a true trailblazer, as we were the only company in the world solely focused on redefining the basic concepts of small, manned submarines and their capabilities. Notably, for example, our

company was the first to champion the acrylic spherical cabin which has since become an industry standard.”

An impressive record book

SEAmagine’s continued drive for innovation and evolution within the submersible space has resulted in a string of impressive industry firsts and category records. A particular highlight is the company’s boarding design philosophy. Until SEAmagine was established, manned private submarines were boarded first and then launched at sea. “We revolutionised this practice by being the first company to introduce the capability for the sub to be boarded after it was launched in the water,” said Mr Kohnen. “This convenient design and operational feature had never previously been

SEAmagine submersible being launched from its support ship

thought of. Today, it’s a focal point of SEAmagine’s history and one that has been adopted as an industry standard.”

SEAmagine has also poured considerable effort into the actual act of boarding, too. “We’ve developed a highly improved, patented boarding arrangement for passengers which is important for the tourism and leisure markets,” Mr Kohnen explained. “You need to do a lot of gymnastics to enter other subs, and it’s not always suitable for everyone.”

F or SEAmagine safety is paramount, and it defined industry standards. In the 1990s SEAmagine worked with the US Coastguard to establish the first

submersible pilot training program and certifies all submersibles with the American Bureau of Shipping.

Another highlight in SEAmagine’s journey was its pioneering introduction of a threeperson acrylic submarine - the first com pany to do so. Its first three-person submarine was delivered in 2004, and by 2022 was still in full operation, having logged over 3,100 dives with an unblemished reliability record. “It’s one of the busiest subs in the world,” said Mr Kohnen.

Meanwhile, SEAmagine’s combined fleet of delivered submarines has, to date, accumulated over 12,000 dives. According to Mr Kohnen, this is four times more than

SEAmagine Aurora Submersible diving with a SCUBA diver in shallow waters

the total dives accumulated by all of SEAmagine’s competitors’ subs combined.

“The extensive usage of SEAmagine subs in the leisure, commercial and defence sectors is an undeniable testament to the design and reliability of our product,” he said.

Diving into the numbers

With its headquarters near Los Angeles, California, SEAmagine employs an experienced team of engineers and technicians who are supported by an impressive array of nearby subcontractors.

The company is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of two- to seven-person submersibles for use on yachts - in scientific and professional expeditions - and for the defence sector.

All of its subs are built to navigate depths ranging from 100 metres to 2,300 metres and are formally classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

T he high operational rate of its fleet has directly benefited SEAmagine’s recently launched, latest generation

of submersibles. The Aurora product line is the company’s fifth-generation series of submersibles. Drawing from its decades of operational experience, the Aurora series of models boasts a submersible solution for every requirement.

A close relationship with key suppliers is an important aspect of SEAmagine’s business. For example, the company uses the world’s most efficient underwater propulsion thrusters produced by Innerspace Corporation. These direct drive thrusters, being of superior hydrodynamic design, have an unsurpassed record on low noise, high reliability, and on requiring extremely low levels of maintenance.

Under the surface

The Aurora-3C model is SEAmagine’s most compact three-person model and is rated to a depth of 460 metres. Its compact dimensions and relatively low four-tonne weight make it convenient for installation on a ship. The Aurora-3C is marketed to performance-seeking customers, including

Charles Kohnen, SEAmagine’s co-founder, and Ian Sheard, the company’s director of engineering, performing a test dive aboard an Aurora submersible

Coast Guard agencies and yacht owners seeking a submersible with Top Gun-like performance underwater.

The larger Aurora models have occupancy capacities ranging from three to seven people, and depth ratings from 100 metres to 2,300 metres. The larger occupancy models are rated for shallower operations and are aimed at the leisure and tourism markets, while the deep-rated Auroras are aimed at the scientific, professional and defence sectors.

SEAmagine’s submarines all offer a transparent cabin with minimal nearby visual obstructions such as pontoons and hatches. SEAmagine’s design is unique in that the unobstructed view is ensured for all occupants of the submersible and not just those seated in front.

A pioneering prickly sighting

In January 2021, a SEAmagine submarine made history when it delivered the firstever observation of a mature prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei) off the island of

Moorea in French Polynesia at a depth of 500 metres. The sighting was so scientifically significant that it was published later in 2021 within Cybium, an International Journal of Ichthyology.

Meanwhile, that same year, SEAmagine delivered two submersibles for the US Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command (‘NAVSEA’) that are now operated by the Azerbaijan Coast Guard in the Caspian Sea for counter-terrorism inspections. SEAmagine trained multiple teams of Azerbaijani Coast Guard officers to pilot and support the submarines.

Exploring offshore energy

While SEAmagine has enjoyed significant success in the leisure and defence markets, it’s pushing to expand the use of submersibles in the commercial market, and particularly the offshore oil and gas industry.

“We believe that a small support vessel can hold a SEAmagine submarine and perform the same work that a large

SEAmagine submersible diving in Costa Rica encountering a tiger shark while inspecting underwater seamounts

work-class remotely operated vehicle can,” said Mr Kohnen, “but without needing the expensive, large support ship with dynamic positioning that the ROV needs.

“Once launched, our sub is independent of the surface support ship and unlike the ROV, it has no umbilical to the surface. It is able to perform difficult subsea tasks that are typically assigned to large workclass ROVs and can present new options for nearshore projects in the energy sector, because the daily operational cost is lower.

“There are critical benefits in costs, efficiency and quality of data with

a crewed vehicle that’s still not possible with drones, depending on the parameters and context of a given subsea project.”

In conclusion, Mr Kohnen emphasised the unique value and insight that a manned submersible delivers underwater: “I have made close to 1,000 dives on our subs around the world, and each time it’s still a thrill to go underwater. What we discover by being underwater in a submarine with the incredible field of view and so much technology at our fingertips, provides insight, knowledge and situational understanding of our ocean that other means cannot replace.” n

Charles Kohnen, Co-Founder & Chairman of SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation

Ship crew launching the 3 person Aurora-3C submersible

EVOLVING through DIVERSITY

Armultra is an engineering solutions company with nearly 40 years of experience providing comprehensive fabrication solutions to various industries. Director Tom Beales reviewed the company's achievements and robust plans for growth in discussion with Andy Probert.

Armultra is a UK-based, world-class operator in the fabrication sector with an ethos of ‘never stand still, or you risk being run over.’ Constant evolution in providing the best solutions across varied industries has enabled the secondgeneration family-owned company to remain positioned at the forefront of its specialties.

All-in-one approach

Since moving to its present facility in Great Yarmouth on the East coast of England in 2001, the company has gone from strengthto-strength fabricating steelwork, pipework, refrigeration packages and pressure vessels of all types for the offshore, oil and gas, renewables and nuclear sectors. This all-in-one approach of offering design, calculations, manufacturing and installation

One of Armultra’s welders in progress on a main vessel stand to be installed on a renewable project.

has made it an engineering service provider of choice for global companies and Tier 1 contractors that depend on reliability and quality.

Consolidation through continual investment in people and equipment has enabled Armultra to thrive in a highly competitive environment. Its 160,000 sqft facility offers dedicated carbon steel and exotic metals workshops including pressure testing areas, and a 12m training tower for rope access, working at height and wind turbine industry training.

“We have grown significantly from 70 to over 170 employees and seen turnover double in the last four years,” highlighted Director Tom Beales, whose father Colin founded the company. “With everything going on in the world over this period, it shows how the Armultra team has excelled in the face of many challenges.”

As a bespoke service provider, Armultra often has early sight of its clients’ plans and ambitions on projects. “We pride ourselves on working closely and evolving with our

customers’ needs from the beginning and ensuring these partnerships thrive well into the future,” he added.

“Being honest and open from the outset of any relationship is key. We get all parties involved at the beginning of a project to ensure it runs smoothly and meets our client’s requirements, with quality and safety as top priorities from start to finish.”

Armultra has further underlined its reputation by achieving many industry accreditations, including ISO 9001, 14001,

An overview of the main area of Armultra showing all three of the main fabrication workshops, the laydown area and materials facilities.

A view of one of the workshops, showing progress in fabricating a hook up bridge for decommissioning works in the southern North Sea sector.

45001, ISO 3834-2, PED/PE(S)R Module H & H1, EN1090-1(CPR) To Exc 3, IRATA Full member (Trainer and Operator), Alcumus SafeContractor and PQQ-PA91 and Achilles UVDB and Oil & Gas verified.

The company offers pipework manufacturing solutions in various materials, including carbon steels, stainless steels, nickel alloys, and other exotic materials. Armultra supplies and manufactures pipe spools to the clients' drawings, or Armultradraughted drawings from the client’s requirements with all auxiliary operations such as NDT, pressure testing and coatings before delivery.

In recent years, Armultra's teams have been commissioned on premium projects ranging from working at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, to decommissioning operations for Petrodec

on the A2D platform in the Amethyst gas field, in the southern part of the North Sea.

One of the biggest milestone achievements was met when the team completed the fabrication and load testing of a 32metre bridge section, built in three parts, for a client in the North Sea oil and gas fields.

Adaptive to demands

Mr Beales said that teams of engineers had also been deployed over two years for various complex commissioning at the Bacton Gas Terminal in Norfolk, where the UK North Sea Transition Authority is creating an energy hub.

The Bacton project aims to deliver a sustainable hydrogen supply by 2030, with the addition of facilities that support

A major part of Bacton Gas Terminal pipework being welded to lengthen the life of the gas supply to the UK on the existing plant and equipment in place.

Armultra’s training tower with some of its rope access crew going through training with a certified IRATA trainer, before being sent out to remove the crane and riser pipework section of the Amethyst decommissioning project.

low-carbon hydrogen production, carbon capture and underground storage. In developing offshore wind, the Authority wants to produce renewable hydrogen as part of the energy supply transition by 2050.

“Bacton is a vital project for Armultra to showcase our skill set and experience on engineering projects,” said Mr Beales. “The renewables sector is a key area we want to be at the heart of, as it continues to play a significant role in all our lives.”

Just as important are the 50 or so engineers deployed over the last eight years on 'Shell simplification and upgrade barge campaigns' serving various needs for Shell's offshore Assets

“We are also trying to be a crucial part in the build of Sizewell C,” he added. “We are in a great position local to the project site. We have the skills, personnel, knowledge and experience for the fabrication projects that will arise there.”

Given the company’s continuing momentum on various fronts, Mr Beales

said he was optimistic that it could increase turnover between 5% and 10% each year for the next three years: “We are committed to expanding our services to our existing clients and bringing on new clients in all areas, especially in the renewables and nuclear sectors.”

Another developing element of the business is providing panoramic surveys and developing 3D computer models of platforms for clients, enabling them to better

One of the senior project team being interviewed by the BBC on recent oil and gas prices and new projects for 2023. This highlights Armultra as a key part of the future of fabrication, decommissioning and labour supply for the oil, gas and renewables sectors.

Hayden, one of Armultra’s apprentices, receiving the Apprentice of the Year Award. He was also nominated for the Young Person of the Year Award at the 2022 EEEGR event. Young professionals are crucial to the industry as it grows and personnel retire.

understand their assets and target project work in a more focused manner. This was recently achieved working with the global chemical company Ineos on one of its platforms.

Value added

Armultra is also proud to have been shortlisted – and won – Member of the Year 2022 for East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) awards, while one of its employees recently won the East Coast Fabrication and Welding Apprentice of the Year award for East Coast College. The company has also developed its own training facilities catering to all clients. The teams offer IRATA rope access training, WAH, GWO, confined space, s-cape and DONUT training.

“2022 has been a stellar year for Armultra,”

Mr Beales reflected. “It is down to the commitment and sheer hard work of our teams and their desire to get a quality job done

Armultra adapts to work at any time, in all conditions, and the team are always reactive to what is needed. Photo shows Armultra preparing to load out an offshore container late at night to deliver to a North Sea platform on time.

A full bridge section being load tested at Armultra, which gives an insight into the size of structures the company can house and fabricate.

Armultra Director, Tom Beales

reliably and safely, no matter how complex it is against the background of pressures and industry issues.

“The senior management team has a reinvestment plan for personnel, premises

and equipment. Armultra can offer the complete package from design to installation and commissioning. That extensive skillset brings added value to any project we embark on.

“We have one of the biggest workshop facilities in East Anglia, with a fully dedicated team with many years of experience in the sectors we operate in.”

As the business continues to grow, Mr Beales is attuned to the need to change the perception among young people that their industry is a male-dominated and dirty one to work in.

“It is not as bad as everybody says,” he concluded, “but as an industry, we need to make more effort to bring on the next generation and offer greater diversity. Youngsters need to see the industry is a great career choice and that it offers endless potential for all levels of experience, age and genders.” n

Armultra’s workshop in the process of fabricating pile sleeves and fender ladders for an innovative structure. This will be installed in the North Sea and will house birds and help the environment when offshore structures are being installed.

A full piping manifold system that has been designed, procured, fabricated, radiographed, tested, coated and delivered to a key offshore client.

DELIVERING ON QUALITY

ASAP Industries Manufacturing has 20 years’ experience of state-ofthe-art CNC and manual machining solutions, specialising in the oil and gas industry. US Sales Manager Jack McIntyre discussed the company’s impressive range of services and devotion to quality control, in conversation with Imogen Ward and Phil Nicholls.

Supply issues remain a challenge for companies around the world. ASAP Industries Manufacturing took direct steps to improve the supply situation for its customers.

“In order to be competitive around the Gulf Coast, Texas, Louisiana and surrounding areas, we deliver using our own trucks,” explained US Sales Manager Jack McIntyre. “So, we offer transportatio n at no additional cost to customers along our

service route, delivering new products and repair services.”

F ounded in 2001 by Timothy Deroche, ASAP rapidly moved into new headquarters in Houma, Louisiana. Steady expansion has been almost a constant feature at ASAP, as the company grew both its manufacturing facilities and the range o f services offered to clients around the Gulf Coast and the Permian Basin in Texas.

The 2021 expansion of facilities in the Permian Basin increased the size of the ASAP campus and offers supporting welding, stress relieving, MPI and hydro testing, plus repair and recertification of critical pressure control equipment. This site at Midland, Texas, now mimics the range of services available in ASAP’s headquarters.

Alongside these new facilities, ASAP continues to buy new machinery, according to Mr McIntyre: “We recently invested in three 700 CNC machines, and we're constantly looking for ways to improve, taking a lean approach to see how ASAP can operate more efficiently.”

US Sales Manager Jack McIntyre

A diverse range

Enjoying over 20,000 square feet of raw material storage, ASAP can react to a customer's needs immediately with prompt manufacture and delivery of required items. The company is one of the quickest oil and gas machine shops operating in the US market. ASAP delivers an impressive range of manufacturing services:

“We specialise in a quick turnaround with our in-house machinery and on-site raw material inventory,” Mr McIntyre said. “ASAP responds to the customer quickly, at a competitive price. We’re doing that by having the best people and equipment.”

From drill-through and wellhead components to flow control equipment, ASAP designs, manufactures and delivers the required equipment for almost any project. API 6A and 16A licenses, plus ISO and Q1 certifications demonstrate the quality of the ASAP products that are suitable for every operating condition.

ASAP produces API-licensed equipment for drilling contractors, E&Ps, pressure pumping, rental and other operating companies. The company also creates engineered parts from complex third-party drawings. This includes state-of-the-art CNC and manual manufacturing solutions – from custom machining to welding.

In terms of welding, ASAP’s ASME IX qualified welding procedures include high-strength base metals ranging from AISI 4130 and F22, to 8630 using SMAW, FCAW, TIG, and SAW processes for inlay and pressure-containing welds. The experienced team deploy some of the most advanced welding procedures in the industry, coping with even the most demanding high- and low-strength alloys.

ASAP also offers repair, rebuild and recertification services on BOPs, frac valves, spools and adapters. This process cuts customer costs by extending the life of their assets. The company performs

a complete teardown and dimensional inspection to determine the condition of the equipment, then advises the client accordingly. Finally, ASAP offers a range of sand separators and plug catchers, designed to protect equipment during well-testing and flow-back.

Proactive management

While ASAP’s busiest area is the Permian Basin, the company also delivers to the whole of the US. Maintaining such a diverse range of services requires daily meetings to streamline productivity and ensure the team achieve the on-time delivery that clients rely upon.

Mr McIntyre was confident that ASAP’s working practices contributed to the company's success: “Our competitive edge comes from having top employees, experienced management, effective communication from the sales teams, regular meetings between these groups and a vast amount of inventory.”

This proactive management at ASAP supports one of the largest quality control departments in the sector. Harnessing the abilities of an experienced workforce, ASAP is committed to maintaining the highest possible standard of manufacturing throughout its extensive range of services.

ASAP’s rigorous quality control regime is reflected in the standards of its products. This, however, this is only part of the picture, as the finished equipment also needs to reach the client: this is where ASAP’s delivery service pays dividends. By running its own shipping operation, ASAP retains

control of this vital step in ensuring customer good will and satisfaction. One avenue of expansion at ASAP is for global delivery of its manufacturing. The company’s competitive pricing and quick turnaround gives it broad appeal in the global market. ASAP is currently popular with clients in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Germany and the UK. The establishment of an expanded global supply chain would enable ASAP to reach even more customers.

A team effort

ASAP’s appreciation of good will extends to the important role its suppliers play in the company’s success. “We constantly work with them on equipment purchases,” Mr McIntyre explained. “If we have to, we’ll take a larger shipment, or if they need quicker payment, then we'll do that. ASAP

also sends out forecasts regarding what we think we're going to need in four to six months, to give our partners a heads up on our needs.”

To minimise waste, ASAP carefully manages its use of raw materials to be as efficient as possible. The company also partners with recyclers to further reduce its environmental impact.

As to be expected of a company that took control of its own customer deliveries, ASAP appreciates the challenges of global supply issues. ASAP’s extensive stock of raw materials is geared towards facilitating prompt delivery to customers, but this large inventory also shielded the company from the worst effects of any pandemic-related supply chain issues.

ASAP is determined to maintain its reputation as the most competitive machining

facility in the US, offering excellent value for money to clients. Retaining control of the supply process is a vital part of this goal and ensures the on-time delivery customers expect.

Mr McIntyre acknowledged that further geographic growth at ASAP is possible. If there was sufficient customer demand for a new ASAP manufacturing facility, then the company would give the new location serious consideration.

Regardless of where ASAP operates, in the US or around the world, the philosophy of the company will endure. “It's a hands-on team effort,” concluded Mr McIntyre. “Anyone from the CEO, down to the guy that receives the deliveries will lend a hand to any project, or help a client in any situation, absolutely without hesitation.”

AUTOMATING

PIPELINE SAF

Established in 2007, DVG Automation Spa is part of the illustrious Giva Group, a manufacturing conglomerate with various interests in and around the steel industry. In the 16 years since it opened, DVG Automation has distinguished itself as a leading Italian manufacturer of actuators for some of the world’s most demanding oil and gas applications. Richard Hagan spoke to Business Development Director Armando Albertazzi about the company’s capabilities and recent projects.

ETY

DVG

Automation is a world-leading Italian manufacturer of pneumatic, hydraulic, electro-hydraulic and gas-operated piston-type actuators and related control systems. Its actuators are suitable to operate quarter-turn and linear valves in the automation of the flow control process - across production, transportation and distribution - with a particular focus on the most challenging applications in the oil and gas industry.

Decades of Italian perfection

DVG Automation forms part of the Giva Group, a conglomerate with particular interests in forging and steel manufacturing.

The Giva Group is a family-owned business, founded by Mr Antonio Vienna in the 1960s. Today, it boasts an annual turnover of €900 million and a staff complement of 1,200 employees. The Group owns 15 modern, highly specialised manufacturing plants in northern Italy, servicing over 1,500 customers from around the world. Mr Vienna remains both the majority shareholder and President of the Group.

Giva Group established DVG Automation in 2007 as part of its ongoing diversification efforts.

DVG Automation’s initial challenge was to obtain vendor approvals from the major oil and gas companies. Having subsequently secured Approved Vendor List status with many larger operators, the company has enjoyed sustained growth, completing installations with major customers around the world.

Into the Arctic

A past project that DVG Automation is especially proud of is one that it completed a few years ago for a customer in Russia. The Arctic LNG project was valued at approximately €6 million and required extremely specialist knowledge, materials and installation expertise, according to Business Development Director Armando Albertazzi: “This mega project in the Arctic required a very low-temperature application, with ambient temperatures regularly reaching minus 60 degrees Celsius.

“So, we had to carefully consider how to select each actuator part and component for such a harsh and challenging environment. It required specific materials to avoid fragility at those temperatures.”

Preventing disaster

Reliability is a critical aspect of DVG Automation’s engineering because its actuators are a crucial part of the safety systems of its customers’ installations, which include plants, pipelines, platforms, FPSO’s and refineries. DVG Automation’s actuators, specifically

designed to operate the mated valve, are the star of the show because they automatically perform the operation in case of an emergency, by means of a remote signal.

Mr Albertazzi explained why these kinds of actuators are so important: “Imagine a very long pipeline, such as those through which gas is internationally distributed. If an external event causes an explosion in the pipeline, our actuators automatically detect it and then close the pipeline to avoid the risk of that explosion spreading.

“Oil platforms offshore are another example,” he continued. “The pressure involved in drilling is very high and therefore all of the actuated valves involved on the well circuit must be able to instantly open or close in any kind of emergency scenario that might occur. The risks are huge - there are enormous consequences for people and the environment.”

DVG Automation’s pneumatic actuators are its best-selling products. Their uniquely compact design substantially differentiates them from the competition.

“They’re designed to deliver high performance within a very compact body,” said Mr Albertazzi. “High-performance actuators are normally quite large, but we were able to design our product based on a mechanism that delivers high performance within a compact shape.”

Certified engineering

DVG Automation is based in Cortemaggiore, Italy, where it has an impressive 10,000 square metre factory run by 80 staff members.

The factory is highly automated and includes a robotic welding facility that guarantees perfect repeatability on complex components. Six-axis horizontal machining centres and automated tube bending, added to a press for spring cartridge assembling and an automatic warehouse, give DVG Automation a pro -

duction capacity of approximately 7,500 units. All of those are typically fully customised and individually tested.

Every completed product is subsequently individually subjected to physical testing, including output torque, functional and pressure tests, and stroke speed recording, as well as testing that all coupling dimensions are correct.

This all ensures that each and every actuator that leaves the DVG Automation factory is in perfect working condition and in full compliance with the customer’s specifications. Each product is also delivered with its own individual inspection cer tificate according to EN 102043.1. For even more peace of mind, DVG Automation’s processes are certified according to ISO 9001 2015, 14001 and 45001.

The future is green: while the company continues to enjoy strong performance within the oil and gas industry, DVG Automation believes that the future for its products is in the green economy.

“We’re now upgrading the

design of our products to allow them to be used with hydrogen,” said Mr Albertazzi. “While oil and gas are still very important for us, the trend is towards hydrogen, and therefore that’s the direction in which we’re aligning our efforts. In future, valves and actuators will increasingly be required for hydrogen fluid transport. Therefore, we’re currently investing a lot of time and money into redeveloping our materials and engineering for that application.”

Meanwhile, in line with efforts across the Giva Group, DVG Automation is heavily investing in digitalisation in 2023. The company is embarking on a wide-scale programme to introduce more software tools into its processes.

In conclusion, Mr Albertazzi reminisced on his favourite aspects of the work that DVG Automation does: “I enjoy being part of a company that really listens to its people. And I really enjoy selling our products because it’s an exciting mix of disciplines such as mechanics, electrics, electronics and various strategic elements; that’s why our motto is ‘embodied symphonic flow’.” n

THE ITALIAN

VALVE EXPERTS

FG Valvole is a specialist valve manufacturer that has been in operation since the turn of the century. Known for its ability to supply a diverse range of valves to all kinds of industries, the company excels in designing and manufacturing the very best quality products. Deputy Managing Director Asia Pellegrini and Sales Account Manager Simona Bonadei discussed the company’s impressive capabilities and its latest investments, in a report by Imogen Ward.

FGValvole always goes the extra mile to ensure client contentment. With a diverse product range, the company can provide its customers with the best valves for any project.

“We offer our clients customised solutions and incredibly flexible delivery lead times,” Deputy Managing Director Asia Pellegrini said. “Our clients can count on us as a unique designer, manufacturer and supplier of an extensive range of valves.”

With more than 25 years’ experience, FG Valvole is a strong competitor in the valve industry: serving a global market, the company’s 50 employees work hard to maintain a stellar reputation. From its origins as a Ball Valve manufacturer, to producing the full range of valves, FG

IRE-OMBA

IRE-OMBA produces hot rolled rings with a rectangular section and shaped in all types of steel and alloys. Annual production capacity exceeds 40,000 tonnes, with rings weighing from 15kg to 6,500kg.

We thank FG Valvole for its continuous support. Together, we are dedicated partners, committed to growth as responsible businesses.

Valvole provides customers with expertise, experience and engineering like no other.

During the years, FG Valvole designed more and more valves for critical applications such as cryogenic, dirty service and high-pressure or temperature. FG Valvole can be counted on to supply all highspecification projects with dependable valves that will stand the test of time.

“We supply highly-engineered valves, not only for oil and gas sector,” Sales Account Manager Simona Bonadei

said, “but for more than 20 different industries; this includes water, mining, hydrogen and geothermal.”

Defining dependability

With an impressive range of more than 20 valve categories, FG Valvole designs and manufactures high-performance manual a nd actuated valves for industries requiring liquid-handling equipment. The v alves can be completely customised from small sizes up to 60 inches, and from low pressure up

to API 20000. This range is enhanced by the selection of construction materials from the common to the most exotic, and the application of the specific design or construction characteristics required by the Client.

One of FG Valvole’s focal points is the Engineering Department, where the engineers use the latest available software to simulate the valves’ operating conditions. This rigorous testing regime helps to avoid any critical issues after product installation. Another important aspect for the company is to maintain the investment programme in Research and Development, because the engineers provide FG Valvole with powerful knowledge and insights. This process leads to improvements in existing processes. In this way, the R&D department has played a significant role in finding the right solution for clients. Every year, FG Valvole invests more than 10% of its turnover to support innovation within the company.

FG Valvole’s production valves would not be possible without the key partnerships that the company has formed with its local suppliers. As a supplier itself, FG Valvole understands the impor tance of a well-maintained supply chain. “We rely on our suppliers to provide the very best quality parts, and we select our suppliers for their high

standards,” Ms Pellegrini said. “We have a quality department in place that regularly monitors and audits our supply chain to ensure it maintains our expectations and requirements.”

Facility finalisations

The 2021 financial year ended with FG Valvole announcing plans to expand its manufacturing plant (located at its headquarters in the Province of Bergamo, Italy). The construction began in March this year and, when complete, will result in a substantial increase in output. “The completion of our plant expansion will

give us an additional 10,000 square metres of manufacturing space,” Ms Pellegrini said, “this will double our production capacity and enable us to expand our test equipment considerably.”

The build is projected to take one year to complete – with the opening of the building expected to take place in the first quarter of 2024 – and will be surrounded by 15,000sqm of green land. An agricultural terrace and a running path for employees will be built to encourage employee wellbeing and the utilisation of the expansive outdoor environment.

“Employee wellbeing is so important to us,” Ms Pellegrini explained, “one of the most exciting elements of the job is having the opportunity to work with young and inspiring people every day; they work i ncredibly hard towards their own personal

growth goals and, at the same time, contribute to the success and expansion of the company too.”

From grey to green

Once the construction is complete, the company plans to utilise renewable energy to run its facilities. “We will install additional p hotovoltaic solar panels at our expanded factory,” Ms Pellegrini said. “We expect this to cover our total energy demand by the end of 2024.”

The solar panel system is predicted to produce up to 400kWp, which will help the company maintain the facility’s status as a nearly zero-energy building.

Alongside this installation, the company also aims to go plastic free – starting with focused initiatives, including offering employees FG Valvole-branded water

bottles to reduce consumption of singleuse plastic. The company also intends to help all employees further reduce their carbon emissions. “We are currently making really important steps towards the introduction of electric vehicles at FG Valvole,” Ms Bonadei explained. “The plan is for 100% of our employees to have electric vehicles by 2026.”

The company maintains a stringent code of ethics that protects all employees with the implementation of behavioural expectations and general principles. On top of this, FG Valvole also has a sustainability policy that was created to encourage the development of a positive eco-friendly business.

“At first glance, oil and gas production and sustainability could seem like an oxymoron,” Ms Pellegrini concluded. “However, we believe that every organisation should take a more proactive role in reducing its carbon footprint, and we encourage everyone to invest in new technologies to become as sustainable as possible.” n