Subsea UK News - November 2016 Issue

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

BRIGHT THINKING FOR FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS IN THIS ISSUE Saab Seaeye on Electric Underwater Vehicles The Q4 Market Activity Report from SubseaIntel Exploring Asia’s Potential Opportunities at AOG The Latest Subsea News and Events

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FOREWORD

Welcome to this Edition of Subsea UK News

Neil Gordon, Chief Executive, Subsea UK

As the oil price appears to be steadying around the $50 mark and with positive murmurings from OPEC on the easing of production, there is perhaps finally some light at the end of the tunnel for our industry. Some feel we may have hit the bottom of the curve and are now on the way up. Reports of one or two operators beginning to reinvest are bringing some much needed confidence. Certainly in the UK there are signs that we are turning the corner. At the recent OGA MER UK conference, it was announced that the lifting cost of a barrel has almost halved in three years and that the $16boe target is achievable. However, it’s been a painful process and with the lag in the supply chain there will still be some tough times ahead as we potentially move into a slow recovery.

The focus is firmly on the UK supply chain which has sacrificed blood, sweat and margins in recent times to help get those costs down. We need to ensure that we have global, competitive advantage; innovation and technology and positive promotion.

Subsea UK continues to play a valuable role in helping the subsea supply chain to achieve these goals. In this edition of our magazine, we are focusing on regional developments, technological challenges, projects and opportunities.

Subsea UK Subsea UK News, produced by Subsea UK, reaches over 28,000 subsea-affiliated subscribers each issue.

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

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

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

Find out more at www.subseauk.com

New Members BGRiR Ltd

RockSalt Subsea Ltd

BHR Group

Vocean Ltd

Burness Paull LLP

Interventek Subsea Engineering Ltd

James Fisher Group

The recent OGA announcement about the new tool which maps the size, location and complexity of small pools represents a real opportunity for the subsea supply chain. With this “treasure map”, as it has been described, we can now explore the type of technical solutions need to be progressed, for example tie-backs, subsea hot tapping, clustering arrangements and stand-alone facilities. There is now a very real opportunity for operators and the supply chain to cluster and campaign in order to benefit from economies of scale and secure the prize of an additional 3 billion boe.

Identifying, sharing and helping our members secure international opportunities remains central to Subsea UK’s strategy. Our focus is on helping member companies to increase exports and build stronger oversea links to sustain long-term growth.

This month, we will be in Singapore for Subsea Asia where we will be flying the flag for British expertise, demonstrating where we can match our experience, capability, technology and services with those required by the Asian market. At a time when output from mature wells is declining and Asia’s need for energy is at its highest, operators are being pushed to explore more difficult fields and this is where the UK’s subsea supply chain experience can come into play.

Meanwhile in Mexico, 15 companies benefited from a successful DIT trade mission in partnership with Subsea UK where they connected with the country’s most influential energy players in Mexico City, Ciudad del Carmen and Villahermosa, including the state-owned Pemex.

With the up-coming tender for deepwater blocks, the timing was perfect for UK companies to make the right connections and forge relationships which will make sure they are front of mind when these developments come to fruition.

We’re not out of the woods by a long way yet but there are signs that things will improve soon and some real opportunities on the horizon. Subsea UK is absolutely committed to working with the entire subsea supply chain to help turn the opportunities into tangible success stories for the benefit of our members, the industry and the UK.

Scientific Management Associates (UK) Ltd Bosch Rexroth Ltd C-Kore Systems Ltd

OMB Offshore Applications Ltd Rovco Ltd Savante Subsea Lasers

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

Forthcoming Events November 2016 Subsea Asia 2016 29 November - 2 December Singapore December 2016 Lunch and Learn with Energy Ventures - Private Equity 7 December Aberdeen, UK Subsea UK’s AGM 8 December Aberdeen, UK NSRI Developers’ Lunch & Learn – Focus on Contracts and Being Investor Ready 14 December Aberdeen, UK

February 2017 Subsea Expo 2017 1- 3 February Aberdeen, UK Subsea UK Awards Dinner 2 February 2017 Aberdeen, UK AOG 2017 22 – 24 February 2017 Perth, Australia June 2017 Oceans’17 19 – 22 June 2017 Aberdeen, UK

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

Neil Gordon Chief Executive, Subsea UK

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

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

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

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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BUSINESS

STATS Group Tee Up Far East Projects After First Chinese Success Anchor Damaged Pipeline Repaired to Restore Vital Hong Kong Gas Link Pipeline technology specialist STATS Group has completed its first subsea isolation project in China on a 780km pipeline which is crucial for supplying gas to Hong Kong.

STATS was contracted by COOEC Subsea Technology to provide a temporary isolation of the Yacheng pipeline in the South China Sea. The pipeline had been damaged by a ship’s anchor and left unpiggable at a location about 280km from shore and in water depths of 90 metres.

After several detailed engineering studies and comprehensive risk assessments, it was determined the best repair solution was to remove the severely dented section of pipeline and two pipeline end manifolds from the seabed on to a pipelay vessel, while the pipeline remained pressurised at 57 bar.

STATS Group, Dale Millward, Director of EPRS and Subsea Services, said: “Since this pipeline is of crucial importance for the supply of gas to Hong Kong, the shutdown period for the repair work needed to be kept to a minimum. Therefore, the repair had to be done without depressurising and flooding the entire pipeline.

“To ensure safe recovery of both ends of the pipeline onto the pipelay vessel without depressurising or allowing water ingress into the pipeline, STATS Tecno Plug™ and BISEP™ isolation tools were installed. This enabled only the sections of pipeline that were being recovered from the seabed to be isolated.”

Due to the unpiggable defect on the pipeline it was not possible to pig isolation plugs through the pipeline from the permanent pig launcher. Therefore, STATS proposed deploying their dual seal BISEP™ isolation plug which is installed at location through a hot tap clamp fitting.

Deployed into the pressurised pipeline downstream of the damaged pipeline, the BISEP™ provided a fully proved double block and bleed isolation barrier against the pipeline gas pressure. This allowed the pipeline to be depressurised between the rear of the BISEP™ and the pipeline end manifold, enabling the damaged section of pipeline to then be safely cut and removed.

Dale Millward said: “The strategic use of the BISEP™ and Tecno Plug™ isolation tools ensured that the primary project objectives were successfully achieved. The pipeline was repaired as safely and quickly as possible, without depressurising or flooding the entire pipeline and while ensuring that any seawater that may have entered the system was removed before the pipeline resumed operation.”

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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BUSINESS

Swan Hunter Grows Installation Equipment Pool with 15Te Tensioner and 450Te Reel Drive System Swan Hunter have taken receipt of a new 15Te Horizontal 2 Track Tensioner.

Motive Offshore Sales and Operations Director James Gregg said: “The 15Te tensioner marks the

Swan Hunter 15TeTensioner

completion of our first collaboration with Swan Hunter. Work is also progressing well on the 450Te Reel Drive System which is one of the largest projects in our company’s history and is on track for completion by the end of the year.

We are proud to be part of what is proving to be a successful partnership between the two companies and are looking forward to seeing the equipment out operating in the field.”

The equipment was delivered by Motive Offshore Group. The tensioner is supplied with a dedicated electrical HPU, and has an open PLC control system that allows it to be synchronised with other flexible and cable lay equipment including carousels, reel drive systems and spoolers.

The horizontal two track configuration is suited for cable, umbilical and pipeline products.

Swan Hunter Package Manager, Hamish Cullens said: “We are very pleased to take receipt of the Tensioner from Motive, which has been successfully delivered safely, on time, and to standard. We now look forward to putting it to work on its first scheduled project.”

In addition, Swan Hunter have awarded Motive a contract for the design and build of a 450Te Reel Drive System. The reel drive system will be a major addition to our rental pool of flexlay installation equipment.

The towers have a unique jacking system that allows the hub drive to accommodate a range of reel OD’s from 5.0m to 11.4m without the need for packing frames. The system also incorporates a skidding track system for multiple reel operations. The equipment is due to be delivered in December 2016, and will be operational in January 2017.

450Te Reel Drive System

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

BUSINESS

Potential Investment Boom on the Horizon for India Head of Subsurface at io oil & gas consulting, Turlough Cooling, takes a look at the opportunities and barriers of exploration in India.

India has always offered an interesting dichotomy for the upstream business. It is full of potential with significant oil and gas fields and a growing domestic energy requirement and yet many reserves remain offline while there is a significant import market. However, the scene is more than set now for this imbalance to be reset and India to increasingly take full advantage of its resources.

Challenges in this relatively untapped region still remain, particularly because many of India’s resources are in deep-water or High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) fields which, combined with the historically low natural gas prices, have previously made those resources uneconomic. Which goes some way to explain why although the country had proven reserves at the end of 2015 of 5.7 billion barrels of oil, less than a quarter of India’s sedimentary basins are explored and offshore areas are particularly underexplored.

Currently ONGC and Reliance are the two biggest operators involved in India, with participation by international players low: only 12% of the total acreage and about 7% of total contracts have been awarded to foreign players to date. This is likely due to the type of challenges such as comparison with prospects in other countries; perception of slow and bureaucratic decision-making; and disputes arising between the government and operating companies on

Turlough Cooling

matters of cost recovery and obtaining environmental and land clearances from various government departments.

The new Indian government is aware of the challenges for its upstream sector and has taken positive steps to encourage both domestic and foreign investments by enacting significant changes, including a new market-linked gas pricing formula, a new revenuesharing model for upstream projects, the creation of the National Data Repository for all upstream blocks and recent bidding rounds for marginal fields and E&P blocks. The government has also approved ‘HELP’ (hydrocarbon exploration and licensing policy), which provides a uniform licensing system to explore and produce all hydrocarbons under a single licensing framework.

For operators in India to achieve success, new ways of working that embrace a holistic approach for the integrated development solutions of deep-water and HPHT fields will be crucial, as well as application of technologies to explore and assess potential development of shale gas and oil resources. It’s also critical to realise that deep-water and HPHT experience will be needed to help local operators exploit India’s assets, which necessarily requires involvement from the majors. India’s door is open; who is ready to enter?

BUSINESS

The Mirage diamond wire saw in action at Hamilton Wharf, Brisbane

Diamond Wire Saw Cuts Through 200 Piles in Wharf Demolition Project Cutting through piles made from concrete and steel and spending a long time under water isn’t a job for the faint hearted. So what kind of ‘rough diamond’ would be up to such a tough job?

In a recent demolition project in Australia, the star performer going above and beyond the call of duty was a diamond wire saw, manufactured by Mirage Machines, an Acteon company, which was chosen by OPEC Systems to assist in the demolition of wharf structures located at Northshore Hamilton, Brisbane.

Three full time dive crews were deployed, utilising a range of innovative underwater cutting tools and techniques that included using the Mirage MDWS1638 diamond wire saw for cutting 200 steel and concrete piles, some of which exceeded a metre in diameter.

The project lasted for four months and the diamond wire saw was in continuous use every day.

The hydraulically powered MDWS1638 is one of several different sized machines in the Mirage line-up, each designed for quick cutting through dissimilar materials and resisting compressive forces. The products have been used for numerous projects across the world, with typical cutting applications including pipelines, risers, chains, wellheads, flowlines, offshore platform removal, piles, plus single and multi-string casings.

Basil Tyson (Research and Development) at OPEC Systems said: “We certainly put the saw through

its paces. It was in the water for the duration of the project and, barring the usual maintenance and new parts requirements, it gave us no issues and successfully fulfilled its purpose.”

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

Steel and concrete pile cut

BUSINESS

OMS at Subsea Asia on how Laser Scanning Tools are Controlling Pipe Bevel Geometries Understanding and verifying pipe bevel geometry is a vital quality control step prior to fit-up of oil and gas pipelines with tight project tolerances.

While Vernier calipers or radius gauges have been traditionally used to provide dimensional feedback, these methods have proven time-consuming and limited in their practical application. Presenting his paper, entitled The Importance of Pipe Bevel Geometry, at this year’s Subsea Asia event (29 November – 2 December) Alex Felce, technical reporting manager at OMS, will examine the growing use of new laser-based technology in this field.

Given the economic pressures still felt within the oil and gas industry, Felce believes that this new generation of laser scanning tools are paving the way for increased pipeline integrity through advanced measurement technology.

The operation of a new laser bevel measurement tool is described in the seminar and the way in which it can be applied in real-word conditions is discussed. Also included are the range of bevel types and numerous features that require consideration by the pipeline construction workforce.

Felce said: “Our

experience shows that better control of pipe bevel geometry can lead to improved weld quality and superior pipeline integrity for oil and gas operators. The potential for huge cost-saving through better process efficiencies and fewer cut-outs is undoubtedly a major consideration for the sector in such a turbulent market.”

Trelleborg Speeds Up Manufacturing with New Logistics Service Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has launched an innovative logistics service to provide a faster inventory and manufacturing process for industrial businesses that is designed to help simplify stock ordering and reduce administration.

Users can scan product barcodes to automatically generate orders for replenishment of stock, which will be delivered by Trelleborg directly to a user’s production line.

The SealScan app is compatible with a range of iOS devices and is part of the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Service PLUS program, aimed at simplifying workflows in every part of industrial business; from engineering to manufacturing, procurement to aftermarket.

Jan Kies, the Director of Service PLUS programs, said: “Service PLUS is a total solution program that has been designed to simplify the workflow in every part of our customer’s value chain. A huge part of the program is our unrivalled range of logistics services which provide added-value and have been designed to expand our relationships with our customers and make life easier for them.

“We are committed to providing a premium service; the reason why we wanted to find a way to simplify procurement, manufacturing, assembly and logistics. We firmly believe the range of services available as part of the program will reduce process costs and throughput time for our customers.”

Advanced Delivery is part of the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Service PLUS program that bundles various services together, to help simplify stock replenishment processes. It is compatible with many different services including the Kanban system or complete C-Part management by Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions also offers a variety of Field Stock Locations – or satellite warehouses – worldwide that ensure required product is despatched quickly by avoiding long transport routes and multiple logistic partners.

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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FEATURE ARTICLE

UK Firms Can Explore Aussie Opportunities at AOG The 36th Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference (AOG) will present a wide range of opportunities for UK firms looking to grow their international trade and establish links in new markets.

Running from 22-24 February 2017 at Perth’s Convention Exhibition Centre, the event is Australia’s largest oil and gas gathering and features the most comprehensive subsea conference in the region.

AOG’s exhibitors cover the global supply chain and the prime attendees are engineers, operations and procurement professionals and senior managers from operators, engineering companies and the service and supply industry.

Bill Hare, AOG Event Director, said:

“ AOG has grown significantly over the past decade to be one of the most important events in the worldwide petroleum calendar.

It is the place to learn about the challenges and opportunities in the Australian market and network with the industry professionals that make it all happen.”

In previous years, AOG has seen significant participation from UK companies with group pavilions organised by Subsea UK, Scottish Development International and EIC. Research has shown that 38% of exhibitors surveyed have made investments in Western Australia as a result of their attendance at AOG. In addition, 5% of exhibitors surveyed have invested between $1 million and $10 million as a result of AOG. At present, the Australian industry is abuzz about potential new developments at the large offshore Phoenix South oil and the Roc gas and condensate discoveries which have opened up new hydrocarbon plays in Western Australia and led to a surge in new exploration activity around those finds.

Mr Hare added that there are several areas where UK companies could find opportunities in the current Australian marketplace.

He said: “There are many sections of the industry where subsea firms can look to do business.

Operational areas present many opportunities.

Inspection, data measurement and monitoring, maintenance, repair, intervention, life extension and

FEATURE ARTICLE

decommissioning are all areas that operators are exploring.

In addition, tiebacks are increasingly relevant as many new developments are field extensions and are tying into existing infrastructure.

“The Australian market is in a period of transition from the construction of many mega projects to the operations phase of these projects offering considerable long term opportunities in operations and maintenance contracts.

“In the short term, new projects are more likely to be Brownfield such as Woodside’s $1.9 billion Greater Enfield project that is a subsea tieback to the Vincent Field FPSO.” After consulting with key industry participants, the traditional two-day conference will be replaced with high-level forums spanning three days.

These will be staged right on the exhibition floor – with AOG placing a major focus on collaboration and innovation between all industry participants.

With content shaped by input from industry and in particular AOG’s high profile content committee members, the topics selected for 2017 are a Subsea Forum, Collaboration Forum and Knowledge Forum.

The Subsea Forum should be of particular interest to Subsea UK members and has been organised in conjunction with the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT), Subsea Energy Australia (SEA) and Subsea UK. This will focus on how the Australian subsea industry adjusts to the challenges and opportunities in the current market.

“We’ve already had really positive feedback for this innovation,” Mr Hare said.

“Exhibitors in particular are really impressed by the fact that

there will be such a dynamic range of activities on the Expo floor, ensuring strong interaction between forum attendees and exhibitors.”

Significantly, the forums will be free to attend, with Diversified Communications, the event organisers, supporting the industry’s desire to reduce costs in a lower-for-longer oil price environment.

It has also reduced exhibition stand space charges quite substantially.

AOG exhibitors have also welcomed the confirmation that next year’s event will once again feature a number of specialist “Zones” on the exhibition floor, covering key topics such as subsea, health, safety and environment, NDT and condition monitoring, instrumentation control and automation. Asset management and maritime are also new additions for 2017.

This will ensure the forthcoming Expo will be a truly unique oil and gas event in this region, with a strong intent to cater for anyone that is involved in the oil and gas industry or is interested in learning more about it.

Mr Hare said: “One of the things that quite clearly came out of the consultation with industry is that AOG remains a critical event on the annual oil and gas industry event calendar, particularly as it is seen as being a major conduit for the presentation of new ideas and innovations, while fostering collaboration between operators and suppliers - and the Forums and our industry zones certainly achieve that.”

With a large international contingent already confirming its participation and strong local support in place – AOG represents an ideal opportunity for UK firms looking to grow their international links.

Bill Hare, AOG Event Director

BUSINESS

ESS Completes £5m Race Bank Wind Farm Project

SCAR 2 BC RB

Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) has completed a second major seabed clearance project on behalf of DONG Energy on what will be one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms.

The Scottish subsea technology specialist cleared more than 3,000 boulders at the site of the DONG Energy’s Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm, located off the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coast.

with DONG Energy following the initial success on the Westermost Rough project.

Race Bank will consist of 91 turbines of 6MW each and generate enough electricity to power more than 500,000 homes. The £5 million contract followed the successful completion of a similar project by ESS on DONG Energy’s Westermost Rough Offshore Wind Farm.

Mr McDermott said: “With

ESS teams mobilised several vessels in two campaigns, including the Siem Topaz and Siem Sapphire, on a multi-phased work-scope which lasted approximately 175 shipping days.

ESS deployed the latest version of its SCAR 2 Seabed System – a multi-purpose plough capable of boulder clearing, trenching and various seabed route preparation works, while a Multi-Function ROV grab was used to remove boulders and debris which were more sparsely located or situated in awkward positions.

The boulder clearing took place across the export corridor, array cable routes and turbine locations, with 30-metre plus clearance corridors created using multi-pass capability.

ESS commercial director, Keith McDermott, said the project award had reinforced the Banchory-based company’s excellent relationship

our SCAR Seabed System we have set the standard for technology which is reliable and robust in the delivery of fast and efficient seabed clearance projects. We were working in some very difficult environmental conditions and with a variety of soil conditions and the SCAR proved its worth on both counts.

“We are constantly reviewing SCAR to introduce improvements which bring savings to the client and this latest version SCAR 2 has a 15-metre wide capacity compared to earlier 10-metre models.

“We have built up a wealth of experience in the renewables sector and the SCAR Seabed System is a pioneer in seabed and cable route preparation work-scopes, and are now targeting a number of planned European wind farm projects where we think ESS can add value to the construction phase.”

Success Follows Subsea UK Networking Event Following attendance at a Subsea UK networking event in Bristol in March, Scientific Management Associates UK and Frazer-Nash are now collaborating in a technical feasibility worth over £75K. The event, one of several regional supply chain events run by Subsea UK, facilitated the opportunity for SMA to showcase their competencies in the manufacture of pressure moulded cable systems for high capital value, mission critical projects in hostile environments and for Frazer-Nash to illustrate how this could be complemented by their design assurance modelling and independent testing.

Keith Wells, Chief Executive Officer of SMA, was delighted with the collaboration. He said: “Events such as this one from Subsea UK provide a great opportunity to present innovations and expertise, but in a very human setting where you can discuss and engage with likeminded colleagues.” www.subseauk.com/6/events

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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CONTRACT WINS

Athena Decommissioning Works – DOF Subsea Wins Key Contract DOF Subsea, a leading provider of integrated subsea services, has been awarded a contract by Ithaca Energy for the Phase 1 Decommissioning of the Ithaca Operated Athena Field. DOF Subsea has been tasked with removing the subsea water column infrastructure that had been used on the field in Q4 2016.

but the North Sea decommissioning sector is active and we are well positioned to deliver in this market. We have completed several decommissioning projects in recent years, and we are looking forward to working with Ithaca Energy on this scope.

The scope involves the removal of mid-water arch and risers and will utilise vessels from DOF Subsea’s state of the art fleet, capable of undertaking both moorings and construction work. DOF Subsea UK has extensive fleet capability and unrivalled access to the vessels.

“Project management and engineering are established strengths at DOF Subsea, and we work closely with an extensive supply chain; this enables us to provide a full decommissioning service to a high standard. In everything we undertake, our teams are dedicated to efficient and safe operations, consistently delivering the best results for our clients.”

DOF Subsea has steadily built its track record in decommissioning projects in both the UK and Norwegian sectors. In recent years the company has seen activity increase with the growing focus in the North Sea. Managing Director, Robert Gillespie said: “This is a very important project for us. Conditions in the industry are challenging,

Athena is located in UK Continental Shelf block 14/18B in the central North Sea (Outer Moray Firth area) at a water depth of 130m. Ithaca ceased production from the Athena field in January 2016, with the FPSO departing the field in February 2016.

Bibby Offshore Secures Second Subsea Inspection Contract with Shell Bibby Offshore, the leading subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, has this year been awarded two contracts from Shell to provide inspection services on assets in the Corrib Natural Gas field in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The first contract, completed in June, saw Bibby Offshore’s construction support vessel Olympic Ares - equipped with Quantum Work Class and SeaEye Cougar Inspection Class ROVs - perform subsea inspections 83km off the North West coast of Ireland, in water depths of approximately 360m.

The 40 day campaign involved pipeline survey inspection work on a 83km long 20” gas pipeline, and internal wellhead and manifold fault diagnostics, structural inspection and cathodic protection measurements, to ensure optimum levels of productivity were achieved.

Bibby Offshore’s successful completion of this scope of work resulted in Shell awarding the company a second contract at its West Ireland assets. The project commenced in July and is set for

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

completion by the end of this year. The second contract will see Bibby Offshore also utilise its construction support vessel Olympic Ares - equipped with two Quantum Work Class ROVs. The three week campaign involves Bibby Offshore installing an electrical distribution unit and several replacement control jumpers.

The company will also perform inspection, repair and maintenance services in water depths of 400m.

Bibby Offshore successfully provided riser replacement services on Shell’s Pierce project in 2014, and supported work on its Curlew in early 2015.

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Vision for our Marine Future: MTS / IEEE OCEANS ’17

It is now 10 years since Oceans last came to Aberdeen and preparations for the 60th MTS/IEEE OCEANS Conference at the AECC, Aberdeen, from 19 – 22 June 2017 are well underway.

The fact that the MTS, IEEE/OES’s flagship conference covering all aspects of ocean science, technology and engineering is returning to Aberdeen highlights the importance and size of the oceanic industry to the region. The conference programme will include not only the traditional OCEANS themes but there will also be special topics focusing on the region’s expertise:

Subsea Engineering and Subsea Operations The subsea sector has developed a range of processes, systems, sophisticated tools, and materials, from specialist metals and high-tech underwater electronics, to cameras, sonars and sensors.

Subsea Optical Sensing, Imaging and Instrumentation The use of optical methodology, instrumentation and photonics devices for imaging, vision and sensing is of increasing importance to the underwater world.

Deployment of Subsea Capabilities in other Sectors Capabilities in marine science, subsea technology and engineering provide a prime position to exploit such economic value. Areas of such capability include: deep sea mining; marine renewables, aquaculture, and defence activities.

Emerging Technologies for IRM As new subsea pipelines and hardware increases, so too does operational spend and the need to repair and maintain equipment.

Fisheries & Aquaculture The world’s natural fish stocks are seriously low; it is expected that fish supplied by aquaculture will increase to over 60 per cent of the total by 2030.

Decommissioning and Salvage Covers all aspects of technology, marine science, regulation, and operation leading to the decommission or salvage of man-made objects from the marine environment safely and with due respect for the environment.

Marine Renewables (offshore wind, wave, and tidal)

19 – 22 June 2017 AECC, ABERDEEN OCEANS provides a critical interaction of engineers, technologists, and marine scientists. It encourages design to take place with the environment as well as the function in mind, such that equipment, sensors, systems, and processes can be developed, funded and, more importantly, implemented successfully.

There are very encouraging signs emerging for a successful conference with some key plenary speakers secured, exhibition space filling up, and patronage in all its forms wishing to support the event, with Subsea UK as Gold Patrons.

Other Patrons include the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University, Visit Scotland, Visit Aberdeenshire and the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

The UK has a strong position in ocean renewable energy (wind, wave and tidal), some is still in an early stage of development.

For more information on the conference, exhibition, patronage opportunities, and attending the event please visit the conference website: www.oceans17mtsieeeaberdeen.org

CONTRACT WINS

GE Oil & Gas Awarded Three-year Frame Agreement to Support ONGC’s Exploratory Drilling Campaign in India GE Oil & Gas has been awarded a multi-million dollar Frame Agreement by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, India’s largest exploration and production company. Under the agreement, GE will provide an estimated 55 subsea wellheads (SG5) over next three years for the operator’s offshore drilling campaign, in shallow to medium waters offshore India.

The two companies have a heritage that spans many decades, with GE Oil & Gas providing ONGC with subsea production equipment for more than 30 years, including large-sized conductors, subsea wellheads and subsea trees for its offshore drilling and completion projects. Since ONGC’s foray into deep water a decade ago, GE has been a major supplier of subsea wellheads, including those used to drill two of the deepest wells in the world to date (3174m and 3165m). The two companies have long been expanding the technical frontiers in Indian waters.

Ashish Bhandari, CEO-South Asia at GE Oil & Gas, said:

“With India’s new energy policy and gas pricing policy in place we are seeing an uptick in ONGC’s exploration and development activity.

This latest award will enable GE to support ONGC as its technical partner, collaborating to improve the region’s energy supply capabilities through the discovery of new fields offshore.”

The first wellhead under the contract will be supplied in Q4 2016, with GE manufacturing part of the scope in India for the first time, in Kakinada, with engineering and project management support from regional teams in Singapore. While this is a key step towards local manufacturing, GE also has a multi-modal facility in Pune, created to support India’s vision of self-sufficiency in manufacturing under the country’s ‘Make in India’ plan.

Mr Bhandari said: “We have a long history with ONGC and are proud to be partnering with them to support their ambition of driving local oil and gas production. As well as the collaborative effort that will be involved, what is particularly exciting for us is that this Frame Agreement provides us with the opportunity to further develop a local talent pipeline and in-country supply base, through a steady and predictable volume.”

This deal follows a contract awarded to GE Oil & Gas last year, for the supply of subsea production systems to ONGC’s Vashishta (VA) and S-1 fields, located off India’s Amalapuram coast in the KG Basin, ONGC’s first foray into deep water development in India.

AC-ROVs in Gdansk and Szczecin Escort S.P, the Polish distributor of AC-CESS products has been awarded the contract to supply specialised underwater equipment for inspection of harbours throughout Poland. The AC-ROV has been purchased to be integrated into two new vessels which were under construction at the time of the sale. Arek Markowski of Escort S.P said: “The vessels will service two harbours in Poland, one in Gdansk and the other in Szczecin. The AC-ROVs will be carrying out general harbour inspections by the harbour vessels.”

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

Subsea Excavation

28 excavator spreads strategically located across six continents

50+ highly skilled

Our SP12000 is the most powerful MFE tool in the world

400+ projects completed

TECHNOLOGY

James Fisher Subsea Excavation brings the World’s Most Powerful Mass Flow Excavation Tool to the Market The world’s leading mass flow excavation business, James Fisher Subsea Excavation, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has brought the world’s most powerful tool to the market to support clients with large scale excavations.

The SP12000 produces more than 6 tonnes of thrust at full power and a significant volume output of 12,000 litres of water per second, making it ideal for large seabed preparation projects, sandwave clearances, freespan rectifications and large diameter pipeline trenching.

James Fisher Subsea Excavation’s expert team, who have the most in-depth knowledge and understanding of mass flow excavation worldwide, recently completed an extensive re-engineering project on the SP12000. Advanced hydrodynamics and improved efficiency have been combined to give an excellent flow regime, which produces the cleanest cut trench possible by a mass or controlled flow excavator.

Despite its size, the fully-controllable SP12000 is also capable of smaller-scale, precision excavation.

This new technology is also being applied to the company’s existing extensive fleet of mass flow excavators, also known as controlled flow excavators, around the world.

Graham Murdoch, technical director of James Fisher Subsea Excavation, is part of a team that has been responsible for the successful completion of more than 400 projects over a period of 18 years. He said: “We already had the most diverse and well-proven range of mass flow excavators available. Adding the SP12000 to our range means we can support our clients on an even wider range of projects. The ability to match different tools to any given workscope allows us to provide the most time and cost-effective solutions available for projects worldwide.

The SP12000

“The SP12000 is a massive step forward in mass, or controlled, flow excavation. It has immense power with the capability to provide largescale clearance and trenching, but it retains the precision and controllability to be as safe and exact as our other market-leading tools. This is a real game changer for our clients who have largescale requirements.

“The technological advances we have developed during this engineering phase have already started to be transferred to our other excavators with the benefits being realised on recent projects for our clients.

“James Fisher Subsea Excavation has brought together the mass flow excavation industry’s most experienced personnel, from those operating and maintaining the tools, through to the office-based engineering and support staff to our senior management team.

We have a proven track record of using our in-depth knowledge, expertise and innovative approach to address the needs of our clients and deliver the strongest results thanks to our stringent standards.”

AC-CESS Powering the Future at the Glasgow Science Centre The Glasgow Science Centre recently opened their new Powering the Future exhibition.

Occupying half of Floor 2 of the Glasgow Science Mall, it shines a spotlight on one of the biggest challenges facing modern society; the future of our energy supply.

Through a series of over 60 interactive exhibits, the show asks visitors how we can meet the increasing energy demand reliably, and at an acceptable economic and environmental cost.

The AC-ROV 100 gives visitors the experience of piloting an underwater micro ROV. The budding pilot will be able to fly through 8” pipe which is located in the purpose built tank.

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

From feeling the force of wind in a hurricane booth, piloting an underwater ROV and generating power in a dance-off, visitors will learn about ways we can harness energy and recognise the benefits and limits of different sources. From how energy is generated, to how it is transformed, stored and transmitted, discover what happens behind your power switch.

The Powering the Future exhibition is on Floor 2 of the Glasgow Science Centre and is open from 10am to 5pm daily.

TECHNOLOGY

High Performance Wind Farm Cable Handling Delivered by Osbit A state of the art quadrant handling system, designed and built by Osbit for offshore contractor DeepOcean, has successfully completed its first inter array cable installation job for a leading international developer.

The system has delivered class-leading efficiency, successfully facilitating the laying of two complete cables per day in the first stage of its deployment from the Maersk Recorder vessel at an east coast wind farm.

Osbit modified its existing system to fit an entirely new deck layout, incorporating operator-owned equipment alongside its own. The company also upgraded its equipment to add additional functionality, including the addition of two new stern chutes and associated grillages. A novel quadrant handling A-Frame was also integrated, to streamline the most complex handling operation throughout the whole lay cycle.

These changes helped to support the safe and effective 1st and 2nd end deployment of the subsea quadrant, as it installed the offshore wind farm inter array cables. The equipment was also crucial in minimising on-site costs, accelerating the deployment process to achieve a lay rate of at least two complete cables per day.

Osbit’s design also allows the system’s cable production units to be assembled offline on the system while it carries out laying operations, maximising technician productivity on board the vessel.

“We continue to focus on developing new, technologyled solutions to support contractor operations in the construction of offshore wind farms. The success of this project highlights the effectiveness of our collaborative, objective-driven approach, which ensures that our systems achieve efficient and productive offshore operations.”

Brendon Hayward, Managing Director of Osbit, said:

Pierre Boyde, Commercial Director at DeepOcean, said: “Osbit’s understanding of our requirements and its engineers’ expertise has produced one of the most advanced quadrant handling systems on the market. The system gives DeepOcean an advantage over our competitors in multiple key areas, including speed, and personnel and product safety.”

The state of the art quadrant handling system, designed and built by Osbit for offshore contractor DeepOcean

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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SIX MONTH FAST-TRACK PROJECT IN CATCHER AREA DEVELOPMENT In total 29 Subsea Chokes are being supplied, the majority of which have already been delivered to Dril-Quip in line with their delivery requirements.

Dril-Quip is responsible for the manufacture of the Subsea Trees in the Catcher area development operated by Premier Oil.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON OUR NEW WEBSITE! kentintrol.com/case-studies

www.kentintrol.com Tel: +44 (0)1484 710311 | Email: info@kentintrol.com KOSO Kent Introl Limited is part of the KOSO Group of companies

SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT

Market Activity Report Q4 2016

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

SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT

Overview In the last quarter, companies in the subsea industry are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel with the oil price rising to just under $50 a barrel. During October, the oil price got as high as $52 a barrel which is nearly double the value from the start of the year when the oil price was as low as $28 a barrel. The renewables industry, particularly offshore wind farms continues to grow with companies still seeing plenty of contracts being won by diversifying into this industry. Although many companies have struggled over the last quarter, the industry is starting to see more investment with Statoil investing heavily in the Carcara prospect in Brazil and the ONGC investing in the Cluster-2 project off the coast of India.

South America

West Africa

Statoil acquires large stake in Brazilian gas market.

Oceaneering extends contract with BP in Angola.

More success at Liza oil discovery.

North Sea Aker Solutions have successfully secured two five-year global framework agreements for BP operated oil and gas fields for the future deliveries of lifecycle services and subsea production systems. Both contracts were signed in August 2016. The first contract covers engineering, procurement and construction of subsea production systems over the next five years for new and maturing developments worldwide. Aker Solutions bid for the work as one of the four preferred suppliers under the contract with BP with specific terms and conditions to be met.

The second contract, which is also for five years, is a coinciding servicing agreement for any equipment delivered under the first contract as well as to support any previously installed subsea hardware by Aker Solutions.

Drilling operations have started on the first production well at the Maersk operated Culzean gas field in the North Sea. A total of six wells are planned to be drilled by Maersk Oil at the high pressure/ high temperature Culzean gas field with first gas estimated to be produced in 2019. The Culzean gas field, which is the largest gas field discovered in the North Sea in the last decade is situated approximately 145 miles east of Aberdeen and is being drilled

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

using the newly build drilling rig – The Maersk Highlander. Over 30 UK-based well services companies will be supporting the project throughout the drilling campaign.

South America Statoil believe that their acquisition of operating stakes in the Santos basin block BM-S-8 on the Carcara discovery and the Pao de Acucar field on Capos basin block BM-C-33, can supply between 10-15% of natural gas to an already growing Brazilian market in the future. These operating stakes can be used in a potentially huge but under-developed market to drive growth for the company. A 66% stake was purchased by Statoil from Petrobras in the Carcara discovery, leaving almost half of the field into open acreage. Early estimates have stated that recoverable reserves of between 1-2 billion barrels of oil equivalent are available. In 2017, Brazil is promising to hold a “unitisation” round for the unlicensed part of the field. Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency are expected to give the green light to a new regulatory framework agreement for unitisation by the end of 2016, which is an important boost to Statoil’s $2.5 billion

MARKET ACTIVITY REPORT

North Sea Aker Solutions signs two subsea framework contracts with BP. Culzean drilling operations commence.

Asia ONGC to invest in Cluster 2 project.

Shwe FEED tender to be released.

Australasia DOF Subsea select IKM for pre-commissioning services.

Cooper energy signs sale agreement for Sole gas project.

Carcara acquisition. It is predicted that both the Carcara and Pao de Acucar projects will come online sometime after 2020.

In ExxonMobil’s large Liza oil discovery offshore Guyana, another successful appraisal well, the Liza-3, has added to what was already the largest oil discovery of 2015. Hess, ExxonMobil’s partner said “we now expect the estimated recoverable resources to be at the upper end of the previously announced range of 800 million to 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent”. The well was drilled with the Stena owned drillship – The Stena Caron on the large Stabroek Block. ExxonMobil drilled a successful side-track into the reservoir once reaching total depth on the probe before setting the production casing. It is understood that first production from the Liza-3 well would likely come online between 2020 and 2021.

Australasia A three-year frame agreement, with the provision to be extended by two years, has been awarded to IKM by DOF Subsea for pipeline pre-commissioning services operating primarily in Australia.

Cooper Energy for the supply of gas from the Sole gas field allowing up to two petajoules (PJ) per annum. The agreement has been signed for a minimum of five years with the provision for a three -year extension, subject to the parties’ agreement.

Cooper Energy has a total of 77 PJ under the binding gas sale agreement. Supply of gas under the agreement is planned to commence in 2019.

West Africa Oceaneering has signed a two-year extension through to January 2019 with BP under the Field Support Vessel Services contract that was entered with the company for work offshore Angola on Blocks 18 and 31. The contract extension terms include the Ocean Intervention III remaining chartered through until April 2017 with five option periods for the charter to be extended, each by one additional month. An “as-required” basis on additional vessels and services would also be provided during the remaining period of the contract.

A binding gas sales agreement with Alinta Energy has been signed by

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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SPECIAL 4 PAGE REPORT

Asia India’s state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is investing $5.1 billion into the development of a deep-water oil and gas block over the next five years. The Cluster 2 oil and gas block is situated off India’s east coast. ONGC are looking to develop the Cluster 2 oil and gas fields in block KG-DWN-98/2, with the expectation that first gas would be produced in 2019 and first oil following a year later in 2020. The total peak daily production from the Cluster 2 field is expected to be approximately 16.3 million cubic metres of gas and 77,300 barrels of oil. These figures would account for nearly 17 percent of ONGC’s current crude oil production and for nearly 28 percent of its natural gas output rate.

Pre-qualifying documents covering a front-end engineering and design contract will be released by South Korean oil Company Daewoo Posco for the second phase of its flagship Shwe Gas Project which is located 70 kilometres off Myanmar’s Rakhine-Arakan coast. For the second phase of the Shwe Project, Daewoo Posco are looking to develop the Mya South and Shwe Phyu fields as subsea satellites linked to the phase-one central processing platform. Contractors will be invited to submit their proposals as part of the upcoming tender process which

is due to commence in December or first quarter of 2017. The tender process will involve a FEED contest which will lead to the award of a significant Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) Contract. The FEED and EPCI contract will include a Subsea Production System (SPS) as well as an umbilical, riser and flowline system which will apply to each of the two fields. Daewoo Posco has stated it would invest $3.2 billion to develop the Myanmar gas fields.

Shwe’s first phase hosts 11 development wells with additional output coming from the Mya North subsea satellite, which hosts four wells. At the second phase, the Mya South field, will have one subsea manifold which will house three production wells in water depths of around 560 metres. The spare slot on this manifold will be linked by a 12-inch, 20-kilometre pipeline to the central processing platform. A similar scheme will be put in place for the Shwe Phyu field which is located in far shallower waters, at just 95 metres deep. The Shwe project has a 30-year contract with China National Petroleum Corporation and which aims to provide up to 500 million cubic feet per day of gas.

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

For more details visit www.subseaintel.com

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

Leap into the future

The most advanced compact work ROV ever smaller

smarter

stronger

THE WORLD’S LEADING UNDERWATER VEHICLE MANUFACTURER

seaeye.com

TECHNOLOGY

New Generation of Flooded Member Detection System Launched A ground breaking underwater Flooded Member Detection (FMD) system has been launched by Impact Subsea in collaboration with Unique Group.

The ISFMD offers a significant advancement in flooded member detection, providing a new level of clarity in non-destructive testing for the presence of water in underwater structures.

For use by divers or ROVs, water level, depth of reading, position of the sensor probe and temperature of water are all monitored and recorded. With 1mm accuracy and a range in excess of 100m, the ISFMD system provides an exceptionally high accuracy reading.

An advanced software suite provides a visual indication of all sample points along the underwater member or structure being surveyed.

Upon completion of the survey, the software automatically generates a survey report with all recorded readings.

Following collaboration in the development of the system, Unique Group has been appointed as exclusive rental partner for the ISFMD system.

Commenting on the launch of the new system, Andy Doggett, Survey Equipment Divisional Director, Unique Group, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with

Impact Subsea on this exciting new FMD system.

Following significant investment in Impact Subsea Altimeters, Depth Sensors and FMD systems we are able to meet customer demand for the latest underwater technology.”

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

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

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

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

TECHNOLOGY

Fugro Selects Sonardyne Acoustics for Flagship Brazilian Vessel Brazil’s most advanced ROV support vessel (RSV), the Fugro Aquarius, has specified acoustic positioning technology supplied by Sonardyne Brasil Ltda, to support its subsea inspection, repair and maintenance activities in the region.

Already delivered and fully commissioned, the Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) system is being used to track the precise position of the vessel’s Work-class ROVs in water depths of up to 3,000 metres. It is also providing the vessel’s dynamic positioning (DP) system with position reference data to allow it to remain on-location whilst survey operations are underway.

Launched in 2015, the 83m-long Fugro Aquarius has been designed specifically for the Brazilian market with over 60% of local content. In April, Petrobras awarded the vessel a one year contract to carry out work including subsea video and data acquisition, site investigations and asset integrity monitoring.

For their new vessel, Fugro specified that the Ranger 2 be configured with Sonardyne’s deep water optimised GyroUSBL 7000. The unique design of GyroUSBL incorporates a USBL transceiver and high survey-grade inertial sensor in the same unit. This combination increases precision by eliminating common sources of system error such as lever arm offsets, pole bending and ship flexing.

Deployed through the hull using a Sonardyne-built machine, GyroUSBL calculates the position of the vessel’s two Fugrobuilt 150HP ROVs by measuring the range and bearing to the Wideband Mini Transponder (WMT) fitted to each vehicle. Small and lightweight, WMTs offer reliable tracking performance in crowded offshore environments where multiple vessels frequently conduct simultaneous operations in close proximity to each other.

Speaking about Fugro’s decision to equip the Fugro Aquarius with Ranger 2, Barry Cairns, Regional Head of Sonardyne Brasil Ltda, said: “It demonstrates their

commitment to investing in the best available subsea technology for their IRM operations offshore Brazil. We’re confident they will quickly see a return on that investment in the form of faster and more efficient survey operations and greater vessel utilisation.”

The Fugro Aquarius

Subsea UK News | November 2016

27

TECHNOLOGY

Subsea Innovation Launches Diverless Cable Protection System Cutting Tool Subsea Innovation Ltd has completed the design, supply and live demonstration of a Cable and Cable Protection System (CPS) cutting tool that can rapidly and reliably remove a CPS without the need for divers. Activity in the installation of CPS is currently high and is forecast to remain so and this tool gives the ability to remove a CPS in the minimum time. This is particularly key for the future, as offshore windfarm projects are being installed in increasingly deeper waters where diving becomes more dangerous and costly.

Numerous offshore wind industry leaders attended the demo including sales partner Tekmar Energy Limited, DONG Energy, VBMS, Jan de Nul, and CWIND. The event was held at The Underwater Centre near Fort William in Scotland and involved a full scale demonstration of the installation and removal of a CPS from mock-up offshore foundations.

Cable protection systems are designed to be maintenance free for the full service life of the windfarm. However, for decommissioning purposes and in order to reduce risk within the industry it is important that any equipment that is installed subsea has a proven and robust method of removal.

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Subsea UK News | November 2016

The Underwater Centre provided a Workclass Remotely Operated Vehicle (WCROV) which was launched from an offshore vessel and carried out the operations in Loch Linnhe which is a seawater lake.

The demonstrations were carried out over a two day period. On the first day the removal operation was performed on a mockup j-tubeless monopile foundation, whereas the second day was reserved to carry out the same operation on a mock-up j-tube. Both demonstrations were considered successful with operations being completed considerably quicker than expected.

TECHNOLOGY

Jee Ltd Awarded £75k Funding by Innovate UK for Conceptual Design of Tidal Array Cable Solution, ‘Excalibur’ Technologies which harness tidal energy (i.e. tidal energy convertors or TECs) are in the advanced stages of development. Single TECs have been tested in UK waters for some time but only recently has a fully commercial, grid-connected array been installed.

Despite the rapid progress the tidal sector is relatively immature and the greatest challenge is to find a cost-effective method to deploy these technologies at a large scale. Only then will these projects become commercially viable to developers and unlock the potential of tidal energy in the UK and worldwide.

Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, has awarded Jee £75k in funding to develop a conceptual design of its ‘Excalibur’ solution. The project, kicked off in October 2016, is due to be completed by June 2017. Jee’s Excalibur system is a novel subsea infrastructure solution for the deployment of tidal arrays and the protection of subsea array cables. It will enable the cost-effective installation and maintenance of TECs at an array scale and will standardise and modularise the design of the structural foundation, cables, cable protection system and the TEC connection to the infrastructure. Ultimately, the solution will reduce the levelised cost of energy (LCOE).

As a typically standard yet customisable off-the-shelf unit, the solution facilitates the quick installation of tidal turbines, thus reducing design and installation costs, as well as the lead times for these projects. The solution also enables maintenance of the TECs above the waterline without the need to disconnect or disrupt the power production.

Together, this minimises the number of subsea activities meaning fewer vessels are required for less time.

John French, Head of Design at Jee, said: “Excalibur will reduce operation and maintenance costs and ultimately improve the reliability of tidal arrays.

The combined cable protection system and innovative lifting system means that the difficulties associated with subsea cable connections are either eliminated or controlled. The system will allow for routine offshore inspections of the TECs without the need for heavy lift vessels or subsea intervention and the robust cable protection removes the need to inspect the cable.”

Jee is forming a steering committee of key stakeholders including tidal array farm developers, installation contractors and cable suppliers.

The steering group will help shape the design, confirm the technical requirements and gain market feedback.

New RoxAnn™ GD-X Seabed Classification System Chosen by DRAGADOS and AFBINI Sonavision are pleased to announce that South American engineering company DRAGADOS and the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBINI) in Ireland have selected their new RoxAnn GD-X software to assist with seabed mapping.

RoxAnn™ enables the hydrographic surveyor to create colourcoded seabed material maps in real time, identifying the material characteristics of the sea bottom from echo sounder returns from the seabed. It interfaces with a GPS and a PC running a mapping package to enable seabed classification mapping in real time.

RoxAnn™ GD-X (Ground Master) is a self-contained portable seabed classification system designed to be used on board small vessels when no dedicated survey vessel is available.

Ground Master comes with its own built-in dual frequency echo

sounder, transducer and control system; a PC with the Sonavision Roxmap plotter software installed.

Ravi Chandu, Managing Director at Sonavision, said:

“Roxmap plotter allows customers to save data on their PC in real time and create replay files to replay whenever they need. RoxMap comes with scientific utilities which allow customers to export data to text for other plotters, or to excel sheets for further analysis, adding significant versatility to the software.”

Subsea UK News | November 2016

29

FEATURE ARTICLE

Leopard - the most powerful electric work system of its size in the world

Saab Seaeye envisage an all-electric future Matt Bates, Director, Saab Seaeye

In Asia how widely used are electric underwater vehicles?

Electric vehicles have a strong presence throughout Asia’s offshore energy industry where they are most frequently used for observation, dive support and inspection tasks. In other markets such as in the North Sea they are also widely chosen for more significant tasks such as light/medium intervention work, dual head multi-beam seabed survey, pipeline survey and some drill support activities.

In the European renewables market, electric vehicles are the preferred choice due to their ability to stay in the water longer through the tides.

Asia is a key market for us and we are now starting to see growing interest across the region for electric vehicles to be used beyond their more traditional observation and inspection roles there.

Sabertooth - the hybrid vehicle rapidly advancing towards longterm residency on the seabed

FEATURE ARTICLE What are the advantages of electric underwater robotic systems?

What are the capabilities of Saab Seaeye’s underwater systems today?

How do you see the future of electric underwater vehicles?

The potential for considerable through-life cost savings with electric technologies is so significant that it makes sense to choose an electric solution wherever possible.

Performing more work tasks for lower cost is of prime importance and our latest Leopard ROV, the most powerful work vehicle of its size in the world, is a good example of a solution to the demand for more capability.

When compared to a 60 ton hydraulic equivalent, the Leopard’s 30 ton complete package offers considerable savings, with a much smaller footprint, faster mobilisation time, lower maintenance costs, and the need for fewer staff at the worksite. As well as its unprecedented ratio of thrust to volume and therefore speed through water, it has the payload, power and control stability needed to carry the range of tooling and sensors usually associated with much larger systems.

Electric vehicle systems and tools do not quite exist in the marketplace to accomplish the heaviest tasks of the subsea industry, but we expect that to change with rapidly advancing technology, innovative design and innovative operational methods. Our vision is simply to create electric robotic systems that can perform all tasks required by all users operating in the underwater domain.

When compared with an electro-hydraulic system, an all-electric system is up to 50% more efficient and typically has double the power density. In the case of an underwater vehicle, the resulting reduction in vehicle size, weight, cable diameters, winch size and so on, leads to more compact systems overall, saving valuable deck space and reducing mobilisation, transport time and costs. Efficiency is also a key consideration for battery powered systems, whether they are battery powered tools or tether-less underwater vehicles.

A key factor of electric technology in general is that it continues to advance rapidly in terms of miniaturisation and capability, which helps to create electric robotic systems that are smaller, lighter, smarter, more agile and more powerful.

Electric actuators and tools have the added benefit of a simplified, reliable interface and if complemented with an internal processor and suitable micro-sensors, valuable data can be extracted to enhance control options and increase total system reliability through continuous internal monitoring. Having more data available from a device can assist with pre-emptive maintenance planning and, coupled with an electric only interface, allows for more remote long term deployment underwater.

Other developments in recent years include the Sabertooth hybrid vehicle. As a hovering autonomous vehicle capable of also being controlled remotely through low bandwidth links, it has reached a level of maturity where it can accurately perform long excursion inspection, survey or environmental monitoring tasks. With operator assistance through wireless communication it can also perform tether-less light intervention tasks such as valve operations with an integrated electric torque tool.

Common to both these pioneering designs is our iCON intelligent, behaviour-based control system architecture, which comprises a set of hardware and software building blocks key to all our latest products and future system developments. Its simplicity allows harmonious migration of newly proven concepts throughout our range of systems and accelerates further system development.

We have led the subsea oil and gas industry with pioneering electric vehicle technology for the last 30 years and are committed to investing in accelerating the development of further innovations to meet market demands.

The development of yet more capable electric ROV and hybrid systems will continue, enabled by the latest power and motion control technologies as well as the development of further high efficiency electric tooling.

We are rapidly advancing our plans for vehicles to reside at deep or remote locations for extended periods at seabed docking stations, where interchangeable tooling packages are stored, batteries recharged, data and video downloaded and new missions uploaded over the internet.

These plans have been nine years in development through vehicle platforms such as the Sabertooth. Its development has not only resulted in an autonomous vehicle that can navigate and manoeuvre extremely accurately, or stop and hover to perform a task, it has driven the development of increased task automation which is directly transferable into conventional ROV systems for more efficient operations. At the same time, tools and techniques field proven on conventional electric ROV systems are being transferred back into autonomous and resident systems.

Increasing automation and the use of data from more intelligent robotic systems provides the opportunity to reduce personnel and skills directly at the worksite, while resident vehicles and vehicles deployed from unmanned platforms offer the prospect of substantially reduced vessel requirements.

In the end the primary driver for all these developments is to create the most effective solutions at the lowest possible operating cost.

The development of yet more capable electric ROV and hybrid systems will continue, enabled by the latest power and motion control technologies as well as the development of further high efficiency electric tooling.

SUBSEA

Rotech Subsea continues to grow its fleet and build its impressive track record in seabed excavation The TRS1 excavators for harder soils have been joined by the TRS2 for larger scale and shallow water excavations from 1.5 metre depth.

Both are available worldwide for subsea excavation works in the Oil & Gas, Offshore Power Transmissions, and Offshore Renewables sectors.

• Shallow Water from 1.5 metre depth • Backfilling / Burial • Large Scale Excavations • Sand-wave Levelling • Harbour Clearance • Cable / Pipeline Trenching • Freespan Correction • Controlled Flow Technology

Please visit the Excavation Specialists at:

29 November - 02 December 2016 Marina Bay, Singapore

01 - 03 February 2017

Aberdeen, United kingdom Come see us at stand: 112

Rotech Subsea. Rotech House, Whitemyers Avenue, Aberdeen, AB16 6HQ email: subseainfo@rotechsubsea.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1224 698698 www.rotechsubsea.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY

SeeByte to Participate in the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior Exercise SeeByte, the global leader in creating smart software for unmanned maritime systems will demonstrate software solutions for unmanned systems as part of the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise. The exercise will feature over 50 vehicles, sensors and systems and aims to demonstrate never-seen-before capabilities in the field of autonomy and unmanned systems.

SeeByte’s software forms the core components of the Hell Bay 4 and MCM Challenge elements of Unmanned Warrior. The aim of these exercises is to develop and push the capabilities of autonomous systems, squad control and demonstrate how they may be applicable to defence applications.

As part of the MCM Theme, SeeByte is partnered with BAE Systems, QinetiQ and Thales to demonstrate the Maritime Autonomous Platform Exploitation (MAPLE) project. SeeByte has enhanced its fleet management system to provide enhanced autonomous capabilities for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) as its contribution for this project. This is a critical capability required in order to field UUVs alongside other assets.

MAPLE enables control of a fleet of UUVs from a single workstation, fully integrated with the RN deployed Combat Management System, through definition available assets, mission goals and objectives and no-go areas.

This is a much simpler process than having to define long sequences of waypoints for each of the UUVs. Fleet operators will also be able to adapt the paths and behaviours of the vehicles in the squad according to feedback from the environment.

Adapting to the environment is a critical part of the technology capability which will be demonstrated during Hell Bay 4 which is run in conjunction with The Technical Cooperation Program. TTCP is an international organisation that collaborates in a number of areas: defence scientific and technical information exchange, program harmonisation and alignment, and shared research activities for the governments of United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In Hell Bay 4 SeeByte will be supporting the US Navy Lab of Space & Naval Warfare Systems Command Warfare Center Systems Center Pacific, the Defence Research and Development Canada and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Lab. SeeByte’s Neptune software will form the basis of the autonomy engine of the Maritime

Architecture Framework (MAF) to facilitate autonomous collaboration between unmanned assets from multiple nations. MAF provides advanced autonomous capabilities and allows fleets of UXVs, both surface and subsurface, to be managed from a single command station. The main focus will be over-the-horizon multi-squad operations allowing autonomous marine assets, both subsea and surface, to communicate and report on shore via an unmanned aerial vehicle. SeeByte will also be providing signal processing solutions for Automatic Target Recognition of live sidescan feeds.

Using SeeByte’s Neptune, which already forms the basis of UK MAF, the intended outcome is for autonomous maritime systems to adapt and change to the external environment and mission requirements.

Alastair Cormack, Technical Client Manager for SeeByte said: “Unmanned

Warrior is a fantastic exercise for the UK to demonstrate its capabilities in the unmanned warfare domain. The solutions presented at the exercise really are best of breed, and firmly cement the UK as one of the most innovative countries in the world when it comes to unmanned technology. Unmanned systems are increasingly featuring in military operations as advancements in autonomy mean that sophisticated systems are reliable alternatives for frontline operations. Unmanned Warrior is a great opportunity for SeeByte’s dedicated team of autonomy experts to show the world what is possible for unmanned systems.”

Subsea UK News | November 2016

33

TECHNOLOGY

The 250Hz dynamic subsea laser scanner DLS-500

Subsea Lasers: Rising to the Challenge of Riser Integrity Management This summer, Savante deployed their fastest and most advanced subsea laser tooling aboard a WROV to conduct a 3D SLAM scan of a dynamic production riser, confirming the location and condition of buoyancy elements used to maintain the catenary of a production riser.

As 2016 draws to a conclusion, the oil and gas industry remains laser-focused on the difficult task of cutting costs at every conceivable level; all whilst protecting, maintaining and ensuring security of infrastructure, environment and personnel. Underwater inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) operations, conducted by diver or remotely operated vehicle are an essential component of an asset integrity management system yet are inherently commercially risky. At the lowest level of complexity an IMR survey consists of nothing more than a general visual inspection (GVI) record of an asset using a video camera. Whilst cheap; this can largely be insufficient and ineffective in addressing subsequent questions typically raised by asset-integrity managers.

of integration, ease of measurement and precision. Savante’s latest laser technology achieves scanning rates exceeding 250Hz in a simple manipulator-mounted tool and combines HD visual recording with precision 3D data that delivers decision-making clarity for asset integrity managers. Critically, this can be delivered dynamically on a moving-target, moving-platform basis without the need to extend the duration of survey in field.

Dr. Thomson, founder of Savante Subsea, said: “The main benefit of subsea laser scanning is that it can be integrated seamlessly into any GVI campaign at low cost but delivers an enormous increase in capability and measurable content. Laser scanning retains the advantages of a GVI quoted in DNV-RP-F206 of being fast, low cost and able to cover large areas.

“Laser scanning dramatically overcomes the traditional criticisms of a GVI; namely ‘measurements not accurate, subjective and labour intensive’. Laser scanning delivers essential 3D measurement data that is vital in guiding the forward actions of asset integrity managers.

Our capacity to deliver this at the front-end of an inspection campaign can deliver significant cost-savings to the operator, particularly when it eliminates the need for a follow-up investigation.”

Manipulator-mounted DLS-500 during integration with WROV

The applications for lasers in the subsea environment are endless and growing to match the prevalence and diversity found in the onshore construction industry. Whether used for alignment, scaling, range-finding or creating full 3D models of subsea assets; lasers are now setting the underwater standard for speed, accuracy, ease

34

Subsea UK News | November 2016

The resulting buoyancy element position data was used as part of a hydro-dynamic modelling study to determine the maximum applicable loading forces anticipated during extreme environmental conditions of monsoon season and confirm safe operation of the riser. This project was driven by the requirements of a classification society.

The DLS-500 will be show-cased at the upcoming Subsea Expo exhibition in February 2017.

TECHNOLOGY

Has DIVECERT Changed the way Diving Maintenance is Completed?

DiveCert, a certification, planned maintenance and asset management software package, is celebrating its second anniversary since launching as a product of Namaka Subsea.

DiveCert is now being operated by over 40 companies, in over 15 countries across 5 continents, with over 150 users logging in daily. But how does DiveCert enhance a diving contractor’s operations?

DiveCert includes over 500 certification & maintenance templates, based on IMCA guidance requirements. The templates are designed in such a way to simplify equipment testing and maintenance and dive system audits.

2016 has been a milestone for DiveCert, seeing large investment into the software and adding several new key features. This includes reporting functions and an offline import/export feature to allow continued operations while offshore.

Several key diving system manufactures have included DiveCert into their manufacturing process, where during the manufacturing of diving systems, the system database is populated. This provides a complete database including all documentation, eradicating data population for the end user.

Training has also been a key area of development, with more courses than ever being provided onsite in Scotland, Ireland, France, Malaysia, U.A.E, Netherlands, West Africa and Malaysia.

Expectations for 2017 are very positive, with new clients 12603-SSUK-RGU-OnlineLearning-AD-v4.ai 1 07/11/2016 China, U.A.E and Singapore at the start of the year.

expected in 12:34

Lee Duncan, Sales & Marketing Manager at Namaka Subsea said: “2016 has been a very positive year

for DiveCert, with several key developments being released, an increase in training and a 98% renewal rate. We had expected a tougher year due to the current downturn, however with a global client base we have added several key clients, including our first DSV operator.

“We would like to thank all our clients for their support since launching, as well as the diving system manufactures, who are now supporting the software. Without them none of this would of be possible.”

As part of its second anniversary DiveCert has also released a new website, where current and potential clients can download the software and support files. This is the first time users have had the opportunity to download the latest version of DiveCert from the website, along with a sample database, to trial the software for themselves.

Online Course Introduction to Subsea Engineering The distance learning course for those wishing to enter or get back into working in the subsea industry.

Subsea UK, in conjunction with Robert Gordon University Aberdeen (RGU), has developed an online programme of four modules to support the development of people joining the subsea sector.

Recently revamped for 2016, the course has improved learning and assessment methods, updated course material with industry developments and practices.

For more information and to enroll visit the link below or scan the code www.subseauk.com/6761/online-learning

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Stand 30

FEATURE ARTICLE

SUBSEA ASIA JOINS FORCES WITH OSEA 2016: TO MAXIMISE OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRITISH FIRMS

40 YEARS

48 FROM

EST. OVER

1000+ EXHIBITORS

COUNTRIES

Subsea Asia 2016 is set to be bigger, better and offer more opportunities for UK businesses to establish links in the region than ever before as the event moves to a threeday exhibition running alongside OSEA 2016 International Conference.

Organised by Subsea UK, Subsea Asia 2016 runs from 29 November to 2 December at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.

Subsea Asia provides a platform for suppliers in the offshore industry to meet potential clients and showcase technology and expertise that can meet the demand in Asia – a region which continues to grow despite the lower oil price.

Established for over 40 years, OSEA 2016 features more than 1,000 exhibitors from 48 countries and an impressive line-up of 18 international group pavilions. A range of equipment, innovations and services for levelling up capabilities and productivity will be on show at the event which is taking place for the 21st time.

Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK, said: “As Asia’s energy requirements increase, the requirement for innovative approaches grows to explore increasingly remote and difficult to access areas. Subsea Asia 2016 presents an ideal opportunity in the hub of the Asian oil and gas sector for our members to showcase their expertise to decision makers in the region.

“Partnering with a wellrecognised event such as OSEA 2016, gives those attending the opportunity to maximise the value of their time at conference and expands the potential for generating new opportunities.”

Co-located with:

This year’s Subsea Asia includes a dedicated exhibition area and a Subsea Theatre that will host presentations and information sessions. Sessions cover a range of topics including subsea architecture, pipelines and inspection, repair and maintenance, and will be free to attend to allow people to drop in or out throughout each day.

In addition, trade organisation Scottish Development International (SDI) and the British Chamber in Singapore will host a market overview session on the 29th November to provide advice on approaches and initiatives that are available to UK firms looking to broaden their reach.

On the evening of the 30th November, Subsea UK and OSEA 2016 will co-host a networking reception at Eden House.

For further details visit www.subseauk.com

Conference Organiser:

Subsea UK News | November 2016

37

TRAINING

MTCS UK to Launch Competence Programme to Marine Sector The marine industry are to aspire to the highest level of competence, with the help of the new MTCS UK Competence Programme.

Competence management is a combination of knowledge, skill and experience that taken together indicate that a candidate is capable of performing safety critical, technical and operational duties over a wide range of activities. It is important to obtain externally verified certificates of competence for all personnel involved in navigation.

Ian Smith, Senior Mariner, Global Maritime Consultancy, who recently underwent the MTCS UK Competence Assessor Programme, said: “Having worked in Marine

Consultancy for a period of 10 years, I realised that we were looking mainly at the vessel and the associated equipment and not the people.

I researched the best way to achieve a form of qualification that would prepare me and qualify me to assess people in the workplace, to see if they were maintaining the industry expected level of competence. Finding the right organisation to do this was not as simple as it first appeared.

“However, after more research, I discovered MTCS UK based in Cumbria. They were very helpful and suggested Global Maritime embark on their competence training scheme. The two-day course was informative, exceptionally well presented and covered all aspects of Assessing competency in the work place. MTCS promptly assessed my workplace assessments and I then received my EAL recognised Maritime Competence Assessor qualification.

“Following this I worked with MTCS UK in developing the competencies for offshore DP and engineering personnel based upon IMCA guidelines (IMCA C 002). This has subsequently been expanded by MTCS UK to include all ranks.”

Ian Durrell, Head of Assessment Quality at MTCS UK, said: “Our corporate competence management tools are second to none, and provide companies and individuals with everything they need to swiftly and effectively get their personnel certified and accredited within IMCA-aligned guidelines. Our Competence Programmes provide personnel with a robust system of Professional Development in the workplace. The MTCS competence management programme is the answer to the on-board phase of assessment. Competence is not a one-off training exercise, but should be viewed as a continuing professional development tool.”

Industry Collaboration Boosts Early Career Development for Young Subsea Engineers A collaborative effort between subsea industry leaders Apache North Sea, Wood Group and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) has provided a unique career development opportunity for two young subsea engineers.

Ben Randerson and Jonathan Summers from Wood Group secured an ECITB funded secondment within the Apache Projects Group, headed up by Mark Richardson. At the start of this year, Ben joined the project team responsible for the delivery of the Far North Terrace (FNT) project, comprising a subsea oil tie-back from a single well to the Beryl Bravo platform. He has taken advantage of opportunities to participate in a number of offshore campaigns, where he has experienced a variety of activities, including pre-lay surveys, debris clearance operations and diver tie-in spool installation. Following the completion of the FNT project and delivery of first oil, Ben has built

Ben Randerson

38

Jonathan Summers

Subsea UK News | November 2016

on his background in pipeline engineering and worked as part of the Pipelines and Integrity team within Apache’s Operations Group.

During his time at Apache, Jonathan formed part of a lean team responsible for delivery of the Callater Project – a multi-well subsea bundle tie back to the Beryl Alpha platform. His role within Apache progressed organically as the project matured; originally working on the subsea scope and most latterly assuming additional responsibilities with the topsides team, has allowed him to maximise his time with Apache. This experience has proved extremely rewarding and very beneficial for the developing engineer as he begins his career in the oil and gas industry.

This mutually beneficial arrangement has presented these two individuals with experience not currently available within Wood Group but which will benefit their employers in the future and has allowed them to contribute to current Apache projects. Apache have been able to offer this opportunity due to their ability to deliver lean projects in challenging industry conditions. Both participants are extremely grateful for the opportunity to benefit from the secondment and are very appreciative of all the support received from both Apache and Wood Group. This initiative, funded by the ECITB, demonstrates the organisation’s commendable long-term perspective and focus on developing young engineers within a currently challenging industry climate.

ACHIEVEMENT

Sebastian Hartmann Sales and Business Development Manager taking the Offshore Innovation Award 2016

Innospection and INTECSEA’s FlexIQ Wins Best Innovation in Offshore Energy Award Innospection are thrilled to announce FlexIQ, a joint offering from INTECSEA and Innospection which focuses on full flexible riser integrity management, as winner of Offshore Energy’s Best Innovation Award. The award honours the best and latest innovations in the offshore oil and gas industry and was presented to the team at Offshore Energy’s Opening Gala Dinner in Amsterdam in October 2016.

FlexIQ, launched in March 2016, is a unique offering for the offshore oil and gas market, redefining the industry’s approach to flexible riser integrity management. Conventional flexible riser integrity assessments rely primarily on annulus testing, some form of external inspection which only penetrates the outer armour wire layer of the flexible, and simulations with highly simplified models that do not accurately represent the complex construction and kinematics of the flexible. With replacement costs for flexible risers upwards of US$40M, in addition to the associated production downtime, operators need more certainty about the true condition of their risers.

FlexIQ provides that certainty.

FlexIQ is the result of a strategic alliance between INTECSEA and Innospection. Central to the value and distinctiveness of FlexIQ are the state-of-the-art and proprietary inspection capabilities of MECFIT™, from Innospection, and numerical simulation capabilities of FLEXAS™, from INTECSEA. By combining these capabilities with industry-leading annulus testing and a formal risk-based approach

to flexible riser risk assessment and life extension, FlexIQ delivers all aspects of flexible integrity management through a single provider.

Andreas Boenisch, Managing Director of Innospection, said: “Reliable integrity assessment and remaining

life evaluations of flexibles require focused and advanced technology and innovation, combined with expertise. The resulting combination of capabilities from INTECSEA and Innospection is FlexIQ, which provides operators of flexible risers the unique opportunity to work with a partner capable of providing the absolute best possible data and analysis.”

Subsea UK News | November 2016

39

ACHIEVEMENT

Summer of Suspension Photo Contest Winner

Aquatec Announce Contest Winners

Nicholas Jordan holding the AQUAscat 1000LT

Following a successful photography contest, Aquatec Group are pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s photo competition is Richard Sheryll with his entry of the Deep Ocean Benthic Sampler collecting benthic boundary layer sediment samples in absence of decompression.

To mark over 20 years of successful sediment monitoring, this year’s theme was Summer of Suspension.

The image captures the role of technology in the ocean environment, in the midst of a benthic boundary layer sediment plume. Richard 12603-SubseaEventsAD-HP-210x148.ai 1 08/11/2016 10:19 will be taking home a waterproof Polaroid Cube with complimentary accessories.

Aquatec Group would like to thank all the participants in each contest. Images of the photography competition are available on the Aquatec website.

Winner of the Equipment Awards 2016 (Phase 1) was Nicholas Jordan from the University of Wisconsin-Madison . Nicholas’ project on the Impacts of Shoreline Protection Structures on Sediment Transport in the Great Lakes ticked all of the boxes, showing great innovation and practicality of the experiment.

Nicholas used the AQUAscat 1000LT for his research project throughout the months of August and September 2016.

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29 November – 2 December 2016 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

1 – 3 February 2017 Aberdeen, UK

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22 – 24 February 2017 Perth, Australia

19 – 22 June 2017 Aberdeen, UK

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

www.subseauk.com

ACHIEVEMENT

Rotech Subsea: 20 Years of Excavation For over 20 years, Rotech Subsea has been at the forefront of research and development in excavation – offering industry-leading technology and expertise.

Rotech Subsea began developing their first Mass Flow Excavation tool – the FlowDredger – in 1994, with the aim of creating a stable tool that could excavate large amounts of soft seabed quickly using a very large jet of seawater at a relatively low pressure.

The FlowDredger employed two counter-rotating impellers, operating in series, and a seawater-driven hydraulic motor. This first generation tool was capable of producing up to 8000 litres per second at a pressure of 11kPa, giving a powerful 85kW jet.

Four years later, the company built the first T-shaped excavator.

This time oil hydraulics replaced the seawater drive, which greatly improved efficiency and longevity.

The patented T-shaped design of the ‘T8000’ – as this model was dubbed - also offered improved access to the internal components for offshore maintenance. It had the same performance as the original excavator and at lower flow rates the power of the jet could be increased to 130kW. For the next decade and a half, these excavators were the best Mass Flow Excavation tools on the market for large scale projects.

In 2011, Rotech’s excavation business and worldwide fleet of Mass Flow tools were sold to Norwegian-based business REEF Subsea.

With the focus for customers changing to narrower trench profiles (for subsea cable protection) and a growing demand for more controlled tools, Rotech began to develop a new generation of excavators.

Last year, they unveiled the RS1 Controlled Flow Excavator, which was designed for the demands of the offshore windfarm market.

The new RS range delivers much greater efficiency and higher cutting capability in a more compact unit than ever before.

This means that as well as creating narrower trenches with better depth control, the RS1 can also be used to extract excavated material and pump it to a different location. Combined with Rotech’s new BackFill Box, the RS1 can offer simultaneous trenching and burial of cable.

The RS1 is a higher pressure and lower flow device than previous Rotech models. The TRS1, the twinned unit, provides 4000 litres per second at a pressure of 35kPa. For harder soils, high pressure nozzles can be fitted allow the RS1 to produce up to 100kPa of jet pressure, with a peak jet power of up to 215kW. In 2016, the focus moved to the RS2, designed for larger scale excavations such as sand-wave clearance for freespan correction of cables and pipelines. The twinned version, the TRS2, produces 8000 litres per second at 30kPa, giving a jet power of 240 kW. The RS2 & TRS2 also come in a shallow water variant, capable of working in between one and two metres of water.

Stephen Cochrane, Director of Subsea at Rotech Subsea, said: “In just over 20 years of development,

Rotech has almost trebled the jet power of its excavators, while making them more controllable and stable. With so much accomplished already, we are excited to see what the next 20 years have in store.”

Subsea UK News | November 2016

41

PEOPLE

C-Tecnics Welcomes New Business Developer Subsea camera and lighting company C-Tecnics has appointed Scott Jamieson as Business Developer. Scott has more than 30 years in the subsea industry as a senior manager in key equipment manufacturers around the world.

Director Mark Marie said: “We are planning for growth and expansion and believe that investment in excellent, capable personnel, along with releasing new products, is key to our future success.

Scott said: “I look forward to further establishing the C-Tecnics brand in the international diving, ROV and scientific markets.”

(From left to right) Scott Jamieson and Mark Marie

MDL goes East with New Appointment Maritime Developments (MDL) has increased its support to the Asia-Pacific market with the appointment of a Business Development Director for the region.

Paul Douglas has joined the back deck specialist with more than 20 years of experience in global sales and business development roles, including VP at Aquatic Engineering & Construction and Business Development Manager at Subsea 7.

(From left to right) Paul Douglas, MDL Business Development Director - Asia Pacific, and Mark Williamson, President of MDL Americas

From his base in Perth, Australia he will focus on supporting the company’s existing clients in the APAC area, as well as building the MDL brand in the region.

The appointment has come as the next step in the company’s Global Business Development strategy, looking to bring MDL’s costsaving innovation to wider markets utilising flex-lay equipment.

Derek Smith, CEO of MDL said: “I’m glad that Paul has joined our team - he is a great fit for MDL to build a solid foothold for the company in Asia Pacific.

““Having Having spent most of his life in the marine industry, he has a thorough understanding of the challenges faced in this sector, and how smart equipment like ours can mitigate or eliminate associated risks and decrease operational costs. ““On On top of that, he brings on board invaluable experience of working in different regions around the world in various business development roles - all of which will help accelerate the company’s global growth.”

To date, MDL equipment and personnel have been deployed on a number of offshore and onshore projects in the region, including Malaysia and Australia.

42

Subsea UK News | November 2016

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