UT3 1Q 2010 �

UT3The ONLINE magazine of the Society for Underwater Technology

March 2010

Biological AUVsOffshore Engineering

Oceanology

UT3 1Q 2010�

UT3 1Q 2010 �

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to the inaugural edition of UT� , the online magazine of the Society for Underwater Technology. I am going to do a couple of these to see how they are accepted. I have got very good pre-launch feedback so far, but be your own judge.

What is UT3?In order to grow the SUT’s print magazine, UT�, I decided to increase traffic to the website by including a subsea news stream. While this was largely successful, it soon became clear that items soon disappeared off the front page and into the archives, yet were still valid as news stories.

I decided, therefore, to investigate the possibility of writing an online magazine that would be updated periodically and the product stories would have a longer shelf life.

How is it different?Many magazines have an online version. UT� is different in that it will be specifically written to be read on a screen. This allows much larger photographs. I don’t think that the format readily lends itself to in-depth technical articles, which will remain the domain of UT�

Why the white gaps?The reader will see white gaps and spaces. This is because it is a work in progress. We invite readers to submit application stories and information. On a given deadline, we will close the issue, sub edit it and publish it. And start the next one.

ContentsUntil the issue is finalised, it is difficult to say exactly which page a story will fall. Pages are added all the time. To give the reader

some sort of assistance, the banners are colour coded. Find your area of interest in the contents page and follow the spectrum until you get to the relevant part. AdvantagesThe online will have considerably more readers than the printed version, and a greater international readership. It will carry adverts but anyone that advertises in UT� will get an advert in UT� for free.

So, enjoy the publication and please leave any feedback at ut3subsea@gmail.com so we can try to improve it.

Please feel free to submit articles and stories, but good photos and illustrations will make them particularly stand out.

UT3 1Q 2010�

Contents

Published by UT2 Publishing Ltd for and on behalf of the Society for Underwater Technology. Reproduction of UT2 in whole or in part, without permission, is prohib-ited. The publisher and the SUT assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material, nor responsibility for content of any advertisement, particularly infringement of copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property rights and patents, nor liability for misrepresentations, false or misleading statements and illustrations. These are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the SUT or the publishers.

March 2010

Editor: John Howes John@ut-2.com

Sub Editor: Mariam PourshoushtariMariam@sut.org

US Representation: Stephen LoughlinAd-Expo Marketing InternationalPhone + (281) 373-1811adexpomarketing@yahoo.com Production: Sue Denham

Society for Underwater Technology80 Coleman St, London EC25 5BJ

ISSN: �75�-059�

UT3

+�� (�) �80 �70007

Introduction3,

Biomimetics8

Underwater Vehicles 68

Abandonment 96

Salvage 95

Cables 92

Renewables 83

Company News 90

Subsea Survey 64

Diving 78

Autosub 80

Subsea News 84

Subsea Operations 62

Exploration 59

Pipelines 46

Trees 44

Field Development 30

Subsea Conferences 28

Oceanology 18

Subsea UK 16

Offshore Vessels 100

Estuary Support 102

Oceanology 104

Classification 110

Industry Group 114

Forecast 115

People 116

Places 120

SUT 124

UT3 1Q 2010 5

UT2 has launched an online version called UT3

What is UT3?The e-magazine project started following a drive to increase traffic to the website www.ut-�.com, by including a subsea news stream. It soon became clear that many stories were not time-sensitive and disappeared into the archive too quickly. One option is to display these stories online in a magazine format. While this greatly increases the shelf life of stories, it also has a number of other advantages.

Length UT2 is limited to �8 pages. UT3 has no such restrictions. Pages can be continually added until the publication date, allowing more subjects to be covered.

Large PicturesThese are visually appealing and can often illustrate ideas better than words, however, conventional print magazines cannot use this format because of space limitations.

Numeric Distribution UT2 has a distribution limited by economics to members of the SUT, targeted and paid subscribers. UT3 goes out to these and thousands more subsea professionals

Geographic DistributionMagazines are also limited by economics as to where they are distributed. UT3 is only limited to people around the world that have access to a computer

SearchThe electronic medium makes it easier to search for a specific story within the magazine.

AdvertisingWhile having a greater distribution, advertising rates in UT3 are cheaper than the already competitive rates of UT2. For the time being, anyone that advertises in UT2 will get an advertisement in UT3 for free!

To subscribe, send a message to ut3subsea@gmail.com

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UT3 1Q 2010�

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UT3 1Q 2010 7

On the midnight of ��st December �009, the mantle of chief executive of the SUT passed from Ian Gallett to Dr Bob Allwood.

With his years in the SUT engine room, chairing committees and actively working within the heart of the organisation, Allwood was the perfect choice to grasp the baton and lead the Society into the new decade.

For his part, Ian Gallett had already agreed to work part time and move into an international business development capacity. He would also be able to provide his successor with the benefit of experience gained from �5 years at the helm. And thus the seamless transition began.

So what is Allwood’s vision of the future?

“The SUT has two demonstrable strengths,” he said. “We have a broad spectrum of interests, ranging from marine science to offshore technology, theoretical research to front end engineering. We can be of value to people involved in every sector of the subsea industry.

“Secondly, largely due to Ian, we now

have a broad international presence which started with the establishment of bases in heartlands such as Aberdeen, Houston, Perth and Rio de Janiero. We now have branches in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur, and have laid plans to expand into new strategically important territories such as Bergen, Cairo, Halifax and Mumbai, where subsea engineering is the key to unlocking a major growth potential.

“It is important that these new outposts are not left in isolation and are made to feel part of the Society. This is particularly true in branches where English is not the main language. We will work hard to communicate with these groups to inform members what they are doing and vice versa.”

In the long term, Allwood intends to turn his attention to the various committees.

“At the moment,” he said, “we have 8 or 9 sub-groups which look into the various areas that are of interest to our members. Some of these are very successful and others less so.

“We must look at what support we need to give, and particularly which areas we are missing out on. There will be value in the sub-groups communicating

New SUT Chief Execwith each other better, as issues are rarely unique.

“We may also add to some of these special interest groups. In recent years, the renewables sector has become hugely important and maybe we need to focus more in this area.

As offshore fields reach the end of their economic life, the area of salvage and decommissioning becomes increasingly relevant and this is another sector to which we might wish to turn our attention more.

“In general, we ought to look at better ways of working and communicating what we are doing, both between ourselves, and to the world outside.

“Coming from an academic background, I can see the real value for the SUT in welcoming more universities and research bodies into our community. While specific universities already play a very important part, I would be keen on a more international outlook.”

Any changes are going to be evolutionary, not revolutionary, and the SUT can look forward to many years in safe hands.

Left: The new chief executive Dr Bob Allwood. Right: the outgoing chief executive, Ian Gallett

UT3 1Q 20108

In order to explore the world’s deep oceans and possibly work beyond the practical depths or capacities of remotely operated vehicles, the subsea industry has developed a number of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designs.

One way that engineers have approached the challenge of AUV design has been to observe the mechanisms employed by fish and other marine animals to move underwater. From these insights, it could be possible to look at shapes and movement mechanisms amassed from thousands of years of marine evolution and replicate these lessons in the mechanical design of submersibles.

The term for copying biological movement is ‘biomimetics’. The ultimate practical way of testing these observations is perhaps to physically construct robotic sea animals. The rewards for constructing robotic animals are potentially huge. Being able to emulate the low noise, high efficiency and ability to swim long distances displayed by sea animals is potentially useful in a variety of marine and military applications.

They could be suitable for applications such as carrying out longer and more complex subsea surveys, detecting the leakage in oil pipelines, mine countermeasures and robotics education. They could be especially useful in oceanographic research by conducting observations without disturbing the real fish.

Conventional underwater vehicles are characterised by rigid structures moved by propellers. Such systems are generally agreed by technologists to be noisy, inefficient and not particularly manoeuvrable when compared with marine life. Propellers also have the

disadvantage of getting entangled in reeds.

Conversely, the undulating movement of a tail enables fish, at least in part, to swim long distances with great speed, efficiency and manoeuvrability.

There are two basic locomotive actions in water that most marine animals possess, although some have tuned them to an advanced level. The first is swimming long distances, often with great speed or bursts of acceleration. A good example of this is the tuna or barracuda.

The second is high manoeuvrability – sometimes turning in a fraction of their length and doing this at great speed. Eels or sea snakes have evolved highly efficient biomechanics to enable this.

Researchers have concentrated on two main modes of swimming. The first is the sustained swimming mode that is characterised by the cyclic repetition of propulsive movements. This enables the fish to cover large distances at fairly constant speed.

The other type is the more unsteady transient mode, which is seen when fish carry out the sharp turns and quick bursts of speed associated with hunting or escaping from a predator, or avoiding near obstacles.

A number of robotic fish designs have been developed at various universities and institutes. They range in sophistication from small robots able to carry out elementary actions, to larger multifunctional models.

The propulsion is normally provided by one or a number of servo motors concatenated together in the tail to act as joints. Other motors in the head can be used to drive the fish up and down. On the back of the body, a dorsal fin is fixed vertically to keep the fish from swaging.

Work at the Human Centred Robotics (HCR) group at the University of Essex has focused on the development of various kinds of embedded systems and intelligent robots that can be used in environments coexisting with humans.

One of these research projects, under Prof Huosheng Hu, has been the development of an advanced, fully autonomous, robotic fish that can swim to a depth of �m at a top speed of 0.5m/s and cruise at a speed of �0cm/sec. It is about 500mm in length.

“The aim of our project is to design and build autonomous robotic fish that are able to react to the environment and navigate toward the charging station,” said Prof Hu. “In other words, they should have features such as fish-swimming behaviour, an autonomously navigating ability but a cartoon-like appearance that is nonexistent in the real world so they can be differentiated.” The London Aquarium awarded the group a £�50 000 funding grant, which was followed by another £�� 000 for the development of a new robotic carp.

The fish design is based on six powerful, remotely controlled servo motors controlled by four onboard computers. Ten sensors including a depth gauge, gyroscope, accelerometer, inclinometer and four infrared obstacle detection sensors provide information.

Bionic Marine Animals Robotic Fish

A robotic carp at the London Aquarium

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UT3 1Q 2010 9

Robotic Fish

Recently, Prof Hu has been working on the search and monitoring of harmful contaminants in port using a swarm of robotic fish (SHOAL).

Essex University, in collaboration with five partners, will develop a robotic fish with embedded chemical sensors to detect water pollution.

The fish will approach possible leaking ships and use sonar beacons to communicate sensor readings to the port authority, which if necessary will impose a sanction.

A �D pollution map will be built and displayed on a central computer screen for the port authority to view the data in real time.

The role of the Essex team in the SHOAL project is to:

l Develop an innovative mechanism for building a team of three robotic fish

l Deploy a layered control architecture in each robotic fish for integration of navigation, communication andpollution monitoring sensors by other partners

l Adopt behaviour-based approach to build a set of swimming patterns (steady and unsteady) and actions (individual and shoal)

Each robotic fish is �.5m long, with over �0 sensors such as sonar, gyro, global positioning, current,

pressure, chemical sensors, etc.

Apart from designing the

mechanical structure, the Essex team will also look at the behaviour of the fish while swimming. For an individual fish, they have looked at avoiding obstacles, keeping level, seeking a goal, wandering and escaping.

To integrate with the other fish, the researchers must also look at alignment, separation and cohesion.

SHOAL

Biomimetics

A robotic fish

Fish design for the SHOAL project

UT3 1Q 2010�0

Bio AUVs

Last year, the French company, Robotswim, won the Grand Prix de l’Innovation de la Ville de Paris for industrial decorative design for its robotic fish Jessiko. This award – constructed from an original piece of the Eiffel tower – is the latest accolade for the piscine robot. The fundamental design is based on the morphology of a hammer-headed shark.

The main propulsion is carried out by the sweeping of the caudal (tail) fin, which enables the robot to achieve velocities of a metre every 5 seconds. With a length of only �0cm, it can swim its body length every second.

By modifying the position of the tail sweep, it can turn right or left. The pair of lateral fins are used to maintain stability, moving to change the centre of gravity as appropriate. The dorsal fin can move up and down to change the water displacement, and, therefore, the buoyancy.

The hammer-headed shark is distinctive for its ‘cephalofoil’ – the part of the head that is flattened and laterally extended. In Jessiko, this becomes a fin in its own right. It allows the fish to move up or down while inhibiting any unwanted rolling. Furthermore, the rapid movement allows the fish to move backwards.

A pair of embedded microprocessors, using artificial intelligence, is important in the swimming operation. Sensors allow the robot to receive messages from both coded transmitters and other robots, while light detection systems allow it to realise the presence of walls and other obstacles. A light emitting diode behind the dorsal fin can assist in recognition and avoidance.

The Jessiko is aimed at a range of markets. When used in marine monitoring, its size means that it can reach poorly accessible places. Being able to communicatewith other models increases the

Jessiko

area of coverage while reducing the cost of the operation.

Jessiko can also be used as a research tool, providing a platform for users developing aquatic navigation tooling without having to design their own vehicle.

An important application of Jessiko, however, is to allow the public to interface with the world of marine robotics. It is intended to be used in public and private events, scientific museums and aquaria. Each fish carries its own illumination, and a school of �0 or more could realistically provide a night-time light spectacle with interesting choreographies.

Left: The Jessiko. Below left: The Jessiko in a bowl to show its small size. Below: Jessiko models in an aquarium

Multicoloured Jessiko models

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UT3 1Q 2010 ��

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UT3 1Q 2010��

Researchers at the University of Bath’s Ocean Technologies Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed the Gymnobot, abiomimetic underwater robot inspired by the Amazonian knifefish, which swims using a ventral fin running the length of the underside of its rigid body.

This ventral fin consists of a set of several hundred rays connected by an elastomeric film (skin). The rays are oscillated side-to-side in a phased movement to create a wave which undulates along the fin in a semi-sinusoidal fashion, propelling water backwards or forwards like a conveyor belt. This method gives it much improved thrust generation capability than a similar-sized eel.

The robot’s fin is much less complex than the real fish. It consists of nine bending fin rays covered in a sheet of latex, and driven by a single motor through a pair of crankshafts.

The resulting undulatory wave is not as uniform as the real fish, but the principle is ostensibly the same. The robot is also able to propel itself

efficiently forward or backward in the same way.

The undulating wave action is understood to be more energy efficient than conventional propellers at low speed, and is particularly suitable for operating in shallow water near the sea shore, with its complex, rocky environment and plants that can tangle a propeller.

Gymnobot

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One of the research projects being conducted with the Gymnobot is a study of the creation and development of vortices along the fin. Some fish create vortices when flicking their tails one way, but then destroy them when their tails flick back the other way.

By destroying the vortices, they are effectively re-using

Kelp Beds

Ventral fin that undulates to make a wave in the water which propels the robot backwards or forwards

Hydrodynamic hull shape

The Gymnobot on a stand. The ventral fin is used to propel and manoeuvre the robot

Kelp beds are essentially underwater forests. The huge plants slow down the flow of water and, in doing so, provide spatially complex habitats in the marine environment. Probably as a result of this, the biodiversity in kelp beds is significantly greater than in the areas surrounding them.

Biodiversity studies, however, are often hindered by the very presence of the plants themselves. Divers are understandably wary of entering kelp beds, as it is frighteningly easy to get hopelessly tangled in the fronds.In the same way, it is impractical

to use remotely operated vehicles since their tethering wires either get tangled, or so disturb the bed that the ecological measurements become distorted. There is, therefore, a need for a self-propelled, miniature

autonomous vehicle able to carry a camera and other instruments to investigate kelp beds and other complex underwater habitats.

Researchers at the University of Bath

Concept drawing of theCtenobot

UT3 1Q 2010 ��Concept drawing of theCtenobot

Robofish

control receiver. In small spaces such as the laboratory tank, or caves and littoral zones, noise in acoustic communication becomes prohibitive. In the case of our tank, communication has been demonstrated to be effective. Onboard programming can be used to allow the RC system to emulate the acoustic system,” said Morgansen.

For purposes of development and testing, an instrumented tank has been built in the lab. The tank is an above-ground swimming pool 8ft deep, 8ft wide and �0ft long. Underwater cameras connected to an external computer provide the ability to track the vehicles in the water in real time.

This data is processed for �D position information and transmitted via RC broadcast to all vehicles in the tank. The broadcast information contains vehicle identification codes and can also include information for simulated vehicles to provide a group effectively much larger than the existing three vehicles.

Researchers at the Nonlinear Dynamics and Control Lab of the University of Washington have developed the second-generation of three fin-actuated untethered autonomous vehicles.

“The robofish is a simple but compact autonomous vehicle,” said Associate Professor Kristi Morgansen. “They are each powered by four servos. Two are located in the rear of the robot and power the two links of the tail assembly. The other two servos control the motion of the forward fins – their motion is fully independent of one another.”

To be able to orient itself, the robot has a depth gauge (a pressure sensor) and a �-D magnetic compass. The fish is tuned to be neutrally buoyant. Due to pressure changes and compression/decompression resulting in volume changes of the vehicle, however, the buoyancy is not constant. Engineers at the laboratory are developing a buoyancy tuner to adjust buoyancy as the robot moves to different depths.

Each vehicle contains a microprocessor to collect sensor data, to handle communication with other vehicles, and to determine control commands to the servos.

“Each robot is equipped with an remote

The Robofish. A dime (18mm dia) provides a scale

The Black Ghost Knifefish.Courtesy of Derek Ramsey

the energy in those swirling areas of water. The less energy left inthe wake after the fish has passed, the less energy is wasted.

Researchers are looking at how thrust is affected by changing the wave of the fin from a constant amplitude to one that is tapered at one end.

What makes the Gymnobot unique is its focus on having the least number of moving parts, and consequent improved

simplicity and reliability. This is in

contrast to previous similar machines which

have relied on multiple servo motors and complex

have looked to a small marine animal called a ctenophore, or comb jelly, for inspiration. This is similar to jellyfish, except that instead of propelling itself by jet propulsion, a ctenophore uses an oscillating set of cilia (hairs) around the outside of its bodies to create thrust.

Unfortunately, the ctenophore’s propulsion system will not scale up in size, so the concept for the robot is based on a transparent ball with four undulatory fins attached to the outside, using a miniaturised version of the Gymnobot’s ventral fin propulsion system.

The servo motor system inside the Gymnobot that ejects water to move the ventral fin

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UT3 1Q 2010��

From its campus in Massachusetts, researchers at Northeastern University have developed an ambulatory vehicle based on the lobster.

The robot has eight legs that allow movement in any direction. The tail and claws are used to keep the model stable in turbulent environments. In order to detect obstacles, the robot has antennae that can orientate in a similar

Robo-Lobstersmanner to animal lobsters

It can be placed in the littoral zone ocean bottom or fast-flowing rivers and can travel across irregular bottom contours, even when subject to currents and pressures surges.

Practical uses are autonomous remote-sensing operations, including the ability to track down underwater mines.

Lobster robot made for the U.S. Navy at Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center. Photograph: Jan Witting

AquaPenguinsThe clumsy, waddling gait of penguins when they are moving slowly on an icesheet on land belie the fact that they are able to move with great celerity, agility and endurance underwater.

Their staple diet is krill, the shrimp-like crustacea which penguins dive great depths to hunt. Adélie penguins dive to depths of up to �50m, while emperor penguins may reach depths of 700m.

Penguins can reach a top speed of almost �0km/hr when hunting, and their search for food may lead them to travel more than a �00km a day. While in a more energy-efficient migratory mode, they can still achieve speeds of around �0km/hr to �5km/hr.

When re-entering the land from the sea after feeding they can often be seen leaping onto icebergs. In order to do this, they have to be particularly robust and crashproof.

Over �0 million years of evolution has left penguins perfectly contoured for underwater movement. Model testing of the hydrodynamic body shape has displayed a flow resistance �0 to �0% lower than the most favourable known technical bodies.

Not only can they move fast, but they seem to do this with a low consumption of energy. Scientists looking at the metabolism of living penguins in a specially built swimming tunnel in Antarctica discovered that Adélie penguins, for example, can swim more than �80km on a full stomach (approximately �kg of krill).

This translates as: if penguins’ bodies were operated with petrol, they would thus be able to travel some �500km through the icy Antarctic waters on just a litre of fuel.

LampreysNortheastern University is also looking at another type of vehicle with an undulatory system based on the lamprey. This is intended for remote sensing operations in the water column and features robust depth/altitude control and high manoeuvrability.

These vehicles are based on a common biomimetic control, actuator and sensor architecture

that features highly modularised components and low cost per vehicle. Operating in concert, they can conduct autonomous investigation of both the bottom and water column of the littoral zone or rivers.

These systems represent a new class of autonomous underwater vehicles that may be adapted to operations in a variety of habitats.

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UT3 1Q 2010 �5

This provided the inspiration for Festo to develop the AquaPenguin. This bionic penguin is designed as an autonomous underwater vehicle that independently orients itself and navigates through the water basin.

The AquaPenguin has the same hydrodynamic body contours of its natural archetype, while its head and tail sections can be moved in all directions from the torso. It is this that enables the robotic penguins to manoeuvre in cramped spatial conditions. This independently moving head and torso is an entirely new feature in robotics.

The bionic Fin Ray structure, derived from the tail fin of a fish, has thus been extended into �D space for the first time.

“The pengins’ torso design can be used in automation in a flexible tripod configuration, thereby opening up new fields of application in mechanical handling technology,” said Steve Sands, contract manager at Festo.

The manoeuvres are supported by an intelligent �D sensor system,

which in this case, however, was borrowed from an entirely different

group of animals.

“To analyse their surroundings, the

AquaPenguins’ �D sonar makes use of broadband

ultrasound signals, similar to those used by dolphins and bats. This enables them to determine their

spatial position, constantly measure the distances to the walls

of the water basin, avoid collisions

and navigate autonomously,”

he said.

One important feature of the AquaPenguin is its wing.

The wings have a skeleton of spring steel elements embedded in an elastic matrix of silicon that gives them their characteristic profile. To emulate the animal, the mechanical wing is required to move in two ways. For steering, it needs a rotary movement, while for propulsion it also needs a special flapping motion.

The wing axis passes through spherical shoulder joints connected to the torso and is also fitted with separately rotatable bearings within the sphere. The additional axis of rotation is controlled by one actuator per wing, which adjusts the wings’ pitch angles.

Festo has developed a novel design using a single powerful electric motor, in which the rotational speed also controls the flapping frequency of the wings. The forces are transferred to the wings by means of a leverage system fitted with a further actuator. Slightly displacing the pivot can modify the effective length of the lever arms and thus also the transmission ratio. This in turn regulates the amplitude of the flapping wings.

The entire mechanism is designed in such a way that in conjunction with the elastic wing twist, the kinematics of the penguins’ underwater flight is imitated almost perfectly, the flapping cycles are practically a self-regulating automatism and manoeuvring is effected with only a minimum of effort.

WingsA separate pressure sensor is also available for operation at greater depths in free water.

Some of the movement patterns have been combined into programmedelementary manoeuvres. The further processing is carried out by intelligent onboard electronics that allow the penguins to navigate autonomously and to develop versatile patterns of interaction with the other members of the group.

SpecificationsOverall length 0.77 mDry chamber 0.�� mMax. torso diameter 0.�9 mWing span 0.�� mWeight in air 9.�0 kg

MaterialsTorso laminated fibreglass- reinforced plasticHead/tail �D Fin Ray Effect structure of stitched plastic elementsWings compound of spring steel wire, silicon, polyamide upper surfaceSkin polyamide, with elastane additiveLines high-tensile polyethylene fibre

Principal drive electric, �� V Gearing ��:�Actuators Dymond DS 9900Power supply ��.� V, �5 AhOperation autonomousMaximum speed 5 km/h / �.7 knDuration of operation � – 7 hours

Three AquaPenguins

Wing drive mechanism

UT3 1Q 2010��

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RGB has recently trialled the CaviDyne cleaning system offshore, and is currently negotiating exclusive arrangements to provide the system throughout the UK continental shelf.

The system is capable of removing all types of marine growth, from seaweed to hard, well-attached barnacles. With this tool, however, surfaces with existing coatings, such as paint or anti-fouling coatings, are not disturbed when cleaned, and heavy metals or other contaminants are not released into the water.

The principle of operation is hydrodynamic cavitation. Water is fed into the cavitation chamber and ejected throughout the nozzle. When the bubbles collapse, they create a pressure wave that

Subsea UK has announced the winners of the �0�0 Subsea Awards at its celebratory dinner in Aberdeen.

Dominion Gas was named subsea company of the year. It has seen its annual turnover rise from £��.� million to £��.9 million in just four years. The mooring company First Subsea won a special commendation in the category.

National Subsea Oil and Gas AwardsThe emerging talent award was won by Katy Wilson, a consultant at Atkins Boreas. She has written a best practice guidance document on preserving the integrity of riser caissons.

NCS Survey was rewarded for its rapid growth with the new enterprise award. The company recently acquired the survey division of SRD and has been working successfully with autonomous vehicles.

The subsea innovation and technology award went to Atkins Boreas for its research and testing through the Safebuck joint industry project. The subsea global exports award went to Optical Metrology Services (OMS).

Lastly, the lifetime achievement award went to a delighted Dr Bob Allwood, the new chief executive of the Society for Underwater Technology.

Cavitating Water Jetperforms the work. The system operates at relatively low pressures of ��00–�500psi. A zero-thrust system balances the gun, so that operator fatigue is minimised and there is less stress trauma or repetitive motion.

The main advantage of the CaviDyne over conventional high pressure blasting or grit cleaning is its inherentsafety. Not only can the system be adjusted for the removal of coatings, but the water stream will not inflict any damage to a diver or equipment which

may come into contact with the flow. The CaviDyne is also often more productive than conventional systems when removing marine growth. The cavitation stream pulls material from the surface being cleaned and is unaffected by the thickness of the growth. The debris cloud is greatly reduced, affording improved visibility.

Traditional mechanical cleaning or pressure blasting often leaves a textured surface in which micro-organisms can flourish and demand

more frequent cleaning.

The tool can be used with sea or fresh water on a variety of materials such as steel, concrete, wood, plastics, fibreglass and rubber.

The CaviDyne cleaning system

Subsea �0�0 Conference and Exhibition

Winners at the 2010 Subsea Awards

UT3 1Q 2010 �7

Subsea �0�0 Conference and Exhibition

Aberdeen-based specialist subsea service company DOF Subsea has been awarded a contract worth around £�.7 million by Technip, for the provision of a light construction vessel.

The vessel provided will be the Skandi Bergen for BP-operated Block ��, offshore Angola. It is anticipated that the project will commence in the third quarter of �0�0 and will last for approximately �00 days.

Garry Millard, managing director of DOF Subsea UK, said: “This is a significant win for the company. The award of this contract demonstrates our commitment to developing the company in West Africa.”

CSL

Vessel Contract

The Skandi Bergen

CSL has been awarded a turnkey decommissioning project in the North Sea. This will be carried out on the Tristan North West field in block �9/�9b of the southern North Sea, on behalf of Silverstone Energy/MCX Exploration. It will involve the subsea intervention and abandonment of two wells, one live and one suspended, as well as the decommissioning of the associated subsea infrastructure.

The work will involve environmental and engineering assessments of the decommissioning options, submission and agreement of the programme with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), completion of all permits and consents, and execution of the offshore scope of work.

As the contract holder, CSL will manage the programme, collaborating on an exclusive basis with Helix Well Ops for the provision of well intervention, abandonment engineering and diving services, and with BMT Cordah for environmental management service, including permits, consents and assessments.

Now RecruitingThis exciting, industrially relevant programme, developed inconjunction with some of the subsea sectorʼs leading firms, comprisesmulti-disciplinary teaching, site visits, industrially based projects andvisiting industrial lecturers. The programme can be studied full timeover 1 year or part-time, normally over 2-3 years.This innovative new course is aimed at:• Engineering graduates wanting to specialise in a challenging

area of engineering• Those working in the subsea industry who want to increase their

skills and knowledge• Those working in another engineering sector who want to work

in Subsea• Those working in the engineering sector who want to combine

technical expertise with management knowledgeFor those who want to study selected areas of subsea engineering/management for Continuing Professional Development, we will alsobe offering individual modules from the Masters Degree including:Fundamentals of Subsea Engineering, Materials & Corrosion Aspectsof Subsea Engineering, Deepwater Pipeline Design, Subsea ProjectManagement Application, Subsea Surveying, Positioning & Installationand Reliability & Integrity Management of Subsea Systems.For further informationvisit: www.ncl.ac.uk/marine/postgrad/taught/subseaQueries: subsea@ncl.ac.uk

Images courtesy of IHC Engineering Business Ltd and CTC Marine Projects

UT3 1Q 2010�8

Later this year, Fugro will formally take delivery of two new-build geophysical survey vessels. The first, currently undergoing sea trials, is the Fugro Searcher. This will be followed by the Fugro Galaxy.

These new-builds are the first purpose-built commercial geophysical survey vessels since the Lady Harrison (renamed Antares) was built back in �98�. This venture gave Fugro the opportunity of looking at all aspects of overall survey vessel design in detail and specifying the latest equipment to make these sister-ships, the most advanced vessels of their type in the world.

The pair will operate in the offshore oil and gas industry and the offshore renewable energy sector. They will be able to carry out the full range of site and route survey tasks in order to obtain the high resolution data that is necessary for safe, efficient and cost-effective subsea operations associated with the installation of pipelines, platforms, wind turbines, subsea structures, etc.

The new vessels will have permanently mobilised geophysical and hydrographic survey spreads. Geotechnical equipment will be installed on a project by project basis.

Geophysical survey equipment will include Kongsberg EM�0� and EM�00� multibeam echo sounders on the Fugro Searcher and an EM7�0 on the Fugro Galaxy. Each will have a Kongsberg EA�00/EA�00 single-beam echo-sounder. They will also have Edgetech dual frequency ��00 digital sidescan sonars. The Fugro Searcher will be fitted with a Kongsberg SBP�00 sub bottom profiler, while the Fugro Galaxy will get a Kongsberg TOPAS PS�0 sub-bottom profiler. All ancillary and calibration instrumentation will be available.

A seismic airgun array of up to 970m� will be used to generate the seismic waves that are reflected by the subsurface sedimentary rock layers and picked up by a solid digital streamer extending up to �000m behind the vessel. The seismic data will be recorded on a Hydroscience Technologies NTRS� ��0-channel recorder.

A variety of geotechnical equipment such as vibrocorers, grab samplers and cone penetrometers are also available. For survey operations in deep water, the vessels have the necessary deck space to accommodate any of Fugro’s

New-build Survey Vessel

autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) spreads. At the back of each vessel stands an articulating A-frame for equipment deployment. The Fugro Searcher’s frame is rated to 7.5t while the Fugro Galaxy’s will be rated to �0t. Additionally, the vessels have �t, ��m cranes as well as pairs of �.�5t traversing deployment booms.

Knowing the exact position of any survey is essential. The Fugro vessels will derive precise positioning via Starfix HP/XP and Starfix Spot global positioning systems (GPS), which will be integrated with HiPAP 500 USBL subsea acoustic systems. Each will also have an Applanix PosMV ��0 motion reference unit.

The vessels will be conned with a range of bridge instruments including autopilot, radars, a GPS navigator, gyros and echo sounders. Both vessels will have automatic static station-keeping capabilities. Communications systems include broadband via VSAT, medium/high frequency radios, Inmarsat B and C, VHF and weather forecasting radios.

A major feature of the new vessels is that they will be able to take advantage of all the safety and efficiency advances in ship design that have been made in recent years. The latest safety and survival systems are a fundamental and integral part of the vessels’ equipment. Personal locator beacons and direction-finding equipment are worn for an unlikely man-overboard event.

While the speed of geophysical surveys is dictated largely by the laws of physics, the top speed of ��.8kts ensures that the vessels can get to the site quickly. A fuel capacity of �87m� gives a range of �000 nautical miles at �0kts. Range and

Equipment

The Fugro Searcher undergoing sea trials

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UT3 1Q 2010 �9

endurance are thereby optimal and time on site maximised. The vessels have a fresh water storage capacity of �00m� and there are facilities for making 8m� of fresh water per day.

The diesel electric propulsion is based on three 9�0kW engines. The vessels will be driven by a pair of Schottel, SRP ��0 rudder propellers while type �9/���/�90 bow thrusters enable manoeuvring and station keeping. Computer control will enable the vessels to automatically remain static over a designated spot or follow an ROV as it conducts it survey work.

The specially designed hull form, resilient engine mounts and rudder propeller design will maximise station keeping

and navigational control, ensure acoustically quiet running at survey speeds and keep the vessels’ carbon footprints to a minimum. The vessels’ sea keeping qualities enable them to stay on location, minimising weather standby time.

There is ample space in the �5m long vessel for work and recreation. Accommodation is provided for �� people in en-suite single and double cabins. Recreation areas include two lounges, video room, gym and internet cafe. A first class working environment is ensured for survey and marine crew members alike.

Several �0GBase-T networks will provide the survey systems with full plug-and-play interconnectivity, allowing any user multiple access points to any data acquisition and data processing requirement.

There is a data processing room that allows the data to be interpreted onboard without it having to be transmitted to shore. This is essential for time sensitive applications where survey results are essential to keep to the critical path of the development or project.

“These units represent initial steps in a global vessel replacement schedule with the objective of removing older tonnage from our fleet and clearly differentiating Fugro’s offshore survey division from other providers who lack the financial resources to take such necessary steps.” said Phil Meaden, managing director of Fugro Survey.

OSIL will showcase a number of products at Oceanology International, including the Shearwater data buoy. Designed to be completely adaptable to a wide range of applications, it can withstand the harshest of conditions because of its robust construction.

OSIL is also showing its rapid deployment buoy, designed for use in applications where data needs to be obtained rapidly, for instance, where other data collection systems are out of action for short periods of time. This small, lightweight buoy is designed for up to four weeks of constant use and carries a small solar panel.

Data BuoyOSIL’s data buoy

ODIM Brooke Ocean won an order from the Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Institute for Baltic Sea Fisheries, for an ODIM laser optical plankton counter (LOPC). It will be integrated with a MacArtney Triaxus towed vehicle. The Institute of Baltic Sea Research will be taking delivery of the ODIM LOPC spring of �0�0.

The ODIM LOPC is the next generation in plankton profiling. Its high speed processing and improved detection plane provides detection counts at higher resolutions and higher concentrations with lower coincidence. The system can be installed on various tow-body scenarios as well as on the ODIM moving vessel profiler multi sensor free fall fish, enabling vertical real-time water column profiling while underway at speeds up to ��kts.

Plankton Counter

ODIM’s optical plankton counter

Kongsberg Seatex will present the fifth generation of its motion reference unit (MRU) at Oi�0. The MRU 5+ builds on the already cutting-edge technology employed in previous generations and takes roll, pitch and heave measurements closer to perfection than ever before, with documented roll and pitch accuracy of 0.0�deg.

Kongsberg Seatex will also exhibit the new position, attitude and heading sensor, Seapath ��0+, which is designed specifically for the hydrographic market and other high precision applications where heading, position, roll, pitch, heave and timing are critical measurements. By combining GPS/global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) and inertial data, Seapath ��0+ provides robust integrity monitoring and more precise operation, particularly in highly obstructed environments.

Motion Reference

Kongsberg Seatex’s motion reference unit

UT3 1Q 2010�0

Oceanology International ’�0 will see the release of the latest version of SeaZone GeoTemporal Editor, an innovative software solution to improve and simplify the management, analysis and presentation of geographic and environmental data where time is an important component.

SeaZone GeoTemporal Editor manages tide, current and wave datasets captured from acoustic doppler profilers, together with other oceanographic, hydrographic and meteorological information such as water quality and wind speed data. The software allows the import of custom datasets and links to geoseismis information system (GIS) and external databases, bringing a wide variety of data together for further spatial analysis and improved reporting and decision making.

Many organisations face the challenges of capturing, using and managing complex survey and environmental monitoring data, often relying on high end programming expertise and specialist software, which can be costly and inflexible. SeaZone’s GeoTemporal software provides marine surveyors, engineers, scientists, researchers, data managers and consultants with a new generation of tools to navigate and browse environmental data.

Through an easy-to-use interface, users can import, quality control, visualise, analyse and present data from multiple sources. Additional capabilities allow export of data in open formats for further use in GIS.

Left: Illustration of GeoTemporal Spatial tools with typical contour and chainage chart plots (right and bottom).

Marine Data Management

Cougar XTiSaab Seaeye is formally launching its Cougar XTi electric remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Pioneering technology means the vehicle can go deeper and has a smaller launch system, a thinner umbilical, clearer interface, smarter fault diagnostics, easier configuration and tighter piloting.

Managing Director Dave Grant sees the innovative new vehicle opening up a whole new market for the concept of a combined inspection and light work-ROV.

“Operating to �000m depth, the Cougar XTi can perform tasks independently, or in support of a construction class hydraulic ROV.”He said it also brings important cost savings in deck space with a compact, single skid solution for the launch and recovery system (LARS).

Shrinking the LARS came from a breakthrough by Saab Seaeye engineers who managed to reduce the umbilical from a typical ��mm down to �0mm. The thinner umbilical not only significantly reduces the winch drum size, but also offers considerably less drag in the water in strong currents.

They achieved the reduction by boosting the voltage from 500V to �000V with only one power line rather than two, needed to feed the system.

The 800Hz high frequency power distribution system also cuts the size of the ROV’s onboard transformer by 80% and improves the vehicle’s power-to-weight ratio giving an 80kg payload at �000m.

Other key developments include a fault tolerant system that isolates any failed component and allows the ROV to keep working at its designated task. A greater range of deep water applications is

possible with the new Cougar XTi. Pilots get fault diagnostics through a simplified man/machine interface that interprets the fault data for them before clearly displaying the problem and the remedial action to be taken.

Clever system integration makes the ROV more software driven than hardware dependent and therefore easier to reconfigure for different operational roles. It means different task-specific tooling skids can be readily added and changed as needed, along with custom designed options for specific operational needs.

Such tooling can include manipulator packages, anvil and disc cutters, water-jetting equipment, torque tools, survey packages with camera booms, drill support and inspection, repair and maintenance tooling.

Developments

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UT3 1Q 2010 ��

Cougar XTi A contamination event at a UK water pumping station was successfully detected by the Chelsea Technologies FASTtracka II system. The event was automatically detected using the FASTtracka II, fast repetition rate (FRR) chlorophyll a fluorometer combined with a novel red, amber, green (RAG) algorithm, which has been developed to provide continuous, real-time protection for water supplies at the pre-treatment stage.

A discharge of Triclosan at a concentration of ��.�µg/l was detected by one of a number of FASTtracka systems within an ongoing evaluation programme, involving UK sites operated by Veolia Water, United Utilities and Scottish Water, plus one site within the US. All FASTtracka II sensors within this trial were installed at the water intake of pumping stations, with natural flora providing the target material for FRR measurements.

The RAG algorithm provides a clear display of the water condition and alarms when a contamination event is detected. Since each FRR sequence requires only �.7ms, the system can provide very high temporal resolution (currently set at one acquisition per minute), whilst allowing for use of a very low maintenance, flow-through arrangement.

Using data from the evaluation programme, the RAG algorithm now has been developed to the point where it provides extremely effective rejection of false positives, whilst maintaining high sensitivity to contamination events.

Dr Kevin Oxborough presented results from the evaluation programme to a special interest group from UK water companies, at a meeting hosted by Veolia Water.

Other features of the system discussed included the self-cleaning design of the sample chamber, the ability to function at high turbidity levels, the extremely high dynamic range and the real-time measurement of chlorophyll a concentration. The potential for using FRR technology for algal bloom detection was also discussed.

FASTtracka II

The Cougar XTi

Specialist contractor, DOF Subsea, has taken delivery of the new �000m-rated Cougar XTi ROV, which will be permanently commissioned aboard a specially built DOF Subsea vessel, along with two hydraulic work-class vehicles.

The vessel has been constructed in Norway and will operate offshore in Brazil for Light Well Intervention.

The onboard launch and recovery system (LARS) has been built by ODIM, and includes active heave compensation.

Brazilian Cougar

FASTtracka II system

.....

The ROV also has a new autopilot system that gives the pilot more precise positioning of the vehicle by automatically holding depth and heading in much tighter parameters than ever before.

The Cougar XTi is an upgrade of the long proven Cougar concept, with breakthrough technology introduced from Saab Seaeye’s flagship Jaguar electric work-ROV.

“The Cougar XTi opens up a whole new market for the concept of a combined inspection and light work-ROV,” said Grant. “Providing operation to �000m depth the Cougar XTi can either perform tasks independently or provide support for the work of construction class hydraulic ROVs.”

Subsea Conferences

UT3 1Q 2010��

TrackingApplied Acoustics has complemented its series of Easytrak ulata short base line (USBL) tracking systems with a new small, compact version.

Known as Easytrak Alpha, it is following on only shortly after the launch of the Easytrak Nexus in �009. The Nexus, with its spread spectrum technology, is a rugged rack-mount system able to track up to �0 target beacons, while Alpha meets the need of limited operations, such as small ROV surveys or basic diver tracking.

For deeper water sub-bottom profiling surveys, Applied Acoustics now offers a ��kJ power source, the latest and largest of its range of CSP power supplies. Housed in a ��U robust case, it is ideal for use in marine sparker operations, specifically with the multi-tip Delta Sparker, and will be used in higher penetration or geohazard ssessment.

Sonardyne International has won a contract worth in excess of €1.5 million with an EU research consortium for the supply of multiple Sentinel Intruder Detection Sonars (IDS).

The Sentinels will be integrated into a new maritime command and control network that will combine satellite, sonar, CCTV and other sensor data to protect shipping, ports and harbours and critical infrastructure. This will help guard against a wide range of waterborne threats including those from unidentified ships where the port of call is in question.

Sentinel IDS systems are operational worldwide protecting both commercial and military assets, critical energy and civilian infrastructure, VIPs and maritime borders.

The system uses advanced sonar technology to provide a ��0 degree, below water protection zone that can discriminate between genuine targets such as divers and swimmers and non-threats such as large fish or pleasure craft. Sentinel has been designed specifically for ease of use by security

Intruder Detectionpersonnel and to meet the practical requirements of every day use.

The Sentinels for the new European contracts will be deployed to protect strategic shipping assets and in several European ports over the next six months to automatically detect, track and classify underwater threats at long ranges. The equipment being supplied will include Sonardyne’s latest sustained immersion sonar head which has been introduced for permanent, maintenance free installation as well as portable configuration Sentinels for rapid deployment from vessels visiting foreign ports.

Rob Balloch, strategic development director for Sonardyne said, “We have worked very closely with our EU partners to meet their requirements for a diver detection sonar that will offer high performance in some very challenging operational scenarios.”

“The award of this contract demonstrates the strong confidence in both the capabilities of Sentinel and Sonardyne’s ability to provide innovative technology coupled with class-leading project and technical support.”

Sentinel Intruder Detection Sonar System

Coastline Surveys has launched its newly commissioned seabed CPT unit ‘C-Pen�0’. The new concept in cone penetration test (CPT) operations has been designed specifically to meet the requirements for seabed soil investigation for subsea cable networks in connection with offshore renewable energy projects.

Using a standard 5cm² piezocone the system has proven capability to penetrate up to �m below the seabed, providing real-time in situ measurement of soil properties and stratigraphy. C-Pen�0 has been designed to operate in conjunction with their range of high-powered vibrocoring systems from their dedicated ��m multirole survey vessel MV Flat Holm.

Developed in conjunction with GeoMarine, C-Pen�0 uses a unique hydraulic drive mechanism providing up to �0kN of total thrust. Data collected by the cone is transmitted directly to an onboard computer, where it is processed and interpreted by a specialist engineer. This rapid onboard interpretation helps optimal installation route design with considerable cost savings.

CPT

Easytrak Alpha

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UT3 1Q 2010 ��

Tracking

CPTValeport has launched TideMaster, a compact water level recorder.

It is designed for use in a wide range of fixed or portable survey and tide monitoring operations. Suitable for use in fresh or salt water, TideMaster is highly accurate and can be deployed for up to a year at a time.

Sales manager, Kevin Edwards, commented, “TideMaster is an extremely versatile and cost effective new product. It replaces the popular Model 7�0, and whilst it retains the easy to use features, a lot more enhancements have been made with further provision for additions in the future.”

Low power consumption, with both pre-programmed and a user selectable sampling regime, allow for up to a year of autonomous operation, whilst optional telemetry packages provide capabilities for real- time operation.

As well as recording water level, TideMaster can be provided with an optional ultrasonic wind speed and direction sensor to record meteorological data.

TideMaster can be set up and data retrieved via an optional control/display panel that uses organic LED technology, Bluetooth and an SD memory card.

Alternatively, it can be plugged into a PC and controlled using Valeport’s Windows based software, TideMaster Express. This allows the user to download and display recorded or real-time data from single or multiple gauges. TideMaster is also compatible with a wide range of hydrographic software and tools on the market.

Valeport’s bespoke injection moulded housing is rated to IP�7 and allows a tool free change of batteries without exposure to the main electronics. A practical and lockable mounting

Tide Gaugebracket is provided for wall mounting use.

The Valeport TideMaster

Sub-Atlantic will launch its latest generation Mojave ROV, perhaps the most powerful observation remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for its size.

The highly advanced machine has been built to an extremely high specification using the very latest in ‘off the shelf’ miniaturised PC technology. The result is an extremely compact, robust, easily maintained and easy to transport vehicle which comes with camera and LED lighting within the base specification.

Operating to a �00m depth rating as standard with �000m option, it is also available to operate from a tether management system (TMS) making it the ideal vehicle for numerous subsea missions.

Available for sale and rental, this ROV can also use any domestic power supply and features subCAN, the advanced control and diagnostics telemetry software/

Mojave

hardware which has been re-designed to operate within a vehicle and surface control unit package that can fit in the back of an average sized hatchback car.

The Mojave can be supplied with a complete range of specialist tooling and sensor skids for use on offshore and inshore projects, including jacket inspection, multibeam survey, hydraulic manipulation, dynamic positioning, cleaning and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection, water sample collection and under-hull surveillance.

It is well suited to scientific, port security, military and civil

engineering missions, diver safety cover, internal and external pipeline inspection, among other missions, making it one of the most adaptable vehicles on the market.

Swedish survey company Marin Mätteknik AB (MMT AB) will be showcasing two Mojave units on its booth at the show. These were purchased after seeing the design specification alone and joined the companies existing fleet of Sub-Atlantic Comanche and Mohican systems.

Subsea Conference

Sub-Atlantic’s new Mojave ROV

.....

UT3 1Q 2010��

Aberdeen-based Dynamic Positioning Services has awarded Reson a contract for a SeaBat 7��5-ROV dual frequency �00/�00kHz, �km depth rated. This sonar has been acquired for the rental market.

Dynamic Positioning Services is involved in the sales, rental, calibration and repair of marine electronic equipment for survey, construction, ROV, geophysical and environmental sensors. It carries an impressive in-ventory and are able to offer a complete service, tailored to its customers’ specific project requirements.

SeaBat ContractThe SeaBat 7��5-ROV is a valuable sonar system to the offshore industry and is a market leader in its field. The sonar system operates with a dual frequency of �00kHz or �00kHz, with an effective swath angle of ��8deg and a very high depth resolution of �mm due to its beamforming capabilities and individual beam angle of 0.5deg by �.0deg.

The SeaBat 7��5 features equi-angle and equi-distance amongst other efficiency enhancing features, and the system can be mounted on a ROV or installed on any vessel. The dual frequency provides seamless coverage from 0.5 to 500m depth and is thus ideal for a variety of offshore and hydrographic applications in the North Sea.

Ross Macleod, the technical director of Dynamic Positioning Services, said, “The SeaBat 7��5-ROV adds another multibeam system to our family of SeaBats already available from our rental pool. With this latest addition we believe we can now service the offshore market more efficiently for the ever increasing demand for high resolution multibeam systems.”

Reson has also delivered a SeaBat 7��� system to Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) of Italy, part of the Finmeccanica group of companies.

The device will be used in conjunction with other WASS and SELEX systems as part of a harbour security system.

SeaBat 7��� multibeam sonar system for diver detection consists of a circular array and projector ensonifying acylindrical volume of water up to �000m range.

Designed to detect small targets such as divers with closed circuit re-breather equipment, the system will track and alert operators of their presence on a geo-referenced map of the area.

SeaBat 7125-ROV dual frequency 200/400kHz

SeaBat 7112

Tritech’s Gemini 7�0i imaging sonar has been recently used in the harsh environments of the southern north sea (SNS). Marine Subsea (formally TS Marine) recently underwent an abandonment campaign in SNS locations where the shallow water depth, low visibility and strong currents provided a challenging environment for this type of work.

Gemini 7�0i’s fast update rate and high resolution imaging contributed to Marine Services’ reduced operations time during Phase � of the campaign. Its real-time imaging provided a good viewing platform to assist with the deployment of the Baker Hughes well head abandonment straddle packer tool and the subsequent plugging of the well.

Gemini Reduces Operation TimeGemini 7�0i was deployed on a Perry Slingsby XLS �50hp work-class ROV, supplied by underwater vehicle contractor, Specialist Subsea Services, (formally Oceanteam). The sonar’s integrated sound velocity sensor and high resolution imaging provided the sharpest image with accurate ranging.

This gave the ROVs pilot a higher level of awareness in poor flying conditions. Gemini 7�0i’s wide ��0deg field of view allowed the ROV pilots to fly the vehicle into confined spaces with greater confidence. Grant Cowie, subsea team leader, Marine Subsea, commented, “Gemini 7�0i has a greater and improved acoustic range and resolution capability compared to other multibeam sonars in the same class. Its real-time capabilities allowed us to dramatically reduce operations time during phase one of our abandonment campaign in SNS.”

The Perry Slingsby XLS ROV with a Gemini sonar

Tritech’s Gemini 720i imaging sonar

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UT3 1Q 2010 �5

Oceanology International:Come and see the system

on our stand no. E600

EM 3002 -Multibeam echo sounder

• Dynamically focused beams• 254/508 beams• Equidistant or equiangular• Fully stabilized for roll and pitch• All beams maintained for all depths• Complies with IHO-44 Special Order

The Kongsberg EM 3002 multibeam echo sounder

is capable of 3D inspection of underwater port structures,

the highest resolution.

www.km.kongsberg.com

Courtesy of FOD Economie, KMO,Middenstand en Energie, Belgium

Precision survey

WE BRING CLARITY TO THE

WORLD BELOW

Valeport Sound Velocity SensorsThe Gold StandardNothing else comes close for:

• Performance• Quality• Reliability• Confidence

Contact us to find out why Valeport is the professionals’ choice

UT3 1Q 2010��

A forward-looking sonar, from Guernsey-based Marine Electronics, has been installed aboard a British-operated tanker as a major initiative to refine operational safety. The See Echo system was developed by Marine Electronics in cooperation with the ship owner to provide a three-dimensional image of the sea up to �km ahead of the vessel.

It is now undergoing a trials programme which, if successful, will result in its installation aboard other ships in the company’s substantial fleet. It is intended to provide an extra margin of safety against grounding.

Unlike conventional sonars that look down from the ship and show the seabed directly beneath the keel, the See Echo looks ahead to provide an advance warning of any obstacles. It consists of two arrays that scan the sea ahead through a vertical arc of �0deg and horizontally through a sector of 90deg. They are linked by fibre-optic cable to a dedicated high definition touch-screen computer display on the ship’s bridge.

The images from the two arrays are combined to create a �D representation of the sea ahead that can also be viewed with an electronic chart overlay. The display shows

Obstacle Avoidance Sonarunderwater objects, where they are in relation to the ship’s approach and their depth below the surface.

The system also provides a movable ‘camera’ viewpoint and is available with the option of target tracking and with a range of up to �km.

Installation of the See Echo on an operational tanker has been prompted by the enormous costs that can be incurred by operators if a ship goes aground or is damaged in such a way as to cause pollution. Despite the comprehensive nature of modern hydrography, uncharted areas are known to persist. These can be responsible for costly groundings such as that experienced by the ship QE2 in �99� when she hit a rocky seabed that had remained uncharted in busy waters off Martha’s Vineyard, USA.

The See Echo will also provide an alert for partially submerged objects such as cargo containers of which an estimated �0 000 are lost overboard every year. The sonar will also register the presence of whales and other sea mammals that are in the path of the ship.

Because the See Echo provides a �D image, it has also been found very helpful for ships operating in sea ice. The display reveals the thickness of the ice sheet ahead and enables the ship’s master to decide whether it is possible to sail through it safely. This is expected to prove particularly important for cruise ships that are undertaking voyages into polar waters. The sinking of the cruise ship Explorer in �007 confirmed the environmental and passenger safety risks that need to be guarded against. The system was fitted inside the bulbous bow of the tanker during a recent dry-docking in Dubai. Installation required the design and construction of a sea chest, or water filled cavity, inside the bow to accommodate the two sonar arrays. An exceptionally strong acoustic window a little over �m� has been made from a kevlar and carbon-fibre composite and fitted into the bow so that the transmissions from the sonar can leave and return to the ship unhindered.

CodaOctopus has received an order from Van Oord for the supply of an Echoscope �D real-time sonar system. The order follows Van Oord’s purchase of Echoscope systems in �008, which were deployed successfully on the Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) port expansion project in Qatar.

The sonar, built on patented Echoscope technology, will be incorporated into Van Oord’s existing pool of units. In central Amsterdam the Echoscope system is being used to visualise live underwater excavation operations as part of the construction of a new metro station. Situated directly beneath the existing Amsterdam Central Station, the new metro system runs north-south across the city and will carry �00 000 passengers each day.

The existing station is built on hundreds of large oak pilings which are to be carefully removed during the construction project. The unique technology of the Echoscope enables the accurate real-time �D visualisation of the pilings during the removal process and the dredging of the chamber around them.

It will also be used in the construction of Maasvlakte as part of the Rotterdam Mainport Development Project. In this project, the Echoscope system provides crane operatorswith critical real-time visualisation during the removal of the existing concrete breakwater structure and the construction of replacement walls.

Echoscope

Echoscope placement in crane arm

The See Echo system in a bulbous bow The Echoscope

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UT3 1Q 2010 �7

L-� Klein has continued to work on the insertion of its advanced side-scan sonar technologies into an ever increasing family of high performance sonar products. The most recent of these is the System 5900 multi beam sidescan with swath bathymetry.

The System 5900 has been developed for critical port and harbour security applications as well as mine countermeasure (MCM) and route clearance survey applications. This sonar uses advanced Interferometric signal processing to produce simultaneous estimates of the seabed topography and sidescan data.

The L-� Klein System 5900 employs a higher number of acoustic channels and a higher frequency to produce superior images and along-track resolution. This is extremely advantageous when performing critical missions involving littoral waters (ports and harbours) and rapid area assessments. In addition, due to

Go Widershallow water requiring a short scope of tow cable, L-� Klein’s proprietary beam steering and image stabilisation has been introduced to overcome angular perturbations and artdefacts caused by motion.

The System 5900 is designed for use on unmanned autonomous surface vessels and incorporates capabilities to allow remote control and real-time data collection and transmission of image data to a land-based operation centre for evaluation and target identification.

This basically means that an MCM mission can be accomplished without placing a man in a mine field. L-� Klein has demonstrated that the images of the seabed within a port or harbour can be transmitted over a wireless network to an operations and security centre for assessment and action.

The full capability of the new L-� Klein System 5900 was successfully demonstrated last

month to the US Office of Naval Research in the

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, harbour. It showed that if an explosive device, whether it was a mine or an underwater improvised explosive device (UIED), deployed in a port or harbour, it can be identified and the data is automatically transported via a wireless RF link to the local port security office.

L-� Klein teamed with Fidelity Comtech, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) supplier of wireless local area network (WLAN) technology using its Phocus steerable phased array system to transmit the side-scan sonar imaging data from the moving vessel to the land-based office. L-� Klein then coupled this side scan technology with its commercially available HarborGuard system, which provides detection and tracking of all surface vessels and floating objects in the area of interest.

5900 multi beam side scan with swath bathymetry

Nexus USBL Acoustic Tracking SystemBroadband Spread Spectrum TechnologyDigital Data TelemetryMultiple Target Tracking

At home in the ocean

+44 (0)1493 440355 : general@appliedacoustics.com : www.appliedacoustics.com

Easytrak Nexus is the second generation USBL tracking system from Applied Acoustics.

With Broadband Spread Spectrum technology at its heart,

Nexus has the ability to transfer digital data from subsea

to surface, all the while continuing to provide secure and

stable positioning information in challenging environments.

Versatile, flexible and simple to install and operate, Easytrak

Nexus is tracking, made easy.

UT3 1Q 2010�8

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Chevron is set to outline its plans for the subsea developments of the giant Gorgon and Wheatstone projects during one of six topical seminars at the Subsea Australasia Conference in Perth from ��-�5 March.

AOG �0 will be Australia’s largest subsea event, which is expected to attract up to �50 delegates including local and overseas decision makers from the subsea industry.

A highlight of the two day conference program will be a half day seminar coordinated by Subsea Energy Australia (SEA) and Subsea UK (SUK) which will explore the opportunities of upcoming subsea projects in Australasia, including the massive Gorgon and Wheatstone projects.

During this seminar session, leading oil and gas operator Chevron, engineering giant Clough and the newly formed Pipeline Repair Operators Forum (PROFA) will be invited to outline their plans for the region.

Another program feature is a full day seminar on Geophysics and Geohazards, featuring presentations from twelve key industry leaders.

“Western Australia’s Department of Mines and Petroleum has estimated there will be more than $��8 billion in project expenditure on WA gas related developments alone in the coming decade, so this half-day seminar will be of interest to all those with a vested interest in the future of Australia’s oil and gas industry,” said Bill Hare, Exhibition Director of the Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition (AOG).

Incorporating both technical and

AOG 2010 Dates 24-25 March 2010, Location: Perth

business development streams, the Subsea Australasia Conference will launch on Wednesday �� March with two half-day seminars examining Australasia subsea markets and subsea systems engineering.

In the first, Subsea UK and SEA will gaze into the crystal ball to forecast growth potential for the Australasian subsea market. Speakers for this session include John Westwood from Douglas Westwood Limited and Julian Callanan of Infield Systems Limited.

The afternoon sessions will include a seminar on long distance tiebacks. This will feature international insights, with Stian Karlsen from Nexans, Norway, scheduled to speak on the topic of dynamic deep water power cables.

Day two of the conference will take a closer look at new subsea technical challenges in Australia.

Will Acworth, from GE Oil & Gas will provide an update on key technologies, capabilities and innovations that could potentially make a significant contribution to the success of subsea developments.

Paul Handidaja from Braemar Falconer Pte Ltd will deliver the keynote address for the concluding one-day seminar on geophysics and geohazards. This seminar promises to bring to the forefront the importance of geophysical methods for identifying and mitigating hazards in the marine environment.

A joint initiative between SEA, Subsea UK, the Society for Underwater Technology and AOG, the Subsea Australasia Conference is being held in conjunction with AOG �0�0 at Perth Convention Exhibition Centre.

UTC 2010 Dates 21-22 April 2010Location: Bergen UTC �0�0 will be the ��th Underwater Technology Conference in Bergen. More than 500 delegates and exhibitors are expected to attend the event.

In the morning, there will be the opening and keynote address, then the conference will get underway with Margaret Øvrum, executive Vice President of Statoil discussing Deeper, longer, colder - developing solutions to cross energy frontiers. Subsea technologies in challenging scenarios will be discussed by Solange Guedes, executive vice president E&P, Petrobras , and Unlocking deepwater reserves using subsea pressure boosting technology by Ian Breckels, Managing Director of Shell Technology Norway.

Daniel Plathey, vice president, technologies at Total will talk aboutDeepwater developments - moving forward: The essential combination of existing field experience and the need for innovation and new technologies.

Melody Meyer, president of ETC - Technology division, Chevron, will talk about Unlocking the Underwater Hydrocarbon Potential’.

The afternoon sessions include

Completion and Well Intervention Ormen Lange tree on wire; Subsea well intervention. Learning from the past –planning for the future; Subsea well service vessels; Valves–the good, the bad and the ugly and n-Tegrity–advanced subsea well control technology.

Marine OperationsDeepwater subsea lifting operations; Manned underwater intervention during deepwater operations, Combining time domain analysis and CFD for subsea lifts; Hywind floating wind turbine project and Ormen Lange hot tap, a world record.

Exhibitions

UT3 1Q 2010 �9

This year the focus of the Underwater Defence Technology Conference is on preparing for the future by identifying today the factors that are shaping tomorrow’s landscape and in this context, the theme for the Opening Keynote Address will be ‘Meeting the Requirements for the next decade’.

The conference themes for UDT Europe �0�0 are

Unmanned Underwater VehiclesNetwork Centric Warfare and CommunicationImaging SonarsCombat SystemsMaritime Security and Force Protection Tasks and Means in Littoral OperationsWeapons and Countermeasures Life Support and RescueNon Acoustic SensorsSubmarines and Submarine SystemsEnvironmental Effects and MonitoringOperation Navigation Training and ASWMine Warfare and Countermeasures

UDT EUROPE 2010 Dates 8-10 June 2010, Location: Hamburg, German

Subsea ProcessingThe world’s first subsea wet gas compressor; Qualification of a novel deepwater gas/liquid separator; Hybrid pump for the Pazflor deepwater development; Tyrihans subsea raw seawater injection and Oil free high speed motor for compressor drive.

Wellheads, Xmas trees, Manifolds and Structures Slender wells and new subsea solutions for increased oil recovery; Subsea building blocks for slender wells and Subsea MMX solution. Only the colour has not been challenged.

Flow AssuranceIslay flow assurance challenges: Seabed conditioning and heat tracing; Vega flow assurance system and Pipeline heating systems for continuous operation.

Inspection, Maintenance and RepairKvitebjørn gas pipeline repair – baptism of remote pipeline repair system; You get what you inspect, not what you expect! An effective hull IMR Plan; Mooring Lines Monitoring System.

Umbilicals and FlowlinesGjøa subsea power cable project. A green solution, Extending the cost efficiency of rigid reel pipelaying and Flexible risers, pleasure and pain.

HPHTVega HPHT field development; Challenges for ultra HPHT subsea tree system solutions and A new deepwater multiphase and wet gas flowmeter for HPHT.

Integrated Operations Real TimeThe copper cable is not dead; Subsea wireless communications for enhanced production monitoring and Subsea leak detection systems - recommended practice.

The day before UTC, the Society for Underwater Technology have organised a Crash Course in Subsea Markets. It is aimed at investors, financial experts and employees as well as CEOs, CFOs and sales managers in subsea or affiliated businesses.

The intent is to provide information and knowledge to be used by the participants in the future for investments in subsea/deepwater companies, to provide a thorough understanding of market opportunities, constraints and risk, and to enhance knowledge suitable for strategic market entry/exit decision processes.

Welcome: Bergen subsea clusterHenning Nordgulen, Director Corporate Division, Sparebanken VestGeir Evensen, Chairman SUT NorwayTrond Olsen, Gen. Manager NCE Setting the scene – Subsea and deepwater market developmentJarand Rystad, Partner Rystad Energy Global deepwater markets – opportunities for Norwegian IndustryPetter Narvestad, Partner - Equity Research, Fondsfinans Global Subsea Market –Spends and Trends 2010-2014Howard Wright, Analytical Services Manager, Infield Systems Basic elements and understanding of a subsea systemArne B. Riple, Vice President Aker Solutions Subsea Risk assessments in Subsea Developments Terje Skogen, Asset Manager, FMC Technologies Deepwater Marine Operations – challenges and market opportunitiesStuart Fitzgerald, Managing Director, Acergy Norway

.....Subsea C

onferences

UT3 1Q 2010�0

Thailand’s PTTEP has begun producing natural gas from its Muda and Jengka fields. Initial rates reached ��5million ft�/d gas and �900b/d of condensate, and output is targeted to reach ��5million ft�/d by the end of the year.

The Muda and Jengka field is located offshore in the Gulf of Thailand approximately �50 km Northeast to Kota Bharu, �50 km East of Songkhla province and �50 km North of Kemaman Supply Base (KSB) in water-depth of ranging between 55-�5m in contract area of Block B-�7 in the Joint Development Area.

MTJDA-B�7 project consists of B-�7, C-�9 and B-�7-0� blocks covering 8000km� in the Gulf of Thailand. Four appraisal wells drilled and additional petroleum reserves assessment were carried out in �00�.

The Muda and Jengka field development project consists of four wellhead platforms (Muda-A [MDA], Muda-B [MDB], Muda-C [MDC] and Jengka-A [JKA]), Muda central processing platform (MDPP) and living quarters (MDLQ), flare tripod and FSO Ratu Songkhla

DevelopmentField

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Hello MudaVan GoghOil production has commenced at Apache’s Van Gogh development in Production License WA-�5-L in the Exmouth Basin, offshore Western Australia.

Apache, the Van Gogh field operator, owns a 5�.5-percent interest in the Van Gogh field with INPEX owning the remaining interest. Van Gogh is located �� miles (5� km) north-northwest of Exmouth.

“Production from Van Gogh is projected to ramp up during the first half of the year, making a significant contribution to Apache’s growth in �0�0,” said Rod Eichler, co-chief operating officer and president - International.

Van Gogh, discovered in �00�, is Apache’s first field development utilizing a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The field was developed with �9 horizontal production laterals, two water injection wells and one gas injection well. The total horizontal interval drilled for all of the production wells exceeds �0�,000 feet (�� km). The Ningaloo Vision FPSO has capacity to process �50,000 barrels of liquids per day, including ��,000 barrels of oil per day, and store 5�0,000 barrels of oil.

Initial production from Van Gogh highlights Australia’s role in Apache’s worldwide production growth. Pyrenees, another Apache Exmouth Basin oil development, operated by BHP Billiton Petroleum, is scheduled to come on line during the first half of �0�0. The two projects are expected to add combined peak production of �0,000 barrels per day net to Apache.

In �0��, Apache expects to commence production from the Reindeer Field discovery through the Devil Creek processing plant - Western Australia’s first new domestic natural gas processing hub in Western Australia in more than �5 years. Devil Creek is forecasted to increase Western Australia’s domestic natural gas production capacity by up to �0 percent.

Apache also has agreed to supply gas from its Julimar and Brunello discoveries to Chevron’s Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub and become a foundation equity partner in the project, unlocking an estimated �.� trillion cubic feet of gross gas reserves from two of Apache’s largest discoveries. Apache holds a �5-percent interest in the discoveries. A final investment decision on the first phase of the Wheatstone project is slated for �0��.

Muda and Jengka

Van Gogh development

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

Aker Solutions’ fast-track subsea tree system is ready to meet operators’ needs quickly and efÞciently.ÊBasedÊonÊstandardÊconÞgurableÊtreesÊandÊutilisingÊexistingÊstockÊcomponents,ÊourÊRapidSolutionªÊprogrammeÊmaximisesÊdeliveryÊÐÊandÊsavingsÊforÊyou.

akersolutions.com/subsea

DonÕtÊwasteÊit.TimeÊisÊmoney.

UT3 1Q 2010��

SBM Offshore has signed a contract with Noble Energy for the provision, lease and operation of a FPSO for the development of the Aseng field, located in Block I offshore Equatorial Guinea, at a water depth of approximately �000m.

Technip has also been awarded a lump sum contract by Noble Energy for Aseng. Technip’s scope includes engineering, supply, installation and pre-commissioning of the �0km flexible pipe system, including six flexible risers and flexible flowlines and jumpers.

The contract also includes the installation of the subsea production system, including manifolds, flying leads and umbilicals. These umbilicals will be fabricated by Duco, Technip’s wholly owned subsidiary in Houston, Texas, under a separate contract.

Technip’s operating centre in Paris, France, will execute this contract. All flexible pipes will be fabricated at the group’s plant in Le Trait, France.

Offshore installation is scheduled to be carried out mid-�0�� using Technip’s deepwater construction vessel Deep Pioneer.

Aseng

Petrobras, with its partners BG and Repsol, has signed a letter of intent with engineering consortium of Schahin and Modec for the chartering of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for the Guara prospect in the Santos basin pre-salt Block BM-S-9.

The agreements cover a �0-year lifespan and the field is expected to go onstream in late �0��. Guara holds between �.� and � billion barrels of oil equivalent. The FPSO, is capable of producing ��0 000 barrels of oil and 5 million m� of gas per day.

The FPSO calls for �5% local content. The hull will be converted abroad, but its several modules integrated in Brazil.

GuaraChevron’s Brazilian subsidiary will proceed with the development of the Papa Terra project as the company’s second deepwater development offshore Brazil.

When completed, it will represent Chevron’s largest investment in Brazil to date and is expected to grow the company’s production capacity in the country. This was established with the �009 start-up of the Frade project.

Situated ��0km (70 miles) offshore in water depths of approximately ��90m (�900ft), Papa Terra is a heavy oil subsea development located within Block BC-�0 of the southern Campos basin.

The project will feature the first tension leg well platform in Brazil which will be connected to a FPSO vessel.

The completed facility will be capable of producing up to ��0 000 barrels of crude oil per day. First production from the Papa Terra project is expected in �0��.

Chevron holds a �7.5% interest in the Petrobras-operated Papa Terra project, which it estimates will cost $5.� billion. The project is estimated to recover �80 million barrels of oil.

Papa Terra

Bluewater has received a letter of award from ENI for the chartering, operation and maintenance of the upgraded FPSO Glas Dowr, complete with mooring system including provision of logistics and ancillary services for Kitan.

The Kitan field is situated in the joint petroleum development area (JPDA), approximately �70km south of the Timor-Leste coast and 500km north of the Australian coast, and is located in around ���m of water depth. It is located in the permit 0�-�05 – an area jointly administered by Timor-Leste and Australia. The contract has a minimum term of five years after start of production and can be extended up to �0 years.

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Development

Kitan

Field

The upgraded FPSO Glas Dowr

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

SBM Offshore has received an order from Petrobras for a lease-and-operate contract concerning the Brazilian company’s existing FPSO Espadarte for a period of �8 years on the Baleia Azul field offshore Brazil.

The FPSO Espadarte will be disconnected from its current location at the Espadarte field offshore Brazil.

After transfer to a shipyard, the FPSO will be modified and upgraded for the new project and will then transfer back to Brazil for offshore hook up, installation and operation on the Baleia Azul field.

The planned disconnection of the FPSO from the Espadarte field is for April �0�� and first oil at the Baleia Azul field is planned for July �0��. The fixed lease rates payable for this contract amounts to US$�.7 billion.

Espadarte

Field D

evelopmentBergen Group has received a letter of intent from SBM for

assistance during the completion of the Yme Mobile Offshore Production Unit with Storage (MOPU Stor) jackup platform. The extent of the contract is yet to be finalized but the total value is expected to be of some tens of millions NOK.

The Yme platform, which will produce for Talisman Energy Norge AS, is presently being completed in Abu Dhabi and is scheduled to arrive in Norway in May �0�0. The platform will then arrive at Bergen Group Rosenberg where the jackup legs and other equipment will be installed.

The platform will then be towed to the offshore location for offshore hook up and completion which is scheduled to be completed in July �0�0.

Det norske is moving forward with plans to redevelop the Froy field and expects to submit a new plan for development and operation. If approved, Det norske plans to commence production in �0��. Froy is estimated to hold 5� million barrels of recoverable reserves. It is located on Blocks �5/�, �5/�, �5/5 and �5/� in PL ��7 in the UK sector of the North Sea.

Yme MPOU

Baleia Azul

Espadarte FPSO

Froy

Statoil has submitted the plan for development and operation (PDO) for its the North Sea Gudrun field. Gudrun lies in production licence 0�5, about 55km north of the Sleipner installations. The Norwegian Parliament is expected to approve the development before the summer.

Plans call for Gudrun to be developed with a traditional steel jack-up platform.The platform will have capacity for partial processing of oil and gas, before the hydrocarbons are piped to Sleipner A.

The Gudrun field contains around ��� million barrels of oil equivalent, of which two thirds are oil. High reservoir pressure and temperature call for special technology.Gudrun will form a good basis for developing other oil and gas fields in the area.

Investment in field installations, pipelines and drilling of production wells will total nearly NOK �� billion (nominal).

The steel production platform will be powered by a cable from Sleipner East. It will have living quarters with �0 cabins. The well are will have �� well slots. Plans call for seven production wells. The other slots can be used for additional drilling to boost recovery. The topsides will rest on a traditional steel jacket weighing 7�00 tonnes, to be built by Aker Solutions under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

Gudrun

The Gudrun platform

.....

UT3 1Q 2010��

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On behalf of the Goliat license (PL��9/PL��9B), Eni Norge AS and partner Statoil Petroleum AS, have selected Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the provision of the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for Goliat. The contract was awarded on the basis of a competitive tender process. The estimated contract value is NOK �.9 billion.

HHI, as engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) contractor, will undertake all the project work including, onshore commissioning and transportation.

The FPSO Norwegian Sevan �000 concept, will be fully winterised and built to meet the conditions in the Barents Sea. The design and engineering of the unit have been based on the highest standards for safety and environment.

The FPSO will be provided with electrical power supply from shore which will lead to significant reduction of emission of greenhouse gases.

The Sevan cylindrical floater design is currently being operated in the Brazil basin and the North Sea.

Goliat has two separate main reservoirs Kobbe and Realgrunnen. Both contain oil with an overlying gas cap. Additional, minor oil discoveries were found in the Snadd and Klappmyss formations. The Realgrunnen lies approximately �000 metres beneath the sea level, with the Kobbe formation at approximately �800m.

Pressure in the reservoirs is low, ��� bar for Realgrunnen and �9� bar for Kobbe. This is an advantage as regards well control, but presents challenges in connection with production.

The provisional oil production profile shows a build-up to 5.� million m³/year by the second year of

Goliatproduction. After that, production will decline relatively rapidly to �.7 million m³/year, followed by a further steady reduction to 0.5 million m³/year.

Gas will be re-injected into the Kobbe reservoir or transported to Melkøya. It is expected that the maximum volume of gas production (and re-injection) will be approximately ��00 million m³/year and will occur one year after production commences. A

fter that, gas production will decrease somewhat. The Goliat field is expected to be in production for �5-�0 years. Its lifetime may be extended if new discoveries are made in the vicinity.

Aker Subsea was awarded the Goliat subsea production system (SPS) contract

The SPS contract primarily covers all the activities connected to the supply of the equipment like project management, engineering, procurement, fabrication, acceptance and integration tests and assistance during the installation, testing, commissioning and start up phase of the project.

The equipment to be provided includes eight integrated subsea template structures that will be outfitted with �� wellhead and production tree systems, control umbilicals, riser bases and work over systems.

Technip Norge was selected for execution of all activities connected with the supply and installation of the flowlines and riser systems on Goliat. The contract covers project management, engineering, procurement and installation of all flowlines and risers. Installation of the Subsea templates and manifolds, riser bases and umbilicals is also included in the contract scope.

SBM Offshore, working in collabora-tion with Chiyoda, have been awarded a contract by Petrobras for a front end engineering and design (FEED) study for a floating liquefied natural gas produc-tion facility (FLNG or LNG FPSO).

The study has started and is planned for completion by the end of �0�0.

This project is being conducted by the joint venture (JV) formed by Petrobras, BG, Repsol and Galp Energia for the pre-salt reservoirs of the Santos Basin offshore Brazil.

The JV is studying the FLNG concept as one means to handle the associated gas that will be produced bythe series of oil and gas producing FPSOs that are planned to be put in operation for the development of thepre-salt fields in the Santos Basin in the coming years. The FLNG FEED study will be developed considering a water depth of approximately ��00m and a capability to produce around �.7 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG and �mtpa of LPG.

The environmental conditions consid-ered for the FLNG FEED will require the use of tandem LNG offloading for which SBM Offshore will be able to offer its specialised and proprietary technology. For this project, SBM Offshore will be working as the leading company in a consortium with Chiyoda from Japan.

The portfolio value of the FEED contract is approximately US$ �0 million.

Santos FLNG Study

UT3 1Q 2010 �5

Shell has awarded Aker Solutions an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for a produced water re-injection system on Draugen. The scope includes prefabrication and commissioning assistance. The contract value is NOK �00 million.

The produced water re-injection contract is a call-off from the existing modifications and maintenance support contract Aker Solutions has with Shell. Work will be completed in January �0��.

Draugen

Acergy has been awarded a three-year contract, plus four one-year options for the provision of dive support vessel services to the DSVi collective of companies, comprisingChevron Hess, Nexen, Talismanand Dana Petroleum.

The scope of the contract covers the

DSVinon-exclusive provision of routine and non-routine diver andROV inspection, maintenance, repair and construction projects for work offshore in the North Sea.

Onshore engineering commences immediately, with offshore operations commencing in �0�0.

FMC Technologies has signed a subsea service contract with Petrobras (for a subsea service contract. The agreement is effective through �0�� and is expected to result in an additional $80 million in revenue to FMC Technologies.

FMC’s scope of supply includes storage, maintenance, commissioning and offshore services for subsea and topside control systems and drill pipe riser systems.

Petrobras Supply“FMC has a strong and longstanding relationship with Petrobras,” said John Gremp, Executive Vice President of FMC Technologies.

“Today’s announcement further strengthens that relationship, and will be supported by our two manufacturing facilities in Rio de Janeiro and one service base in Macae.”

Compañía Mexicana De Exploraciones (COMESA) has awarded Technip, a technical assistance contract to help in the development of the pre-front end engineering and design (pre-FEED) for the infrastructure of the Lakach field.

Lakach, operated by Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), lies approximately �0km offshore

Lakach

Production from Siri field in the Danish part of the North Sea, has been resumed. Its operator, DONG Energy ceased production last October following a routine inspection revealing cracks in a subsea structure connected to the oil storage tank underneath the Siri platform.

A temporary solution involving a metal frame that supports the subsea structure is now in place ensuring the stability of the construction.

Ramboll has secured a contract

Siri

Veracruz, Mexico, in �000m of water.

The development includes a subsea tieback to shore through dual flowlines and a new onshore gas plant. Pemex has said Lakach holds �.�tcf of total reserves and anticipates investing �7.� billion pesos ($�.� billion) on developing the project from �0��-�0�5.

to design a more permanent reinforcement solution. This involves both design of the installation of �-� piles next to the Siri subsea storage tank. The piles will be connected to the caisson with large clamps.

Now that Siri is back in production, the adjacent fields, Nini, Cecilie and Stine can also resume production.

The oil produced from these fields is transported through a pipeline to the Siri platform and via the subsea oil storage tank of the platform to a tanker.

Field D

evelopment

The deck and hull of the Gjøa platform have been mated together in the fjord outside the Norwegian town of Stord.

The hull was submerged to a depth of �5 metres with only five metres protrudeding from the water. The barge carrying the deck was towed from the quay and manoeuvred into place between the columns of the hull.

Four guide pins had to meet their respective slots with a tolerance of just �5mm (�in) in all directions. The operation was carried out by Aker Stord.

The ballast water was then discharged; the hull rose towards the deck and they were mated. When the operation was completed, the draught of the hull was ��m. The mated platform was then towed to the quay, so that the work of mechanical completion could continue.

As part of the AOG �0�0 and the Subsea Australasia Conference, The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG) are pleased to present their first Joint Technical one-day Seminar on Geophysics and Geohazards.

Key topics to be covered include:

•Do we have adequate site survey data for jack-up installation and location approval?. Braemar Falconer Pte Ltd•The use of swathe bathymetry data as a guide to the early identification of potential geohazards - examples from the North Carnarvon Basin, WA. Gardline Marine Sciences Pty Ltd•Effective assessment of top hole drilling hazards for deep water wells using �D seismic data. Fugro GeoConsulting Pty Ltd•Integrating geophysics and geotechnical data to enhance engineering foundation design. Advanced Geomechanics•Seismic performance evaluation of a submarine gas pipeline, Pluto gas field.URS Australia Pty Ltd (Perth)•Drilling geohazard constraints on the NWS Australia - A Woodside Perspective.Woodside Energy Ltd•The use of frequency and time-domain CSEM data for marine hazard mitigation.Petronas•Using a four-sensor magnetic gradiometer to identify small WWII ordnance in Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea. Fugro Survey Pty Ltd•The need for QC on geophysical interpretation of Geohazards and engineering site surveys. RPS Energy•Enhanced coastal geotechnics with integrated marine seismic reflection and multi-source, extended array refraction. Coffey Geotechnics•Research underway at COFS. University of Western Australia•Seismic refraction surveys as a geohazard technique for infrastructure

Goja platfrom. Tommy Solstad, Gyro, for Statoil

Gjøa

UT3 1Q 2010��

WesternGeco has begun acquisition of the E-Octopus VII survey. Located in the Walker Ridge and Keathley Canyon areas of the US central Gulf of Mexico, the multiclient survey covers approximately �00 outer continental shelf (OCS) blocks.

E-Octopus VII targets the high profile Lower Tertiary trend in a challenging subsalt imaging area of the Walker Ridge. The survey integrates previously acquired E-Octopus IV and E-Octopus VI phases to further expand the wide-azimuth coverage of the WesternGeco data library.

Seism

ic S

urve

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Wide-Azimuth GoM Q-Marine SurveyThe latest seismic data processing techniques will be applied to the survey, including �D generalized surface multiple prediction (GSMP) and anisotropic Reverse Time Migration (RTM). Both techniques are enhanced by the Q-Marine* point-receiver marine seismic acquisition system.

The E-Octopus multiclient wide-azimuth program in the Gulf of Mexico commenced in July of �00�. With the addition of E-Octopus VII, WesternGeco will have acquired over ��00 OCS blocks of high-quality Q-Marine wide-azimuth data in the Gulf of Mexico.

Seismic acquisition has now been initiated on the Justice Wide Azimuth (WAZ) �D project in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Justice project is a northeast expansion of the existing and contiguous Freedom and Liberty WAZ projects. The survey adds more than 7800 km� of WAZ coverage to the TGS portfolio and covers portions of the hydrocarbon rich areas of Mississippi Canyon, Viosca Knoll, and De Soto Canyon.

Acquisition will continue throughout the first half of �0�0 and upon completion of Justice, TGS will have more than �7 000 km� of WAZ �D in its data library.

These wide azimuth projects provide the industry with modern seismic imaging covering the most productive oil producing area of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

TGS Begins the Justice Wide Azimuth Project

Map of the Justice WAZ project

E-Octopus VII survey.

Seismic

UT3 1Q 2010 �7

CGGVeritas has been awarded a contract by Pemex to acquire and process 75 000 km� of �D seismic data offshore Gulf of Mexico.

The program is expected to extend through �0��. Total contract value is approximately $��5 million.

The day rate contract includes �D and wide-azimuth offshore acquisition, onboard and onshore imaging as well as gravity and magnetic acquisition and processing. Marine acquisition work will be performed by the Alizé, a high-end CGGVeritas vessel equipped with �� Sercel Sentinel streamers.According to Robert Brunck, Chairman and CEO, of GGVeritas,

“We are very pleased to have been chosen for this important contract, based on our unique portfolio of technologies and our deep in-country operational experience across all activities.

This multi-year project clearly underlines the confidence Pemex has in both our technology and our expertise.

The award further extends our leadership position in the high-end segment of the market.”

Pemex Survey

Since the first Ramform seismic ves-sel sailed out of the yard in May �995 its delta shaped design has become a trademark for PGS.

Thanks to the �0m broad beam and ultra-stable hull construction PGS was able to produce first more and more efficient seismic with ultra wide streamer tows, then better and better resolution data with the introduction high density (HD�D) seismic and ever higher streamer counts.

Last year, the Ramform Sterling became the latest ship to join the fleet. Like the Sovereign she is �� meters longer than the previous class of Ramforms with significantly higher

Ramform Sovereign

acquisition and transit speed, �5% longer endurance, and �0% higher production capacity compared to the rest of the Ramform fleet.

The S-class are easily the most pow-erful seismic ships in the world, with a power plant supplying �0,000 horse-power. The vessels feature many new innovations, including the world’s first roll compensated helideck, steerable sources, dual workboat capacity and unique gear handling systems.

The range of technologies employed promises to make this the new bench-mark for �D, �D and wide azimuth acquisition – in terms of productivity, efficiency, safety and data quality

PGS has completed processing of a MultiClient �D GeoStreamer survey that covers the UK Mid North Sea High and extends into north-west offshore Netherlands.

The data offers a clearer image of the deep Paleozoic geology that unlocks the regional understanding, structural history and the frontier hy-drocarbon potential of this province. The survey ties �0 key wells in the region, including the recent Exxon/Shell “Corbenic” prospect, and gives insight into the Breagh Gas Field play fairway, for those evaluating UK ��th Round open acreage.

Geoscientists are now undertaking an interpretation that will focus on the Carboniferous source and maturity, as well as proven and possible hydrocar-bon plays in the region.

PGS carried out a wide azimuth survey using the Viking and Valiant, and two additional source vessels. This acquired more than �0 000� km of wide azimuth data. Their focus is on the East Breaks area of the Western Gulf of Mexico, an area of growing significance to GoM Ex-ploration teams. The survey has been designed to overcome the challenges associated with sub-salt imaging.

Mid North Sea Palaeozoic Survey

Seismic Survey

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UT3 1Q 2010�8

SeismicPolarcus Nadia LaunchedPolarcus Limited took delivery of the Polarcus Nadia, a modern �� streamer �D seismic vessel built to the Ulstein SX��� design. The vessel was built at Drydocks World – Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Polarcus Nadia is a purpose-built seismic vessel incorporating the innovative Ulstein X-BOW and designed to meet the exacting specifications for offshore seismic operations worldwide. The 88.8m double-hulled vessel incorporates some of the most recent developments in maritime systems and is fitted out with the most advanced seismic technology commercially available, including the latest generation Sentinel solid streamers.

Polarcus Nadia is one of the safest and most environmentally sound seismic vessels in the market with diesel-electric propulsion, high specification catalytic convertors, DP� dynamic positioning, and advanced bilge water cleaning, enabling the vessel to conform to existing and envisaged IMO and Class rules and to comply with the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) stringent CLEAN-DESIGN and COMF-V(�) class notations. Polarcus Nadia will transit to West Africa to commence a charter for TGS-NOPEC.

The sister vessel Polarcus Asima, was also recently launched to sea at the Drydocks World shipyard in the United Arab Emirates. This is the first of the SX��� designs with the high class notation, ICE-�A, enabling her to operate safely and effectively in the Arctic.

The 9�m vessel is purpose built for the high-end �D marine seismic market and capable of towing up to �� by 8000m streamers. Like the Polarcus Nadia and Polarcus Naila, the Polarcus Asima incorporates many new and innovative design features designed to maximise operational performance, improve safety and comfort, and minimize emissions to air and water. Polarcus Asima is also fitted with the latest chemical-free ballast water treatment system to eliminate the risk of transporting and introducing invasive marine species into new environments. Outfitting of the vessel will continue at Drydocks World - Dubai with final delivery scheduled for mid- �0�0.

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UT3 1Q 2010 �9The Polarcus Nadia. Photo: Polarcus Limited

Seismic Survey

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UT3 1Q 2010�0

ARGAS, the Saudi Arabian joint venture owned �9% by CGGVeritas and 5�% by TAQA, has been awarded two major Ocean Bottom Cable (OBC) �D data acquisition contracts by Saudi Aramco. The two contracts have a combined value of around $�75 million.

The first project is scheduled to start in June �0�0 and operate for a period of �8 months while the second is scheduled to run from October �0�0 for a period of �� months; each contract respectively has an �8– and ��–month optional extension period.

Ocean Bottom CableThe projects will cover an initial � 000� km over the next three years and require operational expertise working in complex environments, such as producing oil fields and busy shipping lanes within the Saudi waters of the Gulf with depths ranging from �0 to �0m.

ARGAS will mobilise two fully independent OBC crews equipped with the latest Sercel SeaRay �C equipment and recording systems. These fully offshore operations will be managed through a fleet of vessels equipped with CGGVeritas deployment and positioning systems geared to operate in such environments.

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CGGVeritas has successfully deployed its Nautilus acoustic positioning and streamer steering system on the Alizé, one of its high-end vessels, has dramatically increased production levels on the first project of the mega �D seismic program currently being acquired for PEMEX in the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite severe winter weather conditions the Alizé, on its first project of the program, has achieved a one-day production record of ��7 km� and has significantly exceeded production targets. This has been supported by the deployment of �� Sercel Nautilus-Sentinel steered solid streamers and the fact that, with a �� by 8-km by �00-m configuration, the Alizé is towing one of the largest areal receiver arrays in the industry.

Nautilus has dramatically reduced the infill requirements through consistent streamer separations and depth control across the entire spread.

The first project in the PEMEX survey program, known as Han Sur-Oeste de Tamil, covers a surface area of �� �00 km� in the Mexican deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Robert Brunck, Chairman and CEO, CGGVeritas, said: “The Alizé’s deployment of a combination of advanced Sercel Sentinel solid streamers and Nautilus is setting a new benchmark for safer operations, quieter data and better crew efficiency. We are confident that, with the Alizé’s clear competitive technological edge and our advanced imaging capabilities, we will deliver the lowest-noise and highest-quality data to best image the subsalt areas being targeted by this survey program.”

BHP Billiton (BHPB). and Otto Energy have entered into a seismic acquisition and farm-in option agreement with the SC55 permit in the Philippines with

Otto will secure seismic services providing for the commencement of the seismic acquisition. For its part, BHPB will fund the acquisition and processing of a minimum of �,000 km� and up to �,000 km� of �D seismic in SC55. Otto has agreed to grant BHPB exclusivity to review the entire seismic data base and exercise an option to farm-in to SC55.

The farm-in option provides BHPB with an exclusive right to elect to earn a �0%

Nautilus-Sentinel

The Alizé high-end seismic vessels

Philippines Seismic

Seismic

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

Philippines Seismicnet participating interest in SC55 through funding the drilling of the two deepwater exploration wells and the reimbursement of Otto’s past costs. BHPB will also be assigned operatorship in the event that it elects to farm in to SC55. If BHBP elects to drill only the first deepwater exploration well then BHBP will transfer back �0% interest and operatorship of SC55 to Otto.

Otto recently acquired of �00 km� of �D seismic in SC55. These two seismic surveys will allow Otto to establish a comprehensive subsurface understanding of the offshore Palawan permit area and prospects inventory for future drilling programmes.

A full-scale time-lapse �D (�D) test in the North Sea with a GeoStreamer monitor survey over a conventional streamer baseline survey yielded excellent repeatability that is fully in line with industry requirements.

The flexibility of the GeoStreamer platform was exploited to reconstruct the total pressure field at the acquisition depth of the baseline survey prior to �D comparison. Thus, �D GeoStreamer is fully backwards-compatible with conventional (hydrophone-only) streamer data for �D differencing, and GeoStreamer unequivocally represents the premier towed streamer solution for all �D, �D and �D applications.

A time-lapse �D or “�D” project involves repeat �D seismic surveys over a producing hydrocarbon reservoir, where a change in the physical state of the reservoir has occurred because of production. �D surveys are used to optimise the planning of producer and injector well placement. The first survey is the baseline survey, and each successive survey is a monitor survey.

Ideally, the acquisition geometry and hardware is repeated exactly from survey to survey, as are environmental conditions, such that any observable �D signal is derived entirely from physical changes in the reservoir state. Variations in acquisition geometry naturally invoke changes in wave propagation through the Earth, variations in target illumination, and variations in wavefield sampling, and will contribute errors to the �D signal.

Variations in acquisition hardware and/or environmental conditions will naturally invoke changes in the signal-to-noise content, signal fidelity,

and the seismic wavelet, thus also contributing errors to the �D signal.

The PGS dual-sensor GeoStreamer technology introduces several new parameters into towed streamer �D projects; the ability to remove all receiver ghost effects prior to wavefield differencing, the operational and geophysical benefits of towing the streamers very deep (after the receiver ghost has been removed), and the ability to extrapolate the wavefield to any effective receiver depth for accurate kinematic wavefield differencing. PGS has proven the universal data quality benefits of the dual-sensor GeoStreamer since the first commercial �D survey in early-�008. As of October �009, more than 80 000km of �D and 8500 km� of �D data had been acquired worldwide. The final chapter was of course to progress to �D (time-lapse �D), which was expected to also benefit from the unique characteristics of GeoStreamer:

•Higher signal-to-noise content on baseline and monitor GeoStreamer surveys processed to yield the up-going pressure wavefield should improve �D repeatability.

•Deep streamer towing (between �5 and �5 m) will be less subject to surface-related noise and current effects that impact receiver spread control, acoustic positioning will have less noise/uncertainty, and there will be less ambient noise.

•The unique ability to independently extrapolate the upgoing and down-going pressure wavefields to any depth in processing allows an unrivalled ability to match GeoStreamer monitor surveys with conventional baseline surveys acquired at different depths.

Mid-offset fold coverage maps for the baseline (left) and monitor (right) surveys. The result in the middle is the matching baseline and monitor traces after 4D binning. The bold rectangle in the middle is the full fold area used for various analyses.

4D GeoStreamer: The New Standard

UT3 1Q 2010��

Northern Petroleum commenced �D seismic operations in the West Sicily thrust belt that will cover four licenses - G.R�7.NP, G.R�0.NP, G.R��.NP and G.R��.NP. A total of up to �5�0km� of �D seismic data will be acquired in these licenses with the survey expected to last approximately two months.

The aim of the survey is to obtain a better quality, and more complete, definition of the encouraging structures identified by the two previous �D seismic campaigns, and firm up prospects for drilling.

The seismic acquisition has been contracted to Petroleum Geo-Services and the �D data is being acquired using the vessel M/V Atlantic Explorer using GeoStreamer technology to enhance resolution.

Otto Energy will commence a �D seismic data acquisition program in SC55. The company plans to acquire 590 km�. of �D data in the southwest part of SC55. The programme is designed to mature the Hawkeye structure and several other key leads in the license area.

SC55 covers 9000km� in the south west Palawan Basin, Philippines. It is located on a regional oil and gas fairway that extends from the productive Borneo offshore region in the southwest to the offshore Philippines production assets northwest of Palawan.

SeaBird Exploration’s fleet of seismic vessels have a number of commitments this year.

The Munin Explorer has been awarded a contract in the North Sea as a source vessel commencing �st June for � months, with an option to extend for a further �–� months. The initial award period, will generate about US$�.� million.

The Osprey Explorer is contracted to work until the end March in East India. This survey of approximately �000 km will generate in the region of US$�.7 million. A letter of award has been received for a survey in East Africa of approximately 5,000 km commencing mid to late April. The vessel to perform this contract will most likely be the Osprey Explorer. This contract will generate in the region of US$ �.7 million.

Continuing a successful series of projects in Australia that began late October �009, the Aquila Explorer has entered into a contract with the state of Victoria through the for the acquisition of approximately 7�00km �D marine seismic data within the Southern Flanks of the offshore Gippsland Basin, South-eastern Australia, and covering the �009 released Greenhouse Gas Storage blocks (Gipps-0� to Gipps-0�).

The vessel will then return to South-east Asia where she has been awarded contracts to undertake approximately �000 km of �D acquisition over two areas in the Song Hong Basin.

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SeismicOtto

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The Munin Explorer

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

UT3 1Q 2010��

GE Oil and Gas has designed a new subsea tree specifically for use in shallow waters. Called the VetcoGray shallow vertical Xmas tree (SVXT), it is the first of the S-series of next generation designs with the follow-up, aimed at the deepwater sector, being unveiled next May.

“The new SVXT subsea tree merges horizontal and vertical tree technology, reducing weight by �0%, decreasing height to make a fishing-friendly structure and delivering essential functionality in a pre-engineered, pre-configured modular way,” said Willie Bryson, lead product manager of the S-series.

In designing the tree, the engineers at VetcoGray particularly concentrated on the high cost areas of installation and intervention.

“In the shallow waters of the southern North Sea, installation is very diver and remote operated

traditionally extending horizontally to allow contact with the ROV tooling, the junction plate on the SVXT is turned 90deg to point upwards. This allows a specialised skid incorporating smart tools to be lowered from the surface, in order to carry out the intervention work that would previously be done with the ROV.

The assembly is run on guidewires and latches on to the appropriate port. After the intervention, the skid is retrieved to the surface. The advantage of this is that it improves diver safety and can be carried out regardless of weather.

In removing ROVs, their primary observation function must be carried out using an alternative method. This prompted VetcoGray to install a number of sacrificial cameras and high intensity light sources at strategic places, with their output relayed to the surface in real time.

“A video image is vital,” said Bryson. “When we land and lock the Christmas tree, the structure often kicks up a lot of silt. We must be able to confirm that the indicator rod has moved to the correct position and confirm the connection has been made.

“Traditionally, we would have employed a small observation ROV. These cameras on the main tree connector lock/unlock, and another of the flowline connector sends a signal to the surface to give the operator confidence that it is safe to perform an overpull to give a the second confirmation that tree is locked.

“Another weather dependent operation is the installation of the trees themselves,” said Bryson. “A lot of the time, the trees weigh over �0t and have to be keelhauled, the practice of lifting them directly off the back of the supply boat and installing them.

“We realised that if we can minimise the tree weight, we might be able to

Shallow Water Treevehicle (ROV) intensive,” said Bryson. “The area is characterised by very strong currents, and it is, therefore, often necessary to wait until slack tide before putting an ROV or diver in the water. Unfortunately, the slack tide can last for only �0 mins and occurs every six hours.”

An ROV can move �–�kts but the current itself may have a lateral movement of �kts. It requires considerable expertise for the ROV pilot just to maintain location, let alone performing the work.

Drilling operations in shallow waters are typically carried out by jack-up rigs, however, their design often leaves little space to accommodate a diving spread. Some even find it difficult to facilitate the much smaller ROV spreads. The engineers at VetcoGray, therefore, came up with an ingenious solution.

Instead of the subsea controls

VetcoGray‘s shallow vertical xmas tree

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Shallow Water Treeinstall it by a normal jack-up crane and that will cut down on time waiting on weather. One area that VetcoGray looked into to minimise weight was by removing one of the valves.

“Traditionally, a subsea tree normally has a manual master valve, production master and production swab valve. In the SVXT design, we removed the manual master valve, kept the production hydraulic master valve but also removed the production swab valve,” said Bryson. “In doing so, we replaced the swab valve and tree cap with double barrier crown plugs.

“This layout saves the capital cost of the tree cap as well as its installation time. A unique valve arrangement on the tree annulus providing the necessary barriers. This design effectively merges horizontal and vertical tree technology together.”

Another way that the designers achieved a reduced weight was to improve the balance of the tree.

“ It is important that the tree is reasonably level when mating with the wellhead when lowered from the surface,” said Bryson. “This is traditionally accomplished by adding counterweights to keep the tree at an even angle.

“In the XT tree, we have used design tools that allow us to calculate centres of gravity of the various modules. By ergonomic positioning of components, for example by placing the pod in such a position to balance the choke, fewer counterweights are required to achieve a unit balance. In the design, we used less than �00lbs of counterweights.

The result is a tree weighing around �5t complete with a modpod subsea control module which is the lightest of its type on the market.

FMC Technologies has signed an agreement with Statoil for the design and supply of subsea equipment to support its Snorre field in the North Sea.

The award will result in approximately $�0 million in revenue to FMC Technologies.

FMC’s scope of supply includes �0 production risers, tieback connectors and installation tools. The equipment will be engineered and manufactured at FMC’s facilities in Houston, Texas and Kongsberg, Norway. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in �0��.

“Statoil recently announced a modifica-tion programme on the Snorre field that is designed to extend the field’s productive lifespan through �0�0,” said Tore Halvors-en, FMC’s senior vice president of Global Subsea Production Systems.

Snorre

The Snorre field

Cameron has received an order worth in excess of $��0 million forthe supply of subsea production systems for Stage � of Chevron’s Jack and St Malo subsea developments in the Gulf of Mexico.

The project will include twelve �5 000psi subsea trees, production control systems, four manifolds and associated connection systems engineering and project management services. Deliveries are scheduled to begin inthe third quarter of �0�� and continue through the second quarter of �0��.

Jack and St Malo

FMC Technologies has signed a four-year subsea tree frame agreement with Petrobras in a $�00 million contract. FMC’s scope of supply includes the manufacture of up to �07 subsea trees and related tools designed for use offshore Brazil in water depths of �500ft (�000m). All systems and equipment will be engineered and manufactured at FMC’s facility in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in �0��.

Prior to this agreement, Petrobras had awarded more than �00 subsea trees to FMC’s operations in Brazil.

Petrobras

Subsea Equipment

FMC has signed an agreement with Total Exploration and Production Angola for the manufacture and supply of subsea production equipment. The award has a value of approximately $�5 million in revenue to FMC Technologies.

The equipment will support Total Angola’s Block �7 development, located offshore Angola, West Africa.

AngolaFMC’s scope of supply includes the manufacture of subsea trees, controls and associated equipment. The systems will be manufactured and assembled at FMC’s facilities in Dunfermline, Scotland; Kongsberg, Norway; and Luanda, Angola.

Deliveries are scheduled to commence early �0��.

UT3 1Q 2010��

Subsea engineering and construction company Subsea 7, has been awarded a contract for installation of replacement subsea control modules (SCMs) and flexibles jumpers at CNR International Limited’s Tiffany and Banff oil and gas fields, in the UK sector of the North Sea. The Subsea 7 workscope involves investigation and rectification works at the Tiffany field and the installation of replacement SCMs and flexible jumpers at both the Banff and Toni fields. Offshore work has commenced and is being performed by Subsea 7’s dive support vessel (DSV), the Rockwater �

Subsea 7’s Vice President for the UK Region, Steph McNeill commented:

“I am pleased that Subsea 7 has been awarded another North Sea contract and we look forward to delivering this project in a safe and timely manner for CNR over the next few weeks.”

The Tiffany field is located in Block ��/�7 and the Banff field is located in Blocks ��/�7a & �9/�a in the UK sector of the North Sea.

Tiffany and Banff

Rockwater 1 in Aberdeen harbour

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Technip has been awarded a lump sum contract by ENI US, operator for the Appaloosa development project in the Gulf of Mexico. This consists of the tieback of the Appaloosa well located in Mississippi Canyon, ��8km (��5 nautical miles) offshore Mobile, Alabama at a water depth of approximately 8�0m (�8�5ft), to the Corral platform.

The contract covers• Project management and surveys• Engineering, fabrication and installation of a ��km (�� mile) production flowline, a riser and subsea equipment• Installation of free-issued umbilical and flying leads,• Pre-commissioning and dewatering of the flowline.

AppaloosaTechnip’s operating centre in Houston will execute this contract. The flowline and riser will be welded at the group’s spoolbase located in Mobile.

Offshore installation is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of �009 using the Deep Blue, Technip’s deepwater pipelay vessel.

Extensive saturation diving work will be executed using the diving support vessel Skandi Achiever. The umbilical installation will be carried out using the Deep Pioneer, one of Technip’s deepwater construction vessel.

Technip’s scope of work is expected to be completed by April �0�0.

BP Norge has awarded Aker Solutions a NOK �50 million engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for a tie-back from Oselvar to the Ula platform. Aker Solutions estimates the contract value to be approximately.

Scope of work includes engineering, procurement, fabrication of module and other minor components, installation offshore and commissioning assistance. The execution phase is based on a front end engineering design (FEED) study performed by Aker Solutions.

The object of the tie-back operation is to transport oil and gas ��km from

Ulathe DONG operated Oselvar field to BP’s Ula platform for processing. The oil will be processed at the platform. The gas will either be reinjected or exported via pipeline to Gyda and Ekofisk facilities. The Ula platform is located in the southwest area of the North Sea, at approximately 70m water depth. The Ula field has recently been upgraded with water- and gas injection equipment, which allows it to take on production from several other fields in the area.

The EPCI contract is a call-off from the Modifications & Maintenance Support Contract with BP Norge AS. Work under the contract starts immediately and the project will be completed in November �0��.

Saipem has been awarded a new offshore contract worth over US$ �00 million for the subsea development of the Bonga North-West field, located in the Oil Mining Lease (OML) ��8, approximately ��0km off the Nigerian coast.

The contract has been awarded by Shell Nigeria, and encompasses engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation and pre-commissioning services for ��km of �0in/��in production pipe-in-pipe flowlines, �km of ��in water injection flowlines as well as related

Bongaproduction facilities.

The contract also includes the installation of �5km of umbilicals.

Bonga North-West is located in approximately 900 to ��00m of water, and will be developed with �� subsea wells tied back into the Bonga main infrastructure.

Marine activities will be carried out mainly by Saipem FDS and Saipem �000 vessels, in different time-frames between the second half of �0�� and the last quarter of �0��

UT3 1Q 2010�8

Subsea 7’s new state-of-the-art remotely operated vehicle support vessel (ROVSV), the Normand Subsea, has commenced her first project for Shell in the Ormen Lange field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

The life of field vessel will be utilised exclusively to service the long-term underwater services contract Subsea 7 holds with Shell Entities, operating in Europe, for inspection, repair and maintenance programmes and for some of Shell’s capital projects and decommissioning works, across its offshore fields and facilities. The Normand Subsea’s first workscope at Ormen Lange includes template and pipeline inspections and ship wreck surveys.

Investment in the Normand Subsea is part of an ongoing capital investment programme of over US $�bn in new assets and equipment which will see eight new vessels joining the existing Subsea 7 fleet between �00� and �0�0.

Steph McNeill, Vice President for Subsea 7’s UK region, stated:

“The Normand Subsea is a fantastic enhancement to one of the most modern, technologically advanced and capable fleets of subsea construction, pipelay and support vessels in the world. Our significant investment programme demonstrates our commitment to delivering best in class services for our clients, investing for the long-term and becoming the Subsea Partner of Choice in our sector. We look forward to working with Shell in the safe and timely delivery of the various work scopes this vessel will be undertaking for them over the next few years.”

The vessel, which is on long-term charter from Solstad Offshore, has a unique combination of capabilities that include: a fully enclosed hangar; built in �5t module handling system (upgradeable to �5t); �50t heave compensated crane; an extensive spread of two work class ROVs and four observation class ROVs all equipped for ��00metre depths; a hull with five moonpools; a well treatment system and an extensive online and offline survey suite. It also has on-board facilities for a ship’s complement of 90 people.

The Shell Underwater Services Contract is the continuation of an ongoing long-term relationship between Subsea 7 and Shell which commenced in �98� with one of Subsea 7’s predecessor companies.

First Project for Normand Subsea

Technip and Subsea 7 have been awarded a subsea installation contract by Woodside Energy, for the Cossack Wanaea Lambert Hermes (CWLH) redevelopment project in Western Australia.

The overall CWLH redevelopment project involves the replacement of the oil-producing Cossack Pioneer floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, located offshore in the Carnarvon Basin, as well as the refurbishment of associated subsea infrastructure.

The Technip and Subsea 7 contract consisting in the refurbishment of associated subsea infrastructure covers:

l Project management, l Recovery of three risers and installation of three replacement risers, l Installation of �0km of flowlines, l Riser base rectification works, and l Pre-commissioning assistance.

The project team is based in Technip’s office in Perth, Western Australia. The flowlines and risers have been manufactured in Le Trait, France, one of Technip’s flexible pipe plants. Offshore installation is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of �0�0 using the Venturer, a construction vessel from Technip’s fleet and the Nor Australis diving support vessel contracted to Woodside.

CWLHScana has been awarded contract to deliver finished machined riser forgings to FMC through its subsidiary Scana Subsea. The high pressure production risers are intended for the Snorre TLP in the Greater Snorre Area on the

Norwegian continental shelf. The field is operated by Statoil and the production risers are part of their replacement programme.

The scope includes forging and machining of production riser joints

Scana Forgings

Oilfield company Weatherford has been awarded a contract by Technip for pre-commissioning and commissioning services on the Jubilee field development project off Ghana.

The contract covers the pigging of production, water and gas injection flowlines, hydrostatic testing of the flowlines, riser and jumpers, as well as de-watering of the gas injection system, said Weatherford. During installation and post installation Weatherford will also perform electrical and pressure monitoring and testing of the umbilicals from the floating production storage and offloading vessel.

Weatherford will use the Denizen subsea pipeline commissioning system on this project, which will be the first deployment of such technology in Ghana.

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for ten riser systems and additional spare components, and an option for additional riser systems. The contract value for the first ten riser systems is US $9.� million. .

Manufacturing is planned to start immediately and deliveries will commence

from �th quarter �0�0 to �0�� in batch deliveries. The contract will also involve subsidiary Scana Steel Björneborg.

CEO in Scana Industrier ASA, Rolf Roverud, said, “This is the first

major contract for Scana Subsea, which was formed to strengthen our efforts towards the riser market within oil and gas. The award order recognises Scana material knowledge combined with our plant capabilities.”

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The Orelia, which will be used on Broom

Technip has been awarded a lump sum contract by Lundin, worth approximately €21 million, for an augmentation pipeline at the Broom field in the UK North Sea. Located ��0km north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland, the field is tied back to Heather Alpha. The new augmentation pipeline will extend the existing Broom subsea infrastructure.

BroomThe contract covers the design, fabrication and installation of a pipe-in-pipe production flowline, which will be trenched and backfilled. The work also includes a subsea structure, spoolpiece tie-ins, repositioning of a flexible riser and rockdumping for upheaval buckling.

Technip’s operating centre in Aberdeen

will execute the contract, scheduled to be completed late this year.

The pipelines will be welded at Technip’s Spoolbase in Evanton, Scotland. Two vessels from the Technip fleet will be used for the offshore installation campaign: the Orelia diving support vessel and the Apache II pipelay vessel.

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Nord Stream AG has received the last of the permits required to start constructing its ����km natural gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea. The Finnish Water Permit complements the earlier permit granted by the Finnish Government for the Nord Stream consortium to use Finnish waters.

The consortium plans to start construction in April �0�0 as it has also already received all the permits required by the four other countries through whose territorial waters or Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) the pipeline will pass -– namely Russia, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

The Regional Administrative Agency

Nord StreamFirst Subsea completed the installation of four diverless bend stiffeners for risers and umbilicals on submerged turret loading (STL) buoys for the Neptune deep water project north and south, off the Massachusetts coast.

The STL buoys will be used for mooring liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification vessels at the offshore processing, Neptune deep water port. The bend stiffeners, supplied by Trelleborg Offshore, are connected using First Subsea diverless bend stiffener connectors (DBSC). The buoy was pre-fitted with female DBSC connectors to which the male connectors with the risers and umbilicals were installed.

for Southern Finland (former Western Finland Permit Authority) approved Nord Stream’s detailed plans to construct, operate and maintain its gas pipeline along a �7�km route.

The Nord Stream consortium plans to start transporting gas in late �0��. When completed in �0��, Nord Stream’s twin pipelines will be able to transport 55 billion m� of gas a year from Russia to Germany, where it will join the European energy grid.

Gazprom has already signed long-term contracts to supply �0 billion m� of gas to customers in EU countries including Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, France and the UK.

Bend Stiffener Installation

UT3 1Q 2010 5�

Technip has been awarded a €65 million lump sum engineering, procurement, installation and construction (EPIC) contract by Burullus Gas Company SAE for the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) Phase VII development project.

The project is designed to maintain overall plateau production for the WDDM Concession, located 95km offshore Egypt in the Mediterranean.

Technip’s operating center in Oslo, Norway, will execute this contract with assistance from the Group’s team in Cairo, Egypt. It covers turnkey delivery of the tie-in structure between a new gas export pipeline and two existing pipelines, including “hot tap tie-ins” that allows the work to be carried out without stopping the ongoing production.

Offshore installation is scheduled for the fourth quarter of �0�0 using the Wellservicer, a vessel from Technip’s fleet.

BurullusTechnip has been awarded by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) a flexible pipe supply contract for the Lufeng ��-�/��-� oil fields, located in the South China Sea. Technip’s operating center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will execute this contract, which includes the engineering and supply of a �in riser, a mid water arch and a �in flowline.

Manufacturing of the flexible pipes will commence in the third quarter �0�0 after completion of the factory qualification trials. Delivery is planned for February �0��.

This award marks an important milestone for Technip, as it will be the first contract for commercial manufacture in its new flexible pipe plant, Asiaflex Products, located in the Tanjung Langsat industrial complex in Malaysia.

Built to cater to the expanding Asia Pacific market and growing demand for deepwater solutions in the region, Asiaflex Products will have the capacity to produce �00km of flexible flowlines, risers and umbilicals per year.

Technip has been awarded two engineering, procurement and installation contracts by Talisman, worth in excess of €40 million, for the development of the Auk North and Burghley fields. The fields will be tied back to Talisman’s Fulmar A platform and the Premier Oil-operated Balmoral Floating Production Vessel respectively.

The Auk North contract covers the fabrication and installation of a production pipeline, the installation of an umbilical*, a power cable and subsea equipment.

The Burghley contract covers fabrication and installation of a production pipeline and a gas lift pipeline, as well as the installation of an umbilical and subsea structures. Both contracts include pre-commissioning and commissioning support.

Technip’s operating center in Aberdeen, Scotland will execute the contracts, which are scheduled to commence in the field in the second quarter of �0�0. The pipelines will be welded at Technip’s spoolbase in Evanton, Scotland.

Asiaflex Auk Burghley

NCS Survey has been awarded a major survey contract by Saipem for pipelay support during the inshore phase of the Nord Stream pipeline project, two gas pipelines linking Russia with the European Union via the Baltic Sea. The contract is valued at €2m to €3m and will commence in the middle of the year.

Andy Gray, NCS Survey Chief Executive, said “We are delighted that Saipem has embraced this innovative technology, which gives them a high accuracy solution at an economic price.”

The sonar actively tracks the pipe catenary during lay operations using the unique beam steering capability embedded in our TDM software. It enables the contractor to know exactly where the pipe is laid in real-time and thereby minimises the risk when laying near any subsea structures or other live pipelines even when there is zero visibility.

In deeper water, TDM transducers can be mounted on an ROV giving it the capability of monitoring touchdown in poor visibility or from 50m away.

NCS

Pipelines.....

UT3 1Q 20105�

Helix Energy Solutions Group (ESG) has taken delivery of a new deepwater pipelay vessel. The Caesar departed the shipyard in China in November �009 for the Gulf of Mexico to join the company’s subsea construction fleet.

Caesar is a dynamically positioned (DP�) pipelay vessel, capable of laying large diameter concrete coated pipelines in shallow water and up to ��in diameter pipelines in deep waters.

Caesar’s onboard pipeline manufacturing capability facilitates pipelay operations without dedicated onshore infrastructure, making her a cost-effective option in remote areas versus reeled pipelay vessels. In addition, her �00t crane and �50t A-frame are well suited for deepwater installation of inline manifolds and terminals.

“The S-lay Caesar will increase the options available to operators who are planning major deepwater subsea construction projects,” said Helix ESG’s chief operating officer Bart Heijermans. “We are very pleased with the performance of the vessel and believe she will be an attractive choice for our customers because of her unique capabilities and competitive cost structure.”

Caesar completed transit, joining the Intrepid and Express reeled pipelay vessels.

Length ���mTransit Speed ��ktsTension �05tA and R winch �05tPipe Diameter �–��inStorage Capacity �0 000tFiring line stations 8Stinger Length 90mMain Crane �00tA-Frame �50tAccommodation ��0

Pipe

lines

PipelinesO F F S H O R E

Hail Caesar

UT3 1Q 2010 5�

Hail Caesar ExxonMobil awarded Saipem the contract for the Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (LNG) offshore pipeline project EPC�. The project is part of ExxonMobil PNG LNG project to develop gas and liquid hydrocarbon resources located in the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea with an LNG exporting facility in Caution Bay, near Port Moresby. The scope of work will consist of the engineering, transportation and installation of a �07km, ��in gas sealine, connecting the Omati River landfall point on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, to the onshore

PNG LNG for Saipem

BongaStatoil has awarded Technip a €23 million engineering, procurement, construction and installation lump sum contract for the Åsgard gas transfer project.

The contract covers fabrication and installation of a �km rigid flowline this year and the replacement of two flexible risers in �0��.

The contract will be executed by the group’s operating centre in Oslo, Norway. The flowline will be fabricated at the Technip spoolbase in Orkanger, while installation will be performed by the newly converted Apache II. The marine operations in �0�� will be from the Skandi Arctic.

Asgard Gas Transfer

Acergy has acquired the Borealis pipelay vessel currently being built at Singapore’s Sembawang Shipyard.

The DP� (dynamic positioning) vessel is equipped with a 5000t crane. Acergy plans to install a �000t J-Laytower and state-of-the-art �00t S-Lay equipment. It will also be fitted with

a range of support systems and construction equipment for worldwide deepwater and harsh environment operations.

Final completion and operational delivery of the ship is scheduled for �0��. Total costs, upon delivery, are expected to be less than $500m.

Borealis

Repsol has awarded Techip a lump sum contract for the development of two fields, 50km off the coast of Spain.

Technip’s scope includes engineering, supply, installation and pre-commissioning of the ��km flexible pipeline system that will connect two production wells to the Casablanca platform. This pipeline will include a riser, a flowline and two jumpers.

Technip will also install a pumping manifold, umbilicals and flying leads provided by the client.

The project is located in a fishing area. To protect fishing lines, the flexible pipelines and umbilicals will therefore be trenched. Offshore installation is scheduled to be carried out in the first half of �0��, using the Deep Constructor.

Saipem has been awarded an offshore contract worth over US$ �00 million for the subsea development of the Bonga north-west field, approximately ��0km off the Nigerian coast in 900 to ��00m of water. It will be developed with �� subsea wells tied back into the Bonga main infrastructure.

The contract, for Shell Nigeria, encompasses engineering,

Subsea 7 and Technip have been awarded a subsea installation contract by Woodside Energy for the Cossack Wanaea Lambert Hermes (CWLH) redevelopment project in Western Australia.

The CWLH redevelopment project involves the replacement of the oil-producing Cossack Pioneer and the refurbishment of associated subsea infrastructure.

The contract covers project manage-ment, recovery of three risers and in-stallation of three replacement risers, installation of �0km of flowlines,riser base rectification works and pre-commissioning assistance.

CWLH

procurement, fabrication, installation and pre-commissioning services for ��km of �0in/��in production pipe-in-pipe flowlines and �km of ��in water injection flowlines. The contract also includes the installation of �5km of umbilicals.

Marine activities will be carried out mainly by Saipem FDS and Saipem 3000 vessels.

Technip has been awarded two contracts by BP for its Schiehallion development, �75km west of the Shetland Islands.

The first, which was recently completed, covered the design and manufacture of a 7�0m (��00ft) gas-lift flexible riser and a 770m (�500ft) water-injection flexible riser.

The second contract covers the installation of these risers, as well as pre-commissioning, tie-ins and testing.

Schiehallion

Casablanca

point located near the capital town of Port Moresby, on the southeastern coast of the country where a new LNG plant will be located.

Maximum water depth along the route is approximately �00m. Marine operations will be carried out by Semac 1 offshore vessel. The activities will be completed in the third quarter of �0��.

In Vietnam, Saipem has been awarded the contract for the Chim Sao platform and pipelines project by PTSC Mechanical and Construction.

.....

UT3 1Q 20105�

Pipe

lines

Pipelines

Subsea 7 has successfully completed the Girassol Pipeline Repair Project for Total Exploration and Production, Angola.

The project was an entirely diverless pipeline repair in ��50m water depth and was based on a technical design competition issued by Total which resulted in Subsea 7 being awarded the contract for the design, manufacture, testing and operation of a new deepwater pipeline repair system (PRS).

The system would then be used on the repair of a damaged ��in water injection pipeline in the Girassol field. Girassol is located approximately ��0km north-west of Luanda, in water depth of approximately ��50m.

The PRS system has a set of permanent equipment such as the spool deployment frame, rigid spool piece, end connection skids and two mechanical pipeline connectors, together with a suite of ROV deployed or operated tools for preparing and aligning the pipeline prior to the connector installation.

The project management and engineering was performed at Subsea 7’s office in Aberdeen, and the in-country works supported from Subsea 7’s facilities in Luanda.

The offshore operation comprised two separate phases. In the first, the permanent works equipment was installed on the seabed at the damage location.

Girassol Pipeline Repair

In the second phase, the ends of the damaged pipeline were lifted, prepared and aligned before the mechanical connectors were installed, set and tested with annulus tests onto the previously installed spool piece.

Final confirmation of the repair was achieved by a pipeline leak test from the Girassol floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which was completed in December �009. Graham Sharland, Subsea 7’s chief operating officer – Africa Region, said, “We are delighted to have successfully completed this major pipeline repair project for Total.

The Girassol repair represents another milestone in deepwater intervention. The solution, developed in-house by Subsea 7, has the potential to be used in a range of life-of-field applications as the equipment and technology is fully transferable. We look forward to many successful similar projects.”

Pipeline repair system set up to simulate the connection of the pipeline to repair spool

Spool overboarding

Girassol Pipeline Repair Project

UT3 1Q 2010 55

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UK-based specialist measurement technology company Optical Metrology Services (OMS) has successfully completed a six-week pipe inspection study for BP Exploration in the Plutão, Saturno, Vênus and Marte (PSVM) deepwater development in Angola. The work was carried out on behalf of Technip, prime contractor for the design, procurement, fabrication and installation of the water and gas injection flowlines for the Block �� URF � programme workscope.

The contract, worth more than £�50 000, required OMS to carry out an initial sample survey of pipe ends, followed by the detailed laser dimensional inspection, sorting and marking of more than �� 000 pipe ends including critical, fatigue-sensitive, flowline sections.

As well as helping the customer to better implement the pipe end fit-up process and fatigue HiLo strengths, the study also ensured that the customer’s pipe welding time and counter-bore crew costs were minimised.

OMS worked closely with Technip’s local subsidiary in Angola, Angoflex Ltda. The Block �� deepwater oilfield covers an area of 5�00km� and lies in water depths of between �500m and �500m.

Richard Gooch, director of technology at OMS commented: “OMS engineers measured every pipe

Pipe Measurement

end and then marked these with a calibration block group code. This sorting process enabled the most round pipes to be allocated to the more critical sections of the pipeline. Identifying and marking pipe ends in this way ensured the least possible disruption to Technip’s fit-up process. The customer now has the basis for the fit-up of pipes to BP’s specification and HiLo fatigue strengths.

“The accurate fit-up of fatigue-sensitive pipes is a highly critical factor when it comes to welding the pipe ends together. Not managing these issues can lead to delays in production and to weld problems, which in turn, can lead to stress concentrations in that region or expensive cut-outs and rework.”

Pipeline measurement tooling

UT3 1Q 20105�

Engineering pipelines, spools and their terminations has long been a challenging field for the subsea oil industry. Tie-in tools and termination solutions have evolved over the years as a result of experience and development of new technology; hence the boundaries of what’s achievable have been pushed forward. Some lessons learned have had great impact on improving designs, for instance HISC problems in high-alloy flanges.

The constant search to achieve simplified and more cost effective solutions with greater flexibility and enhanced capacities has pushed the limits continuously. However, it has emerged that the limits can’t be pushed indefinitely on all areas.

It has reached a point where the margins are starting to narrow themselves. The load capabilities of pipeline steel, for instance, have definite limits and even though research and new material technology bring forward

improvements, there is a limited gain. As a result, one is now experiencing ever more stringent installation tolerances and a significant increase in the amount of engineering and analysis hours put in to projects.

As designs are pushed closer to these limits, a demand for increased control of loads and moments in the pipeline and tie-in points emerges in order to not surpass the capacities present. During pipeline and spool installation, the loads and moments present vary significantly, as the different phases of the installation is conducted.

A typical installation sequence is known to consist of the following phases; temporary lay down, pipeline flooding, termination to structure, pressure testing, pipeline pigging, MEG-filling and production.

Analyses performed by Nemo Engineering indicate changes in hub moments for a specific pipeline termination point to fluctuate within a range of 800 kNm throughout an

installation scenario as indicated previously. Designing termination points with capacity for these load alternations proves to be a challenge.

Long term effects such as settlements, seabed erosion and alteration in pipeline weight due to corrosion are all dynamic factors evolving slowly. yet inevitably changing the load scenario within the pipeline.

There are basically two ways to approach these challenges; design the pipeline and termination with capacities large enough to handle the total expectance of long term effects or readjust the pipeline at some given point in order to correct for any deviations which have developed.

Pipe

lines

PipelinesActive Pipeline Supports – Adjusting for the Future

APS Solution for pipelines on the Pluto Field in NW Australia

UT3 1Q 2010 57

The challenge with the first approach is that it will lead to pipelines and terminations which are in fact over dimensioned for the design load which again will contribute to enhance the loads. In addition, one will have to sacrifice some capacity of the pipeline and termination for the purpose of arresting the loads present.

Applying the optional approach, the pipeline and tied-in structures can be monitored over time, and deviations can be accounted for and corrected for when the time is deemed right. The positive gain with this approach is that pipeline, termination and structure design can be optimised.

Pipeline load alternations due to changes in well stream are another ‘unknown’ factor, which by now means can be regarded as static when designing a pipeline system. The industry has come a long way predicting well production based on geotechnical surveys, sample drilling, �D seismic and so far; however it is still in fact a best prediction.

No one can say for sure how a well will play in �0-�0 years. The exact amounts of water, oil or gas produced will be uncertain factors as for the amount of injected glycol necessary or the extent of pigging activities. Are flooding of gas producing pipelines and spools due to backflow during production stops taken into account when pipeline loads are determined in the design basis?

These are all factors that need to be regarded as vital when determining the load scenario for the pipelines life cycle, and they are by no means static occurrences. Evidently static solutions can not be regarded as a favorable method of choice when designing pipeline systems and supporting structures for a long term life cycle purpose, hence a new approach is called for.

Reviewing a pipeline system it is evident that introducing an adjustable support for the pipeline prior to the

termination point offers a possibility to control the loads in the pipeline through the entire lifecycle of the pipeline and increases the capacity of the termination points. One gains control over free spans and reduces the risk of fatigue in the pipeline and connected components such as valves.

Active Pipeline Supports (APS) is a solution developed by Nemo Engineering in order to face the challenges related to pipeline tie-in points and pipeline life cycle load alterations.

The APS system also offer a solution to previously undetectable problems during the design phase or problems due to unknown factors apparent at a later stage in pipeline life, without installing additional equipment subsea. It is a robust yet flexible solution.

If Active Pipeline Supports are accounted for in early design stages, design solutions with direct pipeline tie-in eliminating spools entirely are achievable.

The development of the APS technology has resulted in two types of designs.

The first type is a self adjusting APS which can be pre- or post installed. This type is primarily intended for spools and smaller pipelines. The APS can be attached to the pipeline during installation and be installed as an integrated part of the pipeline. Subsea it will be connected to a pre-charged hydraulic unit.

These APS’s are self adjusting and will correct load alternations in the pipeline as they occur. For long term purposes they can be locked of and left as a permanent support. This concept offer the opportunity to regain control on loads in existing pipelines and spools and further more enables one to perform future corrections without installing additional equipment.

Active Pipeline Supports – Adjusting for the Future

The Second type there is a ROV operated type which is designed primarily for pipelines and is pre installed. This type is a robust construction with load bearing capacities ranging from 0–�0 tons or more.

These are designed for all seabed conditions ranging from compact rock dumping to transverse sloping soft clay. Vertical adjustment of the pipeline is the standard feature and transverse adjustment of pipeline as an option.

The APS is operated by ROV equipped with HPU and torque tool. Standard API Class � or 7 interfaces are preferred depending on pipeline loads. These APS’s weigh between �7 and ��tdepending on soil interface and pipeline loads designed for.

by Ronny HaldorsenProject Manager, Nemo Engineering AS

APS with 20in pipeline installed on the Pluto Field NW Australia

APS Technology APS Solutions Pre installed on spoolfor the Kristin field in the North Sea

.....Pipelines

UT3 1Q 201058

Data from pipeline free span analyses performed by Nemo Engineering AS on a �0in pipeline laid across an APS prior to entering a flowline termination assembly supports the benefits of applying an APS solution in a pipeline system.

The results indicate variations in hub moments in the range of 0, 800kNm for a pipeline without an APS solution. Introducing an APS in the system at a given location in the freespan prior to the termination with a fixed height will improve the results significantly. Hub moment variations are reduced to be within the range of -�00, �50kNm.

However if the APS is adjusted actively throughout the different phases of the pipeline installation the hub moment variations are reduced to be within the range of 0, 80kNm. As a result the hub moment variations are reduced by 7�0kNm, which should be considered as a significant improvement. The graph displays how the changes in hub moments are distributed for all three cases mentioned.

The factors addressed results in limitations contradicting the demand for ever larger and longer pipelines in continuously deeper waters. Traditionally dredging, rock dumping and sandbagging have been the method of choice in order to optimize the pipeline route.

The oil and gas industry is heading into deeper and environmentally more challenging waters with ever larger distances from shore. Consequently the traditional methods like rock dumping and sandbagging are no longer suitable as they are too time consuming and require specialized equipment and vessels to be mobilized. For the very same reason access for intervention and corrective operations on pipelines will be limited.

As pipelines increase in size the benefits of being able to control moments and loads will become even more evident. The APS system provide a cost optimal solution for pipelines by means of reduced structure sizes, reduced demand for spools, reduced demand for rock dumping and optimized installation of pipelines i.e. reduced installation time.Utilizing an APS system means that the pipeline can be easily accessed with a minor vessel with WROV spread and adjusted during installation, tie-in operations and for the entire pipeline life cycle.

Pipeline Analysis for APS purposes

Moments at pipeline termination point © Nemo engineering

Future demands and challenges

Pluto APS with pipeline installed

Shipping of the Pluto APS

Ormen Lange APS

UT3 1Q 2010 59

Exploration

Exploration

Falkland Oil and Gas Limited (FOGL) is set to drill its first exploration well off the Falkland Islands. The Diamond Offshore semisub Ocean Guardian will drill the Toroa prospect in the East Falklands basin, probably during the first half of this year.

Late last year, Desire Petroleum negotiated a multi-well programme with the rig for its prospects in the North Falkland basin with the aim of releasing certain rig slots to other interested parties in the region. Rockhopper also has taken up this offer for its northern Falkland acreage. Desire Petroleum has four prospects

Falklands

Anadarko ‘s Windjammer exploration well in the frontier Rovuma basin, offshore Mozambique, has encountered more than �80ft net of natural gas pay in high-quality reservoir sands, with a gross column of more than ��00ft. The well lies in �800 feet of water, approximately �0 miles east of the Mozambique coastline

To date, this well has tested one of the seven identified play types in Anadarko’s operated acreage offshore Mozambique.

Bob Daniels, Anadarko Sr. Vice President, Worldwide Exploration said: “This is true rank wildcat exploration, and to have our first deepwater exploration well result in a discovery,

WINDJAMMER DISCOVERYOffshore Mozambique

3D Outline3D Outline3D Outline3D Outline

APC Operator OFFSHORE AREA 1

(APC WI 43%)

APC OpppeeerrraattorOFFSHHOOORRREE AREA 11

(((AAAPPPCC WI 43%)

APC Operator OFFSHORE AREA 1

(APC WI 43%)

0 20Kilometers0 20Kilometers

TANZANIA

MOZAMBIQUEWindjammer

DiscoveryWinddjammer

DisscoveryWindjammer

Discovery

CollierCCCCollierrCollier

OFFSHORE AREA 1

PROSPECTS

2010 EXPLORATION DRLG

thus far, is a strong indication of the potential of this basin.

The Windjammer discovery de-risks a substantial portion of approximately 50 leads and prospects that we’ve identified across our �.�-million-acre position in the basin.”

After testing the deeper objectives in the well, Anadarko plans to move the Belford Dolphin drillship to its Collier prospect less than 50 miles south-southeast of Windjammer.

Anadarko also expects to drill two to four additional exploration wells in the Rovuma Basin this year, with initial well results from Windjammer and Collier determining which prospects are drilled next.

Windjammer

while Rockhopper will have two exploration wells drilled.

The well on Toroa will be operated by FOGL’s partner BHP Billiton Petroleum. The company submitted an environmental statement last September to the Falklands Islands government to drill two wells on Toroa and the Loligo prospect in license areas PL0�5 and PL0�8. At that point, no rig had been commissioned.

Toroa’s well, ��0 km (99 mi) south of Port Stanley, will be the first ever drilled this far south. All previous exploration, during the multi-well campaign of

�998, was in the North Falklands basin. According to the operational addendum for the environmental statement, the well should take �0-�0 days to drill.

AGR Petroleum Services has made a £� million, folowing a contract by Desire and Rockhopper to provide logistical support and undertake a six well drilling programme in the North Falklands Basin.

AGR has established a supply base in Port Stanley which required an initial loadout of approximately 9000t of cargo to be shipped from Aberdeen harbour.

The Windjammer discovery

The Ocean Guardian

UT3 1Q 2010�0

Tullow Oil ‘s Tweneboa-� appraisal well, some � km southeast of the Tweneboa-� discovery,offshore Ghana, has intersected a significant combined hydrocarbon column. The Atwood Hunter semi-submersible drilled Tweneboa-� in the Deepwater Tano block to an interim depth of �8�0m in water depths of ����m.

The well has encountered a gross reservoir interval of �5�m containing ��m of net hydrocarbon pay in stacked reservoir sandstones, comprising a �7m oil bearing zone below a �5m gas-condensate bearing zone.A combined hydrocarbon column of at least �50m has been established between the lowest known oil in Tweneboa-� and the top of the gas-condensate at Tweneboa-�,

Statoil has discovered gas �km south-west of the Norne field in the Norwegian Sea during the drilling of exploration well �507/�-8. A gas column ���m high was identified in the Fangst and Båt group of the Middle and Lower Jurassic, with good reservoir properties. The find is estimated to contain �.�-�.5 billion m� of recoverable gas.

“This discovery lies in an area where we’ve made a number of earlier finds,” explains Geir Richardsen, head of infrastructure-led exploration in the Norwegian Sea. “With detailed surveying and evaluation enhancing our knowledge, this area is still considered prospective.”

No formation test was carried out in the well, which lies in �78m of water, but extensive data was gathered and cores were taken.

The well was drilled to a total measured depth of �9�8m below sea level and terminated in the Lower Jurassic Tilje formation. It will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.Producing the discovery through a tie-in to Norne will be considered by the licensees in production licence �59 B.

This is the second well in the licence, which was awarded in �989 as part of the ��B licensing round and carved out from PL �59 in �00�. Well �507/�-8 was drilled by Ocean Vanguard, which will now move to PL 057 in the North Sea to drill exploration well ��/�-��S for Statoil as operator.

Exploration

Expl

orat

ion

Gas discovery near Norne

McMoRan Exploration has discovered hydrocarbons on its Davy Jones prospect located on South Marsh Island Block ��0 in approximately �0 feet of water. It follwoed the well with additional reserves.

The ultradeep well was drilled to a measured depth of �8 ���ft and logged with pipe-conveyed wireline logs to �8,��� feet. The wireline log results indicated a total of ��5 net ft of hydrocarbon bearing sands in four zones in the Wilcox section of the Eocene/Paleocene.

Drilling deeper, to �8 �0�, the well discovered an additionial �5ft.Flow testing will be required

Davy Jonesto confirm the ultimate hydrocarbon flow rates.

McMoRan’s Co-Chairman, James R. Moffett, said: “Davy Jones log results confirm our geologic model and indicate that the previously identified sands in the Wilcox section on thislarge ultra-deep structure providessignificant additional development potential. This could make Davy Jones one of the largest discoveries on the Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico indecades.

“The geologic results from this well are important and are redefining the subsurface geologic landscape below �0 000ft on the Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico.”

Tweneboa

The Norne FPSO

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

Helix Energy Solutions Group subsidiary, Energy Resource Technology GOM has made a Gulf of Mexico deepwater oil and gas discovery at its Jake prospect, located in Green Canyon Block �90.

The discovery well was drilled to �� 50�ft in �7�0ft of water and encountered ���ft of net oil and gas pay in a single sand interval. The well was conventionally wireline logged with multiple fluid samples recovered for confirmation of the hydrocarbon bearing zone.

The well has been cased and temporarily abandoned for a future subsea completion.

JakeFollowing the discovery, Helix’s estimate for this prospect is 50–75 Bcfe gross.

Development options are currently underway, including a potential joint development with a recent discovery made in the area. First production from the Jake discovery is estimated to take place in mid �0��. ERT owns a �5% working interest in both the discovery well and Green Canyon Block �90.

ERT has made an additional new Gulf of Mexico shelf discovery at its 75% owned and operated South Timbalier ��5 Field. The new discovery was drilled to �� �9� true vertical depth and logged approximately �0ft of oil and gas pay.

Anadarko has discovered oil on its Lucius exploration well in Keathley Canyon block 875. The well encountered more than �00 feet of net pay in subsalt Pliocene and Miocene sands.

Lucius is a three-way structure against salt, and the results of the well indicate thick reservoir sands with very good porosity and permeability. Adadarko plans to immediately drill an up-dip

Lucius and Itaipusidetrack appraisal well to delineate the reservoir’s areal extent. Additionally, the proximity and availability the Red Hawk cell spar enhances its potential development options and offers the opportunity to accelerate the production of these resources.

The Lucius discovery was drilled to a total depth of about �0 000 ft in approximately 7�00 ft of water, using the new ultra-deepwater Ensco 8500 semi-submersible drilling rig. The up-dip sidetrack appraisal well will be drilled on the same block, approximately ��00ft due south of the discovery.

Anadarko also recently announced its second pre-salt discovery in Brazil at the Itaipu prospect in block BM-C-�� in the Campos Basin. The well encountered more than 90ft of oil in a high-quality pre-salt carbonate reservoir of similar characteristics and quality to the neighboring giant Jubarte complex.The Itaipu well was drilled to a total depth of approximately �� �00 ft in ��00ft of water.

The Itaipu well is located approximately �� miles north of Anadarko’s original Wahoo discovery and six miles southeast of Petrobras’ pre-salt Jubarte

ITAIPU DISCOVERY

Petroleum Corporation

0 10Kilometers

Kilometers

BM-C-3030% WI

BM-C-3233% WI

WAHOO #2

ITAIPUDISCOVERYAPC WI 33.3%

WAHOO

Jubarte Complex1st Well Producing ~18,000 BOE/d

Pre-Salt Resources ~2 BBOE

SantosBasin

EspíritoSantoBasin

CamposBasin

BRAZIL

0 50

ANADARKO WI BLOCKSINDUSTRY PRE-SALT DISCOVERIES

RECENT SUCCESS

PROSPECTSNEW DISCOVERY

DRILLING

HADRIAN

PHOBOSPROSPECT

1007 1008

39 40

Keathley Canyon875874

963 964

919 920

TEXAS LOUISIANA

Petroleum Corporation

ANADARKO WI BLOCKSANADARKO FIELDSINDUSTRY DISCOVERYAPC DISCOVERY

LUCIUSDISCOVERY APC WI 50.00%

LUCIUS DISCOVERY

0 3Miles

RED HAWKCell Spar

complex, which is currently flowinglight oil on a long-term test through the Jubarte FPSO. Partners in Itaipu are currently planning a sidetrack to this well and anticipate further appraisal drilling in �0�0. Anadarko is also preparing to sidetrack Wahoo #� to gather additional data from thewell. Once sidetrack drilling is complete, it is planned to move the rig to the Wahoo discovery well to conduct a drillstem test and then return to Wahoo #� for another drillstem test.

Chevron has made an additional natural gas discovery in the Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia. This follows closely on the Achilles-� discovery,

The exploration well, Satyr-�, located ��0km (�00 miles) offshore in the Greater Gorgon Area in �070m (�5�0 ft) of water, was drilled to a total depth of �5�0m (�� 9�0 ft). The well discovered ��0m (��5ft) of net gas pay.

Thedrilling campaign in northwestern is expected to provide additional natural gas supplies to underpin the Chevron-operated Gorgon natural gas project,

Satyr

Tweneboa

Exploration.....

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The latest addition to the Helix Energy Solutions Group global well intervention fleet, Well Enhancer, successfully completed her inaugural well intervention project on Nexen Petroleum UK,’s Buzzard S� well in the North Sea in October �009.

The well intervention was carried out following comprehensive system trials,

including personnel familiarisation and training on a test well provided by Nexen.

The Subsea Intervention Lubricator, (SIL), a 7�/8 in bore single-trip system – designed and built in house by Helix Well Operations – was successfully deployed via the vessel’s integrated skidding and handling system in

adverse weather conditions. The vessel’s performance exceeded expectations; with a significant wave height of 5m and winds of �5kts, heave at the moonpool rarely exceeded �m.

“The Well Enhancer’s moonpool design and skidding system, coupled with our ability to disconnect and reconnect the control umbilicals

Well Enhancer

Subsea

UT3 1Q 2010 ��

subsea, enabled us to work safely in weather conditions that would have sidelined other intervention vessels,” said Steve Nairn, Regional Vice President of Helix Well Ops UK.

“Thanks to these features unique to Well Enhancer, the operation was completed on schedule in spite of difficult weather.”

Over the course of the ten day operation, the Well Enhancer performed production logging, fluid sampling and wireline services including sand detection and flow profiling on the well. The S� water injection well was entered with a combined log/fluid sampling service and all onboard systems were used successfully.

Construction on the vessel began at the IHC Krimpen shipyard in July �007, with the Christening ceremony taking place in May �008.

The Well Enhancer then underwent fitting of its multipurpose tower and specialised well intervention equipment prior to sea trials.

UT3 1Q 2010��

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The Australian office of Fugro GEOS has been awarded a contract by Woodside Energy to undertake a year-long metocean study along the proposed pipeline route for the Browse LNG development which will run from the gas fields to the planned Kimberley LNG Precinct at James Price Point, about �0km north of Broome in Western Australia.

“This is a major contract for our new Australian office, we are very pleased to be working with Woodside on this significant project,” explains Mark Wimshurst, Australian Manager of Fugro GEOS.

“Our role will be to undertake metocean measurement studies along the entire length of the proposed pipeline route from the fields to the proposed LNG Precinct.”

The contract covers an onshore meteorological measurement programme and a nearshore and offshore metocean measurement programme.

A �0m meteorological tower will be installed onshore to measure meteorological parameters and air quality in order to establish onsite baselines. Data from all the sensors on the tower will be transmitted by Iridium links and uploaded to a secure website for retrieval by the client.

The nearshore and offshore programme calls for the deployment of approximately �0 current meter moorings installed at between 8m and �00m water depths as well as two Fugro OCEANOR Wavescan buoys (with dual met masts and loggers), three directional waveriders (DWR’s), long period wave recorders, tide gauges and surface current drifters.

A number of the current meter moorings will include thermistor measurements to support the detection of solitons (internal waves).

EIVA has released the new NaviModel software for ocean mapping, data analysis and interpretation. The software provides intuitive �D visualisation of infinite survey data sets by integration of multiple data formats and sources using user defined templates.

NaviModel includes features for data cleaning either manually or through use of advanced semi or fully automated tools as well as creation of own filters by use of plug-in function.

Digital terrain models (DTM) are displayed in real-time fly-through fashion featuring different color modes and palettes in addition to adjustment of light source. Difference models and volume calculations are visualized by colouring the resulting DTM in difference modes.

Terrain manipulation is performed by levelling out depth differences between lines by skewing lines toward an average surface representation. Special pipe line modelling capabilities comprise pipe and flag editing in real-time �D environment and support of export formats including SITRAS through user defined templates.

NaviModel further provides special facilities by which it is possible to match DTM, video and events and thus visualize run-line, ROV track, pipeline, flags, events and DTM all in the same �D environment. Moreover NaviModel provides tools for automatic export of data in terms of shaded reliefs, soundings, contours, bathymetry, longitudinal and cross profiles, etc. as well as export directly to AutoCad supporting content in relevant layers.

Eiva NavimodelTritex NDT has launched its new Multigauge �000 series ROV thickness gauges for mounting onto most work class vehicles.

The range includes the Multigauge ��00 and Multigauge ��00 which are for use in depths of �000m and �000m respectively. These new products mean that pipelines, pilings and subsea structures can now be easily inspected in shallow and deep water applications, and without the need for using divers. They use multiple echo to ensure coatings do not have to be removed, only the metal substrate is measured.

Additionally, they have intelligent probe recognition (IPR) and automatic measurement verification system (AMVS).

The gauges have either an RS��� or RS��� output. To accompany the Multigauge �000, Tritex have developed communication software, for use on a PC or laptop, to display and record the measurements and associated data such as the time and a descriptive label if required. Templates can be set up to store measurements in a grid, string or combination of both.

Thickness Gauges

Multigauge 4000 ROV thickness gauges

Browse Pipeline

Navimodel

UT3 1Q 2010 �5

LinkQuest has recently extended its popular FlowQuest acoustic current profiler line to include the small and lightweight FlowQuest �000 system.

The FlowQuest �000 system operates at � MHz with a blank distance as short as �0cm. The system is about ��.�cm in diameter, ��cm in length and weighs less than �.� kgs in water. The FlowQuest �000 system is capable of reaching up to �0m in range with an accuracy

Acoustic Current Profilerof up to 0.�5% +/- �.5 mm/s. The standard depth rating of the system is 800m with options for �00, �500, �000 and �000m. This system also has an optional discharge measurement function.

The FlowQuest �000 acoustic current profiler is used for measuring discharge, currents and flows in shallow waters or for short range applications. It is particularly useful when a minimum blank distance is desirable. The FlowQuest 2000 system

The Geotechnical Engineering and Marine Surveys (GEMS) group has purchased an OSIL MiniBATsystem to carry out sound velocity (SV) measurements at a 50 km� site in Asia.

The OSIL MiniBAT FC�0 is a lightweight remotely controlled instrument platform designed for use with a range of sensors. The towed system was able to provide continuous measurement without the need to stop the vessel.

The MiniBAT was fitted with the AML Minos SVP which directly measures the time-of-flight of an acoustic ping. Its compact size is ideally suited to the highly portable MiniBAT frame.

GEMS OSIL MiniBAT

Understanding the inland underwater environment Ireland’s inshore water areas are an enormous source of income and activity. The most important starting point to mapping and measuring impact is to understand the waters and seabed as they are currently.

MacArtney recently supplied sonar equipment is mapping the seabed both in and around Ireland onboard the newly inaugurated inshore survey vessel, Keary and onboard the Celtic Explorer.

In an extensive project, the Infomar programme is currently surveying

MacArtney Seabed Mappingthe ��5,000km� of inshore waters to produce integrated maps showing the physical, biological and chemical makeup of the seabed.

The Keary has been equipped with MacArtney supplied side scan sonar and full-spectrum sub-bottom profiler housed in a retractable pod. It will spend the next few years mapping the inshore seabed, the side scan sonar investigating the topography and the first layers of sediment.

MacArtney supplied side scan sonar system will map ��5 000m� of inshore water areas in Ireland. The complete side scan sonar and sub-bottom

profiler system on the Keary also includes a MacArtney side scan winch, topside processors and acquisition and processing software, digital links and coax and deck cables.

In another part of the Infomar programme, a moving vessel profiler (MVP) aboard the vessel, Celtic Explorer, will be mapping the offshore seabed. This survey is part of a Europe-wide initiative to provide a complete picture of underwater habitats and seabed. Surveying and map work will continue for several years to come and will provide a complete marine atlas for waters in and around Ireland.

OSIL MiniBAT FC60

Subsea Survey

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UT3 1Q 2010��

A number of US Navy dive teams are employing underwater metal detectors in their search and recovery operations. These teams include Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit �, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Units � and ��, Underwater Construction Team � and the SEAL Delivery Vehicle team (SDV-�) in Pearl City, Hawaii.

They use detectors for a variety of tasks such as locating explosive devices and weapons, finding anchors and chains, tracking pipelines and cables, and searching for tools that are dropped from ships and piers.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also uses underwater detectors in its search operations. The Bureau’s divers are often called to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in their search for a weapon thrown in a waterway. Criminals mistakenly believe if they dispose of a gun or knife in the water, it will be lost forever. FBI dive teams continually prove them wrong by recovering the weapons, even when they’re buried deep in mud. In one case, the team managed to find all the pieces of a hand gun that was completely disassembled before being tossed into a river.

Alcohol, tobacco and firearms (ATF) is another bureau using these high-tech tools. Their explosive training branch (ETB) recently added a detector to their arsenal.

ETB conducts programs for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to teach identification and location of explosives, and how to properly handle and dispose of them. With the threat of a terrorist attack on any front, officers need to know how to search for, and locate, explosive devices that are attached to ships, bridges, piers, and other underwater structures.

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) use these instruments to locate metal objects when doing site inspections for environmental

Underwater Metal Detection

clean ups, like the one recently conducted at the former Hammond Bombing and Gunnery Range in Louisiana. The Corps’ hazardous, toxic and radiological waste (HTRW) branch recently picked up a couple of underwater detectors to assist in their restoration operations at former defense sites. One detector commonly used in all of these teams is JW Fishers’ Pulse 8X, a commercial grade machine designed for industrial and military operations.

The FBI’s dive units in New York, California, Florida, and Washington DC have has purchased a quantity of these high performance locators along with interchangeable coils. Six different coils can be attached to the electronics unit which gives the detector great versatility. It can be used on land, diving to depths of �00ft or deployed from a boat.

The National Marine Fisheries Services, a branch of NOAA, also picked up a detector for its Milford Laboratory in Connecticut. The facility conducts research on culturing fish and shellfish, development methods for commercial use, stock enhancement, and restoration. They join scientists from as far away as Hong Kong and Australia using underwater metal detectors for their marine resource management programs.

The Department of Agriculture,

Fisheries, and Conservation in Hong Kong are using a Pulse 8X with a probe coil to find metal plates buried in the beach that mark the location of sea turtle nests.

Department spokesman KS Cheung says, “In the past we used some cheap detectors, but their performance was poor. Our colleagues at Taiwan University were doing the same work using the Fisher model and reported excellent results; they convinced us to switch detectors.”

In Australia, Dr. Tasman Crowe, a scientist with the Centre for International Agriculture and Research is using his 8X to monitor shellfish populations. He studies the movements of marine snail colonies by detecting small metal tags affixed to their shells and tracking their movement over time.

Other federal government agencies using this detection gear are the US Border Patrol, US Forestry Service and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Each of these agencies has a different use for their detector. It helps the Border Patrol search for weapons that are disposed of, and sometimes hidden in, rivers and water holes. It aids the Forest Service in locating chains implanted in river banks to secure soil and vegetation, and it assists the EPA in locating drums of hazardous waste that are disposed of in our nation’s waterways.

A diver using underwater metal detectors

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OperationsOperations

Hallin ExpansionOceaneering International has com-missioned the construction of a dive support vessel (DSV) with an estimat-ed capital cost of $�7 million.

Oceaneering expects delivery of the �00ft by ��ft vessel from a Gulf coast shipyard late in the fourth quarter of �0�0. The new vessel will replace the Ocean Project, which was built in �97�.

Oceaneering DSV

Oil and gas offshore marine support service provider Alam Maritim Resources Bhd, is looking to strengthen its presence overseas, particularly in the Middle East and Indonesia this year. Speaking to the Malaysian news resource The Star, the group’s managing director Azmi Ahmad confirmed that he hadstarted making inroads into the Middle East as part of its strategies to widen its customer base.

“Alam Maritim, together with a third party, has set up operation in Dubai that marked the group’s first foray into the region.We are also looking to expand in Indonesia via a joint venture with a local partner,” he told StarBiz.

Azmi added that the penetration into foreign markets was preparation for the expected daily charter rates reduction of between �0% and �0% next year compared with all-time high rates when the oil price reached its peak previously.

In terms of fleet expansion, Alam Maritim via wholly-owned subsidiary Alam Maritim agreed to a 5�:�9 joint venture with Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) to invest and jointly own six anchor handling tug supply vessels valued at US$���.5million.

On the outlook for the JV vessels, Azmi said Malaysian oil majors typically gave priority to Malaysian-owned assets and operators when dishing out local contracts.

Alam Maritim

Hallin Marine has announced a major expansion of its West Division, committing its new build vessel to the region, unveiling a move into saturation diving and looking to recruit more staff and move to new premises. The Aberdeen based West Division will take delivery of the US$50 million new build subsea operations vessel (SOV) Windermere in the second quarter of �0�0.

The West Division of the integrated subsea contractor has, until now, focussed on the operation of its own fleet of remote operated vehicles (ROVs). It is looking to operate the new vessel in the Middle East, Mediterranean and West Africa areas.

The Windermere, which will be managed out of Aberdeen, is fitted with a �5-man saturation diving system, an air diving spread, two heavy duty work-class ROVs and an inspection class vehicle.

The diesel electric, Voith propulsion DP � vessel has a 50 tonne, active heave compensated crane and accommodation for ��0 crew and operational staff. The 80m, Windermere will be supported by an experienced onshore project engineering capability.

This state-of-the-art DSV will be US flagged and outfitted to perform subsea inspection, repair, and main-tenance (IRM) services and support construction operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

The vessel will have built-in diving equipment, including a dive control system and decompression cham-bers, to maximise the availability of deck space for job specific equip-ment and to ensure safe working conditions.

It will have accommodations for 50 personnel and be equipped with a �0t crane, a working moon pool, and a four-point mooring system enabling operations in 700ft of seawater.

The US$50 million new build subsea operations vessel (SOV) Windermere

The Ocean Project, which is due to retire

UT3 1Q 2010�8

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Tectonic Detector

Iver2Australian Marine Ecology has purchased an Iver� autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from OceanServer Technology. This vehicle, equipped with OceanServer’s new dual port camera system, will be used in a broad range of upcoming research initiatives that include coral reef mapping in shallow lagoon habitats of the Lihou Reef in the Coral Sea.

Other reef work will include ongoing monitoring and measurements of the coral bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish. The vehicle will also collect data to better examine habitat conditions and mapping of marine protected areas, as well as for design of seabed infrastructure.

The Australian Marine Ecology personnel spend up to �00 days in the field each year, including hundreds of hours underwater in a variety of environments and conditions. The scientific team is one of the most active in southern Australia, and is heavily involved in underwater surveys for fisheries, environmental impact assessment and ecological research. The Iver� AUV will be another critical asset for the organisation, along with fully equipped laboratories, a scientific diving team, remotely opeated vehicles (ROVs), and a variety of instrumented surface vessels already offered by Australian Marine Ecology.All Iver� AUV models come standard

with OceanServer’s VectorMap Mission Planning and Data Presentation tool, which provides geo-registered data files that can be easily exported to other software analysis tools.

This unique software design, coupled to a growing variety of sensors, has enabled OceanServer to carve out a strong position in the research space for autonomous underwater vehicles. The VectorMap program can input National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) electronic navigation charts (ENCs) or any geo-referenced chart, map or photo image, allowing the operator to intuitively develop AUV missions using simple point-and-click navigation.

Falmouth Scientific Inc (FSI) has supplied a solar-powered autonomous underwater vehicle (SAUV) to the University of Tokyo for use in monitoring tectonic plate movement. The SAUV is a compact, man-portable AUV designed for autonomous operation for long periods (weeks to months) without requiring maintenance, servicing, or recharging.

The vehicle can be pre-programmed to submerge to depths down to 500m, to transit to designated waypoints, or to operate on the surface during conditions suitable for battery charging via solar energy input. With a square metre of solar panels, the SAUV can collect from �00 to 900WHr/ day and carries �.�KWHr on-board,

rechargeable batteries, providing sufficient power for extended missions with large

user payloads and frequent communications.

For this project, the SAUV has been equipped with a specialised transducer to receive precise slant range data from seabed-mounted transponders along with a real time kinematic (RTK) GPS, IXSEA PHotonic inertial navigation system (PHINS) motion reference unit and a TRDI WorkHorse acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP), The combination of precise data from the underwater transponders, RTK GPS, and IXSEA MRU will allow researchers to monitor tectonic plate movements on the scale of millimetres per kilometre.

Iver 2 AUV

UT3 1Q 2010 �9

Late last year, the US Coast Guard cutter Alexander Hamilton was found with the aid of a Gavia AUV, �7 years after being torpedoed by a German U-boat in January �9��, while escorting a convoy to Iceland.

Within sight of land, the final resting place of the Treasury class Alexander Hamilton WPG-��, was finally identified in September �009, during an Icelandic coast guard (ICG) operation using a Gavia AUV. This was the first US loss in the Atlantic after the Pearl Harbour attacks on 7th December �9��.

Shortly after receiving a new aircraft with specialised pollution detection equipment in July �009, the ICG detected traces of oil on the surface invisible to the naked eye in an area not known to contain any wrecks.

Soon thereafter, a survey vessel was dispatched to the area which did a multibeam sonar survey using a relatively low frequency system. While able to survey large swathes of the ocean bottom, it was not able to provide much resolution on contacts. It did reveal, however, an uncharted wreck.

As a result of these findings, a subsequent operation was planned with the ICG cutter Ægir, in order to identify the wreck. It also attempted to try and obtain higher resolution sidescan sonar and bathymetric data from a Gavia AUV and video footage from an accompanying remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

The Gavia AUV was operated from a rigid inflatable boat from the Ægir in sea state �–5. Small boat operations in these conditions were quite difficult for the AUV operators. The high swells and limited visibility presented challenges both for launch and recovery and, to a greater extent, the visual relocation of the vehicle, even with a known GPS position.

The Gavia AUV that was used during the operation was equipped with a �00kHz Side Scan Sonar and a 500kHz GeoSwath module was employed as well. As the Gavia AUV is a modular system it was possible

Gavia Aids Cutter Discoveryto insert the GeoSwath module when required. Navigation of the system was from a Doppler velocity log (DVL)-aided inertial navigation system (INS).

From the data gathered, it was possible to ascertain that the vessel is lying on its starboard side roughly at a �5deg angle in around 95m depth. It was also possible to see the evidence of the massive damage from the torpedo which left roughly an ��m-long hole in the bottom of the ship. Further video data from the ROV of the ships’ running gear determined without a doubt that this was the Alexander Hamilton.

According to Capt. Halldór Nellet,

chief of operations, ICG: “The Gavia AUV proved to be a powerful tool in the Icelandic Coast Guards identification of the Alexander Hamilton, providing us with a clearer picture of the vessel in its entirety including the damage sustained and how the wreck lies on the sea bottom, through high quality side-scan and bathymetric data from a man portable platform and was a valuable asset in this operation.”

The finding of the Alexander Hamilton is historically significant as it is the first ship lost by the US in the Atlantic, and for the fact that �0 men who were killed during this torpedo attack went down with the ship.

Recovery of Gavia AUV to Icelandic Coast Guard RIB

Underw

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Hafmynd and Fugro Survey in a joint initiative with Woodside Energy, have successfully trialed a Gavia Offshore Surveyor AUV down to a subsea depth of �000m. This significantly surpasses the previous maximum recorded depth of ��0m achieved by a Gavia vehicle.

The Gavia’s modular configuration enables the inclusion of various payloads in addition to the base vehicle configuration, such as an inertial navigation system, GeoSwath bathymetric sonar and additional battery modules for increased endurance.

Mission Record for GaviaThe record-breaking dive to �000m was part of a series of customer acceptance trials recently completed offshore Perth, Australia. The AUV was set to run a grid of survey lines at an altitude of ��m above the seabed, recording both side-scan sonar and swath bathymetric data.

This was followed by a survey line run at only �m above the seabed, designed to collect seabed habitat photographs. Dive time from the surface to �000m was approximately �0 minutes. Based on this expected survey, the duration at this depth could exceed � hours.

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UT3 1Q 201070

A HUGIN �000 portable AUV system was recently demonstrated to the Korean Navy. The portable AUV system is fully containerised into one �0ft ISO container for storage, battery management, vehicle maintenance and launch and recovery (LAR), and one �0ft ISO container for mission planning, vehicle checkout, mission execution and post-mission analysis (PMA). This advanced AUV system covers a wide range of operations like mine countermeasures, route survey and high-quality bathymetric mapping surveys in areas of interest.

The main advantage of the HUGIN AUV is its small overall system footprint. This is primarily due to the multi-function �0ft container providing AUV storage, shipping, maintenance, battery charging launch and recovery facilities. Due to compactness of the �0ft operations container, only two operators are needed for the entire operation.

The system allows fast and easy mobilisation onto vessels of opportunity due to ISO

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HUGIN Portablecontainerisation, well-defined and simple interface points, and the self-sufficient nature of the system. The entire system fits on a standard truck, and can use all standard shipping methods, including overnight airlift to anywhere in the world.

AUV operations are run directly from the �0ft ISO container, with no need to tie into a ship’s systems or internal spaces. In the portable system, a Kongsberg High-Precision Acoustic Positioning (HiPAP) �50 system and a tow-fish transducer for acoustic communication are included, as well as a Kongsberg SeaPath system for accurate ship reference position and attitude.

The �0ft container includes a two-stage LAR ‘stinger’ (hydraulically controlled hinged ramp) which allows AUV operations from vessels with a stern freeboard of up to 5m. Both ISO containers are insulated and equipped with heating systems to enable operations in Arctic environments, as well as air condition system for operations in tropical climate.

The AUV in its 20ft containerInset: Installed on a Krean Navy vesse

Recent Demonstrations

The Hugin AUV on a Korean naval vessel

The HUGIN �000 Portable AUV System was recently demonstrated in Korean waters. The operations were carried out by Kongsberg’s AUV Department in close cooperation with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The sea trials took place south-west of the city of Busan and covered both search for mines in shallow and deeper waters. The HUGIN AUV executed all test dives autonomously without problems in up to sea state four.

“It took one week, from start of transportation in Horten to the time the HUGIN �000 first touched the Korean waters,” said Svein Otto Schjerven, manager of the HUGIN AUV.

“The first operation of this kind using the HUGIN �000 system was a great success and demonstrated fully, the capacity of such an AUV system.”

UT3 1Q 2010 7�

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has ordered two REMUS �00 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) systems from Hydroid.

The two vehicles will be operated by FAU’s Institute for Ocean andSystems Engineering. They are part of FAU’s National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Program (NSF MRI) award and

are intended to complement FAU’s capabilities and enable research in cooperative behavior between AUVs.

According to Edgar An, Principal Investigator on the NSF award, the two new REMUS �00 systems will be used to advance research in use of multiple AUVs and in high-speed datacommunication. It is expected that the REMUS vehicles and the associated

research will benefit new research opportunities at the Institute. These will include the development of fixed and mobile autonomous surface and underwater platforms for studies of coastal processes, studies of ocean noise and its impact on marine mammals, air-sea interaction, and characterisation of electromagnetic fields in the coastal oceans.

Remus for Florida Atlantic

SeeByte, the global leader in creating smart software for unmanned vehicles, has completed a successful confined area search (CAS) trial on Bluefin Robotics’ Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HAUV) with the US Office of Naval Research.

The goal of the trial was to demonstrate the automatic tracking of the propeller shafts of a ship hull. In this task, the HAUV and SeeByte’s control technology software detected both shafts, tracked each and returned to the starting point autonomously.

Tracking trialsThe CAS technology proved it was able to communicate, take control and act out an inspection task, showcase real-time �-D reconstruction of the complex areas and accomplish all of this autonomously.

This technology can be utilised by the military for mine identification/verification and port and harbour security measures, as well as for pipeline inspections and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) ship hull inspections for the offshore oil and gas industry.

“We are pleased to see the success of this system and value the mutually beneficial partnership we’ve had with SeeByte,” commented Dr. Jerome Vaganay, Bluefin Robotics Project Manager.

“The underwater security sector is continuously growing and demanding new capability.

The technological accomplishments demonstrated by the HAUV with the SeeByte software will prove beneficial for a number of new applications even beyond the security sector.”

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UT3 1Q 20107�

Perry Slingsby Systems (PSS) will deliver the first of its latest generation Triton XLR ROVs to the offshore industry this month and has announced a further contract win for the XLR in deals totalling £�.8million.

Earlier, the company had completed work on the first of the custom-built XLRs for the Romanian client Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP), which will see its immediate deployment in offshore Russia.

Now, PSS has announced a second contract win, which will see it provide another XLR system to Technocean with delivery in June �0�0.

The XLR is the latest evolution of the successful Triton series and ‘baby brother’ to the heavy-duty XLX. Designed and manufactured by PSS, the ��5hp vehicle has been designed for drill and light construction work and incorporates the latest controls technology, the revolutionary integrated real-time control engine (ICE), intuitive graphic user interface and ergonomic pilot control consoles with touch-screen technology.

“The XLR is the next step in the evolution of subsea systems which started with the XL,” said Rory Satterfield, VP – Products Division, Triton Group which owns Perry Slingsby.

“Our aim was to create an innovative system which offers the utmost in efficiency and reliability for the lightweight end of the market.

“A key element in its success is its compatibility with the XLX and other vehicles. This allows subsea operators to be fully flexible in the scope of jobs they can undertake and cross utilise various parts such as thrusters, umbilicals, cameras and valve packs.

“Each of these systems are built to order, so they can feature a range of components tailored specifically to meet the needs of our customers who operate in some of the most challenging and demanding environments,” said Slatterfield.

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The Aberdeen-based ROV manufacturer Sub-Atlantic has completed the assembly and integration of a power and control system to an underwater trenching vehicle for CT Offshore of Denmark.

The £500 000 project, which took just six weeks to complete, was a departure from the normal type of system built in the Aberdeen factory.

The tracked vehicle is believed to be one of the most compact systems ever built. Its first deployment will be aboard the dynamically positioned vessel MV Nico working on a wind farm in the UK sector of the North Sea.

The bespoke system was designed by CT Offshore and GEO Marine with specialist input on propulsion and advanced control systems from Sub-Atlantic, specifically for operating in the hostile near-shore environment of fast moving, turbid waters.

The vehicle uses a Sub-Atlantic surface transformer running a Comanche ROV powertrain which comprises four horizontal and three vertical SPE �50 brushless thrusters.

The Sub-Atlantic-supplied surface control unit operates subCAN control software for advanced operations and diagnostics down to circuit-board component level and employs a specialist survey pod for control and diagnosis of the survey sensor suite.

Sub-Atlantic-built hydraulic power units, motor and compensators

were also integrated into the vehicle.

Trenching Control System

ObserversSubsea Tech has delivered four Observer ROVs to the Gendarmerie Maritime (French Coast Guard). Two will be used in le Havre harbour, while the other pair will be used in Marseilles.

The vehicles are to be used mainly for commercial ships’ hull inspection but could be also involved in various investigation and expertise missions.

The ROV measures �7.7ins long and can operate in 500ft water depths at a speed of

�.5kts. In its standard version, it is equipped with two high definition/high sensitivity cameras and can carry a mini sonar (Tritech Micron DST or equivalent) and a two-function manipulator.

Observer mini ROVs

CT Offshore’s underwater trenching vehicle

UT3 1Q 2010 7�

X L R

“The new acquisition will be installed onboard the GSP Prince, the geotechnical and diving/ROV support vessel which entered the company fleet in September �009.

“At the moment, we have firm operational commitments both for the vessel and the subsea equipment featuring the custom-built XLR ROV, in two of our offshore construction projects, Galata and Olympia,” said Fanel Hahui, GSP’s chief executive officer.

“We will also use the Triton XLR ROV in subsea operations carried out under the TPAO contract. The

vessel’s operation is currently under review for this contract”, At present, GSP is carrying out three offshore construction contracts with a total value of over US$�00 million.

GSP’s new XLR ROV is rated up to �000m with ��5hp. It comes with an extended length tether management system that is compatible with either the XLR or XLX vehicles.

The Technocean vehicle is rated to �000m and will be delivered with a tether management system complete with Det Norske Veritas rated power system and specific tooling skid.

The Perry Slingsby Systems XLR

The Underwater Centre, along with Lochaber College UHI, is set to deliver a brand new qualification specifically to target those living in the local community. It has been designed so that previous subsea experience will not be necessary.

The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) subsea support skills course was devised and written in just over three months and has been fully accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

A total of eight students will be selected for the course, which is being funded by the European Social Fund and is due to start at the beginning of next year.

The �8-week course will cover a range of subjects including electronics, ROV systems, fibre optics and lifting equipment. Central to the course will be the hands-on experience of flying a vehicle and training in lifelike conditions.

Students will be based at the Underwater Centre for �0 weeks and at Lochaber College for the remaining eight.

Students who complete the course will then be able to work in the ROV sector which is set to see a significant growth in the next four years, according to a new report from top industry analysts Douglas Westwood, which has revealed that, following a slow down this year, the ROV industry will be worth $�.� billion by �0��.

Subsea Support Course

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UT3 1Q 20107�

Over recent years, SMD has been gradually planning its next-generation remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system. This would incorporate all the latest technological advances and operational experiences that the company had gained with its Q-series of ROVs.

The result is the new Atom.

This entry-level hydraulic work-class ROV is designed to carry out applications that require more power than electric vehicles, yet can operate from a limited deck space, such as drill support work from older rigs or smaller barges. The model supersedes SMD’s Quark and Quasar Compact models while sitting below the medium sized Quasar and flagship Quantum in SMD’s work-class vehicle range.

The Atom measures �m in length and �.5m in both width and height. It is rated up to �000m, although there are no major issues in the basic design that would prevent it from going deeper. SMD is currently constructing a unit for a client using much of the same componentry, but designed for use in �000m water depths.

“We have listened closely to clients” said Mark Collins, SMD sales manager, “and learned a considerable amount about their specific and predicted future demands since we brought out the Q-series vehicles three years ago. We quickly recognised that most common requirements from an operator was an ROV with a small footprint yet retaining the power, toughness and rigidity necessary for full-sized manipulator work.

“We have been able to achieve this favourable size/power ratio in the design by a combination of advanced structural design and component miniaturisation.”

The Atom incorporates a small, light Curvetech hydraulic power unit in either �0 or �00hp variants. This feeds hydraulic energy to both propulsion and tooling circuits.

“This fully hydraulic system we have engineered negates the complexity of two independent propulsion and tooling technologies that are commonly found on equivalently sized electric ROVs,” said Collins.

“We have also modified the control system, incorporating high density electronics to ensure components are as small as possible.

Atomic Power

This approach has all but eliminated the need for the historically large air-filled control pod that is characteristic of many ROVs. The new pod is a quarter of the size of the old design.”

The design employs twin, high-density multiplexers located in the junction boxes on each side of the vehicle. The multiplexers act as

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SMD’s new Atom ROV design

UT3 1Q 2010 75

network hubs for the processing carried out at the surface, with each subsea component acting as a separately addressable network node. This allows components to assess their operational status and flag any faults that may occur.

The twin units function independently to offer redundancy as well as an exceptional number of spare instrument channels.

“This arrangement allows us to switch over in the event of a problem occurring when in the water,” Mark Collins. “If one should fail, we can still carry out a lot of work or at least recover the vehicle safely.

“Because the multiplexers are located in the junction boxes, they are immersed in oil, not in air. The packaging is much smaller and all the input and output connections to the instruments can go straight into ports in the face plates, rather than from the main pod through harnesses to the junction box. The lack of complexity results in increased reliability.

In a strategic departure from the Quasar Compact, the designers have opted for a welded aluminium frame. This makes the frame deceptively light, however, the I-beam gives it rigidity and enough integral strength to hang third party instruments and tools packages on the frame.

“There are four tooling points at the bottom as well as on the back,” said Collins “It is therefore possible to hang half a ton at half a metre off the back of the ROV. The lack of cross-bracing and the use of miniature components keep the areas at the front and sides of the ROV clear for maintenance access.”

Surrounding the metal frame are resilient quick-release polypropylene crash frames which protect the extremities from impact with subsea structures or the side of the deployment vessel.

The Atom has two vertical and four horizontal Curvetech thrusters. The horizontal thrusters are mounted directly on the frame, which means that it is possible to remove the buoyancy with the thrusters remaining on the system. The Atom can provide nearly 500kgf of horizontal thrust – at least 50% more than an equivalent sized electric ROV. This is particularly useful in high current operations, and there is also the option of diverting all the hydraulic power to tooling.

Kystdesign has signed a contract with DOF for delivery of a Supporter work-class ROV. The Supporter will be installed on Scandi Vega, a new inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) vessel and shall perform subsea inspection and construction work.

The ROV is enclosed in a lightweight, high-strength aluminium alloy frame with stainless-steel fasteners, which gives the Supporter a weight (in air) of ��50kg. It has a �000kg through-frame lift capacity, although the main frame certified byDet Norske Veritas, to a single weight lift of �000kg.

The buoyancy is provided by a single syntactic foam block, with extra blocks – or indeed ballast – available depending on the application.

For inspection duties, there are eight cameras illuminated by ten �50W dimmable lights. The system is capable of handling an additional �8 survey sensors simultaneously. The instrumentation includes an array of devices, including navigation/tracking, north-seeking gyro and obstacle avoidance sonar.

The internal architecture and the hydraulic components have been completely designed in-house. It has a payload of ��0kg and can be fitted with manipulators, tool basket and skid. The underwater tools and manipulators include a five-function grabber and a seven-function Schilling Titan III manipulator.

The vehicle includes three �00mm vertical thrusters and four �00mm vectorised horizontal thrusters, which give it a horizontal bollard pull of 5�0kg and a speed of �.5kts.

Supporter 12 Sold to DOF

The Supporter ROV

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A �000m Fly-Out ROV has been announced to the market by AC-CESS of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Working in conjunction with their engineering partners ALL OCEANS, the AC-ROV �000 offers visual inspection support for host vehicle operations in busy, congested and high risk operating environments. The support this provides can be categorised into two vital roles:

As a BUDDY the AC-ROV �000 can keep a watching eye on the host vehicle. Duties include checking the tether, giving added perspective on any tool deployments and generally providing an overview of operations.

This adds up to reducing risk, limiting

Fly Out ROV

host vehicle movement and increased productivity.

As a SCOUT it can be advanced into areas where the host vehicle can not go, or the risks for it are too great, IE: pipe work, wreck inspection, thermal vents etc. Insurance cover for high risk operations can be difficult to obtain or prohibitively expensive.

This is where a less expensive asset comes into its own, which was one of the design drivers for the AC-ROV �000. The vehicle is small, simple and robust thereby minimising the value and maximising the durability of the part exposed to the greatest risk.

Inline with the AC-CESS ethos of mobility and robustness, the AC-ROV �000 retains the clean, snag free shape

and orbital mobility of the original AC-ROV underwater inspection system. The vehicle is garaged on the host ROV and is deployed and recovered by an electric Tether Management System (TMS), and another All Oceans specialisation.

AC-CESS business development manager, Mr Callum Magee proudly explained that the AC-ROV �000 fly-out is a further milestone in AC-CESS’s history:

“The AC-ROV �000 is testament to the original AC-ROV design and is a clear statement of intent. It further demonstrates the forward thinking and industry commitment of both AC-CESS and ALL OCEANS which keeps us where we want to be – at the front”.

Definitive ROV Navigation

To discover more, please contact Kongsberg Maritime Ltdtel: +44 (0)1224 226500 email: km.camsales.uk@kongsberg.comhttp://www.km.kongsberg.com/cameras

For over 30 years Kongsberg Maritime has been leading the way in manufacturing underwater cameras, lamps and imaging sonars for today’s demanding ROV, plough and trencher navigation, surveillance and inspection tasks.

• Dependable colour zoom inspection cameras

• Affordable HD cameras with HD-SDI output

• Extremely low light BIT navigation cameras

• Powerful High-Intensity Discharge and LED lamps

• Robust digital Pan & Tilt and Rotator units

• Versatile high-resolution scanning sonars

Innovative design and technology, unrivalled build quality and exceptional image quality ensure Kongsberg’s products offer the best price-performance and reliability.

For over 30 years Kongsberg Maritime has been leading the way in manufacturing underwater cameras, lamps and imaging sonars for today’s demanding ROV, plough and trencher navigation, surveillance and inspection tasks.

• Dependable colour zoom inspection cameras

• Affordable HD cameras with HD-SDI output

• Extremely low light BIT navigation cameras

• Powerful High-Intensity Discharge and LED lamps

• Robust digital Pan & Tilt and Rotator units

• Versatile high-resolution scanning sonars

Innovative design and technology, unrivalled build quality and exceptional image quality ensure Kongsberg’s products offer the best price-performance and reliability.

TheTheee Ko KoKoongsngsberbeerggOE1OE1OE1O 14-14-14-12222222 PATPA Z ((PanPanPandandaand Ti Ti TiTiltltltt ZooZZooZooom)m)m)m) CamCamCamCameraeraeraera

The KongsbergOE14-122 PATZ (Pan and Tilt Zoom) Camera

TheThe Kongsn berggOOE11O 0-102 Pann anand Td Tiltt UnUUnit(sh(sh(shownownow wiwith thehOE1OE1OE1OE1OE 4-54-54-502A02A02AA HD HDHD CaC CaCamermermeraaaandandandan OE OEOE OE11-11-11-11 141141141141 HI HI HIHID LD LD LD Lampampampamp))))

The KongsbergOE10-102 Pan and Tilt Unit(shown with theOE14-502A HD Cameraand OE11-141 HID Lamp)

TheTh KoKongsn berberrggggMessotech MS1MS 171171Multi-Frequeq ncncncyySonSo arr SysSystemem wwwwiwiw ththROVROVROVVO Et EtEtE herherhernetnetnet H HHHuHuH bbb

The Kongsberg Mesotech MS1171 Multi-FrequencySonar System with ROV Ethernet Hub

UT3 1Q 2010 77

Definitive ROV Navigation

To discover more, please contact Kongsberg Maritime Ltdtel: +44 (0)1224 226500 email: km.camsales.uk@kongsberg.comhttp://www.km.kongsberg.com/cameras

For over 30 years Kongsberg Maritime has been leading the way in manufacturing underwater cameras, lamps and imaging sonars for today’s demanding ROV, plough and trencher navigation, surveillance and inspection tasks.

• Dependable colour zoom inspection cameras

• Affordable HD cameras with HD-SDI output

• Extremely low light BIT navigation cameras

• Powerful High-Intensity Discharge and LED lamps

• Robust digital Pan & Tilt and Rotator units

• Versatile high-resolution scanning sonars

Innovative design and technology, unrivalled build quality and exceptional image quality ensure Kongsberg’s products offer the best price-performance and reliability.

For over 30 years Kongsberg Maritime has been leading the way in manufacturing underwater cameras, lamps and imaging sonars for today’s demanding ROV, plough and trencher navigation, surveillance and inspection tasks.

• Dependable colour zoom inspection cameras

• Affordable HD cameras with HD-SDI output

• Extremely low light BIT navigation cameras

• Powerful High-Intensity Discharge and LED lamps

• Robust digital Pan & Tilt and Rotator units

• Versatile high-resolution scanning sonars

Innovative design and technology, unrivalled build quality and exceptional image quality ensure Kongsberg’s products offer the best price-performance and reliability.

TheTheee Ko KoKoongsngsberbeerggOE1OE1OE1O 14-14-14-12222222 PATPA Z ((PanPanPandandaand Ti Ti TiTiltltltt ZooZZooZooom)m)m)m) CamCamCamCameraeraeraera

The KongsbergOE14-122 PATZ (Pan and Tilt Zoom) Camera

TheThe Kongsn berggOOE11O 0-102 Pann anand Td Tiltt UnUUnit(sh(sh(shownownow wiwith thehOE1OE1OE1OE1OE 4-54-54-502A02A02AA HD HDHD CaC CaCamermermeraaaandandandan OE OEOE OE11-11-11-11 141141141141 HI HI HIHID LD LD LD Lampampampamp))))

The KongsbergOE10-102 Pan and Tilt Unit(shown with theOE14-502A HD Cameraand OE11-141 HID Lamp)

TheTh KoKongsn berberrggggMessotech MS1MS 171171Multi-Frequeq ncncncyySonSo arr SysSystemem wwwwiwiw ththROVROVROVVO Et EtEtE herherhernetnetnet H HHHuHuH bbb

The Kongsberg Mesotech MS1171 Multi-FrequencySonar System with ROV Ethernet Hub

UT3 1Q 201078

DIVINGNoordhoek has officially taken delivery of the DPII DSV Noordhoek Constructor in from the Niigata Yard in Japan. This new, state-of-the-art vessel is specifically designed for efficient diving operations in the harsh North Sea environment.

It has an overall length of 7�m with an �8m beam and is equipped with a ��-man single bell saturation diving system with the latest, technology complete with a self propelled hyperbaric lifeboat. For station-keeping, the vessel has Class � dynamic positioning system in compliance with the most demanding maritime and environmental regulations worldwide.

The vessel is designed primarily for saturation,air and transfer under pressure (TUP) diving operations at depths of up to �00m. However,with a clear deck space of �85m�, the �00t main crane and a dual light work and observation class ROV spread, the new build will clearly be a multi-role vessel suitable for worldwide deployment.

The vessel has accommodation for 70 people.

DSV Noordhoek Constructor

Subsea saturation diving, at depths down to �00m (�000ft) below the surface, tests equipment and men to the limit. To protect divers from the cold in the diving bell, manufacturers Unique LLC turned to Trelleborg Offshore for an innovative syntactic foam insulation solution.

“The engineered Trelleborg syntactic foam insulation, and the company’s �D modelling design capabilities, provided us with high accuracy thermal and buoyancy properties,” said Shane Julias, design engineer at Unique System LLC.

“It enabled us to predict the thermal insulation thickness required, and

the uplift of the bell for accurate system buoyancy control.

“The performance of previous insulation systems used was more difficult to predict. It was also susceptible to damage and water ingress, which could affect the thermal and buoyancy properties.

“In contrast, the Trelleborg polyurethane-based foam has a high impact resistance and is totally impervious to water ingress under pressure. It is designed to eliminate any requirement for maintenance, so that life cycle costs are minimised.”

The Unique System diving bell is designed as a submersible decompression chamber for a

three man saturation diving team. It transports them from a ship’s live-in hyperbaric chamber down to working depths with typical sea temperatures of between 45˚F and 65˚F (9˚C and 20˚C). Typical subsea tasks include pipeline repair, maintenance and inspection, cable maintenance, platform installation and removal.

The heliox (helium/ oxygen) breathing mixture, for the diving bell atmosphere is supplied via an umbilical from the support ship.

Heliox has a higher thermal conductivity than air, so good thermal insulation is essential for the divers’ comfort. As dive times in the bell are often �0 to �� hours, and the divers remain under saturation conditions for

Diving Bell Insulation Improves Thermal Performance And Protection

Div

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UT3 1Q 2010 79

The National Hyperbaric Centre of Aberdeen has recently fitted out its air diving station with a comprehensive dive station from subsea electronic manufacturers C-Tecnics.

The unit is based on three modules: a three-diver C-Phone comms unit, a dual camera and lamp supply control unit, a HDD recorder with large memory. This system ensures that video and communications for both the divers and supervisor are clearly recorded and can easily be presented to client or engineers.

The rack houses C-Tecnics �9in product range. A large format video screen also allows a split screen set-up so viewing from two cameras can be seen simultaneously such as from the standby diver, crane operator or ROV.

C-Tecnics originally developed the rack system as a one-off item for a leading manufacturer of containerised air diving control systems in Norway. Due to the success and positive feedback about the rack system, C-Tecnics has incorporated the rack into its product line and several units have now been built and installed around the world.

Commenting on the system, a spokesman for the National Hyperbaric Centre said: “Recording the dive, with video and audio, straight to disc is good for the trainees to review.

“Since it has been installed it has saved us hours of set up time with these diver training sessions by offering really simple comms and camera operations. We would recommend it for any dive company who wants a high quality accurate recording.”

Communications: The communications unit is based on a three-diver C-Phone, which permits two working divers and a standby diver to be operational and recorded. It allows the user to switch communication from diver to diver, or to hear all divers at once. The unit incorporates its own uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for back-up in the event of mains power failure.

Camera The dual camera and lamp supply, capable of supplying two cameras and two lamps, is also part of C-Tecnics product line. There is also additional space within the rack system for another power supply to be fitted, allowing four cameras and four lamps to be powered simultaneously.

The complete package includes the newly developed CT�008 inspection camera and CT�00� underwater LED light.

Memory The unit comes complete with a �TB hard disk drive for recording both the diver’s video and comms and also includes video editing software.

The HDD unit also has room for additional hard drives and has several USB interfaces for transferring video and comms files. Included in the rack is the ��in monitor which is capable of split screen viewing allowing you to watch and record both cameras at once.

Mounted Diver Video and Comms System

up to �0 days, their well being is critical to mission success.

“Trelleborg used its Trident insulation system, which is based on BASF’s ZEROHg glass syntactic polyurethane foam technology, in a one pour, one lift foam application. The application technique ensured no insulation interface joints for complete integrity,” said James Vultaggio, product group manager, Trelleborg Offshore, Houston. “This eliminates water ingress into the foam which could affect the thermal properties.”

The diving bell shell is constructed of ABS approved carbon steel, welded in carefully designed sections; the total weight of foam poured around the shell was ��00lbs (�00kg).

This is the first use of the Trident Insulation system in a custom coating operation and the first diving bell insulated with glass syntactic polyurethane foam. It represents a significant advance in diver safety and reduced operating costs.

Insulated diving bell

Air diving station

UT3 1Q 201080

Autosub Long RangeIn the �0 years since the first studies under the Natural Environment Research Council’s Autosubprogramme were completed, vehicles built by the technical team have contributed to two major marine science programmes as well as several standalone research projects. Over 50 science and engineering papers have been published.

The driving vision for the programme has been to provide marine scientists with the tools to probe the most challenging environments. Since �00�, Autosubs have brought back unique information from under floating ice, first from under sea ice in the Antarctic and Arctic, and then later from under floating glacial ice in the Antarctic.

“In doing so, we have arrived at the beginning of a new era for glaciologists and polar oceanographers,” said Prof. Gwyn Griffiths, head of the Underwater Systems Laboratory, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. “Today, we are faced with the challenge of delivering longer missions under ice, and doing so with a very high degree of certainty of completion.

“We have also achieved another part of the driving Autosub vision: that of deep-diving. With a depth specification of �000m, the latest

Under-ice missions

member of the Autosub family of vehicles, the Autosub�000, is now a proven Deep Ocean Geological and Geophysical-Instrumented Explorer (DOGGIE). With three engineering trials completed, and information gathered using its swath bathymetry and other sensors already published, Autosub�000 will underpin science cruise to the Cayman Rise in March �0�0.”

However, not until now, has technology made it possible to tackle the Dolphin concept. This is an acronym for the Deep Ocean Long Path Hydrographic INstrument, where the challenge has been to combine the deep-diving capability of Autosub �000, with a �000km, in one vehicle range. Called the Autosub–Long Range, this target range exceeds that of the longest endurance propelled underwater vehicles of today – buoyancy-engined undersea gliders

“We have looked at a number of potential of science missions that could be achieved with the Autosub–Long Range,” said Prof. Griffiths. “These illustrate the key attributes of the new vehicle, which will undergo its first engineering sea trials in January �0�� and be available for science missions from April �0��.”

Monitoring the variability in the Antarctic circumpolar current is most readily achieved at choke points, such as the Drake Passage. Repeat hydrographic surveys from research ships are primarily made during the austral summer; measurements during winter are few.

Lagrangian profiling floats are wafted through, with current jets of �m/s-� not unusual. For the same reason,

Operations

Range predictions based on outline design (km) vs. speed (ms-1) with hotel powers of 1W (blue trace), 2.5W (red trace) and 5W (magenta).

At moderate speeds the range is strongly sensitive to the AUV speed, and at lower speeds it has a high sensitivity to the hotel power used. Ranges in excess of 6000 km are possible with tight control over sensor power.

�000

�000

�000

�000

5000

�000

7000

8000

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Map of Drake Passage

Continued Overleaf

Example Mission: Crossing Drake Passage

UT3 1Q 2010 8�

Autosub Long RangeAfter an exhaustive review of technical options and cost, it was decided that the main pressure vessel for Autosub–Long Range would comprise a forged aluminium sphere.

Modern electronics allow mechanical and electrical systems to deliver the engineering and data acquisition performance required, at minimal power consumption.

Autosub Design

Magnetically coupled d.c. electric motor with gearbox housed at � bar pressure. Operating from � W to 50 W output with overall ~ 50% efficiency over full power range.

� of 7�� mm diameter forged aluminium sphere with equatorial ring for connector ports. Mass to displacement ratio of 7�0 kg m-� with an internal volume of 0.��� m�.

�0 kg of primary lithium thionyl chloride cells, delivering �8 M Joule at the operating power. Cost of £7000 per pack. Additional buoyancy: High performance syntacticfoam with a density of 570 kg m-� as on the Isis ROV.

Magnetically coupled d.c. motor driven stern plane and rudder. Vehicle is highly directionally stable, hence mo-tors can have low duty cycle, saving energy.

Data handling and communications modules hostedon Marvel PXA�70 running at �0� MHz, with WindowsCE operating system. Low-level control system usingPIC controllers and I�C bus.

Fitted sensors: Seabird SBE 5� CTD. RDI Teledyne �00kHz ADCP.

GPS on surface. Dead Reckoning usingTCM5 flux gate compass, RDI Teledyne �00 kHz ADCP.Seabird Digiquartz used for depth sensing. ADCPbeams used for constant altitude mode operation andcollision avoidance.

Two way Iridium satellite communications for science data download, mission and configuration upload.

ARGOS beacon (in addition to Iridium system).

There are limitations necessary in achieving this �000m diving depth and �000km range performance envelope. The main such limitation is maintaining low average energy consumption.

While instruments that consume high power are not ruled out, for example those using active acoustics, the average energy used must be sufficiently low if

the full range of the vehicle is to be achieved.

Long endurance missions also mean that the instruments should show minimal changes to their calibration.

In situ platforms such as profiling Lagrangian floats with endurance of several years have shown what is possible with specially designed sensors.

Technical featuresPropulsion Motor:

Main Pressure

Energy and Power Source

Control system hardware:

Control system software

Navigation:

Communications:

Main control, navigation

Relocation backup

Components Cost £75000Mass 500 kgMaximum Depth �000 mMaximum Range �000 kmSpeed range 0.� to �.�ms-�

Typical power: 0.� WSensor energy use 0.� WOnboard energy: �8 MJMax. payload volume �0 litresMax. payload weight �0 kg in waterDrag coefficient (vol�/�) 0.0�0Propulsive efficiency �8%

Specifications

0.� 0.� 0.8 �.0

AUV Speed

UT3 1Q 20108�

crossing Drake Passage would be challenging for undersea gliders, especially if the need was to keep to a set course, for example to travel beneath a satellite altimeter track.

With a depth rating well in excess of the �500m maximum depth in Drake Passage, an endurance that would enable a �500km round-trip mission from the Falkland Islands to Elephant Island, and the ability to speed up to �.5m s-� to reduce the effect of crosstrack currents, the Autosub-Long Range is well suited to this task.

In this application the primary sensors would be a conductivity temperature and depth (CTD), such as the Seabird SBE��CP. Results from six recovered profiling floats showed very low drift for this class of instrument (less than -0.00� in salinity and -0.00� °C) over �–� years.

In addition, an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) would provide AUV-referenced velocity, which, with absolute measurements when on the surface and near the seabed could be processed as a lowered ADCP to obtain through-water column absolute velocity profiles.

Low power consumption optical sensors, such as a fluorometer for chlorophyll, an optode for dissolved oxygen, radiometers and backscatter sensors could also be carried.

“The Arctic ocean is changing, reduced summer sea ice extent being most visible. Changes beneath the surface are less obvious, but no less important,” said Prof. Griffiths.

“Ocean acidification will first impact high latitudes, as the waters become understaurated with respect to calcite and aragonite. This will have consequences for marine calcifiers including cold-water coral reefs.

Variability in the exchanges of water

masses between the North Atlantic ocean and the Arctic ocean through the Nordic Seas between Greenland and NW Europe need to be better understood.”

“Ice thickness is more challenging to estimate from satellite measurements than ice extent, and there remains a need for extensive in situ measurements, which can be made from autonomous underwater vehicles using upward-looking sonar.

“Access to the Arctic ocean today involves complex logistics and ice-strengthened vessels. The next decade may see extensive use of autonomous vehicles in the Arctic, as sub-ice navigation infrastructure across the basin becomes available.

The Autosub–Long Range could contribute to a major research effort by enabling measurements under ice across the entire basin. The �500km from Svalbard to Barrow, Alaska is well within the planned endurance of the vehicle.”

With an average of �0W of power available for this mission, the vehicle’s sonars would be able to make ice thickness and water depth observations every �0m along its track, as well as a host of water column measurements.

The Mothra hydrothermal field, Endeavour segment on Juan deFuca Ridge �, has a number of vent site locations within the axial valley, at a depth of about ��70m.

Temperature anomalies in the water column were first found in �98� and subsequent investigations led to the discovery of the vent fields a decade later. An Inter Ridge WorkingGroup on long-range exploration has been set up to establish how autonomous underwater vehicles might lead to systematic exploration for hydrothermal sites. The Autosub–Long Range is one of the vehicles being considered by the Working Group for this task.

The last decade has seen a reinforcement of the need for multidisciplinary measurements from moored deepwater reference stations. The international OceanSITES programme coordinates more than �0 time-series stations in a global network. Since �00� NOCS has supported a deepwater mooringon the Porcupine Abyssal Plain – PAP.

It examines complex oceanic processes from the surface to theseafloor by making measurements on the biological, chemical and physical conditions. Some data are transmitted in near real-time via satellite, allowingscientists to observe and hence understand shortterm variability in the physical processes, ecosystemdynamics and nutrient cycling. Other data is recorded on instruments and retrieved on regular refurbishment cruises.

Observatories such as PAP provide invaluable time series at one location. Interpretation of some of the data from such a single location can be helped by knowledge of the ocean environment surrounding themooring. Such information could be gathered by sensors on a Autosub–Long Range.

The mission could start from Bantry, Ireland, �00km to the northeast of PAP, avoiding the need for a supporting research ship. The vehicle would take �� days to travel to PAP, with enough energy for over �00 days on site, before travelling back to ‘refuel’.

“Not constrained to follow a glider’s saw-tooth depth profile, the Autosub–Long Range could perform area surveys at fixed depths or on isopycnal surfaces, as science requirements may specify, with a suite of physical and biogeochemical sensors,” said Prof. Griffiths. “The vehicle would be able to make measurements from the sea surface to the seabed at �800m.”

Autosub Long Range

Example Mission: Crossing the Arctic Ocean

Example Mission: Mid-Oceanic Ridges

Example Mission: Spatial Variability

UT3 1Q 2010 8�

Subsea Projects

RenewablesO f f s h o r e

GustoMSC is to build a wind turbine installation jack-up vessel for an un-disclosed client. It will be the largest of its kind serving the wind turbine Installation market. The NG-9000C-HPE is intended for use in water depths of up to �5m in a North Sea environment.

The vessel will be able to undertake high speed fully loaded voyages to the installation site. She is equipped with a DP-� dynamic positioning system for positioning at site.

An accommodation deckhouse suitable for 90 persons is located on the forward end of the vessel. A heli-copter landing deck suitable for a Sikorsky S9�/ S��N or Super Puma AS ���L� is provided on top of the accommodation deckhouse.

Central to its operation is a 800t heavy duty offshore crane devel-oped by GustoMSC. The GLC-800-ED crane combines a high capac-ity & high outreach with a short minimum radius, is located on top of the portside aft jack-house and revolves ��0deg unrestricted around the leg.

The four legs with the continuous speed GustoMSC jacking system

Wind Turbine Installation Vessel

and the diagonal pre-loading allow for easy and fast installation.

Propulsion for transit is provided by three propulsion azimuth thrusters of �500kW, together with another three tunnel thrusters of �750 kW. These provide thrust for station keeping with a DP-� dynamic positioning system.Transit speed approximately �� kts.

The main deck is locally reinforced for the transportation of wind turbine parts or other heavy components. In addition the vessel has the ability to work in the offshore oil and gas sector.

The vessel features a �,500 ton variable load capacity. The vessel is equipped with the GustoMSC 9000C continuous hydraulic positive engage-ment jacking system. It has a maxi-mum jacking capacity of 5�00t ft per leg and a maximum holding capacity of 9000t ft per leg. The delivery is sched-uled for early �0��.

This project is a continuation of a coop-eration between DDW-SEA and Gus-toMSC. Since �005, it has designed and built four SEA-�000 construction jack-ups, four CJ��-X�00D drilling jack-ups, two service jack construction / decommissioning jack-ups and one SEA-�750 multi-purpose jack-up.

Hull length ��0.8mHull width �9mHull depth 9mHull draft 5.�mLeg length max 8�.50m

Main hoist 800t @ �� mMinimum outreach �8 mWhip hoist (manriding) 50t @ 90 mMinimum outreach �� m

Power generation� diesel generator sets of ���0kW� emergency diesel generator set of �00 kW

Operating conditionSignificant wave height �.8 mWave peak period �.0 – �0.0Wind velocity ��m/sCurrent velocity �kt

Elevated survival conditionSignificant wave height �0.8mWave peak period ��.5sWind velocity ��m/sCurrent velocity �.5 kn

ClassificationDNV �A� Self-elevating Wind Turbine Installation Unit CLEAN DESIGN, CRANE, DYNPOS-AUTR, E0, HELDK, NAUT-OSV(A), OPP-F

Principal dimensions

Installation vehicle

UT3 1Q 20108�

NEWSSubsea

DOF in AngolaAberdeen-based specialist subsea service company DOF Subsea has been awarded a contract worth around $8 million by Total Angola to provide geotechnical survey services in the CLOV development, offshore Angola.

To undertake the work, DOF subsea will be using its vessel the Geograph and a third party geotechnical spread. Garry Millard, managing director of DOF Subsea UK said: “We’re delighted to be delivering our services from one of our own vessels, the Geograph. The award of this contract is in line with our strategy to develop our capabilities and services in the Africa region.”

DEME Group ordered the dynamically positioned fall-pipe rock dumper Flintstone from Sembawang shipyard in Singapore in �008. The rock dumper will be commissioned in early �0�� and operated by Breda-based offshore specialist company Tideway.

The vessel has a load weight of �9 000t and is specially designed for creating high precision structures on the sea bed, and other tasks, using rock and gravel in bulk, etc.

Key to the operation is the advanced dual HiPAP 500, hydroacoustic aided inertial navigation (HAIN), subsea and dynamic positioning (DP) system developed by Kongsberg, and the comparatively high DP capability of

the all electric propulsion based on six thrusters. This allows the Flintstone to track (a pipeline) with great accuracy and a fast update rate at all times, which supports the quality of the subsea structures being built.

Use of two HiPAP 500 transducers increases the electrical and acoustic redundancy, and also increases the accuracy, as it opens for redundant measurement with position estimation based on two independent measurements and a quality control.

The dual system uses both transducers to measure the position of one single target (transponder) by separately controlling the beam forming and phase measurement for

each system in parallel.

HAIN Subsea combines the acoustic measurements from the dual HiPAP 500 and the readings from the sensors onboard the ROV in an optimum way. The navigation equations update the ROV position, velocity, heading and attitude almost continuously based on the readings from the inertial measurement unit.

The advanced Kalman filter corrects these values when new acoustic positions and readings from the other ROV sensors are available. This results in improved position accuracy and update rate, compared to the acoustic measurements.

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Acteon has formed a new business unit, to be known as Pulse Structural Monitoring, specifically to provide structural monitoring equipment, systems and services to the offshore industry.

The business was previously embedded within the portfolio of group company �H Offshore, but was spun out as a stand-alone enterprise to create greater focus and intensity within the organisation, expand the customer base and grow the business.

Pulse Monitoring“The technology in this area has developed considerably in recent years,” says Pei An, the head of Pulse Structural Monitoring. “What was once viewed as an research and development exercise has evolved into an established commercial business. We need to be attuned to customers’ requirements in a more mature and increasingly competitive market. These needs centre on sound, independent advice and guidance, highly reliable and cost-effective monitoring systems and high standards of service.”

Scanmudring has developed an umbilical/wire cutter for offshore use. Called the ScanCutter, it is remotely operated from a pneumatic control panel, preventing the need for personnel to stay close to the cutting area. Default cable length for the remote control panel is 8m, but can be extended if required.

The ScanCutter can be powered by either air pressure (8 bar) or dedicated nitrogen bottle (5kg) included in the spread. The ScanCutter spread is mobilised in a single aluminum box, for easy handling and transport.

The simple and reliable system can

ScanCuttercut steel armoured umbilicals and wires up to 5�mm and ultimate tensile strength of �770N/mm�.

The ScanCutter

Above: The Flintstone Right: Dual HiPAP 500 transducers increase the electrical and acoustic redundancy

Subsea New

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Tritech has provided The Underwater Centre, Fort William, with two of its high technology products to assist in subsea training.

During a recent visit to the deep-water training site, Tritech Product Line Managers Ben Grant and Andrew Seaton, presented The Underwater Centre with a Super SeaPrince DST sonar – Tritech’s survey, observation and light class ROV sonar and a Seanet Surface Control Unit (SCU) Processor. The Super SeaPrince sonar will be fitted to one of the Centre’s Seaeye Falcon ROV Class II vehicles.

Tritech’s sonar and SCU will be fully utilised in the subsea training and development of ROV pilot technicians as they develop their flying skills, in the open-water conditions at the Centre’s purpose-built facilities.

UWC EquipmentTritech supports the expert training provided at The Centre and is encouraged that students will have access to modern equipment known and accepted as an industry standard throughout the world.

As a commercial diver and ROV pilot technician training facility, The Underwater Centre fully supports industry testing and subsea trials. Working with The Centre, Tritech recently trialled the very latest in its subsea technologies, including the newest edition to the SeaKing sonar range, due for launch mid-�0�0.

Paul Bury, Head of ROV Operations and Training, The Underwater Centre, said: “This donation from Tritech is a fantastic addition and will allow us to continue to train the very best ROV pilots and technicians.”

UT3 1Q 20108�

Hughes Pumps has recently completed a contract to supply eight pumping systems for use on Subsea 7 and Technip pipe laying support vessels (PLSV) working on a $�00million engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning (EPIC) contract awarded by Petrobras, to lay flexible flow lines to the seabed for deep water oil export in the Campos Basin, offshore Rio de Janeiro.

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The Hughes pumping systems being used on the PLSVs include flexible lines hydrostatic test and chemical injection systems (HTCIS) for the pressure testing of flexible flow lines using seawater, as well as flushing and hydrostatic test units (FHTU) for flushing and hydrostatic testing of umbilicals with an hydraulic fluid used for production control in the offshore oil and gas industry

The Hughes HTCIS integrated units

filling system is rated to 50m³/hr at �0 bar, a mid pressure system rated to �0m³/hr at ��0 bar and a high pressure system rated to 0.�m³/hr at 5�7 bar.

In addition there is a chemical injection system (CIS) to meter oxygen remover and biologic inhibitor into the process line. The output of all three pumping systems is fully adjustable and the CIS unit automatically maintains the correct level of chemical dosing irrespective of pump outputs.

Deep water oil export pumps

UT3 1Q 2010 87

Deep water oil export pumpsThe system also included flow rate and discharge pressure readings from each pump. Prior to installation, new umbilicals were flushed using two HPS�50 pumps, each rated to 50 lpm at �00 bar. A �.� lpm at �90 bar pump was then used to hydrostatically test the umbilicals.

Fluid cleanliness had to meet NAS ���8 class � or better necessitating the need for a separate filling and filtering system to permanently filter the fluid. Other applications for Hughes Pumps in the offshore oil and gas industry include; subsea cleaning & cutting, surface preparation of oil & gas platforms, ships decks and ballast tanks using ultra high pressure (UHP) water at up to �750 bar, methanol injection and pumping crude oil.

Above: The Lochnagar which was used to deploy the system. Inset - the installation being carried out

Subsea New

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InterMoor has completed its sixth job in the Gulf of Mexico using its recently enhanced Scimitar Abrasive Cutting Tool.

InterMoor’s Scimitar Abrasive Cutting Tool is the only tool of its kind where the abrasive is introduced at the cutting head versus a slurry mix (abrasive mixed at the high pressure pump). It has had a �00% success rate.

The tool uses ultra high pressure water to move abrasive at transonic speeds to cut virtually any type of material. It was adapted from a pneumatic tool to a hydraulic tool that centralizes inside of the pile or caisson.

The Scimitar Abrasive Cutting Tool sizes cover a range of casing outside diameters 7–�� in., ��–�8 in. and 5�–7� in. It is available in three sizes with lengths of ��, �5 and �0ft and weights of 500, �000 and ��00 lbs.

Abrasive Cutting

Scimitar Abrasive Cutting Tool

Aberdeen rental company, Unique System has added Sonardyne’s Ranger-Pro Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) acoustic positioning system to its inventory. The company, which has only recently opened its Aberdeen facility, has also bought a number of Wideband Sub-Mini transponders, acoustic release transponders and associated deck command units.

The portable Ranger-Pro package bought by Unique System is intended for the most advanced survey applications and can be temporarily installed on vessels of opportunity.

It incorporates Sonardyne’s unique ‘ping stacking’ technology which provides one second position update rates independent of water depth, tracking of up to �0 targets and full ocean depth operating range. The system is compatible with a wide range of industry transponders

Uniquely Sonardyne

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Tracerco has developed its novel inspection techniques to provide a rapid, cost effective and reliable method to assist operators and integrity management companies with statutory and routine vessel condition assessment in a subsea environment.

The Tracerco Diagnostics Scanning techniques have been widely used for over 50 years in the process industry to define tank inventories and to locate gas/liquid interfaces, liquid/liquid interfaces and solid accumulations.

The inspection technologies are now available for subsea application, to provide accurate and fully reliable subsea measurements for vapour/liquid interfaces contained within mid water arches, buoyancy tanks, mooring points and other such subsea equipment.

Vessel integrity can now be determined real time via online measurements, which effectively make the vessel transparent thereby, providing “insight onsite”.

The technique is non-intrusive and is easily deployable by diver operated or remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The detector feeds real time inspection data to the Tracerco Diagnostics engineer on the deck, where expert interpretation provides the client with instant feedback.

The detector is moved up and down the outside vessel emitting its signal through the vessel wall and into the stored medium. The resultant response signal provides an accurate profile of the content of the tank/vessel.

The highly sensitive and stable

Subsea Inspection

system produces a significant change in signal as it moves from the oil to water. A more prominent response is obtained for a vapour/liquid interface. This situation can occur when the integrity of the internal compartments is breached following any unplanned

Profile of a buoy’s contents

intervention or weld failure. The sensitivity is reliant on geometry of the detector and thickness of the vessel wall. Typically, the scan can accurately determine a level through up to 50mm of steel.

C & C Technologies completed its second successful contract for a major oil company using synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) technology to assess the integrity of pipeline structures in the Gulf of Mexico.

Both SAS projects were accomplished with the Applied Signal Technology (AST) developed PROSAS Surveyor SAS sonar.

In the summer of �009, C & C employed the PROSAS to evaluate potential unsupported sections of pipelines on the seafloor resulting from marine traffic, tidal scour, and storm impact and to determine whether structural repairs were required.

Recently mobilised aboard the ���ft utility support vessel Andrew Charles, the PROSAS Surveyor performed a two-day ��/7 mission acquiring sonar data with one square inch resolution at �50m range per side.

The system produced high definition,

photographic-quality, real-time acoustic imagery across the entire transmission range precluding the typical necessity to run many perpendicular survey lines.

This enabled C & C to complete a faster, more cost-effective pipeline inspection survey and reduced the amount of time required for geologists to interpret the pipeline images.

The level of detail produced by PROSAS Surveyor enabled the customer to evaluate critical spans in the pipeline structure and to pinpoint the exact location for necessary structural repairs, thereby mitigating the need for significant dive operation costs.

The key differentiator of SAS technology in this latest survey was its ability to image so accurately on the initial parallel pass that running perpendicular passes on the pipelines, the normal survey approach using traditional side scan systems, added no benefit to the overall picture.

SAS pipeline Inspection

UT3 1Q 2010 89

Birns has introduced its all new Aquila-LED lighting system. Built to withstand the rigors of deep sea applications – from illuminating ROVs and underwater photography to helmet-mounted use in commercial diving – the versatile new Aquila-LED provides incredible illumination in a compact, lightweight silhouette that can be seamlessly customised to fit a wide range of uses.

Part of the new ‘L’ series, this powerful LED light delivers high performance under pressure with a small yet powerful design.

to help sink heat into the water.

The Aquila’s new ergonomically-designed mounting diameter is compact, with a coarse diamond knurled surface for easy hand gripping or positioning on a mounting bracket. It’s made of lightweight �0�� hard black anodized aluminium, has a depth rating of �00m.

Low voltage LED LightIt weighs in at �09g (7.�oz) in air, or ��g (�.�oz) in water and features a �0mm diameter housing with a brilliant, 60deg beam − effectively piercing the depths with a potent �500K white light.

Its wire-free construction combines advanced design characteristics with a streamlined 97mm (�.8in) profile that makes it simple to relamp – just �0 seconds, with no tools needed. The design includes new features that provide increased heat dissipation, like four conduit channels that enhance water flow across the lens and specially engineered cooling fins

Bowtech has developed a monitoring system which they say could result in significant cost savings. Called the anchor retrieval monitoring system (ARMS) system, it monitors each individual mooring chain and anchor on semi submersible drilling rigs, eliminating up to �� hours of operational time per rig move.

Designed around our state-of-the-art colour CCD ��:� zoom camera and utilising the latest technology in LED lighting, the ARMS system removes the need to ballast and de-ballast the rig to ensure the anchors are stowed safely.

Controlled remotely from either the winch house or remote bridge, the ARMS system provides safety and security of staff and assets along with huge cost savings every time the rig is moved.

This system is already achieving success on a number

of semi-submersible rigs around the world. The image below is from a recent installation in Namibia on the GSF Rig ��0.

ARMS

ARMS system improves rig mooring

In May �008 AADI (Aanderaa Data Instruments) entered an agreement with the Norwegian Clean Sea Association for Operating Companies (NOFO), to develop a small drifting buoy that has similar drift characteristics as an oil slick on the sea surface.

Information from the drifting buoys are displayed on the electronic chart system onboard any vessel that has up-to-date ECDIS software according to IMO standards.

During �009 the �0cm diameter buoy, with was tested in a number of different oil spill exercises as well as in man overboard exercises and other types of exercise.

According to the design specifications the vessels should be able to pick up the signals from the buoy at a distance of at least three nautical miles, the tests have shown that good signals were picked up at a distance of 7 nautical miles with wave heights of �0m and �� nautical miles on a calm sea.

Data BuoysExperimental tests confirmed that the buoy are able to withstand a drop from the specified altitude of 50m above sea level. This property makes it possible to drop from a fixed installation or from a helicopter.

During an oil spill exercise at the Frigg field in the North Sea in early June �009 the drifting buoys were used to track remnant oil slicks that were escaping from the main spill.

UT3 1Q 201090

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UT3 1Q 2010 9�

Gusto ContractsDutch design and engineering company GustoMSC completed a number of projects in �009. These included:

l The GustoMSC SEA�000 series construction jack-ups JB-��� & JB-��5were delivered by Drydocks World – South East Asia.

l The a GustoMSC NG�500-X unit Seajacks Leviathan – sister vessel of the Seajacks Kraken was delivered by Lamprell Energy to Seajacks and is currently under contract for Fluor at the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm.

l The Maersk Reacher is the fourth of the GustoMSC CJ50-X�00 vessels delivered by Keppel FELS to Maersk Drilling. With its modern drilling equipment centred around the GustoMSC X-Y cantilever, this rig can operate in a water depth of �50ft. The first rig, Maersk Resilient, commenced operations in February �008 for Dubai Petroleum Establishment.

l The GustoMSC SEA�000 unit Goliath was on its first job to install

offshore wind turbines one week after delivery delivered by Lemants to GEOSEA

l The DSS�� class Maersk Discoverer DP deepwater drilling semi-submersible is the first of the series of three. It is presently operating in the Gulf of Mexico for a four years contract with Statoil Naga � and Perro Negro �

l The Naga � and Perro Negro � are GustoMSC CJ��-X�00-D jack-up drilling units for �50 ft water depth. Both units were delivered by Drydocks World – South East Asia to their respective owners UMW Singapore Drilling and Saipem, . These units are part of a series of four at this yard.

l The Gold Star is a DSS�8 unit, developed by GustoMSC and Keppel DTG, delivered by Keppel FELS to the Brazilian operator Queiroz Galvão Óleo e Gás. The Gold Star and its sister unit Alpha Star will support Petrobras’ exploration and production activities offshore Brazil.

The GustoMSC CJ46-X100-D jack-up drilling units Naga � and Perro Negro � for work in 350 ft water depth

Aberdeen based, Nautronix have been certified with the international software standard TickIT in a move to highlight high standards within the organisation.

The company, which specialises in acoustic signalling technology solutions for communication and positioning in the subsea environment, were audited against the TickIT standard which puts best practices into software development, implementation and control processes within an organisation.

Nautronix already hold ISO900�:�008. They say that the move was important to highlight to their customers and the industry that their software development is of the highest class.

Managing Director, Mark Patterson said “Software is an important and

Nautronix software gets a TickIT of approvalcore discipline within Nautronix, this has been demonstrated internally over the last few years with the significant growth in our software department.

“We are currently carrying out important development work with NASNet and MASMUX so it’s important we ensure that we are working to the highest possible standards.

“While we have always been confident of our ability to do this the TickIT accreditation allows us to demonstrate to others that we are working to a consistently high level.

“Gaining this standard does not come lightly and I’m impressed with the work the team has carried out over the last year to achieve this.”

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UT3 1Q 20109�

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Cable contracts have recently been placed by the consortium of DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar, which is currently building the world’s largest offshore wind farm in the Thames Estuary.

The London Array wind farm is being installed on a ��� km� site located around �0km off the UK coast. It will be connected by subsea export cables to an onshore substation at Cleve Hill, on the North Kent coast. From the substation, the electricity will be fed into the existing �00kV transmission network

Construction is taking place in two phases. The first phase of ��0MW, consisting of �75 turbines and two offshore substations will be installed in water depths of up to ��m some �0km (�� miles) from the Kent and Essex coasts in the outer Thames Estuary.

This expected to be completed and generating in �0��.

The future second phase will add capacity to bring the total to �000MW and will supply enough power for around 750 000 UK homes.

Nexans has won a contract worth approximately €100 million to design, manufacture and supply the high voltage (HV) subsea power export cables that will connect the London Array wind farm to the UK grid.

The power export cable contract comprises the design, manufacture and supply of four �50 kV XLPE submarine power cables to be laid in parallel, each 5� to 5�km in length, with three copper core conductors with a cross-section of ��0 mm� for the main length and 800mm² at each cable end.

Nexans will deliver two of the cables in �0�� and two in �0��, all of them being delivered in single continuous lengths from Nexans’

factory in Halden. The cables will also incorporate fibre-optic elements manufactured at the Nexans factory in Rognan, Norway. In addition, the contract also includes the cable accessories such as repair joints and terminations.

“This new contract is the result of several years of Nexans’ involvement in the offshore wind sector in general and in the UK in particular. We are happy to demonstrate once again with this major contract Nexans’ ability to provide key cable solutions for a better deployment of wind farm infrastructures”, says Krister Granlie, managing director of Nexans’ Umbilicals and Submarine High Voltage Business Group.

High voltage cables for typical offshore projects are usually produced in one single length of about 50km. This requires specific industrial know-how and manufacturing technology.

They can weigh up to ��0kg per metre of cable according to the conductor cross-section. A single cable can weigh up to 7000t.

Over the past few years, Nexans has demonstrated its expertise through participation in many offshore wind farm projects worldwide: Barrow, Horns Rev, Lynn and Inner Dowsing, Wolfe Island and others.

JDR Cable Systems was awarded the contract for the supply of subsea power array cables for the same field.

The scope includes the engineering, design and manufacture of over �00km of ��kV array cables complete with proprietary hang-off and termination systems, providing the essential link between individual wind turbine generators, wind turbine generator arrays and the offshore substations. The cables will be produced in �0�0 and �0��.

Wind farm Cables

Nexans

JDR

UT3 1Q 2010 9�

LS Cable has completed the first-in-Korea submarine cable factory in Donghae City, Gangwon Province. It will fabricated a new �50kV submarine cable line connecting Jeju Island and Jindo Island, �05km away.

LS Cable received the KRW ��0 billion order for the direct current connection project from KEPCO in February �009.

Installation will begin in May �0�0 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of �0��.

Cable Contract

Prysmian has been awarded an €18 million contract by the Danish utility DONG Energy to supply a complete ���kV export cable system for the second phase of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm project in the Irish Sea.

This project is expected to be completed by summer �0��.

The second phase of the Walney project consists of the expansion of the existing wind farm structure through the construction of 5� new turbines, which will generate an extra �8�MW power.

In particular, Prysmian will be involved in the design and supply of a submarine and land cable system, which will connect the offshore wind farm to the mainland power grid. The submarine cables will be manufactured at the Prysmian submarine cables factory based in Arco Felice, Italy, and the land cables at the factory based in Wrexham, Great Britain.

Prysman

With this project, LS Cable is planning to establish internal engineering and construction methodologies with which it intends to enter overseas markets including Europe and South East Asia.

Due to strong technological barriers, the high-voltage submarine cable market has been dominated by a few European companies, so Korea previously had to import the high-tech cables. LS Cable is now planning to develop new products by �0�� including a 500kV submarine cable and an umbilical cable that can transfer even gas and water.

Tyco has deployed a new, top-of-the-line shore-end plough in a recent cable landing operation.

The plough, which enables continuity of burial from beach to deep water, provides enhanced efficiency and shallow water burial capability without the need for manual diver jet burial.

“The new shore-end plough was an essential tool in our recent operation and resulted in a seamless and efficient

cable landing,” said James Herron, managing director at Tyco Telecommunications.

This new plough is part of an upgrade programme to equip every vessel with a complete set of tools, cable ploughs and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), to provide multi-mission flexibility fleet-wide.

The new plows are capable under suitable conditions of trenching and burying submarine cable to a depth of �.0m in down to �000m of water depth.

Shore-End Plough

Tyco has deployed a new, top-of-the-line shore-end plough

Cables and

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UT3 1Q 20109�

Birns has introduced a new high performance hydrostatic pressure testing system, with a range of vessels rated to �0 000, �0 000, 5000 and �000 psi. The company has also added a high volume helium testing capability, exceeding stringent ABS requirements for man-rated penetrator testing.

The breakthrough new system provides an enhanced, streamlined, efficient means with which to test a wide range of products for both rigorous safety and demanding performance requirements.

Birns has provided hydrostatic pressure testing for man-rated electrical penetrators and complex connector solutions for more than �5 years, with the addition of saltwater testing in the last four. However, this new investment in the custom-engineered testing system has exponentially increased Birns’ existing capabilities, and is expected to significantly reduce and help accurately forecast both time and costs.

The new hyperbaric device has a unique control panel for diverse, comprehensive testing on up to three circuits and in six chambers simultaneously, allowing several different tests to be run on multiple products. In addition, the new system provides four new versatile ��in test chambers, which can be filled in �0 seconds and drained in �0 seconds.

Each one has quarter-turn quick-lock lids, which can be raised and lowered on their own electric winches.

Furthermore, the new design has three separate hydraulic pumps that provide main, auxiliary and back-up power for the system, along with four feed-through ports for each individual test chamber, for increased capability for electrical testing under pressure.

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Hyperbaric Testing Programme

The Hydro Group has been awarded a contract worth £500 000 in a deal that will see the global solution provider of optical and electrical subsea products collaborating on the Wave Hub project.

Wave Hub is a marine renewable infrastructure project being developed by the South West RDA (Regional Development Agency). It is situated on the seabed in some 50m of sea water approximately ��km off the coast of Cornwall and connected to the National Grid via a subsea cable.

Hydro Group has been sub-contracted by JDR Cable Systems to provide a new high voltage connector for the marine renewable project which is being funded by the South West RDA, UK Government and the European Regional Development Fund.

Wave hub contractThe Hydro Renewable Connector (HRC), the result of extensive research and development has been designed to meet the specific needs of the marine renewable market.

The HRC connects wave or tidal power generation units to heavy armoured seabed cables. The current design is rated at ��kV and future product development will increase the operating voltage to ��kV.

Hydro Group managing director, Doug Whyte, said “Marine renewables are a key focus for the company, not only in the UK, but also internationally as other country’s governments commit considerable financial support to their own energy strategies.

The Hydro Renewable Connector (HRC)

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Salvage

Chemical TankerT&T BISSO has successfully refloated a chemical and oil tanker that ran aground near Jamaica.

The company mobilised a salvage team, lightering equipment and pollution response gear after the tanker, loaded with �7 000t of ethanol, ran aground off the southeast coast of Jamaica after sailing from Port Esquivel.

The T&T BISSO salvage team performed a ship-to-ship transfer of ��00t of ethanol to lighten the tanker, conducted an environmental assessment and safely refloated the vessel. The crew backloaded the cargo and delivered the tanker to its owners with no damage to the environment.

Titan Salvage’s jack-up barges Karlissa-A and Karlissa-B were used in the wreck removal of the Vinca Gorthon, a roll-on/roll-off vessel, which sank in the North Sea in �988. The Ministry of Waterways North Sea Division, part of the Dutch, Ministry of Waterways, awarded Titan the wreck removal project.

The Vinca Gorthon lies approximately �9km off the Netherland coast at a depth of ��.5m in a very busy shipping traffic lane. The vessel protrudes �0m from the seabed and has become a danger to modern ships with a draft of �5m or more.

The Vinca Gorthon weighs approximately �9 000t with cargo, and measures ��� meters long and ��m wide. The ship, which was laden with rolls of paper and tank trailers with paper pulp, was enroute from the Swedish port of Oskarshamn to Antwerp, Belgium when she sank.

Prompt removal of the wreck is critical due to the increase in the number of ship movements in the North Sea related to developments in offshore energy, including oil

Vinca Gorthonand gas and wind parks. The wreck is blocking part of the navigational route. Titan is scheduled to have the vessel removed by Nov �0�0.

The Karlissa-A and Karlissa-B jack-up barges operate in the most demanding marine environments. The barges, which have a combined total of �880m of clear deck space, can jack in depths of up to 50m. The Karlissa-B has a �7�t capacity platform ringer crane. The barges can load over 900t and are adaptable to accommodate upwards of ��50t of vertical lift or ��0t of lateral pull utilizing Titan pullers.

In �008, Titan used both the Karlissa-A and Karlissa-B barges, which were raised �0 feet above the surf zone, to remove the New Carissa, a ��0ft (�95m) wood-chip carrier, which ran aground just north of Coos Bay, Oregon during a February �999 storm. The barges served as a stable platform for the salvage team to work on and above a very active surf zone.

Chemical tanker refloated

UT3 1Q 20109�

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Centre section of jacket removed

Specialist cutting provider Cutting Underwater Technologies (CUT) has completed a seven figure value project as part of the Total Norge-operated Frigg cessation project.

The company, a provider to the decommissioning and abandonment industry, carried out work in several phases on the Frigg DP� and QP platform jackets for Saipem as well as the DP� Jacket and topsides work on the MCP0� for Aker.

The work was carried out over a number of campaigns in �007, �008 and �009, staged to meet the timeline and support vessel availability.

On the final phase of the DP� jacket dismemberment, CUT used its innovative diamond wire cutting

New Equipment for Frigg Decommissioning Projecttechnology to make the 7� separate cuts into the jacket structure. The cuts ranged in size from ��–7�in, and used five diamond wire cutting machines with capacities of up to 7�in to complete all the cuts.

The work required the construction of custom-built deployment baskets for the ��in and 50in diamond wire cutting machines (DWCM), adjustable to allow different angles of approach to match the angle applicable to each individual cut.

Extensive trim trials and workclass ROV skid fitment trials were carried out in advance and the bespoke approach ensured additional accessibility and buoyancy which delivered reduced cutting times and costs to the client.

Additionally, for Saipem, the company carried out eight cuts as part of the

removal of the QP jacket over two mobilisations. Working in some 99m of water CUT carried out the cuts on the primary piles (��7�mm dia by �7.�mm wall thickness) as well as the insert pile �0�7mm diameter by �8mm wall thickness). Each cut was completed using a single wire at an average cut time of �.� hrs per cut. CUT UK Sales and Marketing Manager Duncan Griffiths said: “The versatility of our approach is helping our clients develop innovative solutions to their decommissioning strategies that save time and money while minimising environmental impact.

“To facilitate the installation of the floatation tanks two under-driven piles which were forming an obstruction were severed.

Then, once the tanks had been

UT3 1Q 2010 97

QP Jacket being lifted by crane barge

installed, a further �� cuts to the corner (����mm diameter, 70mm wall thickness) and the inner (�0�7 mm diameter, 70mm wall thickness) piles were completed. A standard ��in DWCM was used to carry out all the cuts”.

CUT was subsequently awarded the contract to carry out the cutting associated with the piece-by-piece demolition of the jacket at the Stord Fjord in Norway. This project was carried out by the Groups Norwegian operation “CUT AS” based close to Stavanger at Ålgård.

Aberdeen-based TSMarine Subsea has been awarded a £500,000 contract to abandon two North Sea wells for Petro-Canada UK. The new contract will see TSMarine Subsea prepare a programme to abandon two Category One suspended subsea wells in block �5 of the Moray Firth region for the Canadian operator.

Offering a range of rigless well interven-tion, decommission-ing and construction support solutions to the global subsea oil and gas industry, TSMarine Subsea will lead the project to sever and recover the wellheads using abrasive water jet cutting technology.

The Rem Poseidon, a multi-purpose support vessel on long term charter to TSMarine Subsea will be used to complete the project.

Abandonment

TSMarine Subsea personnel mobilise for well abandonment operations on the Rem Poseidon

UT3 1Q 201098

AF Decom Offshore UK and Lerwick Port Authority have entered into an exclusivity agreement with the intention of developing a deep water quay facility at Dales Voe, Lerwick, Shetland.

It is to be developed as a decommissioning centre, capable of meeting the growing UK requirement for the abandonment of major structures located in the northern North Sea.

Dales Voe features a ��.5m water depth alongside a 5�m quay, which is suitable for very heavy lifts, as well as more than �0m’ water depth in the approaches and direct access to the north sea. Warehousing is available from the port authority.

Work is currently under way by the port authority to expand the already extensive laydown area which will facilitate the handling of decommissioning projects.

AF is a well established in the nordic countries for removal, demolition, environmental reconstruction and recycling of buildings, industrial plants and offshore installations.

Lerwick is established as one of the principal deep-water harbours in the northern north sea, with extensive experience in the offshore oil and gas and decommissioning sectors.

Deep-water Decommissioning Base

Above and left: The site of the decommissioning facility at Dales Voe

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Above and left: The site of the decommissioning facility at Dales Voe

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The Noordhoek Pathfinder was recently launched at the De Hoop shipyard in Foxhol – The Netherlands.

The ship is a state of the art ��m remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and survey support vessel. The ship is currently undergoing the final stages of installation and commissioning of the crane and survey spread prior to commencing sea trials. Shewill be fully commissioned and ready for deployment in early �0�0.

The Noordhoek Pathfinder is mobilised with a Grade � dynamic positioning system (DPII), diesel electric drive, a large moon pool, a �5t offshore crane. She is also equipped with workclass and onspection ROV systems, side scan sonar tow-fish, McArtney Focus � ROTV systems and a technologically advanced survey suite.

With accommodation for �0 people split between single and double cabins, the Noordhoek Pathfinder exceeds the latest environmental and acoustic standards ensuring quiet operations whilst at survey speeds.

The vessel’s main functions will be inspection, repair and maintenance, hydrography, geotechnical investigation, and analogue / digital geophysical survey.

Noordhoek’s have also commissioned a 7�m DPII saturation dive support vessel called the Noordhoek Constructor. She is also undergoing the final stages of construction and is due to commence operations in early Q� �0�0.

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Noordhoek Pathfinder

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Jumbo Shipping’s latest newbuild, the Jumbo Jubilee, completed its maiden voyage after successfully loading, transporting and installing two ��50t shiploaders for FL Smidth in challenging circumstances. The Jumbo Jubilee sailed from her home port Rotterdam, for Vitória, Brazil, where two shiploaders were waiting, each with a processing capacity of �� 000t iron ore per hour. With ample clearance between crane jib and cargo and enough lifting height to clear the conveyor

Jumbo Javelinbelt at the centre of the pier, the loading operation was relatively easy. It was at Tubarão, where offloading and installation were due, that was challenging. The port of Tubarão is half open to the sea and is continuously subjected to swell. As conditions vary between 0.�0m and �.�0m swell, ship and cargo can easily become the victim of roll or swing, a real challenge when handling a ��50t piece of equipment.

Jumbo’s engineering department

checked swell statistics of the last ten years and using detailed weather forecasts and computer analysis to predict the vessels’ behaviour. Thus, a window of opportunity was identified consisting of manageable wave heights and periods. When a window was chosen, the vessel was ballasted to an optimum level of stability, resulting in minimum pitch and roll in the given conditions.

The shiploader was lifted on board, brought to Tubarão and installed safely on its rails, under control and according to plan.

Vessels.....

The Jumbo Jubilee

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Habitat and biotope complexes of the Outer Thames Estuary REC interpreted from an integrated physical and biological survey dataset. Copyright British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. Products Licence 0��00�.00�.’

Emu Limited has recently delivered the final report for the Outer Thames Estuary Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC) which was funded by the Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (Marine ALSF).

The contract was awarded to Emu Limited in June �008 to undertake the REC Interpretation and Analysis (following data acquisition during surveys commissioned by the Marine ALSF in Summer �007). The completed study has produced a high quality reference document enabling confident, informed and consistent decision making by all stakeholders including developers, regulators, government advisors and other interested parties. The REC offers a context for the integrated management of offshore resources and marine spatial planning for the Outer Thames Estuary.

The report provides an environmental reference statement defining marine and seabed conditions within the Outer Thames Estuary. The Outer Thames REC is part of a series of four REC Projects commissioned by the Marine ALSF to develop understanding of Britain’s submerged habitats and heritage via broad scale characterisation of the seabed habitats, their biological communities and potential historic environment assets within the regions. The Outer Thames Estuary is the first of the four REC studies to be completed.

The Marine ALSF offers the opportunity to acquire and interpret a high quality, integrated physical and biological dataset for the first time in this region, enabling broad scale characterisation of the geology, seabed processes, habitats, biological communities and heritage features. The Marine ALSF Steering Group are pleased to announce the launch of the Outer Thames WEBGIS which will provide the opportunity to browse and visualise a number of geospatial datasets submitted as part of the Thames REC (Data Interpretation and Analysis) Project. The datasets for the survey and interpretation phases are available from the Marine ALSF

Thames Esturary Report

UT3 1Q 2010 �0�Habitat and biotope complexes of the Outer Thames Estuary REC interpreted from an integrated physical and biological survey dataset. Copyright British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. Products Licence 0��00�.00�.’

UT3 1Q 2010�0�

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Oceanology

Posidonia oceanica is species of seagrass endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. It forms large underwater meadows that provide important environmental services to the region and beyond.

Sometimes called the ‘Olive Oil of the Sea’, recent research has established a new scientific method for its detection, classification and volume estimation. Simrad Spain has proposed the use of hydroacoustic technology for this purpose.

So why is Posidonia vital to the marine ecosystem?

“The grass meadow is a ‘climax community’ representing the highest level of development and complexity that a marine ecosystem can reach, said a spokesman for Simrad.

“Posidonia in coastal ecosystems plays a major role for several reasons. Thanks to its leaf development, the environment frees up to �0 liters of oxygen per day and per m� of meadow. It produces and exports biomass both to surrounding ecosystems and to greater depths and provides shelter and breeding grounds for many fish, cephalopods, bivalves, gastropods, echinoderms and tunicates.

“It consolidates the seafloor to help offset costs and excessive sediment transport due to coastal currents. It also acts as a barrier, attenuating the force of currents and waves and thus preventing coastal erosion. Finally, it dampens the waves through the layer of dead leaves deposited on the beaches, which protects against erosion, especially during winter storms.” The disappearance of grasslands has negative effects, not only on the micro-ecosystem itself but also on linked ecosystems.

Posidonia Oceania“Just think that the loss of a single metre of grassland can lead to the disappearance of several meters of beach due to erosion,” said a spokesman. “Furthermore, regression of grasslands involves a loss of biodiversity and deterioration of water quality.”

The research on Oceanic Posidonia has seen a major boom in recent years.

“The importance of the flora in the marine ecosystem balance has become obvious and is beyond question,” said a spokesman. “Among the underwater flora of our environment the Posidonia oceanica is of special importance. It is a species that has a powerful attraction to be endemic to the Mediterranean and the key to ensuring biodiversity of the seabed.

“It is subject to many threats, given the increase in human activities such as chemical spills, discharge of brine from desalination plants, construction of port infrastructure and indiscriminate trawling. In addition, other non-human factors such as the encroachment of invasive species to the Posidonia also pose a threat to their survival.

“We must consider the slow processes of growth and recovery of a damaged area. It is estimated that the Posidonia extends through the meadows at the rate of one centimetre per year, so if you try to retrieve a square foot, it would take a century to achieve your goal.”

“Until recently, scientists have used methodologies based on diving and capturing video images in their study areas. Current technology has improved the qualitative and quantitative research capabilities, and the application of different hydro acoustic detection systems has provided a variety of information.

Documents published by the European

Acoustics Association, highlighted the excellent results obtained in detecting and classifying seabed vegetation by combined application of acoustic methods.

They combined a single beam echosounder, which enables classification of the seafloor and its vegetation, a multi-beam sonar, which generates micro-relief, and a side scan sonar, imaging the seafloor reflectivity and thus enabling the spatial classification of seafloor types and vegetation. The data from these systems are merged and processed, resulting in �D images of the same quality and precision as found in the field of biomedicine.

Quantitatively speaking, this technology can work simultaneously with oceanographic parameters. All this information is linked to the presence and quantity of Posidonia. As for the quantitative method, prospecting new technologies allow a wide area of study while minimising data collection time. Thanks to the

Research

UT3 1Q 2010 �05

digital storage of all data acquired during the survey, one can make historical databases that allow monitoring of the expansion or reduction in the length of the field of underwater flora.

It is possible to study how quality varies over time by comparing contemporary data with the previous sampling. Many scientists emphasise the new possibilities opened by the combined application of different acoustic systems. Each of the systems available, depending on their features, offers various types of information about the flora.

In an experiment conducted in France by the company in collaboration with TS SEMANTIC GESMA, for defence purposes, the aim was to detect mines hidden in the vegetation. Several systems were combined to cross-correlate the signals from different types of bottoms (sand with and without plants, rocks) with samples obtained at different depths

and with different settings of the systems (transmit power and pulse length between them). Acoustic systems combined in this test were:

l A side scan sonar l The GeoAcoustics shallow water wide swath bathymetry system GeoSwath Plus, which simultaneously acquires bathymetry with a swath width of �� times the water depth and geo-referenced side scan data l The scientific high-precision echosounder Simrad EK�0

The side scan sonar shows the reflectivity of the seafloor and discriminates areas where there are plants or sand. The GeoSwath Plus system, however, provides bathymetry and geo-referenced side scan data. Both datasets can be merged to generate a three dimensional image representing the bathymetry and backscatter of the seafloor.

This unique feature allows the

correlation of the three-dimensional data with the location and extent of Posidonia meadow areas. The scientific probe records the acoustic pulses to generate a profile of the seafloor. These data are recorded simultaneously with the D-GPS position. Since the sandy areas and vegetation meadows provide different signatures, by applying the algorithm analysis, it discriminates between different types of seafloor.

In this first phase, it detects the presence of Posidonia. In that case the system estimates its height and abundance. The presence of Posidonia is limited to the depth to which sunlight reaches, the photic zone, so most of these studies are conducted in shallow water.

This, combined with the high resolution of the acoustic systems, generates maps that resemble virtual reality. This methodological concept corroborates that the innovations technology offers give high performance and ensure scientists new and improved ways to study. Moreover, these technologies enable the direct study of large areas with very high resolution, whereas the traditional approach of visual sampling was limited to very small zone and therefore the use of statistical extrapolation.

This methodology provides several advantages: the mappings are very precise and there is no need to repeat the survey again and again to compare results. Another advantage is that it significantly reduces the costs of underwater inspections: divers, cameras, videos, etc.

A direct scientific application is the fact that the concentration of plants has civil and military uses: the plants can hide mines placed on the seafloor and also alter the performance of the sensors used for detection (especially the laminaria species).

The main scientific studies involve hydroacoustic systems. There are three basic technolgies – wide swath bathymetry, side scan sonar and single beam echosounder working simultaneously. The researchers used a GeoAcoustics GeoSwath Plus which made the use of a separate side scan sonar obsolete as it acquires geo-referenced side scan data.

New Methodologies

Oceanology

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English Channel BathymetrySeaZone took a major step forward in December �009 towards its aim to create a high resolution and accurate bathymetry model of the UK Conti-nental Shelf by completing the first phase of its Bathymetry Improvement Programme for the northern English Channel between South Foreland and Land’s End. The new bathymetry model will become a core reference dataset in SeaZone’s digital marine mapping product, HydroSpatial.

With increasing pressure on the marine environment and the re-quirement to maximise value from existing public sector information

holdings, the new model in particu-lar and HydroSpatial generally are already proving to be important tools to support offshore renewable energy development, marine planning and policy making.

The bathymetry model, believed to be the first of its kind, is created from ‘best available’ digital survey bathym-etry data from a variety of different sources. It is being used by British Geology Survey to improve our under-standing of sea bed geology and by Cefas (and others) as input to habitat mapping.

SeaZone has spent the past three years gathering and digitising data,

going as far as identifying and gain-ing permission to use and capture survey sheets (also known as fair sheets) stored in archive at the UK Hydrographic Office.

In total, SeaZone has invested in the capture of over �00 surveys to create this unique database of the UK’s underwater terrain. The data repre-sents the most detailed water depth data available, either from modern multibeam surveys or single beam surveys dating back to �970. All of the data used in the work has been collected to the IHO’s International Survey Standard, S-��, and quality controlled at the UK Hydrographic

UT3 1Q 2010 �07

English Channel BathymetryOffice or another competent authority. By using survey data as input, the new model is more accurate than depth data displayed on traditional navigational charts, which is widely known to be coarser in resolution and conservative in depth.

To date, SeaZone has collated over �.� billion sound-ings from 5,000 surveys. Accurate area extents and metadata are created for each survey and the meta-data published to the MEDIN portal, as well as being used internally by SeaZone and its customers. The data and metadata is used as input to SeaZone’s Digital Survey Bathymetry (DSB) data product and as input to the bathymetry model.

From this unique Oracle database, significant resource is invested to create a single seamless surface of sea bed elevation representing the most up to date and dense data available. The work, typically known

as ‘survey de-confliction’, is undertaken using specially designed GIS software developed at SeaZone to read survey points directly from Oracle.

The de-confliction work separates the many overlapping surveys against each other based on a number of rules or attributes, most importantly survey age, survey type and sounding density. The result is a set of modified survey extents which are clipped against one another to keep the best available data in full, creating a seamless surface of depth soundings. T

he clipped survey extents are used to label each sounding in the Oracle database, with an active or inactive identi-fier, so that only the active soundings from each survey are used as input into the bathymetric model. The survey extents also form a meta layer, similar to the ‘source data diagram’ on an Admiralty Chart, which is used to identify the age and provenance of the data used in the model.

Using SeaZone’s French partner, Geomod, BathySIS soft-ware, the de-conflicted sounding data are used to create a triangulated irregular network (TIN) model (using Delau-nay triangulation methods), which in turn is used to create a gridded model of varying resolutions. . At a resolution of � arc second (or approximately �0m), physical features such as trenches, ridges, sand banks and sand waves are more easily distinguishable, even in areas where only single beam echo sounder data is used as input.

By maximising the value of existing data in this way, investment in new surveys, such as those of the MCA’s Civil Hydrography Programme, can be better targeted on priority or unsurveyed areas. As new data becomes avail-able, this can be easily ingested into SeaZone’s database to update the model.

Left: Deconflicted survey extents overlaid on the bathymetric model of the Solent and waters surrounding the Isle of Wight, (30m grid resolution)

Comparison of the bathymetric model (1arc second grid resolu-tion) created from survey data from nautical charts (above left) and from digital survey data (above right)

Oceanology.....

UT3 1Q 2010�08

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Polar Research VesselSTX Finland Oy and the South African Department of Environmental Affairs have signed a contract for construction of a polar supply and research vessel. The ship with a value of approximately €116 million will bring some �00 man-years of work. The ship will be built in the Rauma shipyard and it will be delivered in spring �0��.

The ship will function as a multi-purpose vessel, serving, among other things, as a supply vessel, research vessel, icebreaker, expedition vessel, as well as a passenger ship.

The ice-strengthened vessel will be approximately ���m long and it will have accommodation for a crew of �5 and some �00 researchers or passengers.

The polar supply and research vessel will be used to carry scientists and research equipment for the South African National Antarctic Programme in the sea area between South Africa, the Antarctic islands and the Antarctica. The ship can spend several months out at sea and it also acts as a mobile laboratory.

Scientists can also conduct various marine research onboard the ship. The ship is classified for carrying passengers. Furthermore, the vessel keeps continuous record of weather data for meteorological institutions around the world. The vessel has a shelter and landing area for two Puma class helicopters and it will feature laboratories, a gym, a library, and a small hospital.

Timo Suistio, Director of the Rauma shipyard, said that the trade agreement is of great importance both for STX Finland’s Rauma shipyard and the trade relations between Finland and South Africa in general.

“This is one of the biggest individual civil trade agreements the Finnish industry has made with South Africa,” said Suistio. “Furthermore, the agreement will naturally have a positive effect on the employment at the Rauma shipyard.

“The design work on the new research vessel will

Length overall, ���.00 mLength between perpendiculars ���.�5 mBreadth, moulded ��.70 mDepth to Upper Deck, moulded ��.55 mDepth to Main Deck, moulded �0.55 mDesign draft 7.�5 mDeadweight at design draught, 50�0 tGross Tonnage �� 000Service Speed ��.0 knotsSpeed in �.0 m level ice 5.0 knotsPassengers �00Crew ��Cargo hold capacity �000 m�Classification Society: DNVFlag: South AfricaNumber of passenger cabins: ��Number of crew cabins: ��

Class notation: + �A�, ICE CLASS IACS PC5, WINTER-ISED BASIC, DAT(-�5), EO, RP, HELDEK-SHF, CLEAN DESIGN, COMF V(�)/C(�), NAUT-AW, TMON, BIS, DYN-POS-AUT, DE-ICE, LFL Note: Structure DNV ICE-�0

commence immediately and the ship will enter production in September �0�0. The ship will be delivered to the Owner, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, in spring �0��.”

Henry Valentine, Director: Antarctica and Islands, said that “allocating this level of funding for the new vessel despite the current pressure on the national fiscus reflects the SA Government’s commitment to the South African National Antarctic Programme.

“The new ship, apart from its supply function, will be a catalyst to rebuild the deep-sea oceanography capacity in South Africa. This would also attract participation of international scientists and researchers, thus significantly contributing to research projects addressing new challenges and changing interests, for instance, climate change research.”

Main Dimensions

UT3 1Q 2010 �09

Wärtsilä is to design and supervise the construction of a modern oceanographic research vessel for the marine wing of the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

In addition to design and supervising the construction process, Wärtsilä will be involved in selecting the onboard scientific instruments, and in arranging training for GSI scientists to ensure that the vessel’s capabilities are fully utilised.

“The new vessel is the third of its kind that Wärtsilä is designing for India,” said Mr Arne Stenersen, Managing Director, Wärtsilä Ship Design in Norway. “The first one, Sagar Nidhi, is already in service and being operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. She is expected to support research work in the Indian Ocean and the Antarctic. Sindhu Sadhana, the second vessel, is under construction.”

Wärtsilä were given ��0 days to create this totally new design.

“Our designers will take full account of the scientists’ needs,” says Mr Egil Sandvik, Sales Manager, Wärtsilä Ship Design. “Good facilities for handling equipment, laboratories and workshops, ample space for living quarters and meetings, the correct positioning of transducers and last but not least, good levels of comfort.”

A high-speed LAN and internet connections will link the vessel’s control rooms, laboratories and accommodation to the outside world. The vessel designers have to reproduce the working conditions enjoyed by scientists ashore.

Geological Research Vessel“Wärtsilä has a good understanding of this, as inputs to the design process will be coming from people who have sailed as scientists on research vessels for many years,” says Sandvik.

A new set of rules apply to the design of this research vessel. The focus is on how the scientific tools perform and on the vessel’s ability to adapt to what she will be expected to explore in the future.

“It’s an interesting design challenge,” said Sandvik. “She has to be capable of carrying out complicated operations such as handling remotely operated vehicles ( ROVs), supporting manned underwater submersibles and controlling autonomous drills that can drill up to �50m below the seabed

at depths of a thousand metres

– not to mention the collection of seismic data and simple operations such as water and soil sampling. The demands and requirements associated with future tasks always have to be kept in mind.”

The new vessel will have accommodation for �9 people. With an overall length of 95m, breadth of �9m, maximum draught of �m and speed of ��kts, it will have an endurance of �5 days.

Completion of the project is scheduled for the first quarter of �0��.

Established in �85�, GSI is India’s second-oldest survey company. Right from the beginning, it has been probing

new territory, including regional-level exploration for mineral resources, inputs for engineering projects, and geotechnical, geo-environment, seismotectonics, natural hazards and glaciology investigations.

An ocean-going research vessel and two GSI coastal vessels have been carrying out seabed surveys within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), India’s territorial waters and in international waters. GSI’s mandate is to quantify the country’s existing resources and identify new ones.

Wärtsilä entered the Indian ship design market in �00�. The first contract signed was for a research vessel for the National Institute of Ocean Technology in Chennai. It was launched in �007. Wärtsilä’s second ship design contract was with the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa. This vessel is currently under construction.

In addition to these, Wärtsilä in India has a ship design contract for a diving support vessel - another special design. Contracts of a more standard type include MPSV, AHTS and OSV vessels, all of which are being built in India for different

A New Approach

The Sagar Nidhi, in service and being operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology

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The first ice-class floating storage and offloading system (FSO) to be completed at a Caspian Sea shipyard and deployed for service in the Caspian Sea is to be issued ABS classification. The Yuri Korchagin is set to be towed out of Baku for installation, hook-up and commissioning this week. It is destined for the Yuri Korchagin Field in the Russian sector of the Caspian where it will operate for Lukoil.

The FSO hull was constructed in two longitudinal halves by Keppel Singmarine in Singapore and was towed through the Volga-Don River Canal and assembled at Keppel Fels’ Caspian Shipyard Company (CSC) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

According to ABS District Manager Simon Jones, the size limitation of the Canal dictated that the unit be constructed in two modules for import into the region. The two hull sections were aligned and joined in drydock at the Caspian shipyard. The helideck and accommodation quarters, as well as other equipment, were loaded alongside the hull sections and also assembled at CSC.

ABS was involved in the project from the outset, continuing through initial construction to assembly and final delivery, working closely with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS).

Classifica

tion

Classification

GENOA-based classification society RINA has taken a lead in the developing market for floating LNG terminals. It has been chosen to class the first offshore floating storage and regasification Unit (FSRU), and is providing studies and support for a number of further offshore LNG projects, including the newbuilding which is likely to be the world’s second offshore LNG FSRU.

Addressing the Mare Forum Houston conference, Massimo Volta, RINA’s General Manager America, said, “Italy leads the world in implementing offshore LNG terminals. We have recently brought the Adriatic LNG terminal on stream, and we have five more live projects for floating and gravity-based offshore LNG terminals around our coasts.

“RINA is involved with all these in a number of ways, and our expertise is now being sought by other countries developing offshore LNG projects. We are very proud to have been chosen as the first classification society in the world to class a true offshore floating LNG FSRU, for the OLT Offshore LNG Toscana project.”

The OLT development will see the ��8 000m� Moss-type Golar Frost converted into a �.75billion m� per year FSRU, moored in ��0m of water off Italy’s west coast port

First LNG FSRUIce-ClassThe unit has been built to the ABS class notation +A�, Floating Storage and Offloading System, Ice Class C0, +AMCCU, FL(�0). The unit is ���.8m in length, ��m in width has a depth of �5.7m. It has a fatigue life of �0 years and is dual classed with RS. The FSO can withstand ice conditions of minus �0 degrees Celsius and ice thickness of 0.� meters.

Russia’s Lukoil is targeting December to start commercial oil production. When in operation it will be the largest FSO in the Caspian Sea. ABS Senior Surveyor Donald Dunlop, the project surveyor from Azerbaijan, reports ABS will be in attendance during the installation of the unit and will also class the mooring system once completed.

ABS has helped other operators meet the challenges of Caspian operating requirements, most notably Maersk’s first semi-submersible rig, DSS-�0-CAS-M and the ABS-classed Parker Rig �57, the world’s first arctic-class drill barge, operating in the shallow waters of the Northern third of the Caspian.

ABS has a robust ice program within its Corporate Research and Product Development Department. The aim of the program is to develop state-of-the-art methodologies and tools for assessment of ships and offshore structures operating in ice.

The ABS classified Yuri Korchagin FPSO

UT3 1Q 2010 ���

of Livorno. It will act as a receiving terminal for importing LNG, regasifying the LNG and pumping it into Italy’s gas grid.

The OLT FSRU is currently under conversion in Dubai Drydocks and will be towed to Livorno at the end of �0�0, with the aim of coming on stream in �0��. An external turret is being fitted, along with over ��00t of regasification equipment.

The main contractor is Saipem, working for the terminal owners - a joint venture between E ON Ruhrgas, Iride, Golar LNG and OLT Energy. RINA will class the vessel and provide statutory certification on behalf of the government. Through its dedicated oil and gas team it is also providing authority and owner engineering, ship handling simulation and assistance with local and international regulatory compliance.

Following the OLT FSRU, RINA is heavily engaged in providing a range of services to assist the Triton FSRU project. That will be a 5 bcm newbuilding FSRU, to be developed by GdF-Suez and Hoegh.

RINA was also closely involved in the development of the 8 bcm Adriatic LNG terminal, providing a wide range of analytical and supervision services, plus assistance with regulatory compliance. This gravity-based concrete terminal was built in Spain, towed to its site in the Adriatic and settled on the seabed in �7 m of water, where it came on stream in the second half of �009. The world’s first offshore LNG terminal, it is jointly owned by Exxon Mobil, Qatar Petroleum and Edison.

GL Noble Denton is part of the GL Group and currently employs over �900 technical and operations specialists and experts in 5� offices throughout the globe. As an independent advisor, GL Noble Denton is a full-service provider with broad upstream, midstream and downstream competence for the complete asset lifecycle. It offers consulting, design, assurance, operations and project consulting services combining in depth engineering and analytical skills with operational experience.

“With rising oil prices we expect a high demand for consultancy and assurance services in the oil and gas industry. It is obvious that the backlog of investments will come to an end sooner than later”, says John Wishart, President of GL Noble Denton. “We want to be ready in time.”

GL Noble Denton supports and assists oil and gas clients in all technical, safety and assurance related questions. This includes onshore production, onshore pipelines, storage, import terminals, LNG facilities, refineries and petrochemical plants, distribution networks as well as mobile offshore drilling units, floating production systems, fixed platforms, subsea and riser systems, offshore support vessels, tankers and shipping and offshore pipelines.

“We have strong expertise in complex oil and gas assets - with assurance, asset integrity, safety and risk, marine operations, project management and software services to match”, says John Wishart. “We know when a design is optimal, an installation is fit for purpose, and an asset is operating at maximum efficiency with minimum downtime.”Over the next two years GL Noble Denton plans to hire more than 700 new technical personnel, engineers and marine operations specialists

GL Noble Denton

Classification

.....

UT3 1Q 2010���

The trenching and excavation company AGR Subsea has signed a representation agreement with Mako Technologies, part of Deep Down Inc. Under the agreement Mako will promote AGR Subsea’s SeaVator and ClayCutter X seabed excavation service lines in the US Gulf Coast region, and provide operational support once projects are under way.

AGR Mako

Oceanteam has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with J. Ray McDermott for transfer of approximately 50% of the shares in North Ocean II AS and approximately 50% of the partnership interests in North Ocean II KS from its wholly-owned subsidiary Oceanteam Ship-ping �0� AS. The deal includes the transfer of 75% of the shares in North Ocean V AS from the subsidiary Oceanteam Shipping �05 AS.

North Ocean II AS and North Ocean II KS are the ship owning companies for CSV North Ocean 102, while North Ocean V AS is the ship owning company for CSV North Ocean 105 (to be built).

In addition, affiliates of J. Ray have entered into a five-year charter for the vessel CSV North Ocean 105 to be built at Metalships, Vigo Spain.

The CSV North Ocean 105 new build project is subject to completing a Spanish tax lease structure for the vessel and ship financing.

A five year charter of CSV North Ocean 102 will start upon redelivery of the vessel upon completion of the current ABB charter which is esti-mated to be in July �0�0.

OceanteamRoyal Boskalis Westminster Boskalis has made a public cash offer for Smit Internationale at an offer price of EUR �0 per share, excluding an interim dividend of eur �.75 over the year �009. The management board and the majority of the supervisory Board has recommended the offer to the shareholders for acceptance. Together with the shares currently held by Boskalis, approximately ��% of the shares are already committed.

SmitSchlumberger and Smith International’s boards have unanimously approved a merger agreement in which the companies would combine in a stock-for-stock transaction.

Under the terms of the agreement, Smith shareholders will receive 0.�9�� shares of Schlumberger in exchange for each Smith share.

This agreement places a value of $�5.8� per Smith share, representing a �7.5% premium. Upon closing, and reflecting the issuance of new Schlumberger shares, Smith stockholders collectively will own approximately ��.8% of Schlumberger’s outstanding shares of common stock.

Schlumberger expects to realise incremental pretax synergies—after integration costs—of approximately $��0 million in �0�� and approximately $��0 million in �0��.

SLB Smith

Riverstone Holdings has completed its acquisition of Seajacks International for a total cash consideration of $�07 million. Seajacks currently owns and operates two self-propelled jack up vessels out of Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom: the Seajacks Kraken and the Seajacks Leviathan.

Seajacks Kraken is currently on contract to TAQA carrying out gas field service work and will shortly commence a �5-month contract for DONG Energy to install turbines at the Walney offshore wind farm, located in the Irish Sea.

Seajacks Leviathan is currently on a �5 month contract with Fluor to provide installation services at Greater Gabbard,

Busin

ess

Business

Valeport is recognised as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of hydrographic and oceanographic instrumentation. Swathe Services is recognised as a leading hydrographic survey company working with and supporting marine engineers, contractors and surveyors worldwide.

The two companies have now combined forces with the announcement of a new distributor agreement with Swathe Services Australia.

“Swathe Services is known for providing specialist support to the marine industry with our highly skilled team of marine surveyors and an extensive pool of survey equipment” commented James Williams, Managing Director of Swathe Services.

“This new distributor agreement with

Valeport will enhance our services and allow us to supply the high quality oceanographic equipment our clients are looking for. Our highly qualified team are able to support the products and provide training on all the systems to make sure our customers achieve the best results”

Swathe Services will now provide the full range of Valeport systems including echo sounders, bathymetry packages, tide gauges, wave recorders and sound velocity meters.

Neil Hewitt, Operations Director of Swathe Services Australia said of the new agreement “ I feel Swathe Services is well placed, as a user of the equipment, to offer a complete service from the initial consultation through to installation and set to work , and follow up support. We are delighted to be working with such a reputable company that is so well known throughout the industry”

Swathe Services

Riverstone

UT3 1Q 2010 ���

AGR Mako

SMIT has completed the acquisition Minette Bay Ship Docking in Prince Rupert, Canada.

Minette Bay is active in the port of Prince Rupert with three ASD tugs. Minette Bay performed the shipdocking services for Ridley Island Coal Terminal for �5 years. This acquisition enhances SMIT Marine Canada’s current harbour towage operations on the West Coast of Canada.

Nova Analytics Corporation, a worldwide supplier of laboratory, field and online instrumentation, acquired the ownership of the shares in Aanderaa Data Instruments AS (AADI).

FMC Technologies has completed the acquisition of Multi Phase Meters. Based in Stavanger, Norway, MPM a global leader in the development and manufacture of high-performance multiphase flow meters for the oil and gas industry.

Smit/Minette Bay Ship Docking

Nova/Aanderaa

FMC/Multi Phase Meters

FMC Technologies has completed the acquisition of Direct Drive Systems, Inc. (DDS). Based in Fullerton, California, DDS is a world leader in the development and manufacture of high-performance permanent magnet motors and bearings for the oil and gas industry.

FMC/Direct Drive Systems

Cameron has closed on its acquisition of NATCO Group, following the approval of the previously announced merger agreement by NATCO’s shareholders at a special meeting. NATCO shareholders received �.�85 shares of Cameron common stock in return for each share of NATCO common stock held, and will receive cash reflecting the value of any fractional shares.

Cameron has issued approximately ��.7 million shares related to this transaction. Simmons and Company International served as financial advisor to Cameron on this transaction.

Cameron/Natco

Superior have taken over Hallin Marine at a cost of ���p per share - valuing the existing issued share capital of Hallin at approximately £9�.5 million and at £�0�.5 million on a fully diluted basis. Superior UK is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Superior Energy Services, Inc. and was formed for the purpose of making the £�0�.5 million offer for Hallin.

Superior /Hallin

Prysmian sehas acquired Rybinsk Electrocabel, one of the most dynamic Russian cable manufacturers. The €11 million enterprise value account for ap-proximately €2 million equity value and approximately €9 million Net Financial Position. In 2008 Rybinsk reported a turnover of approximately €36 million with a production unit located �50 km NE of Moscow,

Prysman/Rybinsk Electrocabel

Clough has taken a further step in strengthening its oil and gas focus with a 5�% investment in Peritus International, a new global subsea and marine engineering firm that provides engineering design and project management services to offshore clients, with a particular focus on difficult and deepwater environments.

Peritus operations has been established in Perth, London and Houston. The company will operate independently.

Steve Hindmarsh, based in Perth, will lead the organisation as Chief Executive Officer and will also be responsible for growth in Asia Pacific in his role as Managing Director for the region. Steve will be supported by Dr Chris Tam, President of the Americas, based in Houston, and Graham Taylor, Managing Director of Europe, Africa and Middle East, based in London.

Clough Peritus

Sea-Bird Electronics has acquired WET Labs, the manufacturer of oceanographic optics sensors that measure inherent optical properties (eg fluorometers, transmissometers, scattering sensors, and spectrometers).

WET Labs will remain located in Philomath, Oregon, and Bridgetown, Rhode Island, and the entire management team remains unchanged.

Sea-Bird

TSMarine Subsea will trade under a new name – Marine Subsea (UK) – after the company completed a management buy-out with support from Norwegian firm, Marine Subsea AS. Marine Subsea (UK) employs over �0 people from its Aberdeen headquarters and in the wake of the re-brand will be creating �5 new jobs. Alasdair Cowie will continue as managing director.

Marine Subsea

.....Business

UT3 1Q 2010���

Two of the leading oil and gas industry bodies have joined forces to develop a new training programme aimed at expanding the UK’s skills and expertise in the subsea sector.

Subsea UK and OPITO – The Oil & Gas Academy are working together to develop a series of subsea modules within the Academy’s successful Petroleum Open Learning (POL) programme.

A flexible self learning tool aimed at increasing technical knowledge, POL allows learners to take responsibility for their own training and study at their own pace. Programmes, in which learners complete a set of modules, also allow employers to develop the capabilities of their current and future workforces with successful trainees gaining a recognised National Certificate accredited by City and Guilds.

The new subsea modules are targeted at a wide audience including technicians and engineers and will focus on subsea controls, valves and process components, subsea hardware, pipelines, flexible pipelines, risers and umbilical’s , ROV systems, subsea operations and subsea intervention operations.

The six-module course will be completed by spring �0��.

Alistair Birnie, chief executive of Subsea UK, said: “The UK Subsea sector has a dominant position in a global market, having strong connections with major projects ongoing all over the world. To retain this position and beat off worldwide competition, we must keep investing in people and in developing new capabilities to ensure we maintain our key differentiators.”

David Doig, CEO of OPITO Group, said: “Developing and nurturing skills of the oil and gas employees will not only serve to enhance the industry but also extend the timeframe of activity in the North Sea.”

The National Subsea Research Institute (NSRI) welcomes has been joined by two new member companies. Kongsberg Maritime, which is headquartered in Aberdeen and Newcastle-based Wellstream International bring NSRI’s industry membership to �7 in less than a year since its launch.

A partnership between Subsea UK, the University of Aberdeen, Newcastle University, Robert Gordon University and the University of Dundee, NSRI’s aim is to develop and lead a coordinated research strategy for the subsea sector, developing and maintaining the UK’s position as a centre of excellence for subsea technology and skills.

The member companies assist with the prioritisation and development of research projects and form the NSRI’s Subsea Technology Advisory Group (STAG). This body, along with the university partners, Scottish Enterprise and the NSRI Board, determines the principal areas of research for the coming year.

Bill Edgar, NSRI chairman said: “We are delighted to welcome Kongsberg and Wellstream to NSRI and look forward to their input as we develop our programme of activities for the year. The UK has found itself at the forefront of the subsea sector and along with our partners and member companies we strive to consolidate and build on this position.

Last February, the NSRI showcased its talents at a joint symposium hosted by NSRI, and the National University of Singapore (NUS).The symposium - Subsea Challenges; Tomorrow’s Technologies –aims to further expand NSRI’s worldwide network of industry partners and members.

NSRIThe symposium also celebrated the development of research collaboration between NSRI and the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Offshore Research and Engineering (CORE). Professor Albert Rodger, chief executive of NSRI and Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen has spearheaded the alliance between the institutes that share the objective of supporting the development of future technologies for the subsea industry.

Professor Rodger, who spoke at the symposium, said: “The National Subsea Research Institute brings together industry and academia to focus on the development of research aligned with the needs of the global subsea sector in both the short and long-term.

Other academic and industry experts to speak at the symposium included Dr Bin Wang from the University of Aberdeen’s School of Engineering; Dr Graham Stewart, Energy Business Stream Technical Director for Lloyds Register; Dr Bill Loth, WD Loth & Company (UK); Professor Loh Wai Lam from the National University Singapore and Dr Jon Machin, Schlumberger, Singapore.

NSRI Chairman Bill Edgar

Industry Groups

Subsea UK, OPITOInd

ustry

Gro

ups

UT3 1Q 2010 ��5

The first edition of “The Produced Water Gamechanger Report,” developed by OTM Consulting, in partnership with energy business analysts, Douglas-Westwood, explores the options available for managing produced water from offshore oil and gas production streams.

Water ManagementProduced water is the largest waste stream from hydrocarbon production. In fact, daily water production volumes significantly exceed that of oil volumes, to the extent that ��� million barrels of water are produced by the industry daily compared to around 85 million barrels of oil over the same timeframe.

The report identifies a range of new and emerging technologies that can help operators deal successfully with produced water - including treatment, minimisation, separation and re-injection.

“The Produced Water Gamechanger Report,” also report provides detailed forecasts on market opportunities and growth potential for key produced water treatment equipment and technologies. It highlights that the total size of the market opportunity for final stage produced water treatment

systems is estimated to be around $�.� billion for the next five years - and predicts that the size of market opportunity for topside produced water re-injection systems is around $9.8 billion over the same period.

Case Studies & Operator Opinion

ForecastGamechanger Report - Douglas Westwood

Market analyst Quest projected a �5% increase in tree demand globally in �0�0 compared with a lack-lustre�009. With respect to its three-year forecast, Quest estimated a �5% compound annual growth rate for subsea tree awards globally led by Brazil and Africa which represents approximately ��% of the forecast demand (mean case forecast).

The industry seems to gravitate towards a consensus of growing optimism about increasing award activity long-term. Stability has been the norm for the majority of the past �-� months, with oil prices hovering north of US$�5/barrel.

This price level, and more importantly, ongoing stability, will help to provide operators with the confidence needed to begin executing projects, although this recovery will not lead to straight uphill growth.

Despite some operators’ heightened confidence in the past few months, Quest expects it to take �0-��

Subsea Treesmonths or more for that confidence to translate into meaningful project executions.

With respect to Quest’s forecast for �009, continued lack of confidence in global financial markets coupled with a “wait-and-see” attitude from operators small and large had a severe impact on the volume of projects during the first half of �009.

The second half of �009, fortunately, saw a rebound in subsea orders totaling ��9 trees compared with 90 trees in the first six months of the year. Quest’s annual survey of subsea tree awards totaled ��9 compared with ��� in �008.

As the industry fully expected, �009 was a low point for global awards in the subsea space commensurate with Quest’s estimate some �� months ago – the lowest total since �00�. That said, there is plenty of upside to this recent lull in activity as operator confidence returns on the heels of recovering oil prices.

Moreover, oil companies have a pressing need to replace depleting reserves and declining production. With the close correlation between subsea tree activity and global oil and gas prices, the outcome for �009 was unsurprising.

Brazil kicked-off the anticipated mega-awards of subsea equipment in �009 with the first tranche of standard non-pre-salt trees awarded to Cameron. This set Brazil and Cameron up to be the market share leaders for the year.

This initiation of the much-anticipated award activity from Petrobras – slow to accelerate – was quickly followed up by the award of the second tranche of trees to FMC Technologies and the third to Aker Solutions. The North Sea continued to be a strong player in the subsea market in �009 driven by Eni’s Goliat project and in-fill activity by Statoil off Norway. Aker Solutions was the market leader in this area for the year after securing the high-impact Goliat subsea production award.

Produced Water Gamechanger Report

Forecast

UT3 1Q 2010���

Peop

le

PeopleImagenex

Will Rowley has joined Acteon where he will take on the role of Group Analyst.

Rowley was formerly Director, Analyti-cal Services, for the leading industry consulting company Infield Systems. He brings to Acteon a wealth of expe-rience of oil industry modelling, market analysis and business forecasting.

Based in Acteon’s head office in Nor-wich, UK, Rowley will work closely with the group’s operating companies in the gathering of market intelligence. His objective is to enhance theexchange of information and help cement relationships with customers in areas of the industry where Acteon companies have the most value to offer.

ActeonSeeByte, developers of software for unmanned underwater vehicles, has been joined by Dr. Chris Tierney, Birgir Thorgeirsson and Tom Anderson,

Dr. Chris Tierney becomes part of SeeByte as a Senior development engineer.

Birgir Thorgeirsson joins SeeByte as development engineer.

Tom Anderson also joins as a development engineer.

SeeByte

Chris Tierney

Tom Anderson Birgir Thorgeirsson

Icelandic AUV manufacturer Hafmynd has welcomed Birna Maria Bjornsdottir and Stefan Reynisson to the company.

Stefan will be responsible for Procurement and Quality Control and Birna will work on the sales and marketing side.

HafmyndImagenex have announced the appointment of Steve Curnew as its new Sales Manager. Steve has over �0 years experience as a Sales Manager in the electronics industry.

Steve joined the Imagenex team at the beginning of November �009 and is looking forward to meeting many colleagues and customers at his UK debut, Oceanology International �0�0.

Thie Follows the retirement of Marketing Manager, Mitch Henselwood.

UT3 1Q 2010 ��7

The Amor Group, global provider of business technology, has appointed Andy Corkhill as Energy Sales Director.

Martin Bowman has also taken up the post of Transport Sales Director and Paul White has become Managed Services Sales Director. A fourth director is currently being recruited to head up sales in the public sector.

Andy will be working with Amor Group’s key clients, which include Centrica, BP, Shell, Scottish Power and SONI.

Amor

The advisory board of Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) has announced that Jan Pieter Klaver has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer.

He succeeds Jack Jacobs who fulfilled the CEO function on an interim basis.

HMC

L-� Communications subsidiary Klein Associates (L-� Klein) has appointed Bill Charbonneau as Regional Sales Manager for their Side Scan Sonar Systems.

Working with other members of the L-� Klein team, Mr. Charbonneau will be responsible for implementing Klein’s strategy to multiply its sales of domestic and international multi-beam side scan and bathymetric sonar systems.

With over �0 years experience in hydrographic and oceanographic markets, both as a salesman and as a field engineer, Mr. Charbonneau is

L-3 KleinSchlumberger has appointed Paal Kibsgaard Chief Operating Officer of Schlumberger.

Reporting to Andrew Gould, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kibsgaard will be responsible for the day-to-day management of all worldwide operations in addition to the Schlumberger technology organisation–including engineering, manufacturing and product development.

Previously, Kibsgaard was President of the reservoir characterisation product group, responsible for the management of the WesternGeco, wireline, drilling and measurements and testing services product lines.

SLB

Neptune Marine Services has appointed Lo (Lodewijk) Van Wachem as the group’s Regional Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Lo joins Neptune in Aberdeen, Scotland from Subsea 7, where he held the positions of Operations Manager, West Africa and more

Neptunerecently, Chief Operating Officer, Brazil.

In his new role, Lo will manage daily operations and advance the progression of the Neptune business model within his target markets and investigate strategic opportunities for future growth.

EdgeTech and ORE Offshore have added Doug McGowen to their senior staff in the role of director, new business development.

Mr. McGowen will work out of the company’s West Wareham facility and will focus on new products, market sectors and applications for the EdgeTech and ORE businesses.

Prior to joining EdgeTech-ORE, Doug was employed in the technology sector for �0 years before transitioning into the underwater technology market eight years ago. During those eight years, he worked in many different areas of the business including

The company has also added Jim Allan and Nick Lawrence to its senior staff in the roles of director, international business development. Jim Allan will concentrate on the West and Gulf coasts in the US in addition to China while Nick Lawrence’s area of concentration will be Europe and Africa.

Allan’s background includes sales and business development positions with Kongsberg Maritime and L-� Communications as well as running his own business for five years. Lawrence will be operating out of the UK. He held a variety of project management and engineering positions with GEMS Survey, M.K. Services and Gardline Surveys

EdgeTech

People.....ideally suited to further expand and enhance L-� Klein’s valued customer network.

Bill Charbonneau

UT3 1Q 2010��8

Michael Bellamy has been appointed general manager of GE’s PII Pipeline Solutions business, according to Claudi Santiago, president and CEO of GE Oil and Gas. Bellamy has served the last six years as general manager of marketing communications for GE Oil and Gas, which is headquartered in Florence, Italy. Bellamy originally joined GE through the acquisition of PII in �00�. He will be relocating to PII’s headquarters in Cramlington, Northumberland - U.K.

Peop

le

People

L-� Communications subsidiary Klein Associates (L-� Klein) has appointed Bill Charbonneau as Regional Sales Manager for its Side Scan Sonar Systems.

Working with other members of the L-� Klein team, Mr. Charbonneau will be responsible for implementing Klein’s strategy to multiply its sales of domestic and international multi-beam side scan and bathymetric sonar systems.

With over �0 years experience in hydrographic and oceanographic markets, both as a salesman and as a field engineer, Mr. Charbonneau is ideally suited to further expand and enhance L-� Klein’s valued customer network.

GE Oil and Gas

L-3 Klein

CTC Marine Projects has celebrated a successful year in the offshore construction industry, by being recognised as the Northern Offshore Federation (NOF) Energy’s ‘Compa-ny of the Year’. It also scooped the ‘Innovation and Technology’ award.

The awards mark a year of success for the company, which includes the first diverless subsea construc-tion and development project in the Mediterranean with a contract value of circa US$�0 million, expansion into several new regions including Brazil, China, Egypt and the Middle East and diversification into the Offshore Renewable market.

CTC has made a successful entry into the offshore renewables market having completed two workscopes for client E.ON, on Alpha Ventus and Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farms. CTC is actively pursuing further workscopes in this market, while be-ing very optimistic in the outlook for �0�0 and beyond.

CTC is also currently working on its first project in the Middle East where the scope of work includes the laying of power cable which is three times

CTC NOF’s CotY

CTC’s MD Daryl Lynch, and Subsea

Divisional Controller, Rhiannon Fernandez holding the company

of the year award

heavier than any power cable previ-ously installed by CTC as well as being the largest power cable ever laid in the Persian Gulf.

The Innovation and Technology award reflects CTC’s commitment to innovation, in particular the develop-ment of the world’s largest underwa-ter tracked vehicle, the RT-� Rock Trencher, which has had success in its first offshore scope of work for Shell off the West Coast of Ireland.

CTC has also recently announced the contract award of USD �9 million is for the cable lay and ploughing activity on the Jeju Island Project which will increase the order backlog for �0�0 and �0��.

The workscope, for client KT Submarine, will involve the instal-lation of two �05km cable bundles between Jeju Island and Jindo Mainland Korea in water depths of up to ��0 metres. The first bundle will be installed in �0�0 and the second bundle will be installed in �0��. CTC Marine will use a DPII multi-role construction R class ves-sel for this project, as well as CTC’s ISU umbilical plough.

Michael Bellamy

UT3 1Q 2010 ��9

Specialist subsea service company DOF Subsea has appointed Serge Geraud as its new Operations and Business Development Director based in Angola. Formerly Offshore Construction Manager with Technip, Geraud joined DOF Subsea in December.

He will be responsible for managing the company’s day to day operations which are focused on supporting developments in West Africa. He will also play a key role in developing the business in West Africa.

DOF Subsea

Peop

le

People..

Atkins’ achievements in subsea engineering over the past twelve months culminated in the company picking up a brace of awards at the Subsea Business Awards, an annual celebration of excellence across the sector.

Stephen Booth, subsea director for Atkins, collected the Subsea Innovation and Technology Award for the groundbreaking work achieved by Atkins’ Joint Industry Project SAFEBUCK.

Led by consultants David Bruton and Malcolm Carr, SAFEBUCK has carried out research and development into the most challenging aspects of pipeline design for deepwater or high-pressure high-temperature fields, developing both design guidance and new tools to improve feasibility and reduce risk.

Commenting on the award for SAFEBUCK, Stephen said: “SAFEBUCK has been a great success on many levels, drawing on deep technical knowledge from

across Atkins and some of the world’s foremost universities and research centres. We had fantastic support from our participants, including the sharing of valuable research and operating data in order to significantly improved our knowledge and ability to deliver challenging projects.”

Atkins oil and gas consultant Katy Wilson took home the award for Emerging Talent. Commended by the judges for her breadth of knowledge in subsea pipeline engineering, Katy was also praised for her work authoring a best practice guidance document on preserving the integrity of riser caissons.

She was also praised for her remarkable organisational and interpersonal skills and her clear vision for what is important both technically and commercially. Katy said: “I am surrounded by some of the best minds in our industry. The team at Atkins has given me a great deal of support and mentoring over the years, so this award is as much a credit to them as it is to me.”

Double success for Atkins at Subsea UK awards

Stephen Booth and Katy Wilson at the Subsea UK awards

Serge Geraud

UT3 1Q 2010��0

...and Places

Kongsberg Maritime headquarters has opened its brand new extension in the Kongsberg Technology Park. The seven storey, �0,000 m� building has space for around 550 employees and is designed to complement the original �7000 m� Carpus building, which was opened in �00�.

“The opening of the Carpus extension is a positive step for Kongsberg Maritime employees, customers and partners,” comments Torfinn Kildal, CEO, Kongsberg Maritime. “We are currently in the process of managing our way through the worldwide downturn whilst preparing for the forthcoming upturn and the new premises will allow for more efficient operations in an inspiring work environment.”

The two buildings that now make up Carpus are connected via an underground tunnel and a raised,

enclosed walkway. In addition to extensive lab and test areas that set very high standards for technical facilities, the Carpus extension seamlessly integrates office, meeting, production, storage and social space in a visually provoking, energy efficient new structure.

The many bold and innovative highlights of the premises include the coloured glass elevated walkway that connects the buildings, a new interior concept with a different colour scheme on each floor.

There is a focus on open space as opposed to separate offices in order to facilitate communication and optimal cooperation between staff and departments, adherence to the Tek �007 energy efficiency program, a focus on and dedicated space for displaying art, and a stunning ��.5 m glass masterpiece located in the main atrium.

Aker Solutions has entered into a contract with the construction company HENT to build a new combined office and hotel building at the K� site at Fornebu.

The building is planned with a total area of about �� 000m² including underground and parking areas, of which �� 000m² for the hotel. The building is planned to be completed in the first quarter of �0�� and Aker Solutions will be the tenant for the office building. The contracting party is Fornebu Gate � A/S, which will be owned 9�% by Aker Solutions and 7% by Arthur Buchardt Invest AS. This contract is the next step in the development of the K� site that was acquired from SPDE in the fourth quarter of �009. The office building is an expansion to the existing headquarters to cover capacity needs from �0��.

Kongsberg HQ Aker Solutions

..and

Pla

ces

UT3 1Q 2010 ���

GE Oil and Gas has further expanded its subsea portfolio capabilities with the opening of its new drilling and production business ‘Subsea Monitoring and Remote Technology Center’ (or SmartCenter) in Nailsea. It was officially opened by Ove Magne Kallestad, Vice President of Subsea Technology and Operations at StatoilHydro.

The new SmartCenter is a remote-access data hub connected to subsea field control and instrumentation facilities around the world. The new state of the art facility will offer assistance and services to the field at every stage of development – from installation and commissioning, through field start up and onwards into routine operation for operational support, condition monitoring, diagnostics, and production optimisation.

GE Oil and GasMacArtney Offshore, the Houston operation of the MacArtney Underwater Technology Group, has moved into larger premises. The capacity is more than doubled, from �500ft� to �� 000ft�.

The move significantly increases workshop and storage capacity. This allows them to accommodate larger service jobs, including medium sized winch umbilical spooling and terminations which now can be performed inside their secure premises.

Cable mouldings, fibre optic terminations and the MacArtney Offshore slip ring repair facilities with Focal trained technicians have also been significantly expanded.

Customer and project meetings will become easier and more comfortable thanks to conference rooms and teleconferencing. Up to �0 guests in house and �� guests worldwide will now be able to cooperate in meetings.

The new location makes MacArtney Offshore even more accessible to their customers. Most of the world’s oil and gas companies have offices within a �0km radius of the new site

MacArtney RelocationOffshore lubricants specialists Castrol Offshore has completed the centralisation of its operations at its Global Technology Centre in Pangbourne, UK. All of Castrol’s lubricant divisions will now be based on the �5 acre site with an analytical and performance testing complex housing over �50 chemists, engineers and researchers.

Commenting on the move, Paul Lowther, global marketing communications manager said: “The reason for centralising our operations at Pangbourne is to ensure that we can offer our customers the best possible standards of service in line with the performance of our products. By having the entire business unit centred on the site, the whole team can benefit from a vast array of knowledge and experience, and ensure technology, marketing and sales are all aligned, benefits our customers will see with new product and service offers.

Facilities such as our specialist subsea test rigs at Pangbourne replicate the extreme working conditions our products are used in every day. This, allows us to create lubricating oils, greases and hydraulic fluids that can be used in the world’s most environmentally sensitive oceans.”

Castrol Centralisation

MacArtney’s new11 000ft2 facility in Houston

2H�H Offshore Engineering has opened a new office in Aberdeen to provideimproved support for clients based in the area.

�H has been serving Aberdeen through its London office for over �5 years. However, the new Aberdeen office will enable the company to provide a more direct and higher quality service to operators and contractors based in and around the city.

The office will initially focus on drilling riser, completion riser, conductor, and wellhead assessments, but will also take on other types of engineering with support from �H’s London office. The Aberdeen office will be staffed through a mix of local recruitment and relocation of experienced employees from other �H offices, ensuring the same quality of service as currently provided at other �H locations.

The new �H office is in Tern Place House, in the Bridge of Don area of the city, home to a number ofActeon companies.

.......and

Places

UT3 1Q 2010���

..and

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ces

..and Places

InterMoor recently broke ground on its new state-of-the-art facility in Morgan City, Louisiana, with a ceremony featuring key management, and city and state officials.

More than 80 guests were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony including Gov. Bobby Jindal, Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte and Port of Morgan City President Mac Wade, all of whom spoke at the event. InterMoor President Tom Fulton, Vice President of Finance Scott Thomas and Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manager Chuck Fontenot also addressed the guests.

InterMoor will move its current operations in Amelia, La, to the new facility that will be developed on �� acres and will house administrative, maintenance, operations and fabrication employees.

The new facility will feature more than �0,000 sq ft of fabrication space, including a high-tech CNC cutting machine, mooring equipment and storage capabilities and a �� 000ft� multi-purpose building for administrative and operations employees.There is a wire doping area to inspect, protect and prepare wire rope for offshore jobs; a state-of-the-art �0 000ft� blasting and painting facility; and a �00t crane to enhance docking services.

“This new facility in Morgan City will be a realization of a long-term goal of expanding our services in this area and shows our commitment for growth to our employees, the community of Morgan City, and the oil and gas industry,” said Fulton.

The $�7.� million capital investment will allow the company to retain more than �00 jobs and will allow for future growth. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) estimates that the expansion will generate more than $�9 million in new state tax revenues and more than $�5 million in new local tax revenues over a �5 year period.

CTC Marine Projects has celebrated a successful year in the offshore con-struction industry, by being recognised as the Northern Offshore Federation (NOF) Energy’s ‘Company of the Year’. It also scooped the ‘Innovation and Technology’ award.

The awards mark a year of success for

Kongsberg Maritime China Jiangsu (KMCJ), an advanced new �880m� sensor production facility located in the Norwegian Industrial Park in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, China, was officially opened during a traditional Chinese ceremony attended by over �50 guests.

Work started on the modern new sensor production facility, which is based on the same methodology and processes used at Kongsberg Maritime’s Trondheim, Norway, sensor production facility, in February �009.

“The establishment of KMCJ was an international effort, involving a number of people from different departments, from our sensor production facility in Trondheim and other Kongsberg Maritime sites,” said Håvard Johnsen, General Manager, KMCJ.

“We currently have �5 employees, all of whom were hand-picked for their positions. As a high-tech, international technology company we are dedicated to bringing only the best people onboard and although most key personnel are now in place, the headcount at KMCJ will continue to grow,” says Johnsen

The considerable investment in the new facility will support Kongsberg Maritime’s position as a leading developer of sophisticated sensors for marine and offshore applications such as engine monitoring, bearing wear and tank

Kongsberg’s sensor team in China

Deepwater EU, the European subsidiary of the Houston-based offshore corrosion specialists Deepwater Corrosion Services, has further enhanced its attack on the corrosion market by creating a cathodic protection design and project management centre on the University of Surrey research park in Guildford, UK.

Geoff Camm, manager of the new centre, said: “This brings together an unrivaled group of talented individuals, able to provide unique corrosion control solutions to all of our customers in the oil and gas, energy, and offshore industries.”

He went onto say that the new team will be offering their clients a complete new “one stop design and support package” which has not been available. The centre will specialise in providing corrosion consultancy, from initial design assistance, third party review, failure investigation and analysis and project managed total project implementation.

Alex Delwiche, engineering manager of the centre, is a NACE CP IV engineer with over sixteen years in the business. In addition, the centre employs several highly qualified and experienced cathodic protection designers and project managers from various industry sectors. They include: tank farms and pipelines, concrete infrastructure, inshore marine terminals and offshore.

Jim Britton, CEO of Deepwater Corrosion Services in Houston said:“Our new offshore technologies have proven to be successful in the European market, and we are confident to commit to this expansion. We have been fortunate to recruit an exceptionally high caliber of people to staff the new office. The design centre will support our ongoing European offshore projects as well as work worldwide to include support for Algeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Angola and Congo.”

InterMoor Deepwater Kongsberg Sensor

UT3 1Q 2010 ���

monitoring, in addition to ensuring local capability to service the significant marine sensors market in the region.

“Far East Asia engine manufacturers constitute a large portion of the potential market for the standard sensors produced by Kongsberg Maritime, whilst we have also identified a direct requirement from shipyards for the delivery of our sensor products,” says Andreas Jagtøyen, Vice President of Kongsberg Maritime’s Merchant Marine sensor division in Trondheim (MM-T).

“The sensor production lines set up at KMCJ are intended for larger volumes and mass production for these customers, while in Trondheim, we will take care of customer specific sensors, spare parts and European orders,” continues Jagtøyen.

The KMCJ production facility also features a state-of-the-art mechanical workshop, with a range of advanced CNC-machining centres, and other workshop machinery for production of sensor parts and other mechanical components. This will ensure the continued quality and reliability of Kongsberg Maritime sensor products in addition to enabling a competitive market offering.

“To ensure the right product quality and to meet the market price, it was necessary to in-source and take control over the mechanical production of our sensors,” explains Oddbjørn Malmo, Production Manager at MM-T.

Expro has unveiled plans for a new multi-million dollar facility in Takoradi, Ghana.

Expro is currently operating in Takoradi with �8 employees working on the Tullow Oil Jubilee contract, supplying deepwater electro-hydraulic subsea services in addition to a range of other services.

Expro has been involved with Tullow in Ghana from the exploration and appraisal phase of Jubilee through to the fast-track delivery of a high-end electro-hydraulic subsea completion system.

The decision to construct a new site means all project activity, including well testing, cleanup, sampling and PVT (pressure, volume, temperature) services, can be coordinated and monitored from a custom-built, fully integrated facility.

The bespoke 8000m� facility, which will house extensive workshop and office space, is being developed around ‘modular concepts’ which provide efficient work areas and can expand with greater ease, as future operations in the region dictate.

Flexible pipe specialist Flexlife has taken on additional premises at Aberdeen Science and Energy Park to create a world-class research and development facility specialising in flexible pipe projects and technological advances.

The �500ft� base in the Energy Development Centre is part of company growth that has seen flexlife also expand into additional office space at its headquarters which was previously leased to tenants. The company is now occupying the whole �,000ft�offices.

Flexlife has grown from a team of eight �� months ago to more than �0 people at present to service a number of major integrity management contracts with operators in the North Sea and internationally, including Hess, Apache North Sea and Statoil.

The new facility comprises office and workshop space and represents an investment of £500 000 over five years.

Stuart Mitchell, Flexlife’s director of integrity, said: “We started out in business in �007 with the aim of devising innovative solutions to the most common problems with flexibles. Our first product to detect leaks in flexible pipes was launched around a year ago and has completed nearly £�million of work in the North Sea alone since then.

“We are now in the process of bringing our next phase of the technology to market in the form of permanent collars that can monitor flexibles continually for breaches and corrosion. In addition, we have several other patents and are working to commercialise additional products.

flexlife recorded turnover of £�million �008/09 and is predicting growth of at least 70% in �009/�0. New operational bases are scheduled to open in Brazil and

Flexlife

Expro

Asia Pacific by the end of this year.

The revolutionary scanning technology launched a year ago is the first to be able to successfully scan flexible risers in situ.

The application can scan for a flooded annulus and flexible pipe armour wire corrosion, factors which significantly affect the service life of flexible risers commonly used on floating production vessels (FPSOs).

It is mounted on an ROV and can operate in deepwater, helping to extend the lifespan of flexible pipes and minimise additional cost, personnel and environmental impact for clients.

...and Places

UT3 1Q 2010���

AGM London

SUTSUT

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The SUT announced the election of its new president at its AGM on �0th December. During the meeting aboard HQS Wellington moored at London’s Embankment, David Brookes announced the appointment of Dr Colin Summerhayes, who was also made Honorary Fellow during the SUT’s annual awards and new fellowship presentation.

Having graduated in geology from University College London (�9��), Dr Summerhayes has a PhD in applied geochemistry from Imperial College London (�970), and holds MSc (�9��) and DSc (�98�) degrees in geology from Victoria University, New Zealand.

Throughout his long and accomplished career, Colin has been involved in a number of significant research projects concerning geo-oceanography and has edited and authored various books and papers. Since March �00�, Colin has been executive director of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research,

based at Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) in Cambridge, and a Member of the SPRI. There he has stimulated development of observing systems for the cryosphere and the Southern Ocean, co-authored two recent papers reviewing Antarctic climate and is co-editor of Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment 2007–2008: A Contribution to the International Polar Year.

He is currently a Fellow and Chartered Marine Scientist of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), where he is a member of the Science Advisory Working Group, a member of the Publications Review Board and an editor of the Journal of Operational Oceanography, of which he was a founder.

The evening took on a different format than previous years, as members were invited to stay on for dinner after the AGM and awards ceremony. The new timetable for the event saw the AGM and awards ceremony begin at �7:�0,

followed by a drinks reception from �8:�5 to �9:�5, and then the dinner, attended by �00-plus members. The evening proved to be very successful, with positive feedback from all the attendees.

After the dinner, a game of ‘Heads and Tails’ was lead by Ian Gallett, now business development executive of the SUT, and was eventually won by Dr Summerhayes, who immediately contributed his winnings to the Educational Support Fund. The game raised a fantastic sum of £800 for the fund, and all participants were thanked for their contributions.

Additionally, Ian was thanked for his many years of hard work as leading the SUT, while Dr Bob Allwood was welcomed in his new position as chief executive by the membership.

Preceding the dinner was the SUT awards ceremony, which featured

Left to right: (front row) Martyn Witton, Melissa Saeland, Dr Colin Summerhayes, Ray Phillips(middle row) Ben Smith, Dr Jonathan Evans, Brian Threlfall(back row) Bob Manson and Phil Hawthorn

By Mariam Pourshoushtari

UT3 1Q 2010 ��5

various awards honouring those who have made exceptional contributions to underwater technology.

The Tom Patten Memorial Award for outstanding final-year undergraduate student was awarded to Melissa Saeland of the University of Wales, Bangor.

The BP/SUT award for the best thesis in offshore and subsea engineering and technology was awarded to Ben Smith of the University of Southampton for his project, ‘A The development of a bio-inspired method to recover energy from unsteady flow’. The postgraduate award will be presented

at the Oceanology International in March �0�0.

The Houlder Cup was awarded to Dr Phil Nuytten for his contribution to underwater operations. He could not attend the awards ceremony, so arrangements will be made for him to receive his award at a later date. The David Partridge Commemorative Award, jointly sponsored by the SUT and the former Offshore Energy Technology Panel, was made to Ray Phillips.

The President’s Award this year was presented to Martyn Witton in recognition of his long and distinguished career in underwater

technology and his tremendous contribution to the success of the Society in recent years. Everyone was delighted that Martin could make the trip from Jakarta to attend and receive his award.

SUT Fellowships were awarded to Phil Hawthorn, Bob Manson, Dr Jonathan Evans and Brian Threlfall. All attendees were pleased to see Brian, who came from Melbourne, Australia, to receive his award at the AGM. Others receiving Fellowship awards to be given locally are Prof Segen Estefen in Rio de Janeiro, Jim Leven and Harry Mackay in Perth, Australasia, and Phil Collins in Houston, USA.

The Aberdeen Branch of SUT held its Annual Dinner and AGM on the evening of Wednesday, � December �009, at the Marcliffe Hotel. An outstanding attendance of ��0 people enjoyed a champagne reception sponsored by Lime Rock Partners, a four-course meal with the wine sponsored by iicorr and a very entertaining after-dinner speaker, Mr Dougie Donnelly, sponsored byJ P Kenny. The Martin Richmond Award was presented during the dinner. The award, in its fourth year, was set up between J P Kenny and SUT in memory of Martin who died from cancer in January �00� at the age of 5�. Martin was employed by J P Kenny at the time of his death and was chairman of the Aberdeen Branch of SUT.

AGM AberdeenThe award is made to a mature postgraduate student who has performed most diligently throughout the course under demanding and mitigating personal circumstances. This year the award went to Corrie Ewart who graduated with distinction in an MSc Oil and Gas Engineering from Robert Gordon University earlier in �009. Whilst studying for his MSc Corrie was in full-time employment with BP as well as supporting his wife and two children.

The form of the award is actually derived from a separate competition involving RGU’s Gray’s School of Art for an original piece of artwork. The winner of the art competition receives a monetary award sponsored by J P Kenny. This year the award went

to Lynsey Ferguson. Lynsey is currently in her fourth year of the ‘BA (Hons) Painting’ programme. Another award presented during the dinner was the Award of Merit and is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to SUT Branch activities, underwater technology, the underwater industry and the aims and objectives of the Society. The Award of Merit for �009 was awarded to Mr Ron Bird of J P Kenny/Ionik Consulting.

The mandatory game of ‘Heads and Tails’ raised an outstanding amount of £���5 for the SUT’s Education Support Fund. The SUT is grateful to all who took part and contributed.

SUT Reports

Artist Lynsey Ferguson presents her painting as the Martin Richmond Award to recipient Corrie Ewant of BP

UT3 1Q 2010���

SUT Melbourne Branch in conjunction with Trelleborg organised a Lunch and Learn event titled ‘Developments in materials and components for new offshore and subsea applications’ on the �� November �009 at Mitre Tavern Steakhouse, Melbourne.Two presenters from Trelleborg were invited to present at the event.

The first presenter, Ole Bjorn Rasmussen, market development manager of Trelleborg Offshore Norway gave a presentation on developments in rubber for offshore and subsea applications. Ole Bjorn presented an overview of how rubber can be used for corrosion and fire protection, and how and why the technology has developed over the past �0–�5 years from providing corrosion protection of risers to what is on offer today.

Bastiaan Scheepers, manager – Integrated Offshore Mooring of Trelleborg Harbour and Marine, on the other hand, gave an outline of the developments in topsides integrated mooring solutions, which includes tandem mooring and ship to ship transfer, in the emerging floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) markets.

Bastiaan also discussed the docking aid systems, load monitoring and remote release technology, as well as classification society requirements in Australia. A typical layout from an actual project was shown to the attendees during the presentation.

A Question and Answer session was held at the end of the event was deemed successful with the attendance of �5 participants, mainly from the subsea Industry.

Developments in materials and components for new offshore and subsea applications

Melbourne Branch

The first AGM of the newly formed North of England Branch of the Society for Underwater Technology was held on �5 November at the Royal Station Hotel, attended by well over �00 people who came from as far away as Glasgow and Fife. It was opened by the Branch Chair, Dr Jerry Baker, who noted that three meetings had already been held, this being the fourth, in the first year. He thanked all the speakers and sponsors.

Of those speakers, five had been members of the local committee, and he extended the hope that other members could suggest ideas for future topics. Dr Baker reminded the attendees that a formal election will be held for admission to the committee after the first full year of its activity in November �0�0.

Dr Baker then gave the floor to the Honorary Treasurer, Dr Ian Frazer, who reported that income had exceeded expenditure by a small amount. Thanks were expressed to

Ms Irene Spence for her administrative work before the speakers for the evening were introduced.

The technical presentations were given by BP’s David Brookes, Chief Engineer, Subsea and Floating Systems, and Mark Worsley, Segment Engineering Technical Authority for Subsea Systems. David started with an overview of BP’s projects from �00� to �0��, and gave a fast-flowing and lucidly erudite account of the global BP projects in deepwater areas. He mentioned that BP investment in subsea engineering was scheduled to rise from �0% to �5% by �0�7 and that the number of subsea wells – ��0 subsea wells have been developed in the last �0 years – is due to double within the next �–�0 years.

Attention was given to characteristic challenges facing the development of hydrocarbon reserves from subsea reservoirs including: high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT), subsea separation and processing,

hydrate and waxing formations, long distance tie-backs, high-integrity pressure protection system (HIPPS) installations, increasing water depths with attendant colder fluids and maintaining the mechanical integrity of the subsea infrastructure.

Mark then spoke of specific issues under the heading, ‘Subsea Technical Challenges and Their Solutions’. He drew attention to incidents whose resolution had cost many millions of dollars, while avoidance, through attention to detail at the design or fabrication stages, would have cost only hundreds of dollars.

Examples included Thunder Horse, in the Gulf of Mexico, where buttered welds of corrosion-resistant alloys had failed, and Greater Plutonio, offshore Angola, where high differential pressures had led to seawater contamination of injection fluids.

He also noted the problems caused by using duplex stainless steels for template pipework, such as offshore Norway where templates are favoured, because fitting the pipework into the restricted space inevitably leads to high stresses.

Time was given to the dearth of application of technological innovations emerging from R&D programmes, and Mark pointed out that the difficulties associated with developing fields ‘under ice’ in the Arctic will demand increased collaboration within the industry. Mark expressed the need to break the taboos on sharing problems and their resolution between operators and to bring the industry to a closer correlation with the aviation Industry, where safety and asset integrity present similar issues of public interest.

Both speakers stressed the need to flatten the peak and trough cyclicity in the industry and to embark on endeavours to bring stability to the markets, mitigate against cost inflation and impact equipment lead times. Some ideas included introducing a greater element of standardisation in subsea equipment through vendor agreements and the emergence of a subsea reliability strategy.

North of England Branch

AGM Newcastle and Subsea with BP

SUT

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Evening Meeting Wednesday, �5 November �009By Dr Jerry Baker

UT3 1Q 2010 ��7

UT�

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