In April, Cargotec secured new contracts to deliver MacGregor anchor-handling, mooringand towing solutions for 15 offshore support vessels (OSV) of various types being built in China for Asian customers. The ships are being built in several shipyards in China for delivery throughout 2013 and 2014 to Coastal Offshore, Nam Cheong, Ezion Holding and Middle East interests.

Caption: "100m 300men accommodation / work barge"

Cargotec is supplying anchor-handling/towing solutions for two 59m anchor-handling tug/supply vessels, a 56.2m anchor-handling tug, and five 50m towing/utility vessels. Positioning mooring solutions are destined for two 100m/300-person accommodation/work barges, two 85m subsea maintenance/work support vessels, a 60m diving support vessel and two 105m subsea operation vessels.

"Most of the system components are established designs, and we have combined them to meet the needs of a particular ship type," says Francis Wong, Cargotec's sales director for offshore winch solution. "This ensures that each solution is well integrated and helps a ship type fulfill its specific functions. It also enhances a vessel's efficiency, safety and eco-friendly credentials throughout its entire lifecycle.

"We clearly see OSV demand coming back strongly in Asia, the Middle East, West Africa and South America at the beginning of 2012, and the market outlook is even promising," Mr Wong says.  "With Cargotec's strong global sales and service networks and leading technologies, we are prepared for the growth of the offshore market."

Ergodyne announces the addition of Arsenal® Water Resistant Duffel Bags to the Arsenal® Gear Storage line. From fabric and zippers to buckles and straps, the new Water Resistant Duffel is made of the toughest materials to withstand the harshest of conditions. 

“Our new Arsenal® Water Resistant Duffel Bags provide a smart solution for workers battling cold, wet and slippery conditions on the jobsite,” said Tom Votel, president and CEO of Ergodyne. “Toss your old damp bags for these element-tested, weather-resistant warriors.”

The Water Resistant Duffel Bags are made with a water- and cold-resistant tarpaulin fabric that protects from rain, snow, marine splash and so much more. Available in three sizes, the duffels offer a reinforced bottom with durable stitching – ensuring a safe and dry transport for your own precious cargo. Additionally, a document flap, ID holder, shoulder straps and side drag straps offer storage and transport versatility. The Arsenal® Water Resistant product video demonstrates these features and more.

“Outdoor workers are exposed to the elements day in and day out,” said Nate Bohmbach, product manager, Ergodyne. “Our Water Resistant Duffels provide a durable storage solution that keeps gear dry and accessible, even in the coldest and wettest job applications.”

ASL Environmental Sciences (Victoria, BC, Canada) successfully launched the Acoustic Zooplankton FishProfiler™ at Oceanology International ’12 London, UK!  The AZFP™ offers a new, economical way of obtaining reliable measures of marine environmental conditions in the water column.  The AZFP™ can monitor the presence and abundance of zooplankton and fish within the water column by measuring acoustic backscatter returns at multiple ultrasonic frequencies.  Other sonar targets realized from the sonar backscatter data include bubbles and suspended sediments. 

The AZFP™ has an unmatched combination of multiple frequency operation with low power and long endurance that fits your budget.  The AZFP™ is a powerful tool for scientific research and environmental monitoring in oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Using onboard data storage, the AZFP™ can collect data continuously for periods of up to one year at high temporal and spatial resolution.  The AZFP™ is available with up to four frequencies in a single transducer housing.

It can be operated in bottom-mounted, upward looking mode or in downward looking mode from a buoy, and is ideally suited for taut-line mooring operation, but many other options available.  The AZFP™ has highly configurable sampling programs.

CS Unitec has introduced a new Non-sparking Torque Wrench to its line of Safety Tools. Made from Copper-Beryllium to eliminate the risk of sparks at sites where explosive atmospheres may be present, it can be used in Ex Zones 0, 1 and 2 and 20, 21 and 22. In addition to non-sparking, the wrench is non-magnetic and corrosion-resistant.

The Torque Wrench has a 1/2” square drive and an 18-1/4” long lever handle. It features a “click” mechanism for turning both clockwise and counterclockwise. This wrench has a clockwise torque range of 22 to 120 ft./lbs. (30 to 160 Nm). The torque calibration can be monitored with a visual torque indicator. The Torque Wrench is ideal for tightening nuts, bolts, valves and other assemblies that require precise torquing in explosive atmospheres.

CS Unitec offers Non-sparking standard deep sockets in square drives of 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", and 1" with socket sizes from 1/8" to 5-5/8". Non-sparking deep impact sockets are available in square drives of 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1" and 1-1/2" with socket sizes from 1/4" up to 2-3/4". The Non-sparking Impact Sockets are manufactured from Copper-Beryllium.

Copper-Beryllium alloys meet OSHA and ATEX regulations for safe use in Ex Zones where hazardous, flammable or combustible vapors and liquids (Zones 0, 1, 2) or dust (Zones 20, 21, 22) may be present. Appropriate applications include oil drilling platforms, petrochemical refineries, gas installations, nuclear power plants, sugar refineries, grain silos and other industries where non-sparking or non-magnetic safety tools are required.

Forged for the highest quality in hand tools, CS Unitec’s line of non-sparking safety tools consists of hammers, flange wedges, striking wrenches, impact sockets, screwdrivers, shovels and other hand tools. Each tool is laser engraved.

Holland 1916’s RFID Metal Data Cinch enables oilfield service companies speedy and efficient handling of their rental fleet.

Holland 1916, a manufacturer of rugged identification products, delivers an RFID automatic identification solution for oil and gas rental equipment management. The RFID Metal Data Cinch device has been in use with several large Oil and Gas rental providers in the Gulf of Mexico, Bakken Shale, North Sea, and more. 

Holland 1916 provides extra rugged RFID transponder carriers to help automatically identify rental assets such as frac iron, pumps, slings, generators and more.

“By switching from manual processes to automated RFID identification, oilfield service companies have improved the tracking and handling of their rental fleet,” said Jim Stradinger, EVP of Sales, Holland 1916. “We are seeing an expansion of more detailed asset tracking to incorporate preventive maintenance services and inspections with the RFID asset identification.”

In the past, fairly rudimentary methods have been used to keep track of equipment at the rig. Usually a sling would simply have a tag with a serial number to differentiate one from the other. Rental operators would have to spend many man hours typing serial numbers or scan barcodes to identify the asset for the transaction. But working with serial numbers is cumbersome and error prone and barcodes don’t stand a chance in the rough environments.

So, when Holland 1916 developed the Metal Data Cinch, a great catch all identification product that is designed with a similar look and function of a basic cable tie, many rental companies moved to automate their entire rental fleet. The Metal Data Cinch has a unique embedded RFID design that protects the RFID chip to deliver an extremely rugged, impact and abrasion resistant RFID device for use in the most hazardous Oil and Gas environments.

Holland 1916 is working with many different applications in Oil and Gas, from inspection of equipment, to asset tracking, to check in/check out processes, to maintenance and certification of the equipment. The Metal Data Cinch is well suited for use in all of these instances. For more information, check out our Metal Data Cinch video on how Holland 1916’s rugged RFID tags have saved oilfield rental providers by streamlining equipment inventory processes, decreasing man hours spent locating equipment, and reducing check-in/check-out time.

T.D. Williamson(TDW) has  announced the successful development and field deployment of the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine, its new compact remote-controlled subsea hot tapping machine. The system, which is extremely lightweight, allows hot tapping to be carried out from the safety of a Diving Support Vessel (DSV) or platform, resulting in significant safety benefits and improvement in operational control.

With the lightweight Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine, hot tapping is carried out via remote control from a laptop aboard a Diving Support Vessel, providing safety benefits and improvement in operational control.

The past

Subsea hot tapping of pipelines is performed for a variety of reasons, including tie-ins, pipeline repair, insertion of instrumentation, facilitating chemical injection or providing access for temporary isolation tools.  The full process – which involves installing the hot tap assembly, performing the tap and recovering the hot tap machine – has invariably necessitated diver assistance.

This has meant that the potential for subsea hot tapping was inevitably shaped by human factors, namely the limits of where divers can operate. Diver operations are limited to those taking place in a maximum of 300 meters (984 feet) of water depth, whereas a significant portion of existing subsea field infrastructure, as well as projected future developments, are in waters down to depths of 3,000 meters (9,842 feet). Furthermore, the ability of divers to operate effectively in shallow water can be affected by environmental factors, such as in wave breaking zones.

Lightweight, direct control diverless system

The demands of deep water and the risks in shallow water have necessitated development of a completely diverless, remote-controlled system.  Responding to these demands, TDW has developed the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine, a remote-controlled hot tap machine. “We are delighted to have developed this vital new technology,” said Mike Benjamin, Vice President, Offshore Pipeline Solutions for TDW. “The most critical part of the hot tapping process is the point at which the drill penetrates the pipe, which has now been rendered diverless by the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine.  The direct control and visibility from a laptop will revolutionize hot tapping, giving way to a more efficient and safer process.”

While the installation of the hot tap assembly and subsequent removal of the machine will still require diver assistance when a pre-installed tee is not present, the performance of the tap itself is remotely-controlled by a TDW technician onboard the DSV or platform. The system  is a topside-driven hot tap machine with “passive Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV) interface,” which means that it is a stationary ROV with its hydraulics and control system attached to the Subsea 1200RC Tapping  Machine, and operated from an on-board laptop.

The new subsea system has demonstrated the feasibility of conducting the critical tapping operation entirely by remote control. But the system offers more than just reduction in diver activity, the safety benefits of which are obvious. The further benefits of the new technology are that it offers total control and visibility of the tapping operation where there was none before. Built-in sensors allow continuous recording of actual pressures, temperatures, rotation and movement of the pilot drill and cutter. They shed light on what is going on inside the enclosed space right at the heart of the cutting operation. The laptop-based program facilitates control remotely, rather than relying on the divers’ manual handling of the cutting process. The end result is a level of accuracy and quality that is not possible in diver-based operations.

Benefits demonstrated in first field operation

The Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine was tested and successfully deployed in 2011 on a tapping operation for a project in water depths of 91 meters (298 feet). The tap size was 16-inch on an existing 28-inch gas pipeline.  TDW performed the operation from a DSV.  The cutting operation itself lasted approximately two hours. The entire operation was conducted safely, while flow through the gas pipeline continued uninterrupted.

We were thrilled with how well the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine performed,” said George Lim, Business Development Manager for TDW. “The safety benefits and operational control of the device resulted not only in a satisfied customer, but it highlighted the enormous potential of this new technology.”

A bright future

The benefits of using the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine in offshore projects are clear. The experience gained with this remote-controlled tapping machine will inevitably enhance the development of completely diverless systems covering all activities involved in a hot tapping operation. Moreover, these benefits will easily be extended to onshore operations. A remotely-operated system automatically implies safe operations, for instance in emergency situations where pipeline intervention and repair takes place in dangerous environments following an incident.

TDW is especially pleased about the successful development of the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine because of its applicability for the Emergency Pipeline Repair System (EPRS) programs that the company offers to customers.  EPRS involves planning emergency repair solutions before a failure occurs. Since the Subsea 1200RC Tapping Machine promises safer, faster and more efficient hot tapping, its value to EPRS is obvious.

Balmoral Offshore Engineering, the Aberdeen-based deepwater buoyancy, insulation and elastomer product specialist, introduced two additions to its drill riser buoyancy portfolio at the OTC.

The new materials, Durafloat Superlite and Durafloat Superlite-X, are rated to operating depths of 15000ft; typically 3000-5000ft deeper than industry-standard drill riser buoyancy.

The syntactic foams are an extension to the company’s existing Durafloat range and were developed by the technical and engineering teams in Aberdeen as part of a six-figure R&D investment program.

With the launch of the new materials Balmoral anticipates increased levels of demand for its drilling buoyancy creating a potential jobs boost in Aberdeen of up to 50 people. A conservative estimate puts the global drill riser buoyancy market in excess of £200m annually.

Drill riser buoyancy provides ‘uplift’ by effectively decreasing the submerged weight of the steel riser joints which run between the drilling vessel and the blow-out preventer (BOP) on the seabed.

According to Jim Hamilton, Balmoral’s international business development director, drill riser buoyancy can no longer be looked upon as a ‘commodity’ product.

“Drilling operations in waters of great depth and high currents – such as the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Brazil – demand the deployment of ultra-heavy riser strings”, he said.

“Deepwater buoyancy modules are also substantial in size and weight and are susceptible to damage caused by vessel motion and strong ocean currents.

“That’s why we had to look at the development of a lower density, lighter weight material that would operate successfully beyond the 12000ft previously offered. It was stressed in the design brief, however, that the new system should not incur a cost penalty and I’m delighted to say that this has been achieved.”

Balmoral’s technical and engineering teams were tasked with developing the lighter syntactic material for use at operational extremes of 15000ft.

Technical director, Dr Bob Oram, said: “Having successfully developed our range of Durafloat riser buoyancy to working depths of 12000ft it became clear, as the industry moves into ever-deeper waters, that further product development was required.

“However, the essential increase in mechanical performance demanded to operate at these depths cannot be accompanied by a reduction in available buoyancy, and so foam density reduction was targeted alongside mechanical performance improvement.

“With the addition of Durafloat Superlite and Durafloat Superlite-X, Balmoral Offshore Engineering now offers market-leading densities and performance levels across the entire spectrum of drilling operations.

“In very simple terms, you get more uplift for your money.”

Jim Milne, Balmoral’s chairman and managing director, who is attending his 37th OTC, concluded: “We are proud to offer clients real solutions to their challenges. Our commitment to research is second to none and has helped us become the drilling industry’s buoyancy manufacturer of choice.”

Divers using sophisticated sonar require a stable boat to gather the clearest images.  To steady a Beneteau 52 ST, Seakeeper's Turkish distributor, Marina Deniz Araclari, refitted the Swift Trawler with a powerful M7000A gyro.

"The boat will cruise for long periods at speeds of less than 5 knots," said Oktay Onal of Marina Deniz.  "For the sonar to work perfectly and for the divers' and crew comfort, the M7000A was the logical choice to stabilize the vessel."

"For sidescan sonar and multibeam sonar operations, it's essential that the surveyors have a stable platform.  Even a wave sensor is not enough when the boat rolls too much.  The Seakeeper gyro is a great help in solving this problem and creates much better working conditions for the survey team," said the yacht's owner, Selcuk Kolay.  "I also enjoy it during the private use of my boat, while cruising or at anchor."

The decision to install a Seakeeper M7000A gyro was easy, but installation posed challenges.  With creativity and ingenuity, Marina Deniz came up with the perfect solution.  Because the gyro is a torque device, the team had a choice of several locations.

"There was limited space in the engine room, making it hard to move around and access the gyro," said Onal.  "But by moving the generator to the starboard side, we could install the gyro in its place.  Best of all, we were preserving the boat's main longitudinals.

"We installed a sea-water pump, motor and delay box close to the gyro.  An air conditioner addressed any ventilation concerns.  In the end, we actually had more space to move around, making it much more convenient for the owner and crew.  The customer really liked the set-up."

Yet, Marina Deniz wasn't done and paid attention to finishing touches.  The gyro was fitted with a removable cover to serve as both a step into the aft area as well as to protect the gyro

Specifically designed for easy installation, Seakeeper's M7000A actively stabilizes vessels with displacements up 30 tons.  With an angular momentum of 7,000 Newton meters per second at 9,700 rpm, the gyro works equally well at anchor, zero-speed and while underway.

Marina Deniz Araclari Group was established in 1972, in Istanbul, as a company providing technical assistance to small to medium sized yachts in Fenerbahce Marina.  It now exclusively represents 26 marine brands in Turkey and operates in 5 locations in Istanbul with a staff of 28 people.  Marina Deniz Araclari provides technical assistance including installation, maintenance and repairs for all the brands in its portfolio.

12-ton Custom-designed Tool for Nord Stream AG to Facilitate Pipeline Maintenance Activities

TDW Offshore Services AS (TDW) has  announced that it has successfully designed and built a customized 48-inch SmartPlug® pipeline pressure isolation tool for Nord Stream AG. Weighing approximately 12 tons, it is the largest SmartPlug tool ever produced. 

Nord Stream retained TDW to assist in developing contingency solutions for pipelay, pressure testing and planned future maintenance of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.  Upon completion, the two 48-inch pipelines will extend 758 miles (approximately 1,220 km) from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany.  TDW carried out a series of pre-engineering studies before finalising the design.  The SmartPlug tool was designed, built and rigorously tested by TDW at its global headquarters in Stavanger.  The new 48-inch SmartPlug tool will be used to safely isolate pipeline pressure during scheduled pipeline maintenance and potential valve change-outs.   It is currently Type Approved by Det Norske Veritas for a maximum operating pressure of 199 Bar.

“The tool design is based on our proven 42-inch SmartPlug design,” said Larry Ryan, Director, Operations for TDW Offshore Services. “However, the exceptionally large diameter of the pipeline meant that Nord Stream required a SmartPlug tool that was 30% larger.  The new SmartPlug tool is not only exceptionally large, but is also capable of isolation at extremely high pressures,” he added.

The SmartPlug pipeline pressure isolation method is designed to provide great value to owners and operators of pipeline systems.  It makes it possible to safely isolate the area targeted for work from hydrocarbons without bleeding down the entire work zone, which is costly and time-consuming. In the case of Nord Stream, there are no mid-line valves available for use, so the entire 1,220 km pipeline would have had to be depressurized, taking a significant amount of time. Given the minimal amount of gas released while isolating a work area, the new SmartPlug tool offers more than economic benefits.  It is also very effective in minimizing impact on the environment.

To better reflect the strength and diversity of its chain products, CMP Global has rebranded it as Titan Marine Chain.  Known for their strength and power, Titans were a centerpiece of Greek creation myths.  CMP Global has also expanded the product line with stainless steel chain. 

CMP offers a range of windlass, anchor, mooring and general purpose chain, all proof-tested and calibrated to exacting standards.  Titan Marine chain is embossed with the CMP stamp, which ensures it meets or exceeds certification requirements.  It is the only chain on the market with such quality assurance measures.

The company's new 316L stainless steel chain is calibrated for windlass use.  Manufactured in an ISO-9001 quality-assured facility, it's available in 6mm and 8mm links, with more sizes available soon.

Titan Marine ISO High Test (G43) Windlass Chain utilizes high-strength carbon steel for a greater strength-to-weight ratio.  Its short-pitch links make the chain flexible.  Titan Marine Mooring Chain (G43) is well-suited for high-strength applications, with long links to easily accommodate shackles.  Short, compact links characterize the Titan Marine BBB (G30) and ISO Proof Coil (G30) General Purpose chain, both suitable for anchoring use.