JFD, one of the world’s leading subsea operations and engineering companies, has announced the appointment of Valerio Percoco as Sales Director. The appointment follows the company’s significant growth over the past 12 months, which included a significant contract win with NATO, as well as the merger of James Fisher Defence, Divex and the National Hyperbaric Centre to create the world’s largest provider of subsea operations and engineering solutions, equipment and services for defence and commercial markets.

Valerio Percoco joins JFD from Offshore Installation Services (OIS), the leading subsea integrated project management service provider. Through a series of leadership and project management positions, including several roles in the offshore industry, he has successfully steered a number of major projects and achieved substantial business growth and expansion. He brings a wealth of experience and skills to his new role in driving ambitious growth targets through to fruition as JFD continues with further development and expansion in both new and existing markets.

JFD also recently announced the expansion of its UK footprint in support of its continued growth, with the opening of new offices in Glasgow and Bristol. The company operates from a strong global presence across all markets including Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, ensuring that it is able to respond quickly to customer demands anywhere in the world.

Forum Subsea Rentals, a subsidiary of Forum Energy Technologies, Inc., and Aquatec Group Ltd announces the signing of a global agreement for the rental of Aquatec’s proven LEAKlog™ leak detection and inspection suite. The Aquatec LEAKlog leak detection sensors are utilized for routine inspection and surveillance of a variety of subsea installations as well as for permanent leak monitoring applications. The suite incorporates a data acquisition system and interchangeable sensors.

Aquatec Group has been manufacturing innovative instruments for measuring, monitoring and communicating in water since 1990, and offer a proven range of subsea leak detection sensors including long range fluorometers, directional acoustic sensor and differential temperature detectors. This full equipment range will be available through Forum Subsea Rental’s global locations supported by their experienced technical teams coupled with the expertise of the Aquatec’s engineering group.

Nicki Nicholls, Global Business Director, Forum Subsea Rentals said: “This agreement gives FSR direct access to Aquatec’s technology-leading LEAKlog range of products and development team so we can offer not only the off the shelf packages, but also provide our customers bespoke instrumentation solutions. We look forward to be working closely with Aquatec, where the addition of this technology to our extensive range of rental assets gives our customers a cost-effective and reliable leak detecting option for completing their inspection campaigns.”

The Managing Director of Aquatec Group, Andy Smerdon commented: “Aquatec has been designing and providing subsea leak detection systems for over 15 years, and Forum’s team has considerable experience in mobilizing and deploying these sensors. We welcome this opportunity to work closely with them to provide first class service and informed technical support directly to the users of our instrumentation.”

Forum Subsea Rentals is a leading provider of the latest subsea technology with the ability to support its clients on a global basis to the marine survey, offshore construction, ROV, geophysical and environmental industries.

Specialist offshore marine weather company, MetraWeather with science partner MetOcean Solution is supporting Woodside Energy in Myanmar with tropical cyclone, tropical squall and maritime forecasts; tow and route forecasts and tsunami monitoring.

In early-January 2016 Woodside announced that its joint venture well with Total E&P and local energy firm MPRL E&P had intersected a gross gas column of approximately 129 m, with approximately 15 m of so-called net gas pay interpreted within the primary target at the Shwe Yee Htun-1 exploration well in Block A-6 in Myanmar’s Rakhine Basin.

Across South East Asia and Australia, typhoons (tropical cyclones) and tropical squalls rank amongst the greater threats to offshore safety.

Taranaki Sunset Oil Rig

Marine weather guidance and metocean studies are crucial to offshore exploration and production. The safety of crew, both on the sea and in the air; the mitigation of weather impacts on infrastructure assets; and logistics planning are top-of-mind considerations for offshore operations.

MetraWeather and MetOcean will be exhibiting their offshore marine weather solutions on Stand 07 at the 6th Myanmar Oil & Gas Exhibition. OGEX is the largest and longest established oil and gas exhibition in Myanmar and is being held in the Sedona Hotel, Yangon, Myanmar from 28th–29th January 2016.

MetraWeather forecasts and historical metocean datasets provide guidance for safe offshore operations. Metocean engineering experience includes heavy lifts and construction, jack-up and semi-sub rig moves, metocean design criteria for pipelines, platforms and floating structures, and daily weather guidance for offshore operations.

LQT Industries, LLC, a full-service provider of high quality accommodation facilities, design-build construction services, and support services to the oil and gas industry, has been awarded multiple contracts to provide Fire and Safety services for a drilling company located in Asia.

LQT’s Fire and Safety Division’s initial release of work includes refurbishment, upgrades, and installation of all fire and gas detection systems, foam suppression systems, and s safety equipment throughout a drilling rig. All systems will comply with SOLAS and ABS regulations.

“LQT continues to expand its international presence with projects currently ongoing in the Middle East and Malaysia.” said Lonny Gaspard, LQT’s Fire and Safety Division Manager. “This is a positive start to the new year for our group. We are excited to gain new customers in this market and very appreciative of the opportunity to provide continuing services and expertise to this customer.”

Hawboldt Industries announces that David Marchetti has joined the company in a senior sales role. Marchetti brings to Hawboldt over 27 years of experience in operations, manufacturing, engineering, project management, and aftermarket / customer service, including extensive experience with ROV systems, and subsea oil and gas operations. Marchetti has held various positions with companies such as Schilling Robotics, GE Vetco Gray, and FMC Technologies, and most recently held the position of VP of Operations - Subsea at Forum Energy Technologies.

“We are very excited to have David join our growing team.” says Paul Phillips, General Sales Manager. “David’s extensive knowledge of the ROV industry, coupled with his strong customer focus and operations background will help strengthen our product and service offering in the industry.”

David will be based in Houston and will be leading the sales and service efforts for the Launch and Recovery product lines globally for Hawboldt.

Seatronics, an Acteon company, is the first to sign up to enhanced accreditation as a supplier of third party calibrations to the ROV and survey communities, globally. The enhanced accreditation is provided by Valeport; the UK’s leading manufacturer of oceanographic, hydrographic and hydrometric instrumentation.

Seatronics has established calibration facilities in Aberdeen, Singapore and Houston. The original calibration facility was established in Aberdeen in 2003 to manage Seatronics’ extensive range of Valeport assets. Since then, the facility has been extended to handle increased throughput and to support the growing demands of Seatronics’ customers requiring local third party calibrations. Following the success of the operation in Aberdeen, Seatronics replicated the facility in Singapore in 2005, and Houston in 2008.

Derek Donaldson, vice president global operations, Seatronics, said, "Collaborating with Valeport has been key to the success of our calibration facilities across the Seatronics group. We are committed to working locally with our clients, offering asset management in a timely and affordable manner, which is of critical importance in a challenging market.”

Kevin Edwards, sales and marketing manager, Valeport, said, "Monitoring third party calibration facilities that provide services for Valeport products is important to us. We have to know that our own standards and performance expectations are maintained, which is achieved through this annual audit scheme. Seatronics has demonstrated its capability well, and we are very confident Seatronics provides a qualified and accurate service.”

Ashtead Technology is to provide fast, reliable and more cost-effective broadband communications between rigs and vessels and onshore facilities following a worldwide agreement with a leader in remote communications technology.

The leading independent provider of subsea equipment rental, sales and services to the offshore industry has secured this worldwide agreement with Belgium and US based nCentric.

The deal will see Ashtead Technology supply seamless video streaming and data transmissions for large-scale, wireless dynamic mesh networks from its offices across the globe.

Tim Sheehan, commercial director at Ashtead Technology said: “Capturing data from remote locations is still a major challenge for the industry. Today, most communications from oil and gas platforms and vessels to shore depend on expensive satellite links. The nCentric technology delivers a cost effective, efficient and reliable wireless network in large, hard-to-reach geographical areas.”

The nCentric technology can be used to monitor offshore operations, increase communication and can relay high definition footage from Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) in real-time. The system can be configured remotely and can be monitored from an onshore location, reducing the number of people required offshore and limiting downtime.

nCentric’s technology was a key component in the clean-up operation following the Deep Water Horizon disaster in 2010. By using nCentric’s communication node on board eight vessels, crews were able to stream more than 10 live ROV video images to the offshore command centre as well as between one another and create a reliable communication link.

Mr. Sheehan added: “The wireless communication allows operators to track vessel movements. The system can be quickly and easily installed, unlike traditional cable networks which can be expensive and in some cases impossible.

“Harsh offshore conditions combined with remote and isolated locations means that communication lifelines are increasingly important to manage fleet and vessel operations as well as maintain crew safety. The need to implement secure, fast and reliable communications systems to monitor activity and track production is a vital part of any offshore operation.”

Headquartered in Belgium, nCentric is a fast-growing provider of offshore network solutions to support offshore communication.

Marc Vereecken, sales manager for nCentric said: “By developing our own patented products and solutions, nCentric has a strong competitive advantage both in terms of technology and pricing compared to other telecommunication companies in the market.

“Most projects consist of installing and managing our communication equipment for one or more parties involved in an offshore construction project, thus enabling multiple boats or infrastructures to communicate together, exchange real time IP data and video images.

“Working in partnership with Ashtead Technology, we can specifically address the overall communication requirements of platforms, vessels and other assets operating in remote areas, providing high bandwidth and low latency communication solutions that result in more efficient and safer operations.”

Through the delivery of enhanced technical support services, the increased capabilities of its teams across the business and the addition of the latest technology, Ashtead Technology delivers a range of value-added services which include the supply of offshore personnel, equipment sales, complete asset management, calibration, repair and maintenance, custom engineering, cable moulding and training.

News Release - 13 January 2016

Global integrated drilling waste management and environmental services firm, TWMA, has been shortlisted in the Export Achievement category at this year’s Offshore Achievement Awards.

The shortlisting recognises the company’s business growth resulting from successful export activity in the oil and gas and energy sector.

TWMA has adopted a proactive approach to export markets, focusing on its fully integrated service offering and international expansion throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Rob O’Neill, Director of Business Development at TWMA, said: “We are delighted to be nominated for this prestigious industry award, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our whole team. Successful export activity is vital for the company and for achieving long term sustainable growth, in addition to continued international expansion which is a key element of our business strategy.”

The company is also once again sponsoring the Environmental Innovation award at this year’s awards, after winning this award in 2014 in recognition of its unique TCC RotoMill® and TCC RotoTruck® products.

Now it its 30th year, the Offshore Achievement Awards is the largest and longest established industry awards for the UK offshore energy sector. Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony on Thursday 17 March, at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

For more information on TWMA and its services, click here.

C-Innovation (C-I), a member of the Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) group of companies and an integrated marine services company specializing in advanced subsea solutions has signed an agreement with Kongsberg Maritime to acquire four new Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV). The order adds significant AUV capabilities to C-I’s already established Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) fleet.

C-I offers comprehensive subsea field development services, including front-end engineering, design and installation serving a global customer base. Its advanced ROV capabilities provide a broad spectrum of support to subsea construction projects, as well as drilling, intervention, maintenance and heavy lift assignments.

General Manager of C-Innovation LLC, Mr. Richard Bourque commented that this purchase allows C-I to do more advanced and faster surveys in deeper water: “We can now offer HiSAS data from the 4500 meter HUGIN to the offshore industry. All vehicles are portable to some extent but especially the MUNIN vehicles can be mobilized anywhere in a very short time. The combination of our ROVs and AUVs will put C-I in the lead on Inspection maintenance and repair.”

The Kongsberg Maritime AUV delivery includes two HUGIN AUVs and two MUNIN AUVs. The HUGINs are depth rated to 4500 m and equipped with the latest generation of HISAS 1032, Kongsberg Maritime’s Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). They also carry an EM 2040 multibeam echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler, color still image camera and laser profiler. The MUNIN AUVs are rated to 1500 m and equipped with a Kongsberg Maritime EM 2040M multibeam echo sounder, sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profiler and color still image camera.

C-I’s new HUGIN and MUNIN AUVs are specially designed for subsea inspection, mapping and pipeline surveys. They feature the most advanced autonomous pipeline tracking software, developed by Kongsberg Maritime, enabling the AUV to track and follow alongside a pipe using either the SAS or sidescan. The vehicles can also fly directly overhead a pipe tracking it with the EM 2040 to collect high resolution bathymetry, photo imagery and a laser profile of the pipe.

The HUGIN includes swappable batteries and removable data storage. The C-I MUNINs have a fast charge system and data download facility designed to maximize productivity and minimize down-time between dives. They are also supplied with the Kongsberg Maritime Reflection AUV post-mission analysis software.

In-mission supervision including real-time data transmission and position aiding is provided by Kongsberg Maritime’s HiPAP acoustic system. The best position solution available is calculated by NavLab navigation post processing software.

Churchill Drilling Tools, a specialist engineering company delivering market-leading drilling solutions to the global oil and gas industry, has launched its HyPR HoleSaver™ in the Middle East. The expansion follows successful deployments of the innovative hydraulic pipe recovery tool in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

Stuck pipe situations cost operators hundreds of millions of dollars a year in non-productive time. The HyPR™ cuts that cost significantly by enabling operators to free pipe in just a few hours, as opposed to using traditional methods, which can take several days.

The HyPR™ dart will be premiered at the SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 26 - 28 January 2016.

Nicholas Kjaer, (photo) general manager of Churchill’s Dubai office, said: “This is an exciting time for the company and our clients, as we continue to expand our global offering and make the HyPR tool available to the Middle East region for the first time. The tool has already been recognized by the oil and gas industry for its ability to deliver ground-breaking time savings for operators.”

HyPR™ was developed following extensive collaboration between Churchill Drilling Tools, deepwater Gulf of Mexico drilling teams in 2013. Since then the tool has experienced rapid up-take having been deployed by major operators in Houston, Aberdeen and Norway.

The HyPR™ tool offers the simplest method to recover the drill pipe rapidly and to begin side-tracking right away. It also delivers a clean cut for operators wanting to maximize BHA recovery options.

Mr. Kjaer, added: “Despite current challenges facing the oil and gas industry, the outlook of the Middle East market looks promising. As a result, we have recently opened a new office in Dubai, and increased technical support staff to expand opportunities and meet growing demand for the company’s products in the region. As we go from strength to strength, our team is committed to continue delivering exceptional value to our clients and provide them with innovative, cost-saving solutions.”

The company has recently been shortlisted as finalists in the Export Achievement category at the prestigious Offshore Achievement Awards. The winners will be revealed at a black-tie dinner, which takes place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Thursday, 17 March.

Blog author: Tim Schweikert

From the price of oil to environmental regulation, 2015 was a year of turmoil and uncertainty for the marine sector. Despite this, there were some common global trends that will define 2016.

The Environment

In December 2015, world leaders met at the COP21 conference to discuss climate change. The event’s outcome marks a decisive move towards a low carbon future focused on achieving the agreed-upon world target of 1.5 degree climate change ceiling. Indeed, despite being the most carbon-efficient form of commercial transport[1], the scale of global shipping means it emits around 1,000 million tons of CO2 annually, and is responsible for 2.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore the industry has a strong role to play in meeting this target.

While no targets were specifically mentioned for the shipping industry during the COP21, the UN’s IMO[2] regulations have already established and imposed challenging regulation around emissions and fuel efficiency. Additionally, the EU introduced the MRV[3] framework in April 2015 which will require large vessels calling at EU ports to collect and publish annual data on CO2 emissions, starting from January 2018. With more scrutiny to come, the maritime industry will need to implement solutions that will help limit their emissions’ impact on the environment.

Fluctuating economic conditions

The overall decline in global shipping, timed with an increase in megaship deliveries, results in industry overcapacity. Consequently, ratings agency Fitch has revised its outlook for global shipping to negative for 2016, from stable in 2014, although long-term seaborne trade and fleet are both forecast to grow between 3% and 3.5% on average per annum to 2025[4].

The offshore industry remains particularly vulnerable. Rising costs, program delays, a large backlog ($390 billion) leading to oversupply, volatile oil prices and corruption scandals in the oil & gas industry in Brazil have created the perfect storm. Capital for building new offshore vessels is estimated to be $15 billion in 2015, down 75% from $68 billion in 2013[5]. We have seen exploration and extraction activities slow down and offshore owners and operators are under great pressure to meet cost challenges.

The volatile state of the industry and stricter environment regulations mean we need to change the way we operate. Companies must rely on innovation using new technologies to increase productivity and meet the new environmental regulations on existing vessels, as well as taking a fresh look at new possibilities to cost effectively produce new vessels.

Innovations driving cleaner marine environment

To meet the new demand driven by strict environmental regulations, GE Marine offers its Combined Gas turbine Electric and Steam (COGES) system for various commercial marine applications, including LNG carriers, cruise ships and container ships. The COGES system enhances conversion of energy available in the fuel to produce electricity and power for all ship needs, including propulsion. GE’s marine gas turbines can operate on various fuels including LNG boil-off gas or marine gas oil (MGO). No additional emissions reduction equipment is required to meet IMO Tier III or US EPA Tier 4 requirements.

Restrictions became even more stringent as of January 1, 2016 for diesel engines around the world. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Act began enforcing “Tier 4”, for diesel engines built after January 1. For vessels governed by IMO’s MARPOL Annex VI, more stringent nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions requirements, known as IMO III, come into effect for vessels built after January 1, 2016 and operating in the designated environmental control areas (ECAs).

These regulations will impact both the environment as well as the engine manufacturers. Advanced engine technology is needed to make sure new ship engines meet the stricter emissions requirements, and cause as little impact to the vessel design and operations as possible.

GE Marine’s latest Tier 4 Engine meets the new EPA Tier 4 and IMO III emissions standards, reducing nitrogen oxide by more than 70 percent compared to EPA Tier 2 and IMO II emissions standards, while still maintaining world-class fuel efficiency and service intervals. Its in-engine solution is based on exhaust gas recirculation technology, reducing the formation of NOx at combustion, thus eliminating the need for a urea-based after-treatment system.

Because the engine does not need a urea-based selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after-treatment system, it requires only about 25% of the engine room space versus other market solutions, reducing the need to make significant design changes on the vessel. This technology also eliminates the incremental operating expenses for urea use, catalyst replacements and maintenance on a SCR after treatment system.

Moving to a digital marine mind-set

With all eyes on operational expenditures in an uncertain market, technology will play a vital role in making marine operations as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

To meet this demand, more shipbuilders will build vessels with technology at the forefront of the design process, using advanced modelling software which analyses a vessel’s anticipated operational profile, and optimises the design from the offset.

Using digital tools, vessels will also become greener, more efficient, and increasingly productive. GE’s SeaStream* Insight, for example, provides operators with a holistic view of their ships, allowing them to spot anomalies and other data which lead to better operational decision making and therefore fuel efficiency.

With Predix* at its core, SeaStream Insight allows preventative maintenance to be carried out before a failure occurs, thanks to early warning signs made visible through data-driven analytics. This level of visibility allows operators to switch from a scheduled maintenance model, to a condition-based one, reducing downtime and offering significant cost-savings.

SeaStream Insight also particularly benefits the offshore industry, where vessels are operating in remote locations, as its remote monitoring capability allows engineers to assess issues from anywhere in the world, reducing third party cost, and help solve problems faster.

With belts being tightened across the industry, the cost-savings that digital technology can deliver can’t be ignored.

2016 – a year of opportunity

The year ahead presents an opportunity –increased environmental regulation paves the way for wider use of hybrid energy solutions, which are not only cleaner, but also offer significant leaps forward in efficiency. This is good news for operators across the marine industry, who will be looking to work as cost-effectively as possible in 2016. Operating in a leaner, greener manner is the future of the marine industry, and 2016 will be a defining year.

• Indicates a trademark of the General Electric Company and/or its subsidiaries.

Tim Schweikert has been appointed as the President & CEO of GE Marine since January of 2015. First joining GE in 1984 on the Manufacturing Development Program, Tim progressed through various roles and was made General Manager, Global Locomotive Operations for GE Transportation in December 2003, overseeing the launch of the Evolution Series locomotive and the acceleration of GE’s global locomotive business. In February of 2006, he was appointed President, GE China Transportation, leading one of GE’s fastest growing businesses in China and in November of 2007 Tim became President & CEO China Region GE Technology Infrastructure. In February 2012 Tim made the move to Johannesburg, South Africa as President & CEO GETS Sub-Sahara Africa and President and CEO of GE Southern Africa, leading GE’s efforts in contributing to the revitalization of Africa’s infrastructure. - See more here.

Conductor Installation Services Ltd (CIS), an Acteon company that provides hammer services to install conductors and drive piles, announced that it successfully completed its second conductor installation operation during the last 12 months for a leading North Sea oil and gas operator.

Work was carried out on a major gas development project in the Southern North Sea. CIS installed six 30-inch conductors on the project to form the foundations of six development wells. In addition, CIS supplied all conductor-running services, handling equipment, together with drive shoes that improve driveability by 40%.

Following completion of a comprehensive drive study, CIS crew worked with rig contractor Ensco and the operator to commence the driving operation. CIS worked from the jack-up rig Ensco 80, and used a 90 kJ hydraulic hammer to drive all six conductors to their target depth on the wellhead platform. Conductors were driven as deep as 401 feet from the rig floor to the conductor toe, reaching a depth of 158 feet below the mudline.

The installation campaign was completed on time, without delay or downtime. Once again, this operator saved time and money as a result of CIS’s efforts on their behalf.

Building on success

Earlier this year, CIS carried out a pile-driving campaign on the same development that was completed 17 hours ahead of schedule. As a result, the operator realized significant cost-savings in terms of reduced equipment rental fees, rig time and labor.

“We have worked on behalf of this operator in the North Sea many times,” said Andy Penman, Group Managing Director of CIS. “Once again, the driving operation went to plan. The investment in planning, detailed drive study, technology employed and experience of our installation team contributed a great deal. The positive relationships that we share with Ensco and the operator mean that we come with a winning attitude and commitment to achieving success on every job we undertake, and this operation was no exception.”

The range of services provided by CIS supports the Acteon Group’s commitment to defining subsea services across a range of interconnected disciplines.

FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FTI) announces that it signed an agreement with Woodside for the design, manufacture and supply of subsea production systems for the Greater Western Flank Phase 2 (GWF-2) Project as part of the North West Shelf (NWS) Project in Western Australia.

The contract is valued at approximately $180 million for FMC Technologies and includes: subsea production trees, wellheads, manifolds, subsea and topside controls, and flowline connection systems. Deliveries are expect.

Image credit: FMC Technologies

"Our continued collaboration on the North West Shelf Project further solidifies the 20-year relationship between FMC Technologies and Woodside," said Tore Halvorsen, Senior Vice President, Subsea Technologies. "This development assists with the timely and efficient commercialization of the project's gas reserves."

The GWF-2 Project is the fourth major gas development for the NWS Project in the last seven years and is expected to develop 1.6 trillion cubic feet of raw gas from its combined six fields using subsea infrastructure and 21.7 miles (35 kilometers) of 16 inch pipeline connecting to the existing Goodwyn A platform.

The GWF-2 Project is expected to begin production in 2019.

InterMoor, an Acteon company, has appointed Folabi Bolatiwa (photo) as general manager in Nigeria. Bolatiwa will be responsible for overseeing the company’s continued growth in the region.

InterMoor is globally renowned for providing integrated solutions that include the design, provision and installation of both temporary and permanent moorings, as well as customized foundation and subsea installation and recovery services. The company has worked in West Africa for more than 10 years, and has bases in Luanda and Malongo in Angola. The company has extensive experience with rig moves and mooring campaigns in Angola, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. In 2014, InterMoor formed a joint venture agreement with a local partner in Nigeria to ensure an effective local engagement with the Nigerian oil and gas market.

Bolatiwa joined InterMoor in 2007 as an engineer and has more than 10 years of experience in the offshore oil and gas industry, gained in engineering, operations and management roles. He served as InterMoor’s Gulf of Guinea operations manager and helped launch the business in Nigeria. Bolatiwa spent the last 8 years working in Africa; in Angola as an engineer and a specialist in the co-ordination of mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) and FPSO mooring systems installations, repairs, maintenance and recovery, and in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana in an operations capacity. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor of science degree in marine engineering in 2006.

Aker Solutions has notified employees in its maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) unit across Norway of necessary steps to reposition the business and enhance competitiveness in a market with unprecedented challenges.

The company is streamlining the Norwegian MMO business to one regional unit from previously four, affecting management and staff from Tromsø to Stavanger.

Depending on future work levels, as many as 900 permanent positions may be impacted at facilities in Stavanger, Bergen, Kristiansund, Trondheim, Tromsø and Sandnessjøen as well as offshore. The workforce reductions will be made through regular employee turnover, reassignments to other parts of the company and redundancies.

A process to implement about half of the reductions will start immediately. Remaining adjustments will depend on work levels throughout the year. The company has previously reduced capacity in its Norwegian MMO business by about 1,300 permanent and temporary positions since July 2014 to adjust to a market slowdown.

"These measures are painful but necessary to strengthen the competitiveness and longer term potential of our Norwegian MMO business, which has suffered from a sharp drop in activity in Norway's offshore services market," said Luis Araujo, chief executive officer of Aker Solutions.

The more streamlined business will support leaner processes and bolster overall operations. It will build on the company's core strengths in the MMO area, particularly within more complex modifications projects.

"We see significant opportunities ahead in the Norwegian modifications segment, where our experience and know-how are second to none," said Per Harald Kongelf, head of Aker Solutions' Norwegian operations.

There has been a substantial downturn in investments in the Norwegian oil and gas market since 2014. Aker Solutions expects the MMO market in Norway to continue to be challenging in 2016. Work volumes will also be impacted as the company's long-term maintenance and modifications framework agreement with Statoil expires in the first half of this year.

As a result, the company's prefabrication workshop in Sandnessjøen will be temporarily shut down for about three years. MMO operations in Tromsø will also be terminated, though some employees in this strategically important northern location will likely be kept on as part of the company's Arctic Hub. These employees will join Aker Solutions' Engineering and Front End Spectrum teams.

"Market conditions are challenging, but I am confident that the steps we are taking now to streamline operations, reduce costs and focus on our key strengths will enhance our position in MMO, also internationally, where we have been winning business and expanding in countries including Canada, the UK and Brunei," said Araujo.

Aker Solutions has about 16,000 permanent employees in some 20 countries. About 5,000 employees are in the MMO area, of which approximately 3,600 are in Norway.

Wood Group has been awarded a new contract by PetroRio to deliver services to the Polvo A platform, in the southern Campos basin, approximately 100 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Integrated operations and maintenance services will be provided by Wood Group PSN under the two year contract, which is effective immediately.

The contract builds on Wood Group’s experience supporting the Polvo field, which consists of a fixed production and drilling platform connected to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO). Wood Group Kenny has held two contracts to provide integrity management support to the field, the most recent of which completed in early 2015.

Robin Watson, chief executive of Wood Group, said: “We look forward to beginning this new partnership with PetroRio, where our focus will be on working collaboratively to deliver safe, efficient and effective services.

“Our experience operating in Brazil, alongside our strong history of supporting offshore assets across their life cycle in the North Sea, positions us well and we are committed to leveraging our knowledge and expertise to optimize the productivity of the Polvo A platform.”