Aberdeen-headquarted subsea cable and connector specialist Hydro Group plc announces multiple Asia Pacific Business Partner agreements as the firm continues strategic growth in the region.

As part of international expansion plans in 2013 the firm formed its Singapore based division, Hydro Group Asia, which has shown an annual increase of sales in the region of over £1.5M. The five new Business Partner agreements with Uni-One in Taiwan, ISL in China, Oceanpixel in the Philippines, PT Indonesia in Indonesia and DKHG in Vietnam will aid Hydro Group’s cabling interconnect solutions presence in these important markets.

L-R) Doug Whyte, Hydro Group managing director and Steve Ang, Hydro Group Asia technical sales manager.

Steve Ang, Hydro Group Asia technical sales manager, said: “Entering into these new agreements allows us to improve our network across South East Asia, as part of our continued growth plans for the region. As we specialise in custom designs, improving our network also means a greater level of contact with our customers, which is vital for our hands on design and engineering approach.”

Hydro Group is at the forefront in the development and innovation of subsea product technologies, with involvement from prototype concept through to design, manufacture and project management.

Doug Whyte, Hydro Group managing director, said: “Asia currently represents Hydro Group’s second largest export market, with significant growth in demand for our range of subsea optical cables, electrical cables and connectors from defence markets and increasingly energy customers, due to the expansion of exploration activities in the region.

“These new agreements allow us to increase efficiency and ensure regular interaction with customers across the region. We look forward to working with our new Business Partners and fulfilling increasing demand for our products.”

A team led by AJ Jain, Harkand North America Managing Director, has agreed to a management buyout (MBO) of Harkand’s North American and African business. The new company, to be named ETHOS OFFSHORE LIMITED, will continue to provide subsea engineering and construction services to Harkand’s existing US, Mexican and West African client base to market-leading standards.

The new company, backed by investment funds advised and managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), is expected to have a contracted backlog of $145 million worth of projects. The move also could potentially safeguard more than 100 jobs across North America, Africa and Mexico.

The MBO has ensured that Ethos Offshore is able to deliver the full scope of subsea services to established clients, including ROV and diving, inspection, engineering, project management and survey services. This will provide a sound platform for growth as new opportunities arise.

Operations in the three regions will continue to be led by AJ Jain as chief executive officer, supported by Brian Schacht, head of business development and communications, James Parker, head of North America operations and Doug Fieldgate, head of West Africa operations.

Mr Jain said: “Throughout the transition process, our focus will be to ensure that there is no disruption to clients. Our project teams will continue to deliver the high standard of services that our clients are accustomed to. We are delighted that Oaktree Capital Management continues to believe in the business created by the North America team of Harkand and is supporting not only the current projects but also the growth ambitions of our new company.”

Guillaume Bayol, Vice President at Oaktree, said: “The management team of Ethos Offshore, led by AJ Jain, has an established track record of delivering excellence to clients and partners in the Gulf of Mexico and West African markets. We are excited to work with them to build Ethos Offshore into a company with the highest reputation for safety, service and value for money in the subsea engineering and construction sector. We view this as an opportunity to build a platform and business model that can thrive in today’s challenging environment.”

Procurement specialist 80:20, a Peterson company, has had a successful start to 2016 securing a number of new contracts in the UK worth a combined value of £25 million.

The procurement services projects have been awarded by a number of key oil and gas operators and include two successful re-tenders, each for a further three years. The company will deliver strategic sourcing and supply chain management, working closely with the operators to provide an innovative service using its e-solutions software which has a record of delivering added value.

Peterson utilises in-house developed systems designed to enable the sharing of data that is often absent in our market place. This brings the benefits of faster response times, more accurate reporting, real time updates, improved cost visibility and centralised capturing of information.

Managing director Paul Dorward said: “We have had an extremely positive start to 2016, particularly in this difficult market. Our use of innovative commercial and technology solutions has been the driving force behind these wins.

“We have a highly skilled team of procurement experts and are committed to continuing the development of our people. We have a strong affiliation with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) which is recognised worldwide as the standard for top quality procurement professionals and we believe this is key to clients entrusting 80:20 to deliver their procurement services.”

The contract wins come as the company continues to grow its international footprint with the opening of a new base in Houston, Texas. Adrian Quick has been appointed as business manager, responsible for the company’s operations in the US. He joins a further two employees in the Houston office with additional hiring plans already in motion in response to growing business.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, continues to add to its market-leading Pusnes product range and its latest introduction is a Pusnes RamWindlass. The new windlass is based on a chain-jack design and employs similar technology used in MacGregor's successful range of Pusnes RamWinches.

MacGregor's new Pusnes RamWindlass meets market demand for ever more compact deck machinery arrangements

"The Pusnes RamWinch is well known in the industry for its compact size and low weight. It can be found on most of the spar platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and also on several other types of floating production units," says Torbjörn Rokstad, Director, MacGregor Pusnes Mooring Systems. "However, over recent years, market demand has seen the need for an even more compact, chain-jack type design, resulting in the development of our new RamWindlass."

Current RamWinch designs have a main cylinder that extends below the winch foundation plates to exert the stroke or 'jacking' movement and each stroke moves the chain two links at a time. The Pusnes RamWindlass features some significant advances over current RamWinch designs. For example, it locks the chain on every chain link, instead of every second link. Locking one link at a time translates into a shorter stroke for the ram, which therefore requires less space. Also jacking occurs on the cable lifter, not on the chain.

"Space is at a premium on floating production units and with the new RamWindlass operators will benefit from an even more compact design, which requires less height clearance in the mooring arrangement," continues Mr Rokstad.

The Pusnes RamWindlass has an all-in-one foundation requiring no deck penetration and its simple design leads to low maintenance requirements and high levels of reliability.

"Our extensive knowledge and experience of operating Pusnes RamWinches has been an essential part of the design process for the new RamWindlass," adds Mr. Rokstad. "All in all there is great market potential for it."

Dropped objects – still happening; and still harming – we must never expose ourselves, or others, to the risk of dropped or falling objects. That’s the message in a new video now available to watch on the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) website. The short, and highly emotive video, highlights the importance of safe working practices, not only to offshore personnel, but to their families at home.

The video was prepared by Technip with help from Atlas; and as Technip’s Marine Operations Services QHSE Director, Pete Somner, and Chairman of IMCA’s Marine Division Management Committee, says on the video: “It is by better understanding of our processes and correct use of tools and equipment that we can ensure everyone returns home safely.”

Richard Benzie, Technical Director, IMCA

The DROPS Forum has requested that the video be made available across the industry to share good practice, and this has seen Subsea UK, Oil & Gas UK (OGUK) and now IMCA all spreading the word. It is freely available here

“We agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments Pete Somner expresses on the video,” says Richard Benzie, Technical Director of IMCA. “We only have to look at our own safety and environmental statistics for 2015, which will be published in full by mid-June, to see that being struck by moving/falling objects was a significant cause of Lost Time Injuries (LTIs), accounting for 20% of the total reported in the year, to know how important it is to keep stressing that more care must be taken.

“I know members will agree that this kind of collaborative approach to safety is cost-effective and worthwhile. We, and especially our Safety, Environment and Legislation (SEL) Core Committee, would like to thank Technip for making the video so widely available.”

MSI announces the award of a major metocean contract and the subsequent successful deployment of a large metocean mooring array offshore Tanzania for Shell (formerly BG) With water depths ranging from 53m to 2,620m, the array comprises 2 AXYS Technologies WatchmateTM metocean buoys as well as 12 subsea moorings, measuring waves, currents and water quality parameters.

TRDi ADCP, Flotation and Acoustic Releases Ready for Deployment. AXYS WatchMate Behind. Credit: Metocean

The project is expected to last 12 months and the data will be used as input to engineering design of surface and subsurface structures.

Extensive preparations in both South Africa and Tanzania ensured that all operations were conducted to MSI and the client’s high QHSE standards, with zero HSE incidents recorded during the offshore campaign in late February / early March 2016 (totaling nearly 3800 man hours). Deployment was conducted using the RK Offshore vessel Greta K, which had a second crane fitted and was modified in Cape Town specifically for this operation.

Bibby Offshore has announced a multimillion pound contract with a global energy player, to provide first gas and construction support on its assets in the Southern North Sea.

The contract, due to be executed between Q3 and Q4 2016, will see Bibby Offshore’s construction support vessel Olympic Ares, and its diving support vessel Bibby Polaris, perform subsea engineering work 150km off the coast of Lincolnshire, in water depths of 21m and 48m.

The workscope, which includes precommissioning and commissioning support, involves Bibby Offshore carrying out a range of construction services comprising valve operations, spool installation, umbilical pull in and lay, trenching and stabilization through installation of concrete mattresses. Supported by Bibby’s dedicated onshore engineering team, the company will have access to offshore construction and pull in/lay teams, ensuring efficiency and productivity is maximized.

The contract is Bibby Offshore’s second construction project with the client, following a previous successful campaign in 2015.

Howard Woodcock, chief executive at Bibby Offshore, said: “This is a significant win for Bibby Offshore - not only is it a strong representation of our technical engineering capabilities, but it further underlines our commitment to the North Sea market.

“Continued collaboration with this important and valued client reinforces confidence in our innovative solutions and operational abilities. In an increasingly competitive market, our skillset helps our clients conduct operations in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner.”

On Friday, April 29, 2016, a CHC helicopter on assignment for Statoil crashed outside Turøy in Fjell municipality outside Bergen, Norway. 13 people, 2 pilots and 11 passengers onboard, died in the accident.

Map image courtesy: Statoil

On Saturday April 30, Statoil’s president and CEO, Eldar Sætre, and executive vice president Development & Production Norway, Arne Sigve Nylund, visited the center for next of kin in Bergen.

Statoil will continue to support those who need it most, those who are directly affected, families, colleagues onshore and on the platforms. Statoil will also assist next of kin who are not present at the centre, and colleagues on Gullfaks B. Personnel with experience from following up people in crisis are available for those who need it.

"Today, we are one family. We will stand together as one united industry, and do everything in our power to take care of the affected families," Sætre said.

The Accident Investigation Board in Norway will investigate the accident, and Statoil will contribute to this job. Statoil will also start its own investigation in cooperation with the employee representatives and the safety delegates. This investigation will be coordinated with the work of the Accident Investigation Board.

"Finding an answer to why the helicopter crashed is very important, both to the next of kin and to all who have the Norwegian continental shelf as their work place. The safety of everyone working for Statoil is the most important thing for us,” Sætre says.

The 11 passengers are employed in the following companies: Halliburton, Aker Solutions, Schlumberger, Welltec, Karsten Moholt and Statoil. The two pilots are employed by CHC. One of the 13 is a Statoil employee.

Hoover Container Solutions Norway AS (“Hoover” or the “Company”), a subsidiary of Hoover Group, Inc., and Consult Supply, a Hoover company, have appointed Tor Olav Schibevaag as managing director for Europe and Kjetil Skaaren as general manager for Norway. Jan Sekse, vice president global procurement, will continue to support the efforts of the Hoover Norway management team.

Tor Olav Schibevaag

Schibevaag will report to Hoover’s president, Paul Lewis, and joins Hoover with more than 12 years experience from Euro Offshore, where he developed and led the company as one of the leading cargo carrying unit (CCU) rental businesses in Norway.

Lewis said, “Tor Olav’s intimate knowledge of the CCU rental market will support Hoover’s position as a true market leader in Norway and globally. As an experienced leader with a history of developing and managing successful businesses within the oil and gas industry, he has a successful track record of implementing business process improvements and defining strategic direction.”

Schibevaag commented, “Hoover Norway has been active in the North Sea for more than 20 years, and continues to invest in the equipment and the people to serve this region. I look forward to supporting the development of Hoover and the team throughout the business.” Reporting to Schibevaag as general manager for Norway, Kjetil Skaaren has more than 15 years of experience in effectively managing and building highly complex and detailed projects for the oil and gas market.

Jan Sekse, vice president global procurement, will continue to support the efforts of Hoover Norway, providing input on relationships and design criteria for specialized and standard equipment.

The Hoover Norway management team is working on a global project to standardize the worldwide Hoover rental fleet design and procurement of cargo carrying units, chemical tanks and related offshore equipment. When this project is complete, Hoover will offer a global library of all DNV 2.7-1 type approvals and designs that specifically meet the requirements and standards for each geographical market the company serves. This directive will also serve as the basis for selecting partners to manufacture Hoover products, which will in turn drive lower cost and improve Hoover’s competitive position.

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) continues to rise to challenges faced by the international oil and gas industry to identify, minimize, and mitigate environmental risk associated with offshore exploration and production activities. CSA announces its international venture in Perth, Australia, which will integrate the company’s international network of marine environmental consulting services with the risk management expertise of Ms. Sarah Watson the regional director and native Australian with extensive global experience in the oil and gas industry.

CSA’s Perth office offers the region its global expertise in marine science, operations, and data services, including:

“The industry is under increasing pressure to minimize risk and environmental impact while maximizing efficiency,” commented Ms. Watson. “Joining forces to offer CSA’s services and experience in Australia and the Asia Pacific region allows us to better support industry activities in the region and to meet a spectrum of environmental risk management requirements.”

CSA is participating in the Asia Pacific oil spill response conference, Spillcon, from May 2–6, 2016 in Perth, where Ms. Watson and Mr. Bruce Graham, a Senior Scientist with CSA, will exhibit CSA’s capabilities.

CSA brings 46 years of specialized experience in marine environmental consulting, serving the energy industry worldwide through offices in the United States, the Eastern Mediterranean, Qatar, Trinidad, Brazil, Singapore, and Australia. CSA’s expertise in coastal, marine, and deep ocean surveys, sampling, monitoring, assessment, and mitigation is built on the integration of science, operations, and an understanding of environmental data collection, management, and analysis within geospatial domains.

Forum Subsea Rentals, a subsidiary of Forum Energy Technologies, Inc., has further strengthened its global offering of state-of-the-art rental equipment by placing a multi-million dollar equipment order with subsea technology provider, Sonardyne International Ltd.

This order demonstrates Forum’s commitment to long-term growth and continued investment in new equipment to ensure customers are offered the latest, cost-effective rental solutions coupled with assurance of reduced downtime by utilising new assets.

Some of the equipment ordered will deployed within Forum’s global rental pool, however the majority is committed to secured field development projects in West Africa and North Africa.

Included in the order are multiple Ranger 2 GyroUSBL acoustic positioning systems which combine Sonardyne’s 6G acoustic positioning transceiver technology and a Lodestar AHRS sensor in the same mechanical assembly. These systems are ideally suited for quick deployments on vessels of opportunity as without need for a USBL calibration to determine the alignment of the ship’s motion sensors to the acoustic transceiver, they provide significant saving in vessel time and operational costs.

Richard Main, Operations and Global Asset Manager for Forum Subsea Rentals, said: “Our continued investment in new products is essential to ensure the long term reliability and dependability of the Forum Subsea Rentals global fleet. Even given the downturn in the industry, demand for Sonardyne 6G equipment remains high and this further investment in the technology will ensure that we are well placed to meet our customers’ requirements and position us well when the market recovers.”

Alan MacDonald, Sales Manager for Sonardyne, commented: “Forum Subsea Rentals has long been a rental supplier of Sonardyne equipment and we’re delighted with the continued demand for 6G to support important field development projects. This latest investment demonstrates continued commitment to providing its customers with the best available and lowest risk subsea technology for all their survey and construction campaigns.”

Radoil announces that their MUX and Hotline Reels were used on Maersk Venturer ultra-deepwater drillship offshore Uruguay in water depths of 3,400 meters (11,156 ft). The previous record for world’s deepest well by water depth was held by Transocean’s drillship Dhirubhai Deepwater KG1, off the coast of India in water depths of 3,174 m (10,411 ft), also utilizing Radoil reels. MUX and Hotline Reels are installed on the rig near the rig’s moon-pool. MUX Reels store and deploy electric and fiber optic cables and Hotline Reels store and deploy hydraulic hoses. The electric/fiber optic cables and hydraulic hoses communicate and operate the Blowout Preventer (BOP) System positioned on the ocean floor during deepwater drilling.

Maersk Venturer: Photo credit: Maersk Drilling

Radoil’s Umbilical reels (BOP Control, IWOCS, Chemical Injection, Workover) offer at least six (6) patented and patent pending features that Lower Operating Costs and Improve Safety. In addition, Radoil’s patented Depth Compensated Accumulators use the pressure of the ocean’s water column to boost the hydraulic pressure, thereby allowing fewer number of accumulator bottles mounted in the BOP and subsea systems requiring local hydraulic pressure. In some cases, the number of accumulator bottles can be reduced by over 90%.

Radoil is an ISO 9001:2008 certified engineering, design and manufacturing company located on the NW side of Houston, TX. Radoil provides a variety of products that are used in deepwater drilling activities around the world and we are currently expanding our product lines into the completion and production processes.

At this year’s OTC in Houston the Damen Shipyards Group and GustoMSC announced the forming of a collaboration in order to produce a range of self-propelled and non-self-propelled jack-up platforms for the offshore industries – the DG JACK range. The collaboration will be based on GustoMSC’s strong track record in the design of jack-ups and provision of jacking systems, combined with Damen’s extensive experience in shipbuilding and vessel optimization, financing and worldwide after-sales services.

GustoMSC Managing Director Nils van Nood said of the collaboration: “We are very pleased to team-up with Damen to provide their clients proven and reliable jack-up solutions. These jack-ups form an expansion of the Damen portfolio targeting the offshore markets in oil & gas, renewables like offshore wind, and civil construction. The jack-ups will be based on GustoMSC’s proven designs and will include GustoMSC’s proven jacking systems.

DG Jack platform. Photo credit: Damen

“As a result of this collaboration the joint Damen and GustoMSC team is fully aligned to provide an optimized solution covering the complete lifecycle of the units, including the design, the construction and delivery as well as the services during operational life. The future owners of these jack-ups will enjoy a product of combined Damen and GustoMSC quality and they will experience first class global services.”

This arrangement provides the market with a total solution, drawing on the extensive experience of both companies, and on the wealth of knowledge within the Dutch maritime industry. Working together in this way, GustoMSC and Damen will be able to offer total control over the entire process, covering everything from basic design, through construction, to after-sales care – anywhere in the world.

Damen Chief Commercial Officer Arnout Damen explained: “The collaboration between Damen and GustoMSC represents a considered response to the needs of the entire offshore industry. It provides operators with a reliable, effective solution, combining GustoMSC’s expertise in design and engineering with Damen’s knowledge of construction, quality, outfitting, after sales service and finance options.

“We are looking forward to working with GustoMSC on the development of this range. The DG JACK will provide a bridge between the offshore energy sectors and offer the versatility to carry out multiple and varied tasks, safely, efficiently and at competitive rates, in line with market expectations”

The decision to partner up and produce the DG JACK range is based upon feedback from the offshore markets. DG JACKs will operate across the offshore spectrum, in both renewable and non-renewable sectors.

Damen Head of Business Development Peter Robert explained: “In the oil & gas markets, the demand for self-elevating service vessels such as the DG JACK range is driven largely by operation and maintenance (O&M) requirements. Age significantly increases the amount of topside repair, maintenance and refurbishment the operator must undertake for the platform to remain serviceable and compliant. In such circumstances the DG JACK represents an extremely cost-effective solution.

“At the same time, shallow water offshore fields remain a major source of production. With enhanced technology and recovery, combined with the relatively low cost of production compared to deep and ultra-deep water locations, such sites will ensure a continuing demand for the DG JACK range, particularly at this time of low oil prices.”

Mr Robert also stated that trends in the offshore wind industry gave the DG JACK range an assured welcome: “Wind turbine capacity has grown 41.1% from 2010 to 2015. In 2015, the average capacity of new wind turbines installed was 4.2 MW, a significant increase from 3.0 MW in 2010, reflecting a period of continuous development in turbine technology to increase energy yields at sea. The deployment of 4-6 MW turbines seen in 2015 will be followed by the gradual introduction of 6-8 MW turbines closer towards 2018.”

Operational experience to date has shown that jack-up vessel intervention has been required at operational windfarms to correct failures in relation to main components, both for isolated defects and to introduce design improvements. Most of the interventions have been in relation to early operational life and there is currently only a limited experience from offshore wind turbines on longer-term wear out rates and the typical length of life for critical main components, including blades, generators, transformers and gearboxes.

Consents granted to forthcoming projects indicate that this trend of scaling up is set to continue in the long term. Also, the fact that wind farms are placed farther offshore and in deeper water, means different capabilities are required than those seen in the current fleet of jack-ups operating in offshore wind. And, with the design life of offshore wind farms being between 20 and 25 years, routine operation and maintenance tasks are assured to ensure performance optimization.

Fugro has begun a three-year period of metocean and ice data acquisition as part of the Barents Sea Metocean and Ice Network Project. The data will help operators to better understand relevant operational uncertainties and risk factors in the region known as “The Far North.”

The Barents Sea represents a frontier region for oil and gas exploration. The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority has recognized this and in its guidance states that appropriate measures to mitigate risk should be undertaken.

Fugro Wavescan buoys. Photo courtesy: Fugro

Statoil is leading a Joint Industry Project (JIP) to gather additional and necessary metocean and ice data in the region. Early acquisition of data in frontier regions is key to reducing risk for operators which, in turn, offers potential cost savings, for example through appropriate selection of drilling assets for the metocean regime, and optimisation of the timing of drilling campaigns. There are also numerous advantages to the JIP participants related to data sharing across a frontier region, such as increased understanding of metocean processes and their spatial extent and an extended data pool against which to validate models.

Having successfully worked with Statoil and several of the other JIP participants on a number of complex metocean measurement projects throughout Norwegian waters, Fugro was contracted for the project.

In October 2015 five Fugro-manufactured Wavescan buoys, one current- and water level-monitoring mooring, and five ice thickness and current-profiler moorings were deployed at offshore sites between Hammerfest and Svalbard. The robust Wavescan buoys, which are ideally suited for the conditions of the Barents Sea, are now collecting raw wave, current, meteorological and sea-water parameter data, processing the information and transmitting the summary data via satellite link. Real-time data are then displayed on a project-specific webpage that can be accessed by the client via secure log-in. Data from the current- and water level-monitoring mooring, and the five ice measuring rigs are being stored within the instruments’ internal memories for download at service visits, which are scheduled at six-month intervals for the buoys and annually in the open water season for the ice measuring equipment.

Fugro’s Mark Jones reports, “We have worked with Norwegian operators for many years and we know that managing risk and maintaining a safe operating environment is a priority. While there are significant historical metocean data available, additional collection of data related to the metocean and ice regime will further strengthen the safe planning of operations, design engineering, calibration of models and validation of weather forecasting in this frontier region.

“Fugro’s careful planning and management of site visits ensures that data acquisition is maximized. Equipment needs to be deployed and serviced during open water periods, and to collect data during the ice seasons.”

The first service visit was undertaken in March/April 2016, following which Fugro processed, analyzed and reported data collected over the first phase of measurements. The final dataset will be produced for the JIP partners upon completion of the measurement campaign in autumn 2018.

Global-leading energy services company Proserv has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract from Apache Corporation for work on the UK Continental Shelf.

Proserv will supply a subsea control system and associated topside and subsea interface equipment for use on the new Callater wells located south of the Beryl Alpha platform.

The latest award comes after Proserv successfully completed work for Apache on the Bacchus and Aviat extension wells for the provision of subsea control modules and services in the Forties field.

Proserv engineer at work. Photo credit: Proserv

The design, manufacture and supply of the workscope will be carried out by Proserv’s team of subsea experts in Great Yarmouth, UK.

David Lamont, CEO of Proserv, said: “This is a significant win for the company that highlights the strength of our technical and engineering expertise as well as our market-leading status in the subsea controls and communications field.

“It also reinforces that there are still major opportunities in a low oil price marketplace to provide truly smarter solutions that challenge convention and reduce operating costs, extend field-life and maximize ultimate recovery. This is where Proserv uniquely delivers”.

Formerly known as Prospect K, the Apache Callater wells are situated 335 kilometers northeast of Aberdeen. Proserv will deliver four subsea control modules with standard interfaces to provide compatible support for earlier generations of subsea controls equipment and enable future link-ups with other existing field assets in the surrounding area. This will provide Apache with a truly flexible solution to seamlessly extend field life in the future without affecting the existing subsea control systems.

This latest deal builds on a successful period for Proserv, the company revealed in April that is had secured a multi-million dollar contract with Statoil for the provision of production control equipment in Norway.

Proserv is set to supply five wellhead hydraulic power units (HPUs) for Statoil’s Gullfaks oil and gas field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Design, manufacture and supply will be carried out by Proserv’s specialist engineering and project teams in Stavanger, Norway.

More than 140km of pipeline manufactured at Tata Steel’s recently enhanced double submerged arc welded (DSAW) mill has achieved an industry first by becoming the deepest to be laid in the Mexican section of the Gulf of Mexico.

The company was awarded a contract to supply 457mm OD x 28.6mm WT API 5L PSL2 X65MO line pipe from its large diameter 42” DSAW mill in Hartlepool, UK, for the development.

The project marked the first time that a pipeline had been laid at water depths greater than 3,000ft in the Mexican section of the Gulf.

Photo credit: Tata Steel

Tata Steel was selected for the project due to its extensive experience in the manufacture of small diameter and thick wall deepwater line pipe.

The mill has been the focus of significant recent investment to enhance technology and processes and increase power efficiency. More than 125 improvements were completed in 2015 to strengthen its overall operational and performance capability.

The improvements include significant upgrades to welding equipment using the latest closed loop digital weld control technology to deliver greater weld stability, reduced repair rates, and total traceability of the process. Tata Steel has also invested in a laser profiling system to provide a 3,600 point profile to monitor pipe straightness and provide a full dimensional survey of the pipe end. This data can be used to ensure minimum ‘hi/low’ in girth welding for high fatigue and other applications.

Energy efficient inverters have replaced more than 50 traditional transformers/rectifiers on production lines to enable quick and repeatable set ups at industry-leading levels while cutting the mill’s electricity demand by nearly a third, allowing Tata Steel to produce more pipe with less energy.

The mill’s ‘O’ press control has been upgraded to optimise the forming process, ensuring uniform pressing along the full length of pipes to achieve optimum pipe shape. This has benefits for deepwater operations, as both the shape and balancing of the ‘forming ratio’ of the pipe are critical for deepwater collapse resistance.

Richard Broughton, Commercial Manager, Energy and Power, Tata Steel, said: “Our investment in the DSAW mill and our continuous improvement discipline enables us to offer extremely high integrity solutions to our clients for the most challenging of offshore and onshore projects.

“The overall benefit of the investments can be seen in the welding quality performance achieved during the project in the Gulf of Mexico. Where small diameter and thick wall pipe is typically more challenging, on this project a combined repair rate of 0.25% was achieved. This was delivered not only due to the investment in welding technology, but also through a programme of continuous improvements in the welding area which has seen similar developments across many sizes of pipe.

“The manufacture also demonstrated a more sustainable approach to production, with reduced energy utilisation through the deployment of digital welding control. Our new inverter based power sources have significantly improved welding machine availability and have resulted in an increase in power efficiency from 60% to 95%.”