Deep Down, Inc. (OTCQX: DPDW) ("Deep Down"), an oilfield services company specializing in complex deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil production distribution system support services has announced it has received a contract from a major international controls manufacturer for the manufacture of Loose Steel Tube Flying Leads (LSFL) worth in excess of $1.7 million. Additionally, there is an option to purchase additional distribution and installation equipment worth in excess of $2 million. The contract is for the first phase of a large gas project on the Northwest coast of Australia; delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2013.
Ron Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Deep Down, Inc. stated, "This award reaffirms the significant engineering and capital investments we have made in our core steel flying leads product line. Customers have realized that our steel flying leads are superior to those offered by the competition with respect to quality, cost, reliability and ease of installation."
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Newpark Resources, Inc. (NYSE: NR) has announced that it has been awarded two deepwater contracts. In Brazil, the Company was awarded a two-year contract from a subsidiary of Total S.A., to provide drilling fluids and related services for a series of wells planned in the Campos Basin. The Company was also awarded a contract by another supermajor to provide drilling fluids and related services for a series of wells to be drilled in the Black Sea. Work under both contracts is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Bruce Smith, President of Newpark Drilling Fluids, stated, "These deepwater contract awards represent significant milestones in our continued penetration of the offshore market and our expanding global presence. Partnering with these two world-class organizations on these offshore drilling campaigns further solidifies our position as a leading global provider of high-performance fluids systems and engineering."
.Interest in Tritech’s industry-standard products has grown over recent years, prompting the company to hold live in-country product demonstrations.
Tritech is to showcase its anchor chain and riser monitoring system RAMS™ on Wednesday 8 May at LabOceano, COPPE, Rio de Janeiro. Subsea engineers, naval architects and subsea maintenance and inspection personnel as well as publishers and editors are encouraged to attend in order to gain first-hand experience of the real-time monitoring capabilities RAMS™ offers Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO) assets.
The company is also pleased to announce its partnership with MACSea Ltda, who will provide support for future in-country deployments of Tritech’s RAMS™ systems.
Angus Lugsdin RAMS™ Business Development Manager, comments:
“This is a significant demonstration of Tritech’s FPSO monitoring system and comes at a time where there is notable shift change in industry requirements to have asset monitoring in place. Tritech is also committed to delivering localised support to our South American customers and our partnership with MACSea provides Tritech with a local presence in Macaé, to ensure our Brazilian customers receive the high levels of professional customer after sales support Tritech is renowned for.”
Antonio Silva, the Commercial Manager for MACSea Ltda, comments:
“We look forward to assisting Tritech with the demonstration of their proven RAMS™ technology and to supporting Brazilian customers with the deployment of this unique technology.”
Participants are invited to a presentation on the RAMS™ technology from 1130 to 1300 where a complimentary buffet lunch will be provided; the presentation will be followed by a live demonstration in the LabOceano test tank.
Places are strictly limited, to register to attend Tritech’s RAMS™ demo, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 1 May.
.Comprehensive range of products and applications on display demonstrate expertise in offshore and marine technology
Thanks to its worldwide application expertise and comprehensive research and development activities, Bosch Rexroth offers components and system solutions for offshore support vessels, exploration and drilling, offshore wind installation and deep sea applications. Several of those technologies will be on display at the Offshore Technology Conference, May 6-9, in Houston, TX, booth #5447.
Topside Lifting System reduces cost, increases safety in decommissioning platforms
As the major engineering partner to the Allseas Group, Bosch Rexroth has developed and engineered the drive and control system solution for the world’s largest mobile lifting mechanism for offshore installations. The special vessel equipped with this topside lifting system (TLS), “Pieter Schelte,” can lift and transport topsides of offshore platforms with a weight of up to 48,000 tons in one piece.
To disassemble topsides of offshore platforms, workers used to have to manually disassemble the structure into transportable individual parts on the high seas – work that is both time consuming and hazardous. In the future, the new special vessel from the Allseas Group will completely lift the platforms from their steel “jacket” and transport them onto land, making disassembly considerably safer and more cost-effective.
Continuous jacking systems for increased productivity and safety
The market for wind energy puts challenging additional demands on traditional jacking systems for installation and maintenance vessels and platforms. Bosch Rexroth meets the latest demands with a new standard in jacking: the high performance continuous jacking system. Besides the increasing the load capacity, working at higher jacking speeds, and an advanced control system, specifically integrated features lead to more reliability, safer operations and a considerable reduction of required power. The jacking cylinders are equipped with CIMS (Cylinder Integrated Measuring System), which provides a most accurate signal required by the control system to evaluate the status of the system in relation to the precision, motion pattern and leveling of the vessel or platform. The cylinder rods are protected by a surface technology that is suitable for harsh environment conditions.
And a modern operator will benefit from a tight integration of the jacking system with the crane, mooring, handling and sea fastening systems. This integration adds to the redundancy and reliability of the vessel and to interesting cost savings. Secondary controlled drive systems for the vessel crane combine high performance with reduced power consumption, occupied space and weight.
Standard components adapted for deep-sea applications
Rexroth is the first to adapt numerous standard components to fit the special requirements for deep-sea applications such as pressure compensation and corrosion protection to provide equipment with a longer maintenance-free life span and optimal performance.
In order to test its designs, Rexroth developed a Subsea test power unit equipped with a water-proof motor/pump assembly that can drive an axial piston motor and hydraulic cylinders via an encapsulated valve control. The hydraulic system comes in a pressure-compensated design. Rexroth tested the equipment in a unique pressure chamber facility, was able to demonstrate suitability of its hydraulic components to a depth of 6,000 meters below sea level.
Enduroq 3200: Surface Technologies for Large Hydraulic Cylinders
Large hydraulic cylinders are used in many offshore applications, like riser tensioning, heave compensation, skidding, deck mating and jacking. The piston rod surface of these engineer-to-order products is one of the most essential parts of the hydraulic installation.
With more than 50 years of experience and service data feedback from the largest installed cylinder base in the world, Rexroth now offers Enduroq 3200 as an extension of its existing in-house technologies for piston rods of large hydraulic cylinders. These solutions include the existing Enduroq 3000, a single layer Ultimet based surface technology, and Enduroq 2000 and Enduroq 2200, both based on the proven HVOF technologies.
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The facility’s Deepwater capability will complement Clariant’s Deepwater Center of Excellence recently opened in Rio
de Janeiro
Clariant Oil Services announces that it’s investment in a new laboratory facility is on track for completion in Q3 2013. The facility will be in the new Clariant
Oil and Mining Services global headquarters campus, located in The Woodlands, Texas.
“The 64000 square foot complex, including offices, laboratories, and training suite, will utilize innovative design concepts to promote a stimulating and safe work environment,” said Robin McClure, Vice President, North America Region, Clariant Oil Services. “The dynamic look and feel
of the laboratories will create an environment that will allow staff to cross-train, share strengths and fully engage in their roles supporting our customers, whether onshore, offshore shelf, or located
in deepwater.”
The new facility will have several separate laboratories with robust capabilities, including:
“This equipment, housed in a state-of-the-art facility and staffed with some of the leading figures in the industry, will result in a first class service delivery for Clariant Oil Services’ clients,” said Robin, he continued “ In particular, we are pleased to be able to benefit from our company‘s experience supporting deepwater and pre-salt production in Brazil to bring these capabilities to our Gulf of Mexico customers.“ Clariant Oil Services announced the ground breaking for the new facility September 7, 2012.
.Hertel Offshore have signed a €70 million contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries for the engineering,design and construction (EPC) of the new accommodation for Statoil’s Aasta Hansteen platform. This is another big Norwegian contract for Hertel Offshore and follows on from the award for Statoil’s Valemon Living Quarter (LQ) project in 2011 and the Shell Norge Draugen Additional Living Quarter project in 2012, both currently under construction in the Rotterdam facility. The project is on a lump sum EPC basis and will draw on the in-house capabilities of Hertel Offshore. Work has already started and delivery is scheduled for April 2015. Design will be based on the stringent Norsok standards and Statoil requirements. Several Hertel innovations will be used including prefab cabins to facilitate an efficient construction process.
Peter van Aken, Managing Director said: "We are very proud to work alongside Hyundai Heavy Industries and it is a privilege to build such a state of the art LQ. This project will also further strengthen Hertel’s presence on the Norwegian Continental Shelf."
The Aasta Hansteen Living Quarter will be made of steel and will accommodate 108 persons. The five storey building weighs approx. 2,600 tonnes and will be fully equipped with everything required for offshore operations, such as galley, recreational area, medical room, control room and heli deck.
The Aasta Hansteen gas field is located on Blocks 6706/12, 6707/10, roughly 186 miles (300 kilometers) from land in 4,265 feet (1,300 meters) of water in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Statoil serves as the operator, holding a 75% interest; OMV holds 15%; and ConocoPhillips holds the remaining 10% interest.
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Knowledge Reservoir, a leading global energy consulting company, announces its acquisition by RPS Group plc (RPS).
RPS is a global, multi-disciplinary consultancy providing advice upon the exploration and production of oil and gas and other natural resources; and the development and management of the built and natural environment. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, RPS employs more than 5,000 people in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Africa, the Middle East Australia and Asia.
The acquisition of Knowledge Reservoir by RPS creates a substantially enlarged geoscience and engineering consulting group with global reach and one that is better equipped to meet the challenges posed by complex, multi-disciplinary projects. The new organization will be known as RPS Knowledge Reservoir.
Dr. Ivor Ellul and the Knowledge Reservoir management team, along with all current staff, will remain with the business which will continue to operate from its existing office locations.
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Terry Loftis, a veteran of the industry and the Director of Engineering of Transocean, has been appointed as the new Chairman of DNV’s prestigious Rig Owners’ Committee. The members of the Rig Owners’ Committee represent owners and managers of Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs) and Floating Production Units. The objective of the committee is to provide an active forum for the industry to share and discuss current and future developments in technology, practices and support initiatives that will benefit the industry. The functions of the committee also include providing industry’s input to DNV’s current and future activities including DNV’s innovation programs, industry initiatives and rulemaking process.
While DNV updates the industry in the committees meetings held annually at Houston, Aberdeen and UAE on its activities, the committee typically offers feedback on the quality and scope of DNV’s services related to floating drilling and production units. Mr. Loftis, as Director of Engineering for Transocean, oversees the company’s engineering services and supports upgrade and major repair projects and new construction of ultra-modern high specification drilling units. Mr. Loftis has been actively engaged with Transocean’s engineering development efforts and newbuild design program for the past decade.
Mr. Loftis‘technical involvement with MODUs began as an independent consultant for Transocean in the design and construction of semi-submersible drilling rigs in the mid-80s and he joined Transocean in 1997. After being actively involved in the design and construction of several ultra deepwater drillships in Korea, he returned to Houston to lead the DP & Controls group within Transocean Engineering until he was appointed to the current position as Director of Engineering.
Mr. Loftis received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Houston and has continually enjoyed living and working within the Houston community. He remains active within the Marine Technology Society, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and currently serves as vice-chairman for IADC’s Advanced Rig Technology Committee.
.Smit Lamnalco has passed a significant milestone in Oman after celebrating 14‐years of continuous marine and offshore support services with no Lost Time Incident (LTI).
The 5,100 day record covers support to Single Point Mooring operations 10 km off Muscat Cove for the Petroleum Development of Oman (PDO). The services, which have run since 1998, are offered by a joint venture between Smit Lamnalco and Omani partner Suhail Bahwain Group.
Pictured (left to right): Anwar Al Mukhaini, HR Manager, Bahwan Lamnalco S.A.O.C.; Mukund Rajamani, Commercial Manager Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, Smit Lamnalco; Vivek Seth, Managing Director Middle East & Indian Subcontinent Smit Lamnalco and Alex Borges, General Manager Suhail Bahwan Group.
14 years of zero LTI
Suleiman Al‐Maany, PDO Pipeline Infrastructure and Oil Terminal Manager, said: “To reach 14 years ozero LTI is indeed a remarkable achievement.” The occasion was marked by a celebration at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Muscat, attended by key officials from PDO, Suhail Bahwan Group and Smit Lamnalco employees including vessel crews, and other Oil & Gas and Ports industry representatives. The joint venture’s SHE‐Q Manager, Abdullah Al Maamari paid tribute to the skills demonstrated by the diving crews supporting PDO’s Single Point Mooring operations. “This record could not have been set without their outstanding efforts,” he said.
Developing local resources
Vivek Seth, Smit Lamnalco Managing Director Middle East & Indian Subcontinent, said: “This milestone is a source of particular pride, given Smit Lamnalco’s continuous commitment to developing excellence locally to match the standards we set across our organisation. Our company is fully committed to maximizing the local content of our operations. Nearly 90% of our local employees are Omanis."
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Parker Drilling Company (NYSE-PKD), an international drilling contractor and drilling services and rental tools provider, announces the acquisition of International Tubular Services Limited and certain affiliates (ITS), subsidiaries of ITS Tubular Services (Holdings) Limited, a privately held international rental tools and well services company. In line with Parker's strategic goal to offer additional integrated products, services and expertise to international energy exploration and production (E&P) operators and drilling contractors, the acquisition significantly expands Parker's Rental Tools business to include ITS' strong customer base in growing international markets and additional well services. The business combination also creates opportunities to increase financial performance by leveraging operating costs and realizing tax benefits.
ITS is a leading independent provider of rental tools and well services with 2012 annual revenues of $119 million. Principal activities are renting drilling tubulars and pressure control equipment and providing casing running and fishing services. ITS serves an extensive customer base of E&P companies, drilling contractors and service companies from 22 operating facilities primarily located in the Middle East, Latin America, U.K. and Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Under the terms of the agreement, Parker paid $125 million for ITS. An initial purchase price of $101 million was paid at the closing and an additional $24 million was deposited into an escrow account, which will either be paid to ITS Tubular Services (Holdings) Limited as additional purchase price when certain consents are obtained or, in certain circumstances, released to Parker. The transaction was financed with a $125 million term loan provided by Goldman Sachs Bank USA.
"Today we are further investing in a business segment we know well and an international rental tools growth strategy that we've focused on for some time," said Gary Rich , president and chief executive officer of Parker Drilling . "ITS is one of the industry's leading independent international rental tools and well service companies with a broad footprint and a strong portfolio of products and service capabilities. By expanding our geographic presence and services offering, we are positioning ourselves to better serve the growing needs of international E&P operators and drilling contractors."
Joe Chandler , previously chief executive officer of International Tubular Services (Holdings) Limited and now vice president of Parker's International Rental Tools business unit, commented, "This is an exciting combination. With the support of Parker, ITS is now in a better condition to provide the best solutions for our customers. As part of Parker, a company with a respected reputation, financial strength, process discipline and dedication to people, we expect to continue to grow our ability to deliver premier rental tools services on a global scale."
"This acquisition creates immediate advantages for Parker," Mr. Rich said. "It increases our geographic and product line diversity and enhances our ability to deliver innovative, reliable and efficient results to our customers. We are confident this transaction will provide attractive financial returns and compelling cost and tax benefits that will improve profitability and drive increased value for our shareholders."
For this transaction, Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor, Ernst &Young LLP provided advisory services, and Baker Botts LLP acted as Parker's legal advisor.
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Fugro GeoServices is pleased to announce several recent promotions within the company, including two key management appointments: Mr. Ted Hampton, president, and Mr. Adam Jackson, senior vice president.
Mr. Hampton is a licensed geologist and former vice president of the company. He replaces longtime leader Mr. Tom Hamilton, who will retire this spring after nearly 30 years of service with Fugro. Together, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Hampton led the formation of Fugro GeoServices in 1999 to provide oil and gas clients in the Gulf of Mexico with high quality marine geophysical surveys. Under their leadership, the company has developed from a conventional survey company for the Gulf of Mexico to a high-tech survey organization with expanded reach into South America and Alaska markets.
Mr. Jackson also enjoys a long tenure with Fugro, having worked in field and management positions in the United States and abroad. For the past decade, he has served as business development manager for Fugro GeoServices, helping to win new projects and manage their successful completion. As senior vice president, Mr. Jackson will work closely with Mr. Hampton to support the company’s goals while having direct oversight of marketing and project management functions. Mr. Jackson works from the company’s Houston, Texas, office, which allows close contact with the company’s oil and gas clients.
In addition to the senior management appointments, the Lafayette office announces the following promotions:
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AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, has been awarded a two-year integrated services contract renewal by BP to provide operations, maintenance and project support to the Forties Pipeline System (FPS) in the North Sea.
The contract is valued at between £10 million and £15 million per year, depending on activity levels and is scheduled to run through to December 2014.
Under the contract, AMEC will take on increased responsibility to run, maintain and improve the year-round, 24-hour operation of the Unity offshore platform and four onshore pumping stations which form a major part of the FPS. AMEC and BP personnel will work closely together on the project. The current workforce will be retained, with additional recruitment occurring as and when the work scope demands.
Mike Horgan, managing director of AMEC’s Asset Management business said: “We have been supporting the Forties Pipeline System for the past 16 years and this latest contract is testament to our continued delivery of excellence for BP. We are pleased to be continuing our long term relationship with BP and supporting them to meet the needs of the Central North Sea’s oil and gas development.”
AMEC has an exemplary safety record on the project, with no lost time incidents (LTIs) over the last 15 years.
The FPS has a carrying capacity in excess of 750,000 barrels per day and carries around 40 per cent of the UK’s oil production.
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Songa Offshore SE has announced the recruitment of Jan Rune Steinsland as new Executive Vice President of Songa Offshore SE. Steinsland will report to interim CEO Jens A. Wilhelmsen and work alongside CFO Geir Karlsen to strengthen the company's financial control and reporting structures.
- "As we have been quite open about, Songa is presently pursuing several different options for financing of our new Category D rigs, currently under construction by DSME in South Korea. Such work requires competent and time consuming efforts from our financial management. At the same time, we need to strengthen financial control and improve our reporting structures. Through the appointment of Jan Rune Steinsland, we will significantly strengthen our financial team whilst freeing up time and capacity for Geir Karlsen to focus on the funding side of the company", says chairman and interim CEO, Jens A Wilhelmsen.
Mr Steinsland will be based in Limassol at the company's corporate headquarter and take up his position on the 20th May 2013.
Jan Rune Steinsland has significant international industry experience and a strong track record from executive positions. From 2006, he has held the position as CFO at Ocean Rig, in period of great expansion and development, including an IPO and listing on NASDAQ. Prior to that, he was CFO at Acta Holding ASA, a position he held for six years. From 1988 to 2000, Jan Rune Steinsland had several management positions at ExxonMobil, including Financial Analyst, Financial Reporting Manager, Vice President Accounting and Audit Advisor
.MacArtney Norge has a long standing relationship with ROV manufacturer SAAB Seaeye - and the two companies have worked together on numerous projects related to the production, maintenance and sale of the versatile Sea Owl 500 observation class ROV system. Now MacArtney and SAAB Seaeye have developed an upgraded XTi version which, while staying within the realm of the original and proven Sea Owl 500 design, features significant upgrades of all system facets.
The Sea Owl
The Sea Owl system was developed by SAAB in the early 90’s and has since proved itself as an extremely reliable and also a very popular ROV among its users. Applications include observation and inspection of subsea installations and light work tasks in challenging environments.
The primary market for the Sea Owl is firmly rooted on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the XTi has been developed to meet the requirements of operators who perform subsea work on behalf of, for instance, Statoil. Among the new features, the XTi boast a 360 degree control programme (6 DOF), a 3000 metre depth rating and a 400 metre tether length on the top-hat TMS. In addition, the SAAB Seaeye ICON control system enables easy integration of sensors. Finally, tooling package application is made even more flexible and user-friendly.
To realise this exciting system upgrade, MacArtney Norge has worked closely with the MacArtney Group HQ in Denmark - to develop a complete launch and recovery system that meets customer demands for ‘No Manuel Handling’ and HSR requirements.
For more information on MacArtney launch and recovery systems visit www.macartney.com/systems/launch-and-recovery
The entire Sea Owl XTi solution is marketed by MacArtney Norge AS and is now available for delivery. Already, MacArtney is experiencing significant interest among existing as well as new customers.
.Offshore Installation Services (OIS), an Acteon company, has named Mike Earlam as president.
Based in the company’s Aberdeen office, Mike will be responsible for driving the development and growth of OIS and will play a key role in exploiting opportunities to work together with other Acteon companies.
Earlam has wide experience of the subsea market and joins OIS from his position as managing director with Fugro Salt Subsea. In that role, he was responsible for establishing and building the company’s subsea construction and trenching business in the North Sea and Europe. Previously, he was the global chartering manager for Subsea 7 and played a key role in developing the company’s fleet. His other career experience includes 10 years with ASCO running marine operations and logistics and managing a subsea construction contractor in Australia and the Far East.
“OIS has a very encouraging start to 2013 and is well-positioned to take advantage of the growing markets in the North Sea and further afield,” said Acteon Group vice president Neill Kelly. “The company is heading for a period where we anticipate significant opportunity and growth in the areas of offshore installation, inspection, repair and maintenance and suspended well abandonment. I am confident that Mike’s experience will be of great benefit to OIS.”
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