Jon Holvik has taken over as President of the Houston headquartered Kongsberg Maritime Inc.; the US subsidiary of the world’s leading supplier of Dynamic Positioning (DP) and Automation/Control systems for offshore vessels, rigs and merchant shipping.

Norwegian born Jon, an electronics graduate from the Technical College in Kongsberg, Norway has been a Kongsberg Maritime employee since the late eighties. Starting his career as a Service Engineer he became part of Kongsberg Maritime when it acquired his then employer, Shipmate Norway. Jon became a DP Hardware and Software Engineer in 1990, and in 1993 through 1995 served as Service Manager for KONGSBERG in Singapore, responsible for service of all KONGSBERG products in SE Asia.

 He moved into sales in 1996 upon returning to Norway. As Sales Manager for Kongsberg Maritime his responsibility was for Scandinavia,  Middle East and Brazil from 1996 to 1998. In 1998, Jon moved to Houston to become, Vice President of Sales for Kongsberg Maritime Inc.. After 10 years, he had an 18 month guest appearance as VP Rig Broker for RS Platou in Houston from July 2008 until February 2010 but returned to Kongsberg Maritime Inc. as Vice President of Sales in February 2010. As of June 24, 2013, he became President of Kongsberg Maritime Inc. in Houston.

“I’m delighted to takes the reigns at Kongsberg Maritime Inc. during an exciting period of industry growth,” comments Jon. “Kongsberg Maritime’s Integrated DP and Automation/Control Systems, Safety Systems and Navigation Systems feature on over 90% of all deepwater MODUs ordered over the past 3 years and are a mainstay of critical exploration and production operations throughout the Gulf of Mexico. We are key partner to a large number of operators in the region and I am keen to strengthen and expand on our existing customer relationships.”

In addition to managing sales of the diverse and highly regarded KONGSBERG portfolio of technology for offshore applications, the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. Houston HQ is also home to the largest Dynamic Positioning and Automation Training center in the USA. Over 1400 students took courses in 2012, and with new instructors on board, this number is expected to increase in 2013.

“Through our position as a leading Dynamic Positioning training organization in North America, Kongsberg Maritime Inc. in Houston is providing a vital service to the offshore industry, where demand for skilled DP operators is higher than it has ever been,” continues Jon.

As company President, Jon also takes responsibility for the US Customer Support and project office, located in the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. New Orleans office, which celebrates its 10 year anniversary in August 2013.

The office is positioned to support Kongsberg Maritime customers in the burgeoning offshore industry in GoM and Mexico and has recently become part of a world-wide Customer Support revamp that has made it a major point in a new Kongsberg Maritime follow-the-sun approach to global support.

Follow-the-sun means that whilst supporting customers in the region, support staff at the Kongsberg Maritime Inc. New Orleans office also handle global customer requests, ensuring they have a human to deal with even if it is out of office hours in their location.

Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE: OII) has reported record quarterly earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013. On revenue of $820.4 million, Oceaneering generated net income of $98.8 million, or $0.91 per share.  During the corresponding period in 2012, Oceaneering reported revenue of $672.5 million and net income of $72.6 million, or $0.67 per share.

  Year over year and sequentially, quarterly EPS increased as all business segments achieved higher operating income, led by Subsea Products and Subsea Projects. 

M. Kevin McEvoy, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our quarterly EPS was above our guidance range, and was up 32% over the first quarter of this year and up 36% compared to the second quarter of 2012.  Our above-guidance performance was attributable to sales of subsea hardware, demand for asset integrity services offshore Norway, and early completion of a theme park project.  We achieved record quarterly operating income from Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), Subsea Products, Asset Integrity, and Advanced Technologies.

"Our outlook for the second half of this year remains very positive and essentially unchanged from last quarter.  Given this outlook and our year-to-date performance, we are raising our 2013 EPS guidance range to $3.20 to $3.35 from $3.10 to $3.30.  Compared to 2012, we continue to forecast income growth for all of our operating segments in 2013.  Relative to the first half of 2013, we expect to generate higher operating income during the second half led by ROV and Subsea Projects. 

"Compared to the first quarter, Subsea Products operating income rose on the strength of increased revenue and profitability from tooling and subsea hardware.  Subsea Products backlog at quarter end was $902 million, up from our March backlog of $776 million and $621 million one year ago.  The sequential and year-over-year increases in backlog were predominantly attributable to umbilical awards.  During the quarter we announced two large umbilical contracts, one for offshore Egypt and one for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

"Subsea Projects operating income increased due to a seasonal uptick in GOM demand for deepwater intervention and an escalation of work under our field support vessel services contract offshore Angola.  The work offshore Angola included the provision of another chartered vessel, the Maersk Attender, for half of the quarter.  The charter term on the Maersk Attender runs through September 2013, followed by two 45-day renewal options, subject to our customer's work program.

With the latest seismic and drilling technologies, the Cardamom development is expected to deliver new production from the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico to existing infrastructure

Nearly two decades after setting a world water-depth record for drilling and production, Shell’s Auger tension-leg platform is still playing a central and innovative role in the company’s deep water Gulf of Mexico portfolio – currently producing some 55,000 barrels oil equivalent (boe) per day (Shell share ~30,000 boe per day), and acting in the future as the host platform for the Cardamom subsea development. The Cardamom discovery well also set records three years ago, for subsurface length and depth.

More than a half mile down, Shell is connecting Cardamom wells back to Auger - work that will involve retrofitting the platform and a production shut-in at Auger, which should restart in the fourth quarter of 2013. Once online in 2014, Cardamom (100% Shell share) is expected to produce at a peak rate of 50,000 boe per day.

"The Gulf of Mexico remains an important part of Shell’s portfolio and strategy, and it is expected to generate substantial growth over the next several years,” said John Hollowell, Executive Vice President for Deep Water, Shell Upstream Americas. “Cardamom is a great example of using existing infrastructure to increase oil and gas production in a less capital intensive way.”

In its lifetime, the Auger platform has produced more than 300 million boe.

Keppel FELS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), has secured a contract to build a jackup rig worth US$206 million from repeat customer Grupo R, a Mexican drilling company.

Scheduled for delivery in 4Q 2015, the jackup rig will be built to Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class design. It will be added to the fleet of another four similar rigs that Keppel FELS is building for Grupo R.

With this new contract, Keppel FELS currently has on order nine KFELS B Class jackup rigs from Mexican customers.

Mr Wong Kok Seng, Managing Director (Offshore) of Keppel O&M and Managing Director of Keppel FELS, said, "We are delighted that Grupo R has chosen to build another jackup rig of the KFELS B Class design with us. It is an affirmation of their confidence in our rig designs as well as our project execution capabilities. The KFELS B Class is an industry leading jackup design with a proven track record in the Gulf of Mexico.

"With this order, there will be 65 KFELS B Class rigs in the market by 2015, of which some 13 rigs are for Mexico. We are glad to be able to support Mexico's exploration of its offshore energy reserves and look forward to providing them with on time, on budget and safe deliveries."

Mexico's President, Enrique Pena Nieto, announced in March this year that the country's proven reserves of oil and gas at the start of 2013 has risen to 13.87 billion barrels of crude-oil equivalent. PEMEX, the Mexican national oil company has stated their aim to increase production with plans to add between eight and 12 offshore platforms to its drilling fleet. In its quarterly results in February 2013, the company unveiled investment plans of US$25.3 billion for 2013, of which US$20 billion will be targeted at upstream activities.

Mr. Ramiro Garza Vargas, CEO of Grupo R said, "Mexico is aiming to boost oil production through increased E&P with PEMEX looking for a number of new high specification rigs that can optimize their operations. The addition of this premium jackup rig to the four KFELS B Class jackups we ordered earlier will enable us to meet their requirements and strengthen our position as the leading player in Mexico's drilling industry.

Seadrill Limited ("Seadrill") has signed a contract with Chevron China Energy Company for the newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship West Tellus in support of Chevron's affiliated global exploration program. The contract commences in China immediately upon shipyard delivery and thereafter relocates to Liberia. The agreement is for a period of 180 days with revenue potential of approximately US$150 million inclusive of bonus potential and mobilization.

Additionally, Seadrill is currently engaged in advanced discussions with a major oil company for a multi-year contract commencing in direct continuation of the Chevron contract. 

The West Tellus is a 6th generation drillship currently under construction for Seadrill at Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, with expected delivery in September 2013. The rig will be outfitted to work in up to 10,000' of water and is capable of water depths up to 12,000' and drilling depths up to 37,000'. 

Per Wullf, CEO and President of Seadrill Management Ltd. says in a comment, "The multi jurisdiction contract for West Tellus demonstrates our willingness and ability to contract opportunistically and strategically when it is justified. The initial contract on West Tellus allows us to expand a long standing relationship with a key customer in the ultra-deepwater segment while also providing Seadrill the opportunity to place the West Tellus in West Africa, ready for a follow on contract."

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Fugro Chance Inc. recently performed non-typical acoustic metrologies on four proposed jumpers in the Gulf of Mexico. By industry standards the measurements were completed in a substantially short time frame.

A typical metrology takes approximately 12 hours for one measurement, resulting in an anticipated operational time of around 48 hours in total. However, these non-typical acoustic metrologies were completed with accurate results in just 33 hours.

Two standard Sonardyne Compatt 6 transponders and two Sonardyne Lodestar GyroCompatts (LGCs) were used to acquire tilt magnitude and direction from manifold pressure caps to wellhead casings. Four Compatts were used to ensure repeatable results.

The LGC technology integrates acoustic positioning, attitude and heading reference, and sound velocity technologies all in one instrument. It provides wireless updates and extremely accurate measurements of attitude, heading, heave, surge, sway, pressure and acoustic positioning of any subsea object. By utilizing these LGCs, Fugro saved the client both time and money while providing highly accurate data.

Just days before European rules on offshore safety for European companies abroad enter into force, and just a few months before additional requirements for companies operating in U.S. waters take effect, the European Commissioner for Energy, Guenther Oettinger, has called for operating and drilling companies to deliver the highest standards including when operating outside of American and European regulated waters.

At the time of his visit to Washington, DC, on July 16, Commissioner Oettinger said that the path to a strong and reliable culture of offshore safety depends upon global companies operating to the highest standards. Offshore accidents around the world continue to involve American and European companies. This places the spotlight on the global companies – who have done much to improve standards since Macondo – to give leadership to safety wherever they operate, and where the U.S. and EU rules do not apply.

"Under separate arrangements coming into force this year in Europe and the U.S., national regulators will exercise additional vigilance over oil and gas companies to ensure they accelerate the advances in technology and human understanding achieved since Macondo, whilst exercising stringent control of risks of major accidents at all times," said Commissioner Oettinger.

"We call upon oil and gas companies and drilling contractors operating in European Union waters to respond to the challenge to their leadership in global safety and environmental protection. We call on them to exert their influence to see a rise in standards both rapidly and permanently, and to ensure the transparency of that achievement. Beginning without delay, we hope to see full and rigorous disclosure of safety data by all companies in the international industry associations' reports."

Commissioner Oettinger concluded: "Our colleagues in the U.S. Department of the Interior have reaffirmed the value of the long-standing cooperation between offshore regulators in Europe and the USA in securing the transparently highest levels of safety in the offshore oil and gas industry. On Thursday, I will meet with the leaders of the offshore industry in Houston, and I look forward to hearing their views on what more is to be done to reassure people everywhere that the safety lessons of Macondo – and indeed the legacy of Piper Alpha - are truly and visibly embedded wherever our companies operate."

Background

James Fisher Mimic (JFM) has partnered with Netherlands-based condition monitoring specialist Oliveira, marine control expert CSI Control Systems and fleet operator Wagenborg, to provide a Platform Shore Support interfacing system using a reliability software application installed on the dry cargo carrier MV Lauwersborg.



Platform Shore Support is a network of ship-owners, suppliers, shipyards and the Dutch government that aims to increase the operational availability and capability of commercial vessels. JFM designed and developed the program along with Oliveira, based on JFM’s Mimic condition monitoring software. The system consolidates and analyses specific condition data, identifying potential failures and recommending corrective actions. CSI Control Systems provided a cost-effective solution to interface with the existing sensors and supply the signals to the new software without interrupting current systems on board the vessel. Wagenborg chose the MV Lauwersborg to be the first vessel to receive this Shore Support project, which will run for six months as a pilot trial. During the trial the system will provide reliability data to the on-board crew, the shore technical office and to third party analysts.



An example of the potential applications of the system being piloted on the MV Lauwersborg is in the proactive management of main propulsion engine turbocharger maintenance. Each turbocharger has a full service maintenance interval of around 12,000 hours engine operation, at which point the unit needs to be removed, stripped down and inspected so that its worn parts can be replaced prior to reassembly. During this time the vessel has to be taken out of service and in order to avoid the consequent disruption and cost of unexpected failures, all parts likely to be subject to wear are typically replaced irrespective of their visible degradation or deterioration in performance. By capturing sufficient operating data to allow an accurate real-time assessment of the condition of the turbocharger leading up to its scheduled 12,000 service interval, the pilot aims to be able to assess its condition and proactively plan maintenance according to the condition of the unit. Maintenance intervals and replacement parts inventories would thus be managed to maximize vessel availability and reliability while potentially saving significant cost if implemented on a fleet-wide basis.

“We are extremely pleased to be participating in this important pilot project,” commented Martin Briddon, engineering manager at JFM. “The safe and efficient use of sea-going vessels is high on today’s agenda for ship owners and managers. The demand for reduced energy consumption and overall operating cost makes the installation and use of new technology systems such as that developed by JFM and our partners, and being piloted on the MV Lauwersborg, highly desirable.”


Apache Corporation (NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) announces it has agreed to sell its Gulf of Mexico Shelf operations and properties to Fieldwood Energy LLC (Fieldwood), an affiliate of Riverstone Holdings, for cash proceeds of $3.75 billion. In addition, Fieldwood will assume all asset retirement obligations for these properties, which, as of June 30, 2013, Apache estimated at a discounted value of approximately $1.5 billion. Apache will retain 50 percent of its ownership interest in all exploration blocks and in horizons below production in developed blocks, where high-potential deep hydrocarbon plays are being tested.

"This transaction is an important step toward rebalancing our portfolio," said G. Steven Farris, chairman and chief executive officer. "At the end of this process, we expect Apache to have the right mix of assets to generate strong returns, drive more predictable production growth, and create shareholder value.

"Apache has had a great run on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf over the last 30 years, and the Shelf region and staff have played a vital role in making Apache the company it is today.  As our company has evolved, however, so have our investment priorities," Farris said. "Since 2010 we have increased our focus in North America on capturing and developing a deep inventory of onshore assets, where we have been generating exceptional production growth at attractive rates of return. The shallower horizons in the Shelf have matured to the point that dependable production growth is more difficult to achieve than from  our onshore liquids plays. We remain excited about the potential associated with the emerging plays under existing salt domes, which is why we retained 50 percent of the deep rights on 406 blocks held by production and 50 percent of all rights in 146 primary term blocks."

Apache previously announced plans to divest $4 billion in assets by year-end 2013 as part of its ongoing portfolio assessment and to focus on more recently acquired properties. The company intends to use proceeds to reduce debt and enhance financial flexibility and to repurchase Apache common shares under a 30-million-share repurchase program authorized by the Board of Directors earlier this year.

Transaction Terms and Closing Conditions

The effective date of the transaction is July 1, 2013. The sale is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions and is projected to close September 30, 2013. Apache will operate the properties during a transitional period.

Fieldwood has agreed to offer employment to substantially all of Apache's GOM Shelf employees.

Goldman Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor and Bracewell & Giuliani LLP served as legal advisor to Apache on the transaction.

Apache's Shelf Portfolio

Apache's Shelf portfolio — the largest operated asset base in Gulf waters to 1,000 feet deep — comprises more than 500 blocks with 1.9 million net acres and year-end 2012 estimated proved reserves of 133 million barrels of oil and natural gas liquids and 636 billion cubic feet of natural gas. In the first quarter of 2013, the fields averaged net production of approximately 50,000 barrels of liquid hydrocarbons and 254 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

"Employees in Apache's Gulf of Mexico Shelf Region are the most experienced, technically knowledgeable, and dedicated group in the industry. This team  is committed to safe and environmentally responsible operations during the transition and in the new ownership structure," Farris said.

Apache's ratio of incidents of noncompliance per inspected component — a key measure of offshore safety performance — has been at or better than industry average for the last five years. In 2012, Apache was one of the first Gulf of Mexico operators to voluntarily submit an audit of its Safety Environmental Management System (SEMS) to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. SEMS focuses on operating procedures, hazard analysis, mechanical integrity and training for all assets and personnel operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

BMT Group Ltd, a leading international design, engineering and risk management consultancy, is pleased to announce that Wendy Barnes has joined the Board of Directors as a Non-executive Director.

Wendy is presently a Non-executive Member of the main Board of OFWAT, the economic regulator of the water industry in England and Wales, a Non-executive Director of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Services and a Non-executive Director at the Met Office.

She was Interim Chief Operating Officer for the UK Government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change with responsibility for corporate services and nuclear decommissioning and security policy until December 2012.  Wendy was also previously a member of the main Board of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation (DE&S) and a Non-executive Director of two Government security departments.  Prior to this, Wendy spent eleven years with United Utilities and previously ten years with British Nuclear Fuels in a wide range of roles including customer service, marketing and business development.

On her appointment, Wendy commented: “I am delighted to be joining BMT at a time when the business is enjoying significant success and growth.  I am looking forward to the challenge of contributing to a group that is diverse in both its geographical spread and in its markets.  Having served on a number of boards, I am keen to use my past experience to the benefit of the group.”

Neil Cross, Chairman of BMT Group said: “I am very pleased to welcome Wendy to the Board of BMT.  She will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company and will help drive our continued growth and development.”

Apache Corporation (NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) announces  that its Australian subsidiary has confirmed a natural gas discovery at its operated Bianchi-1 well in Retention Lease WA-49-R, located in the Carnarvon Basin offshore northwest Australia.

Bianchi-1 was drilled to a total depth of 17,717 feet (5,400 meters) subsea, and final information regarding the well is being assessed. The well encountered approximately 367 feet (112 meters) of net natural gas pay in eight reservoir zones between 15,577 and 17,530 feet subsea (4,748 to 5,343 meters).

Bianchi-1 was drilled using the Ocean America semi-submersible deepwater drilling rig, which remains on location completing wireline logging and other information-gathering operations. Bianchi-1 adds to previous Apache exploration success in this part of the Carnarvon Basin following the Zola discovery in 2011. Zola is a natural gas discovery that Apache announced in 2011, located 4 miles (6 kilometers) southwest of the Bianchi discovery. The data from these wells, along with the Apache-operated Olympus gas discovery drilled in an adjacent permit earlier this year, provides critical insights into hydrocarbon distribution in the area.

"Bianchi is an important well for Apache, providing further understanding of the development options with the greater Zola area," said Faron Thibodeaux, Managing Director of Apache in Australia.

Evaluation of these recent discoveries is at an early stage and is being undertaken to assess potential commercial opportunities," Thibodeaux said.

The Bianchi-1 is part of Apache's ongoing exploration program across the Carnarvon Basin of Western Australia. During 2013, Apache plans to invest approximately US$1.9 billion for drilling, recompletion projects, development projects, equipment upgrades, production enhancement projects and seismic acquisitions.

Apache is the operator of Bianchi-1 (30.25% holding). Other parties in the joint venture are Santos (24.75%), OMV Australia (20%), JX Nippon (15%) and Tap Oil (10%). Apache acquired the interest in the field as part of a number of acreage acquisitions completed since 2010 that increased the company's gross acreage in Australia. Currently, Apache has interests in more than 31 000 square kilometers of northwest Australian offshore acreage including exploration permits and production licenses.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation(NYSE: OXY) announces that its wholly owned subsidiary Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd. (Oxy Qatar) and Qatar Petroleum have agreed on the Phase 5 Field Development Plan (FDP) of the Idd El Shargi North Dome Field (ISND), offshore Qatar. The ISND Phase 5 FDP has been prepared in close cooperation between Oxy Qatar and Qatar Petroleum as part of the continued development of ISND under the Development and Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA) between the Government of the State of Qatar and Oxy Qatar, which was entered into in July 1994. The work has already begun and will continue to sustain oil production levels at about 100,000 barrels/day through the next six years.

The ISND Phase 5 FDP includes specific activities identified from upgraded reservoir simulation models to implement and/or improve water-flooding practices in all oil producing reservoirs. During implementation of the ISND Phase 5 FDP, Qatar Petroleum and Oxy Qatar will strive to improve the ultimate recovery in all existing contract reservoirs by continuing to work closely together to further optimize long-term production and recoverable reserves.

The ISND Phase 5 FDP comprises drilling over 200 additional production, water injection and water source wells, plus the installation of associated facilities required to support the additional wells. Added facilities will include minimum facilities platforms, wellhead jackets, fluid processing equipment and pipeline debottlenecking and water source projects. In addition, pilot studies to support Produced Water Re-Injection and Enhanced Oil Recovery projects will be implemented. The development activities are expected to constitute an aggregate investment exceeding $3 billion.

Oxy Qatar, under separate contractual arrangements, also operates the Idd El Shargi South Dome Field (ISSD) and the Al Rayyan Field in Block 12, and is a partner in Dolphin Energy.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the delivery of the M/V HARVEY DEEP-SEA, the fourth of its Tiger Shark Class Offshore Support Vessels constructed for Harvey Gulf International Marine, LLC of New Orleans, LA. The HARVEY DEEP-SEA was delivered July 19, 2013. The vessel was launched at Eastern’s Allanton Facility in mid-December of last year. The HARVEY DEEP-SEA is Eastern’s second Multi-Purpose Light Construction Vessel (LCV) for Harvey Gulf. Eastern Shipbuilding Group has now constructed 11 vessels for Harvey Gulf since 2002.



Last month Harvey Gulf announced the contract signing for its 12th, 13th and 14th vessels to be constructed by Eastern Shipbuilding, the M/V HARVEY SUB-SEA, HARVEY BLUE-SEA and HARVEY INTERVENTION. This new STX Marine IMR-340H Inspection, Maintenance and Repair Vessel design measures 327'x 73'x 29'-3" and features a 250MT AHC Sub-Sea Crane. Additionally, the HARVEY INTERVENTION will feature a 250MT modular handling tower with top drive capabilities.



The HARVEY DEEP SEA is an ABS XA1, XAMS, XACCU, Circle E, ENVIRO+, Green Passport (GP), NBLES, CRC, HELIDK, Offshore Support Vessel and certified under SOLAS/IMO. ABS class also includes the ABS DPS-2 and Firefighting FFV-2 notations. It is AC Diesel-Electric powered with twin Schottel Z-drives and three Schottel STT4 bow thrusters and its dimensions are 302’ X 64’ X 24’-6". This Multi-Purpose Construction Vessel (LCV), the HARVEY DEEP-SEA, is equipped with an active heave-compensated, National Oilwell Varco 165-ton knuckle boom Sub-Sea Crane capable of lifting/setting at depths up to 10,000 ft. The HARVEY DEEP-SEA is now scheduled to sail to New Orleans, Louisiana for final installation of its Sub-Sea Crane. This vessel will fill a niche in a very selective market, covered in the past by mostly foreign flag construction vessels.

Seatronics do Brazil, an Acteon company, announces the appointment of Thiago Montanari as sales manager.  Montanari is based in Rio de Janeiroand will report directly to Seatronics vice president, Fabio D’Agostino.

Montanari has six years of experience in the offshore industry, working extensively in the Caspian (Kasakhstan), Mediterranean, Adriatic and Caribbean (Cuba) seas, as well as in Angola, Patagonia and Libya.

Montanari will be responsible for maturing existing relationships while growing and developing global business opportunities with existing and potential clients.

Before joining Seatronics, Montanari worked at Ambipetro, where he was an operations supervisor and party chief for its offshore operations. Prior to this role, he spent four years at GASITALY as an offshore surveyor, responsible for MBES, Side Scan Sonar and Sub-bottom profiling data acquisition and positioning.

Montanari holds a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography from Vale do Itajai University in Brazil.

“This is a key role at Seatronics, and I am pleased to have Thiago join the team,” said vice president Fabio D’Agostino. “Thiago’s international expertise and industry knowledge will provide guidance and leadership to our Brazilian sales team while enhancing customer relations in the region.”

The engineers of the Titan-Micoperi consortium confirm that the "parbuckling” of the Concordia can be completed by the end of summer 2013, at the beginning of September.


The Chief Commissioner for the Costa Concordia shipwreck emergency, Prefect Franco Gabrielli, at the presence of Giglio Mayor Sergio Ortelli, has met the population of the island of Giglio together with the President of the Observatory, Maria Sargentini, Costa Crociere and Titan-Micoperi to provide an update on the Costa Concordia wreck removal progress and communicate the timing of the next phases of the project.
Technical details will be presented to authorities for the needed approvals. The parbuckling will allow to check the currently submerged and, therefore, inaccessible side of the wreck, make repairs and, more generally, perform a technical assessment on the overall condition of the wreck in view of its refloating and subsequent transport.


At the end of such assessment, the timing of the following phases will be determined more accurately. Also, the parbuckling timing will not interfere with the tourist season. In the meantime, at Giglio,  technicians are positioning the last of the six subsea platforms that will ensure the safety support of the wreck after its vertical rotation.


The platform weighs about 1,000 tons, is 32 meters long and 22 meters high and is supported by 5 large pillars (over 1.5 meters in diameter) attached to the granite bottom at a depth of about 10 meters.
The installation of high strength grout bags and mattresses, required to fill the gap between the two spurs of rock on which the wreck lies, is also in progress. Two of the eleven sponsons have already been positioned, welded and attached on the emerged side of the ship and will be used during the rotation phase. Before the parbuckling another 9 sponsons will be positioned.
The sponsons, built by Fincantieri, are made of steel and have a size of 10.5 x 11.5 meters, 20 or 30 meter high. After the parbuckling, another 4 sponsons will be installed to reach the total of 15. Following the parbuckling, another 15 sponsons will be installed on the starboard side of the wreck in a symmetrical position to those on the left side. The installation of the 30 sponsons will allow the refloating of the wreck.


The Concordia wreck removal is a unique and extremely complex technical-engineering operation, a naval salvage operation like no other in history, involving the best international expertise and advanced technologies. Activities continue with about 500 workers and 30 vessels at work 24/7. Environmental protection is a priority in the removal operations.
To date, there no damage has been registered to the marine ecosystem outside the area of the construction site. In addition, on June 15, ARPA (Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany) and ISPRA have highlighted that all samplings and analyses, conducted since January 2012, have not detected any critical issue. Even the sampling cycles carried out inside the ship are not a source of worry.

SeaBird Exploration Plc ("SeaBird") is pleased to announce that Geo Pacific has been awarded a new contract in the Caribbean. The work is estimated to 63 days duration and the contract value is about USD 12 million. Geo Pacific has just completed her current contract and will mobilize directly to the new job.

SeaBird is a global provider of marine acquisition for 2D/3D and 4D seismic data, and associated products and services to the oil and gas industry. SeaBird specializes in high quality operations within the high end of the source vessel and 2D market, as well as in the shallow/deep water 2D/3D and 4D market.

 Main focus for the company is proprietary seismic surveys (contract seismic). Main success criteria for the company are an unrelenting focus on Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ), combined with efficient collection of high quality seismic data. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include SeaBird`s reliance on a cyclical industry and the utilization of the company's vessels.

Actual results may differ substantially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements.

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.