Unique Group, a leading integrated subsea and offshore solution provider, has announced that its On-Site Engineering division, through its Wellube brand, has partnered with KSB Group to offer a new service to its customers in the Middle East and Africa region. On-Site Spark Erosion is the latest addition to the division's wide portfolio of services that include hot tapping & line stopping, on-site machining, and safety valve testing among many others.
The KSB Group, headquartered in Germany, is a leading supplier of pumps, valves and services. KSB also continues to remain the world market leaders in the spark erosion industry supplying their services for over 20 years to a wide variety of sectors ranging from oil and gas to marine.
Removal of the coupling bolts on a 9E gas turbine using spark erosion technique. Photo credit: Unique Group
Spark erosion, also known as metal disintegration or electro discharge machining (EDM), is a technique that's primarily used for tap, stud, bolt and drill removal or seized fasteners. The cutting action of a metal disintegrator is accomplished by creating a series of intermittent electric arcs that break down the hardest metals into minute particles in a safe and controlled manner.
An electrode, held in the head of the disintegrator, vibrates as it cuts while a coolant is pumped through the electrode to wash away the powdered metal. The technique chiefly employs electrical energy to remove metal from the work piece without creating any contact with it. The technique can also be used for marine and marine engine repairs.
As there are no cutting forces involved in a spark erosion process, delicate operations can be performed on thin work pieces. The technique can produce shapes unobtainable by a conventional machining process and can also be used to provide a texture on the inside of mold tools for plastic products.
Sahil Gandhi, Director at Unique Group's On-Site Engineering division commented, "Our Wellube brand is widely recognized as a leader in the provision of on-site machining services. As a world-renowned brand, we're continuously on the lookout to grow our reach by offering new services to customers the world over. The decision to partner with KSB was imminent considering their in-depth experience in the spark erosion industry."
"Their spark erosion machines are powerful and highly reliable, thereby ensuring maximum material removal in minimum time, thus keeping the customer on schedule."
Paul Eccles, Spark Erosion Sales Manager at KSB asserted, "We're pleased with our new association with Unique Group. We at KSB have always aimed at giving our customers the best possible service to suit their business needs backed by a 24hr support plan and the same ideology resonates with the Unique Group team. Their strong customer base and sound knowledge of the market is instrumental in establishing the best-in-class metal disintegration service to customers in the region."
EnerMech’s cranes and lifting division has benefited from a £85 million-plus uplift to its order book with a series of contract wins, extensions and renewals.
The Aberdeen-based mechanical engineering group has consolidated its position as a major international cranes services provider, strengthening its reputation in the Caspian region and extending its reach by winning new work in the Gulf States, Far East and the Caribbean.
In Azerbaijan, BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) have renewed a contract which EnerMech has held since 2010 for up to a further five years. Crane operations, maintenance and inspection services for 16 BP offshore pedestal cranes and two new platforms on the Shah Deniz 2 project are included in the contract. EnerMech has also undertaken to employ an Azeri-only nationalized workforce for the contract term which also includes the provision of spare parts, repair and refurbishment and training.
EnerMech’s cranes. Photo courtesy: EnerMech
In Qatar, EnerMech has secured exclusivity for the provision of crane maintenance services to the Al Shaheen Field. As part of its integrated services approach, EnerMech will also offer process, pipeline and umbilicals, valves inspection and repair, hydraulics and training services.
A three-year deal to provide crane operation and maintenance services to Daewoo International E&P on the Shwe Gas field in the Bay of Bengal, marks EnerMech’s first long term contract award offshore Myanmar.
A major breakthrough has been made in Trinidad & Tobago where EnerMech have been awarded a crane operation and maintenance contract by an international operator and a new base has been established on the island from which EnerMech will offer all its service lines in line with their standard approach to entering a new market.
In the North Sea, Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited have awarded EnerMech a five-year crane operation and maintenance contract covering the Buzzard, Scott and Golden Eagle platforms.
Also in the UKCS, contracts first awarded to EnerMech as far back as 2006 by two major oil and gas operators have been renewed for a further three years and EnerMech will continue to provide crane maintenance, mechanic and operator crews, spare parts and equipment inspection services on a combined total of 11 platforms.
EnerMech’s international mechanical handling services director, John Morrison, said: “It has been an excellent 2016 to date for our cranes and lifting services division with key contracts renewed by major clients alongside winning work in new markets and extending our market share. This is quite an achievement in today’s competitive environment.
“Our long-held belief that clients want integrated services and not a stand-alone provision of one service line is paying off, and it is particularly relevant in the current market conditions where operators and contractors are demanding much more cost-effective methods of doing business.
“Extending contracts in Baku with BP and in the North Sea, winning our first crane contracts with Nexen, Daewoo and in Trinidad & Tobago, while securing extra workscopes in Qatar, all indicate that our cranes and lifting expertise is highly regarded across the oil and gas producing world.
“We will continue to seek out more efficient methods of providing crane and lifting services to clients which are capable of being integrated with our other business lines. The energy industry is demanding more collaboration to counter the downturn in the oil price and this is an approach which has been championed by EnerMech since the company was founded.
Bosch Rexroth is launching a modular hydraulic power unit (HPU) program specially developed for the Maritime and Offshore market. These high-end power units cover a power range of 350 to 3,000 kW, and have obtained the type approval by Lloyd’s Register. The program starts with a "basic" unit which can be expanded using all kinds of options. Because all variants are included in the modular options matrix, a design can quickly be calculated complete with dimensions and weights. This gives Bosch Rexroth a lead in the world of hydraulic power units.
The type approved Modular HPU concept reduces time to market and optimizes dimensions and footprint.
Pierre Wouters, responsible for detail engineering of HPU at Bosch Rexroth in Boxtel, explains how the idea for this remarkable modular concept was born. "Within the Maritime & Offshore sector, power units are nearly always unique," says Wouters. "This means that until now, each HPU was separately designed and drawn. However, the market more than ever now demands fast response times and so a power range of 350 to 3,000 kW was chosen based on market demands. The units can be configured using a list of options, enabling the system to be made more maintenance-friendly, more reliable and more efficient."
The Modular Hydraulic Power Unit (MHPU) program starts with a configured solution for standard applications. This takes account of the minimum functions demanded by the customer. The HPU can also easily be adapted to additional requirements. For instance, if one requires it to include an e- cabinet and/or starter cabinet configuration. A large number of options can also be supplied, such as double cooling pumps for situations requiring redundancy, but also a cleanliness measurement system or depth filtration kit. The MHPU can also be fitted with pulsation dampeners, as well as a number of other options. Efficient IE3 electric motors, which can drive one or more pumps, are employed for driving the pump units. The MHPU program means that based on the request, often a detailed quotation and a 3D drawing of the aggregate can be presented on the same day. All this including relevant information on dimensions and weight. Moreover, a Lloyd's Type Approval has been obtained for the entire MHPU program.
"What we are doing now is developing 'industry 4.0-like features'," continues Pierre Wouters. "That means that we fit the HPU with extra sensors and interfaces so that in the near future we can enable communication via the Internet between the MHPUs and the customer's technical department or with our headquarters."
According to Pierre Wouters, the current program covers a large part of the market needs in the Maritime & Offshore sector. "Of course some parts will always remain that have to be designed separately," says Wouters. "The systems are designed for a design pressure of 350 bar and a maximum flow of 6,000 liters/min. The functional switch blocks behind the HPU are often tailor made so that we are still talking about ETO (Engineered To Order). But the fact that the units can now be compiled with literally just a few mouse clicks saves so much time, also in production. This partly contributes to a significant improvement of the delivery times and costs and will ensure that Bosch Rexroth can operate even more competitively in this market."
Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. (Phoenix) announces that Patrick Keenan Jr., P.E. has been appointed as President, effective November 1st. In this position, Patrick will be responsible for all of the Company's operating units worldwide and will continue to expand upon Phoenix's reputation of being a premier provider of underwater solutions.
Before beginning his foray into the private sector, Keenan (CAPT USN retired) served in the United States Navy for thirty years as a diver, salvor, and engineer. He is a registered professional engineer and marine surveyor with a BA in Chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS in Materials Engineering and Naval Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research relating to waterborne ship repair was published in the Naval Engineers Journal. He holds a U.S. patent for his invention Method and Apparatus for Thermal Insulation of Wet Shielded Metal Arc Welds and was the 2000 American Society of naval Engineers Claude A. Jones Award winner for excellence in the field of Naval Engineering.
On his appointment, Phoenix CEO Mike Kutzleb stated, "Patrick is a highly accomplished leader with the qualities and experience required to lead the company as we continue to accelerate the growth of Phoenix over the next few years." He continued, "His ability for strategic thinking at a very high level coupled with his operational acumen, extensive leadership experience and global business perspective make him the perfect choice for President of Phoenix."
At sea Patrick held deck and engineering officer positions aboard ATF and ARS class salvage ships, and was the Seventh Fleet Salvage Officer based in Singapore. Shore assignments included hyperbaric maintenance superintendent at a diving research facility; dry docking and diving officer in a naval shipyard; aircraft carrier repair officer and supervisor of shipbuilding; Officer in charge of ship repair unit Bahrain; Commanding Officer of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit; and Director of the Naval Construction and Engineering program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His final tour of duty was a U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving and Director of Ocean Engineering. Before being appointed President, Patrick served as Manager of the Commercial Underwater Ship Husbandry (CUSH) Division for Phoenix.
Offshore accommodation and workspace solutions specialist HB Rentals has secured contracts in excess of £1,000,000 for the manufacture of workshops, local equipment rooms and pressurised offshore service modules for multiple clients.
The company was commissioned by Prosafe to design, manufacture and supply two DNV 2.7-1 and 2.7-2, Safe Area certified welding workshops for the Safe Zephyrus semi-submersible accommodation vessel, operating offshore Norway.
HB Rentals was also commissioned to design, manufacture and supply a local equipment room by OneSubsea GmbH for subsea operations in the Taurus Libra field, offshore Egypt. The module was required to be DNV 2.7-1 and 2.7-2, A60 and Safe Area certified.
And HB Rentals was commissioned by Semco Maritime to design, manufacture and supply a DNV 2.7-1, A60, Zone II rated pressurised offshore service module for subsea services in the UK sector of the North Sea.
All of the modules were designed and manufactured at HB Rentals’ service facilities in Sauchen, Aberdeenshire. The premises include almost 3,000m sq. of workshops and stores, incorporating a fully equipped 450m sq. fabrication shop and a 2,000m sq. outfitting shop.
HB Rentals is a Superior Energy Services company that specialises in the design, manufacture, sale and rental of DNV & ABS certified temporary offshore accommodation solutions, Zone I/Zone II hazardous area service modules, and workshop and refrigeration containers. The global organisation has been based in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for more than 25 years.
HB Rentals managing director Norman Porter said: “At a time when the industry is experiencing significant challenges, these multiple contracts in our expanding build for sale division represent good news not only for us but for the sector in the North-east of Scotland as a whole.
“The personnel and facilities we have in our workshop and service premises have once again enabled us to design and create a range of modules to the very highest standards, which we hope will provide an environment to assist our clients in achieving their targets.”
Subsea cable and connector specialist Hydro Group has announced the appointment of William (Bill) Mildon, as president of newly formed Hydro Group Systems Inc. - a wholly owned subsidiary in Pinellas County, Florida.
Boasting nearly 40 years’ experience in undersea product development from complex sonars to sensors and undersea cable and connectors, Bill has held a number of senior positions, most recently as technical director at Nest Technical Services. His leadership skills saw him successfully lead teams in submarine penetration designs, under water connectors and numerous fiber optic inter-connect products.
In his new role Bill will be focussed on shaping and delivering Hydro Group Systems to carry the same vision of Hydro Group Plc, based in Aberdeen, Scotland. Along with developing this vision in the US naval, oil and gas and renewable sectors, he is also to set up a manufacturing facility to produce Hydro Group products to the US market.
Doug Whyte, Hydro Group managing director, said: “We are growing at a significant rate, going from strength to strength which has led to the creation of Hydro Group Systems. As president, Bill will deliver product and service excellence, develop our people, shape innovation and ensure Hydro Group - as a whole - continues to exceed expectation at all levels.
“Throughout his time in the industry Bill has built up invaluable experience and expertise, and I look forward to working with him and seeing the value he will bring to both our business and our customers.”
Commenting on his appointment, Bill said: “I am thrilled to be joining Hydro Group at such an exciting time for the company. I’m confident that my previous experience will assist me in identifying new opportunities in the US market, and globally, for Hydro Group to continue expanding its business.”
From its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Scotland, Hydro Group develops the complete subsea electrical and optical interconnect package, built to withstand the harshest environmental conditions.
Hydro Group employs more than 100 full time staff worldwide and operates on a global platform providing total solutions to a portfolio of prime contractors, major operators, OEM's, defence agencies, defence organisations and the UK MOD.
NorSea Group (UK) Ltd and Scotoil Services Ltd, two of the leading service companies in the onshore decommissioning sector, have joined forces as NSDecom. The new collaborative venture will bring more efficient and cost effective benefits to the sector by providing a single project focal point for all services related to quayside and onshore decommisioning activity.
Targeted at operators, project managers and lead contractors the new partnership combines the logistics expertise of NorSea Group with Scotoil’s track record of experience in waste management and NORM decontamination. NSDecom will deliver a complete onshore service from receipt of waste and equipment at the quayside through the cleaning and cutting process to the final reuse/recycle/disposal option.
The main centre of operations will be at NorSea Group’s purpose-built, deep-water decommissioning facility at Smith Quay in Peterhead. Relevant licences are also in place at Aberdeen Harbour and NorSea’s supply base in Montrose.
Walter Robertson, left, and Craig Smith.
“With the decommissioning sector being guided by SEPA, we recognised the importance of working alongside an experienced and well-established specialist waste contractor,” said Walter Robertson, MD of NorSea Group (UK). “Scotoil Services has more than 30 years of experience and both parties saw the benefits to the sector of combing NorSea Group’s quayside assets and logistics experience with Scotoil’s market-leading NORM decontamination service and special waste management capabilities.”
Craig Smith, MD of Scotoil Services, said: “The collaborative alliance was developed in response to industry calls for more efficient and effective ways of working which would bring about lower costs and robust operational improvements. Together we have the key components to offer a complete and seamless onshore service which will benefit both operators and lead decommissioning contractors.”
Separator Spares & Equipment, LLC announces an authorized distributor/agency agreement with MME Group.
Effective immediately, Separator Spares & Equipment will be providing MME Impressed Current Systems, MME Antifouling Systems, MME Sacrificial Aluminum and Zinc Anodes, and MME Harbinger Boarding Equipment. This strategic alliance will provide MME Group’s customers a local representative in the United States and Canada.
“We were looking for a selling and servicing partner for our ICAF and ICCP systems, and we found that partner in Separator Spares & Equipment” said Eric Bouman, Sales Manager at MME Group. “The driving force behind the agreement is the shared commitment, of both companies, to increase the availability of MME Group products and services to North American Customers.”
Nothing is more valuable than life, both human life and that of our planet. MME Group provides inspection, (non-)destructive testing and rope access services, as well as corrosion prevention systems, anti-fouling systems and boarding equipment. These products and services enable producers, owners, and operators to safeguard the long term integrity and profitability of their assets and products, and in doing so, protect the lives of those involved with them. Our mission is “A Longer Life”.
MME Group is based in the Rotterdam area, in The Netherlands. The company was established in 1963 and has since grown to become one of the most experienced and specialized companies in its field of activity. MME Group serves customers around the globe in industries such as machine building, oil & gas, offshore renewable energy (wind and tidal), shipping and shipbuilding.
Based in Houma, Louisiana, Separator Spares & Equipment’s Marine Division is a leading supplier in complete separation and heat transfer packages. The woman owned company, has grown from a spare parts provider, to a thriving, reliable, global supplier of spare parts and equipment. Separator Spares & Equipment’s knowledgeable staff has over 50 years combined experience within the Maritime Industry.
BP (NYSE: BP) and GE (NYSE: GE) announces the start-up of Plant Operations Advisor (POA), a new digital solution designed to improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of BP’s oil and gas production operations. Plant Operations Advisor is already helping BP manage the performance of one of its platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and, subject to a successful pilot, it will be deployed next year to other BP facilities around the world.
The tool, built on GE’s Predix operating system, was created as part of a development partnership the two companies announced in January. “BP gravitates toward new technologies, especially digital, and that makes working with them particularly exciting,” said Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO, GE Oil & Gas. “We are taking a big step forward together during this time of digital transformation, deploying what we’ve co-created over the past year to drive the kind of productivity improvements that the oil and gas industry needs. The global deployment is expected to be the largest-scale deployment of GE’s Predix-powered APM technology to date.”
Plant Operations Advisor will help prevent unplanned downtime and improve facility reliability by helping engineering teams respond quickly to issues as they occur in real-time.
“By bringing together some of the best minds at GE and BP, we were able to develop this innovative digital product and are confident that it will have a significant impact on our business,” said Ahmed Hashmi, BP’s Head of Upstream Technology. “When fully deployed, these advanced digital technologies will change the way we work and improve the integrity and performance of our assets around the globe.”
Using GE’s Predix and Asset Performance Management (APM) capabilities, POA rapidly integrates operational data from producing oil and gas facilities to deliver notifications and analytical reports to engineers so they can identify operational performance issues before they become significant.
The system provides simplified access to a variety of live data feeds and includes visualization capabilities including a real-time facility threat display. It also incorporates an extensive case management capability to support learnings from prior operational issues.
GE intends to offer this technology, which combines big data, cloud hosting, and analytics on both individual pieces of equipment as well as the entire production system, as an APM solution that will be available to the industry.
International project services consultancy, Cambla, has launched an upgraded version of its Schedule Animation Tool (S.A.T) to the renewables market.
Initially launched to market last year, the technology was a world-first for the oil and gas industry and has been further developed to ensure effective and efficient planning of renewable marine operations. S.A.T provides an accurate visual representation of vessel locations and planned activities, offering project teams full fleet management support and significant cost savings.
Alexander MacLeod, founder of Cambla
The most recent upgrades to the tool significantly improve user experience and include improved comparison view, detailed project infrastructure and the addition of renewable graphics.
Alexander MacLeod, founder of Cambla, said: “Ultimately, we aim to ensure that S.A.T offers the best possible user experience for planning renewable marine operations, so we have continued to upgrade the technology to meet our clients’ business requirements. Cost effective, time saving processes are always in demand and S.A.T offers operators an innovative tool for the most efficient project planning.
“The tool is particularly effective for renewables operations, and allows operators to view the fabrication of project infrastructure including the installation of wind turbines and associated subsea construction work. Users can also monitor the delivery requirements for the project to effectively control the management of parts, materials and equipment required for the complete construction of a renewables project.“
Cambla has also recruited Lee Birnie, a Computing placement student from Robert Gordon University’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media, to support with the development of the upgrade.
Alexander continued: “We recruit graduates every year through the Scottish Government’s ScotGrad scheme, which not only provides us with further support for our projects and product development plans, but also offers valuable hands-on experience for young people looking to kick-start their careers.
“I believe it is particularly important to bring students and graduates into the business. Lee has been an invaluable addition to the team so far and we look forward to supporting his development during his time with the company.”
Established in 2013, Cambla offers expert project planning, cost control and probabilistic services to support oil and gas and renewable projects using a pre-built toolkit of processes and reports. Cambla’s team of expert project planners support client projects across the globe, from early appraisal through to the final close-out period, ensuring a high quality result is achieved at all stages of the project.
Churchill Drilling Tools, an oil field service company specializing in down-hole tools, has reaffirmed its commitment to Middle Eastern expansion by opening a bespoke tooling and service workshop in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
This brand new, purpose-built facility in ICAD III, Mussafah, covers more than 11,000sqft of workshop floor, with an additional 2,000sqft of office accommodation.
The facility in Abu Dhabi is the latest significant investment by the company in the UAE, where Churchill has responded to growing local demand for its range of innovative dart activated products. It follows the opening of a base in Dubai at the beginning of 2016 to enhance Churchill’s support structure in the Emirates.
Founder and chairman Andy Churchill, who opened the new facility, said of the investment:
‘I am very pleased that we are able to continue to invest in the company and expand our global footprint. The UAE is an important market for us, and our investment in the new workshop facility in Abu Dhabiwill enable us to cover the whole of the UAE from a central hub. Tool mobilization, servicing, repair and maintenance can now all be done in country, allowing Churchill Drilling Tools to further embed itself into the UAE supply chain.
“The new investment in Abu Dhabi is part of our Middle East strategy and places the company in a prime position to serve towhole UAE market. With ADIPEC approaching, I am pleased that we continue to be able to invest in the UAE and offer highly skilled careers in our innovative and growing company.”
Nicholas Kjaer, general manager of the Middle East for Churchill Drilling Tools, added: “This new facility is functional as of today and will allow us to provide full lifecycle support for the Churchill product line throughout the UAE. We have already made a number of new appointments and plan to expand our technical support staff well into 2017. I look forward to welcoming new and existing clients to stand 8556 at ADIPEC and being able to show how our products can help operators solve their well challenges.
GE (NYSE:GE) and Baker Hughes (NYSE:BHI) have announced that the companies have entered into an agreement to combine GE's oil and gas business ("GE Oil & Gas") and Baker Hughes to create a world-leading oilfield technology provider with a unique mix of service and equipment capabilities. The "New" Baker Hughes will be a leading equipment, technology and services provider in the oil and gas industry with $32 billion of combined revenue1 and operations in more than 120 countries. By drawing from GE technology expertise and Baker Hughes capabilities in oilfield services, the new company will provide best-in-class physical and digital technology solutions for customer productivity.
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, at the closing of the transaction Baker Hughes shareholders will receive a special one-time cash dividend of $17.50 per share and 37.5% of the new company. GE will own 62.5% of the company. The transaction is expected to close in mid 2017.
"This transaction creates an industry leader, one that is ideally positioned to grow in any market. Oil & gas customers demand more productive solutions. This can only be achieved through technical innovation and service execution, the hallmarks of GE and Baker Hughes," said Jeff Immelt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GE. "As we built the GE Oil & Gas business, I have always been impressed by the respect our customers have for Baker Hughes. GE Oil & Gas is a key GE business, one that fully leverages the GE Store. As we go forward, this transaction accelerates our capability to extend the digital framework to the oil and gas industry. An oilfield service platform is essential to deliver digitally enabled offerings to our customers. We expect Predix to become an industry standard and synonymous with improved customer outcomes. GE investors will benefit through ownership of a stronger business with substantial synergies and an improved competitive position. The transaction is expected to add approximately $.04 to GE EPS in 2018, $.08 by 2020."
Martin Craighead, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Baker Hughes said, "This compelling combination brings together best-in-class oilfield equipment manufacturing and services, and digital technology offerings for the benefit of all customers and stakeholders. The combination of our complementary assets will create a platform capable of seamless integration while we enhance our ability to deliver optimized and integrated solutions and increase touch points with our customers. In addition, Baker Hughes shareholders will receive a special one-time cash dividend of $17.50 per share and benefit from the upside of a stronger, larger business. With employees of Baker Hughes and GE Oil & Gas coming together, the new company will be an industry leader, well-positioned to compete in the oil and gas industry while pushing the boundaries of innovation for our customers."
Lorenzo Simonelli, who is currently president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas said, "This transformative transaction will create a powerful force in the oil and gas market as we continue to drive long-term value for our customers and shareholders. This transaction is also exciting for employees of both companies. GE Oil & Gas and Baker Hughes are an exceptional cultural fit, sharing a commitment to exceeding customer expectations. Both companies' employees will benefit significantly from being part of a larger, stronger company that is positioned for long-term growth. We look forward to combining the digital solutions and technology from the GE Store with the domain expertise of Baker Hughes and its culture of innovation in the oilfield services sector."
Saipem has been awarded new contracts and change orders in the E&C Offshore segment, for an overall amount of about 1 billion dollars.
In particular, the most significant are the notification of award by Saudi Aramco of two EPIC contracts (Engineering, Procurement, Installation, Construction), under the Long Term Agreement in force and renewed in 2015 until 2021 for activities in Saudi Arabia. These two contracts refer to, respectively, the development of fields in Marjan, Zuluf and Safaniya located in the Arabian Gulf, which are among the most important offshore fields in the Region. These contracts include the design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation and implementation of subsea systems in addition to the laying of pipelines, subsea cables and umbilicals, platform decks and jackets. Furthermore, the two contracts will also include additional maintenance and dismantling works on the existing platforms already operating in the fields.
“With these contracts, Saipem is further reinforcing its presence in the Middle East, a highly strategic area”, stressed Stefano Cao, CEO of Saipem. “New contracts from a long-standing customer like Saudi Aramco are also an important, strong mark of its trust in Saipem as - once again – the high quality of its services and its solid expertise in the construction and installation of offshore platforms is recognized”.
Saipem is one of the world leaders in drilling services, as well as in the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of pipelines and complex projects, onshore and offshore, in the oil & gas market. The company has distinctive competences in operations in harsh environments, remote areas and deepwater. Saipem provides a full range of services with “EPC” and “EPCI” contracts (on a “turn-key” basis) and has distinctive capabilities and unique assets with a high technological content.
Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) is to invest up to £3 million in developing a water-jetting tool which has the potential to double trench production rates in seabed trenching operations.
The subsea and engineering technology company has awarded a contract to Northumberland-based Osbit which specializes in bespoke engineering projects for international energy clients.
Osbit will be the lead detail design and development provider for the SCARJet subsea vehicle which features ESS’s unique water-jetting and burial performance enhancement technologies and complements its range of SCAR-branded seabed preparation and trenching solutions.
Michael Cowie, Technical Director, Ecosse Subsea Systems Ltd
The technology will expand Banchory-based ESS’s capability to execute larger scopes of work – including soft soil projects - whilst the innovative design will differentiate them from existing suppliers.
ESS were recently awarded a subsea trenching contract by leading European offshore specialist JD-Contractor A/S for the Kriegers Flak windfarm offshore Denmark.
The Aberdeenshire company has just completed a £5 million seabed clearance project on behalf of DONG Energy on the Race Bank Offshore Windfarm located off the Norfolk coast and a route clearance and trenching project on behalf of Prysmian Group on the 70-turbine Wikinger offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea.
The subsea trencher is a modular design, incorporating hydraulically driven track assemblies, a primary burial tool water feed and deployment systems, and a work-class ROV docking interface, compatible with the most widely used ROV systems in service today.
ESS technical director Michael Cowie said: “This is a major investment which will strengthen our suite of SCAR seabed tools and offer real benefits to clients operating in the renewables and oil and gas sectors. It is anticipated the SCARJet could double trench production rates compared to existing trenchers in the same class, with significant time and cost savings for the end-client.
“We chose Osbit to deliver this important addition to the SCAR range because of their impressive track record, technical expertise and ability to offer a flexible approach to the project. Our operations team are looking forward to collaborating with Osbit to develop and deliver what we believe will be a game-changing trenching system.”
Osbit director Robbie Blakeman said: “We see a natural fit between Osbit and ESS, with us providing world-class expertise in the design and manufacture of subsea vehicles, while ESS has a wealth of operational experience and a vision for sustainable trenching technology.”
“We share a passion for delivering engineered solutions which reduce complexity and drive down costs, maximize operational effectiveness and reliability, whilst constantly improving safety.”
The R&D for the SCARJet has been supported by Scottish Enterprise and part funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds Programme.
Kongsberg formally opened its first office and warehouse facility in the Republic of South Africa on Friday 4th November 2016. Located in Cape Town’s airport zone, Kongsberg Maritime South Africa has been established to better serve customers located in, or visiting ports across the country and throughout the Sub-Saharan region. The new facility joins Kongsberg Maritime’s extensive global network of first party sites, consisting 64 offices located in 20 countries, employing over 4000 people.
Kongsberg’s expansion in South Africa comes as the Government’s National Development Plan turns towards maritime resources as part of ‘Operation Phakisa’; a program implemented to unlock the economic potential of South Africa’s oceans. Kongsberg Maritime’s diverse technology portfolio can support all major pillars of the Operation Phakisa maritime program, including: Marine transport and manufacturing, offshore oil & gas, aquaculture, marine protection and ocean governance/monitoring.
From left to right: Alastair Pettie, Rune Haukom, Steve Nell, Shaun Ortell, Pierre Marais, Wojtek Kowalczyk
The Kongsberg Maritime South Africa facility currently combines office and warehouse space in addition to a testing lab, with plans already in place to open training facilities that will help local offshore operators to meet local content requirements. Kongsberg Maritime is also committed to employing local engineers to support a diverse customer-base across the African continent through technical skills and knowledge in addition to cultural experience.
Kongsberg Maritime South Africa currently addresses all customer needs within the merchant automation and dynamic positioning segments, with an ambitious plan to quickly expand scope as the facility grows next year. Current focus is on service, maintenance and after-market support, but the facility will act as a local contact point for all customers in the region. With its location close to Cape Town International Airport, Kongsberg Maritime South Africa can deploy technicians to customer vessels throughout Sub-Saharan Africa faster and for lower-costs.
“The current shipping and offshore markets are challenging but it’s vital that we continue to support our global customer-base by ensuring we have local facilities ready to help wherever a vessel may be,” said Vegar Arndal, EVP Global Customer Support, Kongsberg Maritime. “Our new South Africa office positions a team of experts closer to our customers in the region, enabling a faster, more cost-effective response should we need to visit a vessel. I see Kongsberg Maritime South Africa as a first and important building block in our journey in the region. We have a long-term focus and expect the African continent to be even more exciting going forward.”
“We see an ocean of opportunities in South Africa and throughout the continent, with fast growing economies that attract more and more shipping traffic and a steady offshore oil & gas industry,” said Rune Haukom, VP Global Customer Support – Offshore and Chairman of Kongsberg Maritime South Africa. “By being present with our own facility, we will be better positioned to support local industry across the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region and be part of the growth that Operation Phakisa is expected to generate.”
Oceaneering International, Inc. (“Oceaneering” or the “Company”) (NYSE:OII) announces that a unit of BP p.l.c. (“BP”) (NYSE:BP) has agreed to a two-year extension through January 2019 under the Field Support Vessel Services contract that was entered into with the Company for work offshore Angola on Blocks 18 and 31.
Ocean Intervention III. Photo courtesy: Oceaneering
Under this contract term extension, the Ocean Intervention III will remain chartered through April 2017, with five option periods for further extension of one-month each. Additional vessels and services, if any, would be provided during the remaining period of the contract, on as-needed basis.
M. Kevin McEvoy, Chief Executive Officer of Oceaneering, said, “We are pleased to have secured this contract extension with BP. In support of this contract, we are also providing a wide range of vessel-related subsea services, including remotely operated vehicles, tooling, asset integrity, and diving services. This extension strengthens our long-term commitment in Angola, which we see as a vital deepwater market for Oceaneering’s services and products.”
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