Maslin, Elaine
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Subsea Tech's 'March of Miniaturization'
A growing battalion of small, compact systems is marching in on the subsea world, in some ways making it a bigger space for more to enter. Elaine Maslin reports.Smaller remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and smaller autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are growing in number and in turn driving smaller technologies that support them. The result is a few new kids on the block and what you could call…
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A Seismic Shift Towards Quieter Surveys
Since the earliest days of offshore oil and gas exploration, the need to “shoot” seismic surveys has been helping companies to find the hydrocarbons they can then produce.Seismic data helps geophysicists and geologists understand the rock formations in the earth, what might be happening in them and, crucially, if they might contain oil and gas. Similar to acquiring seismic data onshore, it means emitting…
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It’s Only Just the Start for Subsea Drones
The starting gun on a subsea space race has now officially been fired with the first ever award of a contract that includes services from a subsea resident drone.But, what is less known is that the award, made by Equinor to Saipem for operations on the Njord field, was made at what was the largest gathering of resident robotic systems ever assembled to date. Subsea drone vendors attended the event…
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MTR100: Five "Ones to Watch"
For Marine Technology Reporter's (MTR) 14th Annual "MTR100" - a look at 100 innovators and technologies in the subsea space - MTR editor-at-large Elaine Maslin reports on five companies and technologies that are worth the watch for the remainder of 2019 and beyond. For the full edition, see https://magazines.marinelink.com/nwm/MarineTechnology/201907/Blue Logic: Entering a new eraCompletely new modes…
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Seaspace Race Underway at Saab Subsea Docking Demo
A subsea space race is now officially underway in the offshore oil and gas industry following successful trials of docking and inspection operations using a commercially available underwater vehicle and Norwegian energy firm Equinor’s open-standard subsea docking station (SDS).The trials, witnessed by a crowd of leading players in the subsea resident remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and hybrid space…
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Robotics: The Next Gen in Subsea Vehicles
MUMs (and daughters) of invention: Sea nymphs and MUMs are inspiring a new generation of underwater systems and vehicles. Elaine Maslin takes a look.The list of applicants to enter the underwater domain is growing fast. The concepts vary, from underwater autonomous motherships able to carry an array of payloads over long distances to swarms of drop deployed ocean bottom nodes that can find their way to pre-programmed locations.At energy:connected…
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SUBSEA ENGINEERING: By-pass, superfast
When a troublesome pipeline beset with wax issues escalated into a blockage, new North Sea independent Chrysaor and Subsea 7 nimbly dealt with it, installing a 26km bypass pipeline in just eight months – despite facing multiple issues on the way.Chrysaor is a new operator on the UK Continental Shelf. Only about 18 months old, it’s got growth ambitions, after first acquiring a package of assets from Shell in 2017 in a $3.8 billion deal.But…
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Flying new Routes Subsea
North East England-based Modus Seabed Intervention Limited is a relatively small business but its goals are ambitious and focused. Elaine Maslin reports.After four years spent developing a hybrid AUV/ROV (HAUV) based on a modified Saab Sabertooth AUV system, Modus Seabed Intervention has now bought its second, deep water rated Sabertooth, which will be delivered this summer.The acquisition of its latest 3…
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The Decommissioning, Marine Life Connection
Data sharing and better understanding of how marine life interacts with manmade structures is the target for the next phase of the Insite program.What to do with offshore structures is a sticky problem for oil companies, regulators and policy makers alike, as many structures are starting to cease production in the North Sea, where some fields have been producing oil and gas since the early 1970s.Regulations…
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Oi: Tracking 50 Years of Ocean Innovation
As Oceanology International celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Marine Technology Reporter explores half a century of subsea technology development and discovery. Oceanology International Americas runs February 25-27, 2019 in San Diego.When Oceanology launched in 1969 in the seaside resort of Brighton the world was a very different place. For a start, Brighton was home to the mods and rockers, who would square off against each other on the town’s elegant seafront.
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Hunting Hydrocarbons
Subsea gliders are taking to the oceans to hunt for an ever wider array of anthropomorphic and chemical signatures to an ever greater accuracy.Ocean glider systems are maturing. Since emerging in the 2000s, they’ve opened up new possibilities for ocean observation and monitoring. But, these possibilities are continuing to expand, including to gas seep surveys, leak detection, mammal monitoring and oil spill monitoring…
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Subsea Defense: Extending Unmanned Capabilities
The defense sector is looking for ways to extend its reach and capabilities, with underwater robotic and autonomous systems and sensors.Extending the capabilities of submarine warfare systems without the need for humans is a key focus in the marine defense space. Navies feel under threat; they have limited budgets and worries about resurgent maritime forces from Russia and China, while new technologies – robotics…
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MTR100: The Ones to Watch
Based in Aberdeen, Elaine Maslin is MTR’s ‘eyes & ears’ on the ground scouting new tech for our pages. Her mandate for the MTR100 was simple: ‘find five companies to watch closely in 2019.’ This is what she found.Forssea: Leveraging Machine Learning & AIMachine learning and artificial intelligence have made a huge impact on our day to day lives, from image recognition in Facebook to cars parking for themselves.
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Subsea Robotics for Renewables
As the global fleet of offshore renewables fleet increases, ways to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency and safety of operations and maintenance work, using robotics and autonomous systems, will also grow. Elaine Maslin reports.Robotics and autonomous systems are moving into many areas of modern day life. It’s becoming harder to avoid them, from our phones to automotive systems and now offshore energy renewable projects.Both are seen as tools to do otherwise dull…
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Unmanned Vehicles May Soon Take Up Residency Subsea
Robotic systems are moving closer toward being able to “live” in subsea docking stations, as permanently installed subsea resident vehicles.For the 40 years that the oil and gas industry has been working subsea, there’s been a gradual evolution in the technology it uses. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), built to perform underwater tasks in place of divers, have evolved from fairly crude machines to today’s highly capable and complex vehicles…
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Powering the Seafloor: Put a Socket in It
There’s an energy revolution coming on the seabed.In efforts to boost subsea oil and gas production and reach fields further from shore, in deeper and even Arctic waters, a subsea power revolution is in progress. Several multinationals are developing systems to provide electric power across the seafloor – think subsea power sockets.Giving access to subsea power this way would help oil and gas firms move processing equipment to the seafloor, instead of hosting it on platforms.
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Ocean Autonomy: Norway to the Fore
Marine autonomous systems working independently and in connected systems are fast becoming a growth sector within the ocean industry space, including the oil and gas industry.The emergence of new marine autonomous systems appears to be a weekly occurrence. As costs have reduced in numerous areas, from sensors to satellites, some of these systems are also coming within the grasps of ordinary citizens…
