Haun, Eric
Editor-
North American Rig Counts Continue Decline
The number of U.S. oil and gas rigs declined by 48 last week, according to data released today by Baker Hughes, which shows the number of U.S. rigs is now down to 1,310, a decrease of 461 from a year ago and the lowest since January 2010. Of the U.S. rigs shut down this week, 37 were oil and 11 were gas. Oil rigs are now down to 1,019 and gas rigs down to 289, showing respective decreases from a year ago of 406 and 53.
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Construction Vessel Delivered to Eidesvik Offshore
Eidesvik Offshore has taken delivery of Viking Neptun, an offshore construction vessel from Kleven Verft AS. According to Eidesvik Offshore, TBN Viking Neptun is represents its largest ever investment in the subsea segment. A long-term loan facility of $124 million has been drawn with Nordea and Eksportkreditt Norway/GIEK to finance the vessel. The vessel, equipped with Reach ROVs and manned by Eidesvik marine personnel and Reach ROV personnel and engineers…
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The Road to Standardization
Will subsea documentation guidelines help pave the way for broader industry standardization? Standardization is a buzzword in the subsea sector, but for many it remains a term shrouded by uncertainty. What exactly does the subsea market stand to gain from standardization, and how can it be applied to achieve optimum benefit? But despite the questions, there are several generally accepted notions: standardization can reduce overall costs and project timeframes across the industry…
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Teams Vie for $2m Ocean Health XPRIZE
Down from 77 initial entrants to 18, a diverse group of competitors vie for the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIXE’s $2 million cash purse. Nonprofit organization XPRIZE, which creates and manages large-scale, high-profile competitions that aim to stimulate research and development solutions to grand problems across a number of scientific fields, announced in September that 18 team were selected to…
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UNOLS Plans Early Career Workshop
UNOLS announced that it is planning a workshop MLSOC Early Career Program for the Fall AGU Meeting December 13-14, 2014 to introduce early career scientists to various facets of conducting marine seismic research though the use of the National Oceanographic Seismic Facility (NOSF). The workshop will bring together early career scientists, federal agencies representatives, members of the Marcus Langseth Science Oversight Committee…
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Arctic Wreck Found after 169 Years
After more than 169 years, Canadian researchers discovered one of the two ships from the doomed Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin, cracking one of the largest mysteries in sea exploration. The wreck was found some 11 meters below the surface using a ROV recently acquired by Parks Canada. It is unknown whether the ship is HMS Erebus or HMS Terror, though researches expect to determine its identity within several days.
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MTR100: The Norway Way
Norway has a long and rich seafaring history, and it also sits on one of the world’s richest oil & gas resources in its sector of the North Sea. Earlier this year MTR contributor Eric Haun traversed the country in search of companies worthy inclusion in this year’s MTR100. He found, and presents here, a dozen. Announced at the end of 2012 as a joint venture between subsea systems provider Cameron and oilfield services company Schlumberger (split 60/40…
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Search Continues for Lost 1914 Submarine
Royal Australian Navy Minehunter, HMAS Yarra, has been undertaking an underwater search off Papua New Guinea for HMAS AE1, the Navy’s first submarine. AE1 was lost without a trace on September 14, 1914, with her full crew of three officers and 32 sailors. The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett AO, CSC RAN, said the search had been ongoing for many years, and Yarra’s crew was up to the task: “The full expertise and training of the crew will be brought to bear in aid of the search.
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EdgeTech and Sonarwiz Training at STR
Subsea Technology & Rentals Ltd. (STR) announced it will hold industry training which includes Chesapeake SonarWiz Software Training from November 10-12, and EdgeTech Sidescan and Sub-Bottom Training from November 12-14 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Chesapeake Technology has offered sonar mapping software to the marine geophysical and geological survey industries for more than 20 years. The three-day…
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SIDUS Solutions Launches SS414 Mini Inspector
SIDUS Solutions, LLC, a specialized manufacturer of surveillance equipment, positioning devices and integrated systems, announced the introduction of their newest miniature camera: The SS414 Mini Inspector, which unites an image rich, high clarity inspection camera with integrated, variable intensity, sealed high-bright LEDs. The camera allows accurate, wide field-of-view inspection and ease of use within confined or limited spaces or when mounted on manipulator arms.
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Teledyne’s 2014 UTS Focus on Shallow Water Surveys
The Teledyne Marine Acoustic Imaging Group, consisting of RESON, BlueView and Odom Hydrographic, will host its Underwater Technology Seminars (UTS) in Hamburg, Boston and Singapore. These events follow 2014’s first UTS seminar which has already taken place in Qiandao Lake, April 15-16 in China with more than 115 delegates participating. At the three-day seminars in Hamburg and Boston the theme is “Hydrography in Harbors and Inland Waters as well as Dredge Guidance and Construction Support”.
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CTI Debuts Contact Rationalizing and Map Corrections Software
Chesapeake Technology Inc. (CTI), a producer of real-time sonar acquisition and GIS based processing software for seafloor mapping, announced two new capabilities that will allow users to better organize sonar contacts and improve sonar mosaic accuracy. New Contact Rationalizing, available on SonarWiz version 05.06.0052, allows a user to combine contacts into a single merged target with an average position.
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Teknologic Buys Ross Laboratories’ Assets
Teknologic Engineering Services Inc. announced that it has completed the asset purchase of Ross Laboratories Inc. on July 25, 2014 and formed a new company called Ross Labs LLC. The new company headquartered in Edmonds, Wash. will continue to manufacture the Ross Hydrographic survey equipment line which is sold in the U.S. and internationally. The new company will operate under the name Ross Labs LLC.
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UNOLS Seeks Input on the Regional Class Research Vessel
Over the past few months, the UNOLS Council and Fleet Improvement Committees have been working on a response for the NSF to evaluate the need on the number of regional class research vessels to be built as part of the UNOLS fleet replacement efforts. The UNOLS Council said it continues to discuss and research this issue and seeking community views and input. The UNOLS office will collect the feedback in advance of our Council meeting discussion in October 2014.
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OII Orders Six RTI Deepwater SeaPilot DVLs
Rowe Technologies, Inc. (RTI) announced a recent order of six SeaPilot DVLs from Oceaneering International, Inc. (OII). RTI developed a 4,500-meter rated titanium SeaPilot DVL for deepwater deployments which the company said provides a slightly smaller footprint when compared to other products in the market and also provides the industries newest electronics platform. A leak detection sensor has been…
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Offshore Terminal Shut After Sheen Discovered
LOOP's Offshore Marine Terminal suspended its crude oil offloading operations while investigating an oil sheen discovered along the LOOP pipeline right-of-way on August 13. Sheening continued in the area of the pipeline. Activities are underway to inspect and repair the pipeline. Preliminary estimates indicate that marine offloading operations may resume between August 23 and 2. LOOP said it will continue to evaluate options to safely expedite offloading operations when repairs are complete.
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TRDI to Host Underwater Navigation Training in Houston
Teledyne RD Instruments (TRDI) – manufacturer of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs); Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD); and Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) for offshore, academic and defense applications – announced it will host a two-day training seminar focused on their Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) technology in Houston, October 21-22, 2014. DVLs are used extensively onboard underwater platforms and surface vessels to provide precision navigation capability.
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Boskalis JV Awarded Cable-laying Contract
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. announced that VSMC, its strategic cable-laying joint venture with VolkerWessels, has been awarded a contract by Sandbank Offshore Windfarm GmbH (a joint venture of energy companies Vattenfall and Stadtwerke München). The scope of work for VSMC includes cable supply, CPS, installation, post lay burial and termination and testing of 76 infield cables. The total contract value to VSMC is €90 million.
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McClaugherty Joins SeaTrepid International
SeaTrepid International announced that Jim McClaugherty has joined the company as senior sales manager for the Gulf of Mexico. McClaugherty joins with 45 years of experience in the offshore industry, starting his career as a commercial diver in 1970 in the Gulf of Mexico, and over a 10 year period moved up the ranks as diver, lead diver and diver supervisor. He then became a project manager and won…
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Polarcus Tests Market, Improves Earnings
Polarcus Limited today announced the release of its second quarter 2014 financial statements in which it reported revenue rose 13% sequentially and 5% YoY to $137.6 million while. The company highlighted EBITDA of $49.9 million and EBIT of $23.8 million, a net profit increase to $9.2 million, from 6.3 million in Q2 2013, net cash flow from operations of $45.6 million, a strong Multi-Client prefunding of 92% and 30% reduced financing costs YoY with improved maturity profile.
