Statoil Awards Contract for Subsea 7’s Seven Viking
Subsea 7 S.A. said it has received a contract from Statoil to provide subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.Subsea 7 did not specify a dollar amount for the awarded work, but said the contract is worth between $150 million and $300 million.Offshore activities will begin in January 2019 using Subsea 7’s IMR and light construction vessel Seven Viking, built at Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft in 2013.The contract involves the provision of a life of field support vessel Seven Viking for five years, with options for extensions. The vessel,
Damen Shows New Class of Fish Farm Vessels
Damen has held the first viewing of its UV 4312 Fish Farm Support Vessel. The new class is the result of extensive discussions with the global fish farming industry and the result is a versatile vessel specifically designed to undertake the maintenance and support tasks particular to saltwater fish farms. The open day took place at the group’s headquarters at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem and was held for the benefit of operators from across the global sector. The 43-meter, 499 metric ton GT Utility Vessel (UV) 4312 builds on the development work that went into its smaller predecessor; the
Old Sea Ice is Disappearing from the Arctic Ocean
Sea ice grows throughout the fall and winter, and melts throughout the spring and summer. But not all Arctic sea ice melts; some portion of the ice survives at least one melt season, persisting throughout the summer months. This ice is usually thicker and more resistant to melt than ice that's less than a year old, and therefore more likely than first-year ice to survive the coming melt season. As Arctic sea ice often reaches its maximum extent around late February or early March (around the ninth week of the calendar year) that's a good time to measure multiyear versus first-year ice.In the
Scottish $2.6 Bln Offshore Wind Project Green Lighted
The developer of a 2 billion pound ($2.6 billion) Scottish offshore wind power project said on Wednesday it had won a two-year court battle with a bird charity over plans for the site. Scottish ministers in 2014 approved plans to build the 450-megawatt Neart na Gaoithe wind farm, off Scotland’s east coast. The project had been held up, however, by a legal challenge from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which said it could cause the death of hundreds of native birds. Mainstream Renewable Power, the developer, said the decision in Scotland's Court of Session
Scientists Explore Canada’s Deep Ocean Seamounts
conditions tens of kilometers away from their summit. From July 18 to August 1, 2017, researchers onboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship John P. Tully will survey and collect the first-ever underwater footage of the Union and Dellwood seamounts, gathering insight into these valuable Canadian marine habitats, and helping to gain a better understanding of other regional seamounts for which data is sparse. Data gathered during this mission will also help to inform the planning and management of the future Marine Protected Area. According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the research will
US Firm Offers to Resume Search for MH370
A U.S. seabed exploration firm has offered to take on the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, families of passengers and a Malaysian government minister said on Wednesday, in a bid to solve one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. The Boeing 777 disappeared in 2014 en route to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur with 239 people aboard. Analysis of radar and satellite contacts suggested someone on board may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of kilometres out over the Indian Ocean. Australia, Malaysia and
New Player Enters the Decommissioning Market
Bank and a regional selective assistance grant, in addition to the initial private funding provided by the major shareholders, which will enable the company to invest in assets and create jobs. Bringing together a wealth of subsea oil and gas expertise and experience with dedicated marine assets and equipment, Well-Safe will be the first-of-its-kind tier one company with a complete P&A (plug and abandonment) capability from front-end engineering and design to project execution. Executive Director, Mark Patterson, explained, “The liability for late life, nonproducing
NASA, Norway to Develop Arctic Laser-Ranging Station
NASA and the Norwegian Mapping Authority are partnering to develop a state-of-the-art satellite laser ranging station 650 miles from the North Pole that will produce high-precision locations of orbiting satellites, help track changes in the ice sheets and improve the efficiency of marine transportation and agriculture. The Arctic station will be the latest addition to a global network of space geodetic stations, which measure and monitor the size and shape of Earth, its orientation in space, the exact location of points on its surface and how these locations change over time. Space
New PAR Measurement Logger Launched
Designer and manufacturer of freshwater and oceanographic monitoring systems and instruments Precision Measurement Engineering has launched the new miniPAR Logger that logs photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), water temperature and tilt measurements. The completely submersible logger measures the amount of diffused sunlight through water, which can be beneficial for understanding nutrient loading, photosynthesis and algal blooms in natural waters up to 100 meters deep. The miniPAR sensor is a Li-Cor Underwater Quantum Sensor, which measures PAR from all angles in one hemisphere.
M2 Subsea Partners up with Harvey Gulf
Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services provider M2 Subsea said it has formed an alliance with vessel operator Harvey Gulf Marine International to provide subsea ROV services in the Gulf of Mexico. The alliance will see M2 Subsea’s ROVs utilized on board Harvey Gulf’s DP2 survey support vessel, the Harvey Bronco. The offshore supply ship will focus on the survey and inspection market and will be equipped with M2 Subsea’s 150HP Triton XLX34 ROV system. The Triton is a heavy duty work class ROV which is rated to 3,000m depth and well suited for all aspects of
ROV Used for Cherry Lake Dam Inspection
A Phantom T4H remotely operated vehicle (ROV), designed and built by Deep Ocean Engineering, Inc., has completed an inspection of the intake riser at Cherry Lake Dam near Yosemite in California. The dam, built in 1956, has provided water and power to the San Francisco Bay Area, Modesto and Turlock districts for over 60 years, and the structure has not been seen since its construction. The Phantom T4H ROV documented the state of the dam’s water intake riser and the position of the gates at a depth of 258 feet (78.6m), about a quarter of the ROV’s rated capability. The
Canadian Coast Guard Expands Mapping Capability
Kongsberg Maritime said the Canadian Coast Guard has chosen its high resolution EM 712 multibeam echo sounders for the medium icebreakers CCGS Pierre Radisson and the CCGS Des Groseilliers. Gathering critical hydrographic data can be a challenge in the Canadian Arctic. The innovative, retractable design of the new EM 712 echo sounder systems optimizes performance of the sounder when deployed and protects it when the vessel is breaking ice. When deployed, the high-resolution EM 712 collects valuable navigational and scientific data from otherwise inaccessible parts of the planet
New Subsea Camera Boasts 4K UHD Image Quality
A new subsea camera from Sidus Solutions, the SS490, is a 4K UHD camera that provides superior video image quality at four times the resolution of 1080 full HD images. According to Sidus Solutions, the camera maintains full 4K resolution while providing excellent focus with a 20x zoom and a combined optical and digital zoom of 144x. The SS490 delivers better picture quality than non-4K models due to its use of HDR (high dynamic range). This is especially helpful with varying lighting conditions such as working with multiple ROVs or reflectivity from stainless steel objects. “We developed
Stretch for Power: High-tech Yarn Generates New Energy
A new, high-tech yarn that generates electricity when stretched or twisted could use ocean waves and human motion to lower man's dependency on fossil fuels, researchers said on Thursday. An international team of scientists said in a study they had developed a stretchy yarn made of carbon nanotubes - tiny strands of carbon atoms up to 10,000 times smaller than a hair - that produces electricity from a host of natural sources. "The easiest way to think of twistron harvesters is, you have a piece of yarn, you stretch it, and out comes electricity," said Carter Haines, a lead
AquaPix MINSAS integrated onboard ATLAS SeaCat AUV
Kraken Sonar Inc. wholly-owned subsidiary, Kraken Sonar Systems Inc., has been awarded a contract valued at over C$425,000 ($336,600) by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Canada to supply and integrate its AquaPix Miniature Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar and Real-Time SAS Signal Processor on the Atlas SeaCat autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Delivery is expected in September 2017. AquaPix is designed for operation on AUVs and towed platforms. The modular system uses the latest electronics, transducer arrays and signal processing software optimized for the demanding size, weight, power and cost constraint
Solar Storms Linked to Beaching of Sperm Whales in North Sea
storms, German scientists have said. Twenty-nine sperm whales washed up on German, Dutch, French and British shores between January and February 2016, surprising scientists after only 82 previous beaching of sperm whales had been documented since the 1990s. Klaus Heinrich Vanselow, a marine biology expert at the University of Kiel in Germany, studied the connection between whale strandings and two major solar storms that took place at the end of December 2015. The solar storms which create the Northern Lights phenomenon could also have caused the world's magnetic field to shift
Oceangoing Lab: The Real Test of a Nutrient Analyzer
The U.K.’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) undertakes integrated ocean research and technology development from the coast to the deep ocean. As such, the NOC has a heavy requirement for seawater analysis. However, in addition to analytical work at the NOC’s facilities in Southampton and Liverpool, the organization’s researchers also need to be able to analyze samples on board a variety of research vessels. Under these conditions, high levels of precision and reliability can be a challenge for most laboratory equipment, so NOC has invested in SEAL Analytical segmented flow
The ROV that Explored USS Indianapolis
The wreckage of the USS Indianapolis was found by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen and his team on August 19, 2017. A state-of-the-art remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was deployed to confirm and document the shipwreck in its resting place some 5,500 meters below the surface in the Philippine Sea. For the design, manufacture and commissioning of the specialty ROV, Allen and his company Vulcan Inc. received support from 3U Technologies, LLC, who said it was initially contracted by Vulcan in 2012 to investigate 6,000-meter ROV solutions to extend Allen’s passion for
Hopes Lifted for Norway-Scotland Power Cable Project
The prospects for a planned 1.4 gigawatt (GW) power interconnector linking Norway and Scotland have improved following the re-election of Norway's right-wing government this month, the project's chief said. NorthConnect's 650-km subsea cable could meet about a quarter of Scotland's peak demand with clean energy from Norwegian hydroelectric dams and wind turbines. Opposition Labour leader Jonas Gahr Stoere had said before the election he would not back the NorthConnect concession application if his party took power. "The election result is a positive result for NorthConnec
Machines Infused with AI that Fly, Swarm and Dive
and more than one semifinalist team in the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE is developing solutions that will feature biomimicry behaviors to build intelligent swarms, hives, and heavy lift drone solutions that that can fly back and forth from the deep ocean competition mapping site. Eauligo and the Marine Bees Team Lead: Christopher Lewis To compete in the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the France-based Eauligo team has taken its inspiration from nature and plans to launch a horde of miniature robotic submarines that will mimic bee behavior. Watching bees going from flower to flower in a garden,
Hawaiki Transpacific Cable Set for Installation
The undersea fiber-optic cable and equipment for the 14,000 km Hawaiki transpacific cable system have been manufactured and are in the final stages of being loaded aboard cable laying vessels for deployment to beginning in early October. The Hawaiki submarine cable system, owned and developed Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP, will link Australia and New Zealand to the mainland United States, as well as Hawaii and American Samoa, with options to expand to additional South Pacific islands. The carrier-neutral cable system was co-developed by New Zealand-based entrepreneurs Sir Eion Edgar, Malcolm
Klein's Side Scan Sonar, Then and Now
The company known today as Klein Marine Systems, Inc. has origins stretching back to the 1960s when Marty Klein, who many consider to be the father of side scan sonar, began building his own devices from his home in Lexington, Mass. As this iconic subsea technology company approaches 50, MTR speaks with Marty Klein as well as Klein Marine System’s general manager, Frank Cobis. When did you realize you were destined for a career in the subsea world? Marty Klein: Wow. It started back in 1961 when I was a senior at MIT and I had to do a thesis. I like to build things, but I
The Quest to Find and Explore USS Indianapolis
. In the early hours of July 30, 1945, having just completed a secret mission to deliver materials from California for the first operational atomic bomb, “Little Boy” to a naval base on the Pacific island Tinian, Indianapolis was en route from Guam to Leyte when it was torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-58. Indianapolis sank quickly – reportedly in just 12 minutes – leaving little time for the crew to deploy lifeboats or for an emergency signal to be sent. It is estimated that 800 of the nearly 1,200 Sailors and Marines on board survived the sinking, but a communication error
The Price of Subsea Mining
imagery was collected with a baited camera (CA02, CA06, CA07, CA08, CA09) and samples collected with a baited trap (TR08) are also indicated. All maps were created by Seafloor Investigations Ltd for the ABYSSLINE Project using ArcGIS software. (As published in the October 2017 edition of Marine Technology Reporter
New Remotely Operated Hydrographic Survey Boat
Teledyne Oceanscience has introduced a new remotely operated hydrographic survey boat suited for inland waters such as streams, rivers and lakes. The new trimaran style Z-Boat 1250 is “sturdy enough for tough terrain but light enough to be one person portable,” according to Teledyne. The vehicle has a lightweight hull manufactured from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, and is IP67 rated, which makes it well suited to survey in most water conditions. The vehicle weighs in at less than 50 pounds, including all instrumentation. A collapsible sliding crossbar makes the
Siem LCV on Bareboat Charter to Swire Seabed
Subsea operations specialist Swire Seabed AS said it has signed a deal with Siem Offshore for up to three years bareboat charter of Siem’s light construction vessel (LCV), Siem Stingray. Siem Stingray, which will be renamed Seabed Stingray, is 120.9 meters in length with a deck space of 1,350 square meters and is equipped with a 250 metric ton offshore crane. She will also have two heavy duty work class remotely operated vehicles (ROV). The contract will see Swire Seabed operate the vessel in the inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR), construction support and renewable
Hurtigruten Brings Underwater Drones to Exploration Cruising
live experience Wireless range: At least 30 m Cable length: 75 m Wireless drone controller for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets Blueye App for android/iOS smartphone/tablet Quick charger for charging drone, WSU and drone controller (As published in the October 2017 edition of Marine Technology Reporter
'Roomba' in the Arctic
facility, indicate that skimmers can be effective in up to about 30-40% ice if the system can get to the oil. After that, performance declines quickly with 60-70% of ice, again due to accessibility to the oil. Mobility – getting to the pollution – is critical. As most mariners likely know, in the United States, oil cannot be deliberately spilled or discharged into open waters even for research and testing and, accordingly, the AWS 1701 expedition did not include actual oil recovery. And, the Healy’s 2017 expedition was in U.S. waters. (Norway, reportedly, is the
Unmanned Vehicles In, On and Above the Water
As part of the annual BlueTech Week in San Diego, attendees were given an opportunity to see several unmanned vehicle technologies in action. The main event was put on by a team consisting of Marine Advanced Research, Inc.; Planck Aerosystems, Inc.; and Teledyne Marine, Inc. (all with bases in California). Together, the team demonstrated multi-interoperability among five different unmanned systems on the water, in the air and subsea. A Z-Boat 1800RP unmanned surface vehicle (USV) from Teledyne Oceanscience used Odom MB2 multibeam sonar technology to search for and inspect targets of interest
Aquabotix Debuts New Integra AUV/ROV
UUV Aquabotix Ltd. debuts its second-generation hybrid underwater vehicle, the Integra AUV/ROV (autonomous underwater vehicle/remotely operated vehicle). Single-person deployable, portable and lithium ion battery-powered, the Integra AUV/ROV allows users to conduct multiple underwater missions, while providing a cost-efficient alternative to deploying separate AUVs and ROVs for individualized tasks. The Integra AUV/ROV can be configured with multiple sensors and maneuvered by an easy-to-use intuitive platform accessible from any web-enabled device. The vehicle is designed for use across
Scientists Say Sea Worm May Have Superpowers
A common sea worm that resides in muddy coastal seafloors may have powers that could potentially impact human health, according to researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Researchers discovered that a parchment tubeworm, the marine invertebrate Chaetopterus sp. – which is also known for its bioluminescence – is able to produce an important protein found in nearly all living organisms, ferritin, eight times more efficiently than humans. “We were surprised to discover that even though the tubeworm ferritin
Partners Aim to Revolutionize Subsea Boosting Pumps
Ask an equipment manufacturer for cheap, light and strong, and most will tell you it can’t be done. Fuglesangs Subsea, project manager for the JIP, will tell you otherwise. “We think we’ve cracked the code,” said CEO Alexander Fuglesang. “This project has the potential to deliver improvements in all three areas: cost, weight and reliability.” Statoil joins Aker BP, Lundin and National Oilwell Varco in the DEMO2000 JIP. The project aims to bring the Fuglesangs Subsea Omnirise single-phase booster to market by early 2019. “Once we
Philippines' Duterte Green Lights China's Sea Research
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte personally made a decision to let China conduct scientific research off the Philippines’ Pacific coast, his spokesman said on Monday, despite concern among critics about threats to maritime sovereignty. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that as chief architect of foreign policy, Duterte allowed China to work with the University of the Philippines in Benham Rise, an area roughly the size of Greece and believed by some scientists to be rich in biodiversity and tuna. The United Nations declared Benham Rise, off the Pacific coast, part of
Statoil Expands Frame Agreement with MMT
Statoil has renewed and expanded MMT’s frame agreement. The cooperation between Reach Subsea and MMT Sweden has resulted in a new frame agreement covering both survey and light construction for the next three years. The frame agreement is call-off based, which means that Statoil can award contracts for survey and light construction projects in the North Sea on an as needed basis. As part of the frame agreement, MMT Sweden has in cooperation with Reach Subsea been awarded a contract with Statoil for survey and light construction work offshore Norway. The value of the contract is confidenti
Expedition to Capture First 4K Images of the Titanic
A manned submersible set to survey the RMS Titanic wreck site this summer will be equipped with a range of high-tech underwater imaging equipment that will capture the first ever 4K images of the historic shipwreck. Starting in June 2018, manned submersible services provider OceanGate Inc. will lead a group of scientists, content experts and mission specialists to explore and survey the wreck site in a series of week-long missions from St. John’s, Newfoundland. For the mission, OceanGate's manned submersible Cyclops 2 will be equipped with cameras and lights from Canadian firm SubC Imaging
Smart Torque Tool Advances an Electric Future
A breakthrough in electric torque tool technology is set to further advance the capability of electric underwater robotic vehicles, says Saab Seaeye. The electric underwater e-robotic systems manufacturer has collaborated with Australia-based Total Marine Technology (TMT) to launch a new lightweight electric torque tool that is smart, light, simple to fit, fast to set up, has an advanced, high accuracy torque control system and can operate across the Saab Seaeye range of e-robotic vehicles, opening up new market opportunities. Considerable savings will come from using compact electric
Light Well Intervention: TechnipFMC, Island Offshore Partner
TechnipFMC said it has signed an agreement with the Island Offshore group to acquire a 51 percent stake in Island Offshore’s wholly owned subsidiary, Island Offshore Subsea AS. Island Offshore Subsea AS provides Riserless Light Well Intervention (RLWI) project management and engineering services for plug and abandonment (P&A), riserless coiled tubing and well completion operations. Island Offshore Subsea AS employs approximately 80 staff. Island Offshore Subsea AS has developed proprietary designs related to subsea P&A and riserless coiled tubing. In connection
Interventek Appoints Stuart as Business Development Director
Interventek Subsea Engineering has announced the appointment of Bruce Stuart to the role of Sales and Business Development Director. Stuart brings with him over 30 years of commercial leadership experience and in-depth operational knowledge of the oil and gas industry. Stuart joins Interventek from Proserv where he was VP Business Development Subsea, having previously held a seven year tenure at FMC Technologies, responsible for U.K. and Canada sales and marketing for their subsea products and systems. This new position at Interventek will support increasing levels of commercialization
Log-In Logística selects COMPAC
eco-systems, we have a strict policy of ensuring our operations are environmentally sustainable. One of our core values is to use efficient solutions that help reduce our environmental footprint. The water lubricated propeller shaft concept meets this objective, as its operation does not contaminant the marine environment.” Log-In Polaris, based on a similar design to the two ships that the Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard has built for Lomar, will be built to DNV GL class and meet TMON notation requirements for extended withdrawal periods for water lubricated tail shafts. Log-In Logí
Reach Subsea Charters Subsea Vessel Olympic Challenger
Reach Subsea has entered into an agreement with Olympic Subsea for use of the subsea vessel Olympic Challenger for two years, with an option to extend for one year. The commercial terms of the charter agreement are confidential between the parties, but is structured in a way that enables Reach to offer a competitive subsea service to our clients. The vessel already has two ROVs mobilized on board, which Reach will lease initially. Thus, investments associated with this expansionary move are limited at the outset. Reach will mobilize the vessel during April 2018
Subsea 7 Wins Offshore Azerbaijan Deal
Subsea 7 S.A. announced the award of a contract by BP Exploration for the provision of subsea inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) services on both the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) and Shah Deniz (SD) fields, offshore Azerbaijan. Under the terms of this five year agreement, the scope of work comprises the provision of a Life of Field support vessel complete with work class and observation class ROVs, capable of performing inspection, survey, intervention, light subsea construction, surface diving and emergency response services. The life of field support vessel will be supported by a Baku based
ATLAS MARIDAN to Offer AUV Rental Services
ATLAS MARIDAN ApS. of Rungsted Kyst (Denmark), a subsidiary of the German naval systems supplier ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, has launched an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) rental service. The opportunity to rent ATLAS ELEKTRONIK’s latest unmanned underwater technology shall support customers within the offshore oil and gas, renewable energy, UxO and naval markets. The AUV SeaCat has recently finalized its serial maturity process and concluded certifications covering a wide range of requirements for system robustness, environmental conditions, navigational accuracy and transport safety.
Digital Ocean: Making Subsea Data More Easily Accessible
The digital ocean is a reality and U.K.-based digital communications marine technology firm Sonardyne International Ltd is one of the organizations driving innovation to enable the extension of electronic and communications connectivity into the subsea domain. Based on a presentation given by Tom Rooney, Lead Trainer at Sonardyne, at the Digital Ocean conference held in Galway, Ireland in June 2017, this article describes the current state of play in the subsea acoustics and optical communications technology field, presents examples of the many ways these technologies are being applied and considers
SMD Delivers Atom Mk1 ROV Systems to JFD
equipped with ultra-compact launch and recovery systems (LARS) and SMD purpose-designed control and workshop cabins, provide a complete turnkey solution, which is essential for JFD in providing their customer, the Indian Navy, with reliable equipment for time critical missions. Optimized for submarine rescue operations, each Atom system carries three emergency life support pods for delivery to a submarine forming the intervention element of JFD’s third generation submarine rescue system. For this order, JFD took advantage of the Atom’s ability to carry a large payload within
The Evolution of Ocean Models
will improve the ocean’s predicted mean state and variability,” he says. “But the overall computational effort is rather big.” “So our ability to simulate the ocean will improve, but gradually.” (As published in the Mach 2018 edition of Marine Technology Reporter
Teledyne Brings Bathymetic Solutions to CHC-NSC
Teledyne CARIS and Teledyne Optech will have a combined presence at the 2018 Joint Canadian Hydrographic and National Surveyors Conference in Victoria, British Columbia, March 26-29. Visitors interested in the latest in ocean mapping software, and the swift progress taking place in lidar surveying and mapping solutions can drop by stand 407 to learn more. Teledyne CARIS is offering a half-day workshop on March 26th at 1pm. Learn about the new, simplified processing workflow found in HIPS and SIPS, capabilities and opportunities which can be leveraged through Bathy DataBASE, and advances in
EdgeTech Sonar Utilized in USS Juneau Discovery
EdgeTech, developer of high resolution sonar imaging systems and underwater technology, said its side scan sonar technology was used in another very noteworthy underwater find. Just weeks after locating the USS Lexington, the research vessel Petrel and Paul Allen’s team has located the sunken remains of the USS Juneau. The USS Juneau, a US Navy light cruiser, was sunk in November 1942 during World War II. Located in over 4,000 meters of water the historic vessel can be seen in this very clear, low-noise EdgeTech 2205 sonar image. The amazing image shows the large 2 kilometer
Record-size US Offshore Oil Lease Sale Draws Modest Bidding
Oil and gas drillers bid modestly on Gulf of Mexico acreage in the largest lease sale in American history on Wednesday, dealing a setback to the Trump administration's efforts to rapidly pump up investment in the region. The Interior Department had offered up a record 77 million acres (31.2 million hectares) for development in the Gulf with discounted royalty rates on the shallower tracts as part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump's administration to ramp up U.S. fossil fuels output. But companies bid on just 1 percent of that acreage, and won those tracts with bids
The World’s Largest Ocean Garbage Patch is Growing Rapidly
The world’s largest heap of ocean garbage is growing at an alarming rate. The 600,000-square-mile collection of ocean plastic and trash floating halfway between California and Hawaii known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch now contains four to 16 times more plastic than previously estimated, with pollution levels increasing exponentially, new analysis reveals. It’s estimated some 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic weighing 80,000 metric tons are currently afloat in the area, and it is rapidly getting worse, according to a study published Thursday in the peer-reviewed journal
Optime Presents New Tree Control and Intervention System
At Subsea Valley 2017, Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of the Notodden based Norwegian company Optime Subsea, promised to revolutionize the intervention and controls segment of the subsea oil and gas industry through a new and disruptive technology. A year later at Subsea Valley 2018, Optime’s Subsea Controls and Intervention Light System (SCILS) was presented. "Our intent is not to be disruptive for the sake of being disruptive, but support the industry’s progress in providing cost reducing tecnology," Carlsen said. "I believe our SCILS demonstrates this. We identified an
Decom North Sea Sheds Light on Supply Chain Capability
Decom North Sea has published aDecom Directory in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise and the Oil & Gas Authority, which provides details of companies which have the capability to service the UK/UKCS decommissioning sector. Supported by EEEGR, FPAL, EIC, FEDF and NOF, the directory captures the capabilities of almost 300 supply chain companies which can service the UK/UKCS across17 newly-defined supply chain activities within a decommissioning work break down structure (WBS); from planning stages through to site remediation and long-term monitoring. Created with the assistance of EEEGR
Expanded Underwater Robotics Ready for Oil Spills
(UPCT), 2University of Porto, Underwater Systems and Technology Laboratory (LSTS), 3University of Zagreb, Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies (LABUST), 4University of Cyprus, Oceanography Centre, 5SASEMAR, Spanish Maritime Safety Agency, 6Irish Coast Guards, 7The Scottish Association for Marine Science - SAMS, 8Tallin University of Thechnology - TUT, 9University of Girona - UG, 10University of the Balearic Islands - UIB, 11Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskatelige Universitet – NTNU, 12Marine Technology Unit CSIC. Tracking in-water oil spills before reaching the surface
OSIL: Oil Spill Monitoring Buoys Fuel International Interest
Integrated systems manufacturers Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) reports high levels of interest in its oil spill monitoring buoys following several recent installations in the Middle East and exposure at the ocean technology and marine science exhibition Oceanology International. The buoy systems are designed to integrate a real time noncontact hydrocarbon sensor in the high visibility top frame design, which is equipped with a pulsed UV LED beam and optical photo-detector with on-board software to enable the buoys to detect oil spills on water autonomously and immediately
"The" Subsea Awards Edition: MTR100 - Apply Now
13th Annual MTR100 set to publish in the July/August 2018 edition of Marine Technology Reporter -- the world's largest circulation b2b subsea publication. Top companies in the global subsea sector are invited to apply now for the "MTR100". Marine Technology Reporter's annual MTR100 awards edition is the subsea industry's most awaited annual ranking of the leading companies serving the global subsea industry. The editorial team gathers candidates and stories from around the globe, covering the entirety of the global subsea sector: - Subsea Defense - Offshore Energy
600 Gallons of Coolant Spills into Straits of Mackinac
Hundreds of gallons of mineral oil has been released from a leaking underwater utility line in Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, this week. Initial reports from the responsible party, American Transmission Company (ATC), indicate that approximately 600 gallons of product has been released, with maximum spill potential of more than 4,000 gallons. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has established a Unified Command comprised of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, county emergency managers, local tribes, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S.
Boaty McBoatface Completes First Antarctic Mission
;deep water’ forms near the ice shelf, which is a key driver of global ocean circulation and therefore impacts upon the climate system everywhere on the planet.The PS111 research team involved many different disciplines including oceanography, meteorology, sea-ice physics, bathymetry, geology, and marine biology. Each share an interest in obtaining data from a region that, due to its permanent ice cover, can only be accessed using icebreakers such as the RV Polarstern and AUVs capable of traveling under the ice.This latest mission builds on what Boaty achieved in 2017 when it returned from its first
Paul Allen’s Crew Finds Another Historic Shipwreck
The USS Helena (CL 50) is the latest in a string of historic shipwrecks discovered by Paul G. Allen’s expedition crew aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel Petrel.The U.S. Navy's storied St. Louis-class light cruiser began her World War II service at Pearl Harbor and took part in three significant battles during the Solomon Islands campaign before being sunk by Japanese torpedoes on July 6, 1943, during the Battle of Kula Gulf. All but 168 of Helena’s 900 crew survived the sinking and eventual rescue.Allen's team found the wreck 860 meters below the surface in the New Georgia
SMD to Supply Work Class ROV to China
Subsea equipment design and manufacturer Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd (SMD) has signed a contract to supply its Atom Mk1 1000m 100hp Work Class Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system to Chinese power specialist China Southern Power Extra High Voltage Power Transmission Company (EHV, CSG), a subsidiary of the state-owned China Southern Power Grid (CSG). The ROV will be used for inspection of the 31km physical power cable connections in the Qiongzhou Strait between Hainan Island and mainland China. The Qiongzhou strait often experiences high currents so it was essential that CSG chose
A Record-setting Journey to the Atacama Trench
and recovering a benthic lander named DOV Audacia (Audacity), three times to deeper than 8,000 meters, the last to a record depth of 8,081 meters deep. Using a Mocness Trawl the expedition also collected plankton at a record depth of 5,000 meters. The Atacamex 2018 expedition represent a milestone for marine science in Chile, as researchers there pursue seminal work in deep-sea exploration and research.The hadal zone is the deepest region of the ocean, from 6,000 to 11,000 meters below sea level. Their access and study is extremely difficult due to the high pressures and great difficulties of reaching
University of Limerick Buys ROV for Renewables Research
for the offshore renewables industry. The ROV is equipped to a high specification with precision positioning and navigation systems, camera and lighting systems and sonars. The systems will be used as a test bed for research to develop capabilities for inspection, maintenance and repair work on Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) infrastructure in the challenging strong wave and current conditions at MRE test-sites and offshore MRE sites in Ireland and further afield. The ROV system is home ported at Limerick Docks in the Republic of Ireland.University of Limerick President, Dr. Des Fitzgerald, stated
