USVs Secure Offshore Oil and Gas Infrastructure
companies have been proactive in ensuring the safety and viability of their platforms. That said, using current technology, this is often dull, dirty and dangerous work that impedes routine full and complete inspections of these platforms. Today, platform operators depend on divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) of various types to perform these inspections. The process is slow and tedious and one that puts these divers at excessive risk.Several companies have proposed technology-enabled solutions that can provide faster and more thorough inspections of these enormously expensive platforms and help
Ashtead Partners with 4Subsea
Subsea equipment rental, sales and services provider Ashtead Technology announced it has entered into a global strategic partnership with 4Subsea.Under the deal, Ashtead said it will add 4Subsea’s sensors to its portfolio for inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) services and gain access to 4Subsea’s domain experts within subsea production, well intervention and drilling. 4Subsea hardware and digital services delivery through Ashtead’s sales and distribution network including facilities in Aberdeen, Abu Dhabi, Halifax, Houston and Singapore.Allan Pirie, CEO of Ashtead, said
NNHO Expands Bathymetric Capabilities
Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office establishes new bathymetric capabilities with CARIS softwareThe Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO) has selected Teledyne CARIS to provide solutions for both current and future national and international charting requirements. Equipped with CARIS Ping-to-Chart technology, the NNHO is establishing new capabilities for bathymetric analysis, and completion of hydrographic and other geospatial data. These tools will ensure an efficient workflow for the production of electronic charts and paper charts according to both the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)
UK Businesses Partner to Target Utilities Dive Sector
UK-based SMS Group has partnered with M&E experts Mechanica Utilities to provide tailored diving services to the utilities sector.SMS, a UK ship repairer and marine engineering services provider, and Mechancia Utilities will provide diving services and sub-surface engineering support to Tier One and Tier Two utilities companies and their sub-contractors.SMS has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defence and superyachts sectors. The business also operates, in-house, a diving and sub-surface marine
Ørsted, Tepco Join Forces for Japan Offshore Push
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Danish energy business Orsted to work together on offshore wind projects.In a press release, TEPCO said that it had been “exploring offshore wind business opportunities” in both Japan and overseas. Orsted is a world leader in wind energy and built the world’s first offshore wind facility in 1991. Ørsted has constructed more than 25 offshore wind farms in Europe and has several large-scale offshore wind development projects in Europe, the US and Taiwan.TEPCO and Ørsted will
Schottel Merges Tidal Units to Sustainable Marine Energy
Schottel, the manufacturer of propulsion and steering systems for ships and offshore applications, has made a strategic decision to merge its tidal energy businesses into Sustainable Marine Energy (SME), including UK subsidiary TidalStream Ltd and Canadian subsidiary Black Rock Tidal Power Inc (BRTP)."Following the successful collaboration between SME, Schottel Hydro and Black Rock Tidal Power to develop and demonstrate the PLAT-I floating tidal energy system, with deployments in Scotland and in Canada, Schottel has made a strategic decision to merge its tidal energy businesses into SME,"
Inpex Wins Exploration Acreage Offshore Norway
Japan’s Inpex Corporation, through its unit Inpex Norge bagged two exploration licenses offshore Norway in Norway’s Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2018 licensing round.The PL1027is located in the western Barents Sea offshore and PL1016 is located in the northern Norwegian Sea offshore the Kingdom of Norway, it said in a statement.The annual APA licensing rounds aim to promote the further exploration of blocks in previously explored, mature areas by allowing tenders to be submitted for any acreage within predefined areas where licenses have not been awarded.The licenses provide the
Government Shutdown: Atlantic Seismic Permitting Blocked by Judge
A federal court judge on Friday ruled that the federal government cannot process seismic testing permits for offshore oil drilling during the ongoing government shutdown, dealing a blow Trump administration's energy agenda.Judge Richard Gergel of the U.S. District Court in South Carolina issued the decision in response to a motion filed by a range of conservation and business groups and coastal cities opposed to the adminstration's efforts to expand U.S. offshore drilling.The Justice Department had sought a delay in the court proceedings arguing that it did not have the resources it needed to
Fugro to Mobilize Edda Sun for IRM Work
Dutch offshore surveyor Fugro said Friday it is set to commence its first project using the multipurpose remotely operated vehilve (ROV) support vessel, Edda Sun, with mobilization for an inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) contract planned for March 2019.The 2009-built, versatile and high weather capable Edda Sun is on a two year charter from owner Østensjø Rederi to Fugro, who said the vessel enhances its IRM, construction and decommissioning support services in Europe.The 85-meter Edda Sun can accommodate up to 72 personnel and is equipped with a Sikorsky S 92 compatible helideck
Scandinavian Cooperation on Offshore Wind Expanded
The Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the research institute SINTEF have signed an agreement to work together on renewable energy, including a new joint research center on offshore wind.Anders Overgaard Bjarklev, president of DTU, Rector Gunnar Bovim (NTNU) and CEO Alexandra Bech Gjørv (SINTEF) signed the agreement on 16 January.The new center is called the Nordic Offshore Wind R&I Center – NOWRIC. Its goal is to work with the industry to develop better, cheaper solutions for offshore wind farms.DTU, NTNU
Ørsted Collaborates with US Fishing Coalition on Offshore Wind
Global developer of offshore wind farms Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind has entered into a partnership agreement with Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) to improve communications between the seafood industry and offshore wind energy developers.“This first-of-its-kind partnership will create an unprecedented opportunity for commercial fishermen to provide direct input to the wind energy industry on matters of significant interest to their businesses,” according to the statement issued in Boston by the RODA, originally organized by scallop fishermen and others to protect their
Swire Seabed Orders a HUGIN AUV
Bergen based Swire Seabed has ordered its first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a HUGIN system configured for commercial survey applications from manufacturer Kongsberg Maritime, the firm announced Thursday.According to Swire Seabed, the purchase is part of an ongoing drive to develop a fully-automated inspection and survey solution for various mission profiles.“The acquisition of our first AUV is a significant milestone for Swire Seabed as it demonstrates our long term commitment to go beyond current industry needs and gear ourselves to meet future market demands through innovation and
Seacor Marine Acquires Three Cosco PSVs
The offshore marine support vessels operator Seacor Marine Holdings announced it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire three platform supply vessels (PSVs) from Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry, an affiliate of Cosco Shipping Group, the world’s largest ship owner.Aggregate consideration for the vessels will be approximately $46 million, of which 30% will be paid in cash and 70% will be paid under a four-year deferred payment agreement between Seacor Marine and Cosco Zhoushan.Half of the cash payment will be funded in the first quarter of 2019 with the balance per vessel to be
Offshore Service Market to Outspace Onshore Shale
Spending on the offshore service sector will outpace spending on the onshore shale sector this year, said Rystad Energy.According to Rystad's Oilfield Service Research report, service companies exposed to the offshore subsea market and the maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) sector are set to benefit from this trend reversal.At current oil price levels, spending on land rigs, fracking and other services for the shale industry is likely to stay essentially flat in 2019. The offshore service market, too, will feel the effects of the recent oil price slide, but this sector is nevertheless
More Tenants Move into COVE Facility
The Center for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) reports it continues to onboard tenants in 2019.“We’re pleased to announce RBR, Precise Design and Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association (NSBA) have moved into COVE,” said Jim Hanlon, CEO of COVE, a collaborative facility for applied innovation in the ocean sector located in Halifax Harbor, in Nova Scotia, Canada.COVE's mission is to propel the ocean economy by providing high quality marine infrastructure and a collaborative space in which a community of ocean enterprises can start, grow and prosper. Its primary goal is to
Norway Supreme Court Hears Snow Crab Case with Implication for Oil
Norway's Supreme Court began hearing arguments on Tuesday on whether EU ships can fish for snow crab off Arctic islands north of Norway without permission from Oslo, a case that could decide who has the right to explore for oil in the region.At stake is whether the snow crab - whose meat is considered a delicacy by gourmets in Japan and South Korea - is a sedentary species living on the seabed or a fish stock that moves around - and who gets to decide about it.If it is seen as a sedentary species, then it is a resource belonging to the continental shelf of Norway. If the EU can stake a claim over
Offshore Wind Market Expected to Reach $50 bln by 2023
The global offshore wind energy market is poised to grow over USD 49.74 billion by 2023 at an estimated CAGR of around 11.12% during the period 2017 to 2023.The growth in this sector can be attributed to the increasing demand for clean and reliable energy in order to reduce the global carbon emissions and to maintain ecological balance by generating electricity through renewable resources, said a report by Market Research Future.However, high initiating capital cost of the projects with high maintenance cost and logistics issues, can hinder the offshore wind market. Also, high tidal winds and bad
Rose Joins IMCA as Technical Adviser
The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has appointed Andre Rose as Technical Adviser - Competence & Training, Remote Systems and ROV.Rose has spent most of the last 18 years working in the ROV industry, including time as a pilot/technician, superintendent, ROV manager and client representative.He has a background with the Royal Navy, where he spent 19 years in its Fleet Air Arm working with rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Initially, he completed an apprenticeship in aircraft mechanical engineering, before being trained as an avionics engineer.When he left the Navy, after a short
Boskalis Buys BoDo's Cable Lay Business
Dutch dredging and offshore contractor Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. announced Friday it has reached a deal with Geramny-based SPIE to acquire the offshore cable installation activities and assets of Bohlen Doyen GmbH (BoDo).BoDo's operations include grid to grid and offshore substation to shore connections, which includes the installation of nearshore and offshore cables and the connection of offshore wind farms to substations. Its offshore activities generate an annual turnover of EUR 20-30 million.The scope of the transaction, to be financed from Boskalis' cash flow, includes the acquisitio
Aqueos Supports South Texas-Tuxpan Gas Pipeline
Aqueos Corporation said it has completed a major diving scope for the installation and commissioning of the South Texas-Tuxpan Gas Pipeline. The South Texas-Tuxpan Gas Pipeline is being constructed by a joint venture between TransCanada (60%) and Sempra Energy’s Mexican unit IEnova (40%), also known as Infraestructura Marina del Golfo (IMG). The $3.1 billion project is being sponsored by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) of Mexico.Carrying U.S. natural gas to Mexico from west Texas, this 42-in. pipeline is ~800km in length and runs offshore from Brownsville, Texas to a shore-end
Kraken Completes Sea Tests of KATFISH with Elbit Systems
; wholly owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems, has completed a series of successful sea tests of its KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar system with Elbit Systems Ltd., a major international defense contractor based in Israel.Elbit Systems has developed a state-of-the-art Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) named “Seagull”. Seagull is a multi-mission USV platform boasting high autonomy levels and modular features, allowing it to be rapidly reconfigured for a wide array of missions – including anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures.“Elbit Systems’ Seagull
Swathe Services Provides New Product to ABP Humber
Swathe Services has announced a new bespoke custom Peli-case product which has been designed to fit the surface components of an R2SONIC Multi-Beam Echo-Sounder (MBES) SIM box and Inertial Navigation System. This product is specifically designed for use in open boats such as ABP Humber’s 5 meter RIB. The Peli-case incorporates all the required bulkhead connectors for external cable fittings; an inverter for operating off a DC battery power and a shrouded cooling system. As part of this small boat solution, ABP Humber also purchased a bespoke designed and built transom transducer
Underwater Glider Goes Searching for North Atlantic Right Whales
. In 2017, 12 individuals of this endangered species died in the Gulf, likely as a result of ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear.The 1.5-meter-long Slocum glider is a buoyancy driven underwater drone that rises and dives in the water to propel itself forward while gathering data. Onboard the vehicle, the OceanObserver system records the underwater sounds while running seven automated cetacean detectors that flag possible marine mammal calls. The glider comes to the surface every three hours to send the flagged events to shore. JASCO’s analysts review the events and send the confirmed
Voices: Jill Zande, MATE II
Jill Zande, President and Executive Director at MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II) was featured in last month’s MTR 100 as a top 10 ocean influencer. This month in MTR we present our full interview with Zande on the importance of attracting the next generation to a career in the oceans.How did you come to a career at MATE?As a research associate at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL), I thought that the only next step for me career-wise was to go back to graduate school, get a Ph.D., have a lab and take on graduate students. I saw the academic, Ph.D. path as my only realistic option; but I
Kraken Awarded $1 Million Defense Contract
Kraken Robotic Systems Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kraken Robotics Inc., has recently received a sonar signal processing software contract valued at approximately $1 million dollars from an international defense contractor. The 12-month contract is with a new customer and will be supported by Kraken’s recently established Acoustic Signal Processing Group.Kraken aid it is targeting additional international opportunities in this segment and sees major opportunities within the upcoming Canadian Underwater Warfare Suite Upgrade, the Canadian Surface Combatant program and other international
