Armed with New Technology, Oil Drillers Revisit Gulf of Mexico

Advances in drilling technology are reviving the prospects of oil companies in shallow parts of the Gulf of Mexico, helping to squeeze more from older fields while the U.S. shale bonanza lures others onshore. Apache Corp and a handful of smaller independent companies are using seismic surveying and horizontal drilling - techniques perfected during the onshore fracking boom - to tap mature fields and find hidden reserves on the shelf.

Submarine North Dakota Completes First Voyage

The U.S.’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, North Dakota (SSN-784), returned to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard Tuesday following the successful completion of its first voyage in open seas, called alpha sea trials. North Dakota is the 11th ship of the Virginia Class, the most capable class of attack submarines ever built. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (GD).

AUVX Users Forum Slated for September 2015

Kongsberg Maritime and Hydroid, Inc. Kongsberg Maritime and its subsidiary Hydroid, Inc., a manufacturer of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), today announced that members of the global AUV community are invited to join them at their AUVX Users Forum in Annapolis, Maryland, September 21-25, 2015. Registration is officially open, and limited space is available. Attendees will share and discover the latest information from the exciting world of AUVs.

NAVPLAY’S Full Featured Notification System

iPad In-App Environments Provide a Wealth of Safety and Assessment Capabilities Capannoli, Italy – NavPlay, an innovative manufacturer of iPad apps for boaters, announced today its full-featured notification system. Comprised of Alarm Manager which notifies boaters through their iPads if preset conditions are met, the Diagnostics environment which checks the status of instruments via a WiFi connection…

New Pan and Tilt Positioner Launched

SS260 Series Deep Blue Vector: Deep Water Pan & Tilt Device (Gimbal) with internal 19 Bit Absolute-Positioning and unprecedented .001° precision of movement. SIDUS Solutions, LLC, a specialized manufacturer of surveillance equipment, positioning devices and integrated systems, announced the introduction of their newest pan and tilt positioner - the SS260 Series Deep Blue Vector. Able to withstand subsea…

Imagenex Technology Corp.

No. Imagenex was founded in 1988 by pioneers in the development of high-resolution imaging and profiling sonar. Within two years, the company had produced its first sonar – an imaging head for the commercial underwater industry that was the unheard-of size of a coffee mug and rated for 300 m depth. Company milestones include introducing the industry’s first digital color imaging sonar that could be operated from a computer without a dedicated processor in 1995…

Canada: Tidal Energy Firm Says Enters Bankruptcy as Regulatory Hurdles Derail Planned Project

Sustainable Marine Energy (Canada) Ltd, which describes itself as Canada’s most successful tidal energy company, has been placed into voluntary bankruptcy and appointed Deloitte Restructuring Inc. as trustee.The company, which proved out its technology and delivered power to Nova Scotia’s grid, said Monday it had not been able to secure the authorizations it had required or agree a viable path forward…

EvoLogics to Unveil New Developments at OI

EvoLogics GmbH, specialists in underwater communication and positioning systems from Berlin, Germany, is proud to announce a new series of “mini” underwater acoustic modems, boasting the company’s patented S2C technology in a compact design. The new M-series will be presented at Oceanology International 2014 exhibition from 11 to 13 March in London, UK, along with the company’s other latest developments.

SBG Systems Expands in Asia

SBG Systems has opened a new subsidiary in Singapore. Located in the center of the city, this new office brings sales and technical support to the Asian region.SBG Systems is a supplier of MEMS-based IMU and inertial navigation systems for land, air, and marine applications. The company has been working and developing its sales distribution channels in Asia for many years and has decided to bring sales…

New Marine Navigation System at Port Freeport

Port Freeport, located outside of Houston, is now fitted with a NOAA system that improves safe and efficient marine navigation. The technology is part of a nationwide network called Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System, or PORTS.Freeport PORTS is the 38th system in this network of precision marine navigation sensors. The integrated series of sensors track oceanographic and meteorological conditions as they unfold around the port.

Summer Shark Research Heats Up at WHOI

WHOI scientists will collaborate with the non-profit shark research organization OCEARCH on a month-long expedition starting out on 31, July 2013, to tag white sharks and collect valuable blood and tissue samples off the coast of Cape Cod. The OCEARCH vessel is uniquely equipped to catch, tag, and bio-sample sharks before they are released. As mythic as sharks are, surprisingly little is known about these apex ocean predators.

British Survey Ship Identifies 18 Libyan Shipwrecks

In ten days’ work, Devonport-based survey ship 'HMS Echo' found a string of sunken obstacles and wrecks – including what is believed to be a sunken amphibious ship from the Gaddafi era – in the waters of the capital Tripoli and the port of Al Khums. Lying some 160 feet (ft) beneath the surface of the Mediterranean, the Gaddafi era ship was one of nearly 20 wrecks and objects peppering the seabed off Libya, found by HMS Echo in a remarkable 10-day search for hidden dangers to mariners.

MTR100 '13 LinkQuest Inc.

San Diego, Calif., U.S. LinkQuest Inc., of San Diego, Calif., manufactures precision acoustic instruments for offshore oil exploration, construction, drilling, survey, environmental study and other oceanographic applications. The company’s acoustic communication and positioning products are based on the innovative Broadband Acoustic Spread Spectrum (BASS) Technology and are widely used worldwide. LinkQuest’s…

Naval Surface Warfare Center Gets Wavemaking Upgrade

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) completed major renovations of the Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin (MASK) facility, Aug. 16. For more than one hundred years, the Navy has built and conducted extensive testing on physical prototypes of ships called scale models before building the real ship in full scale. In 1962, Carderock built the MASK in order to test the scale model performance of ships, platforms and moored systems in realistic sea conditions.

Strong Sales Ensure Applied Acoustics Keeps Growing

Increased demand for Applied Acoustics’ products has necessitated the installation of a further calibration tank at its Great Yarmouth facility, the company reported. The new tank will enable production schedules to keep pace with additional customer requirements for advanced subsea acoustic positioning products that are calibrated prior to shipment to check acoustic integrity. U.K. “The meticulous checks eliminate the possibility of even slight ‘blind spots’ during subsea operations…

MTR100 '13 Kongsberg Maritime

Kongsberg Maritime develops systems for practically all subsea applications. Its sonar, multibeam echo sounders, cameras, positioning systems and AUVs are used in survey and inspection operations worldwide. Kongsberg Maritime works closely with customers to develop technology that pushes the limits of what the subsea industry can see and do under water. Company Mission: Maximizing performance by providing The Full Picture.

Okeanus Takes Delivery of Deepwater Box Cores

Okeanus Science and Technology LLC (Okeanus) has added custom-designed, deepwater box cores to its catalog of equipment available for lease. As part of its suite of equipment, Okeanus offers clients a variety of box cores sizes. The most recent additions to Okeanus’ box core line are the largest class offered for leasing and have openings measuring 50 cm x 50 cm with a depth of approximately 60 cm. Fully laden by weights, the new box core design weighs nearly 1,200 lbs.

MTR100 '13 Bluefin Robotics Corporation

President/CEO:     David P. CFO:     Charles J. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle manufacturer, Bluefin Robotics, has demonstrated rapid growth within the over the last two years with the build of several new vehicles and the addition of a variety of development contracts to the company’s portfolio. Simultaneously, Bluefin has significantly invested in its production infrastructure and resource skill set, nearly doubling its factory square-footage and doubling its workforce.

UMASS Dartmouth: New Professional Science Master’s Program

Responding to the growing industry need for workers trained in science, technology, communications and management, UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) has introduced the Coastal and Ocean Administration, Science and Technology Professional Science Master’s degree (COAST-PSM). This two-year, non-thesis Master’s program consists of interdisciplinary courses that enable students to interpret scientific information and integrate it in policy or management decisions.

NOAA Ocean Exploration Federal Funding Opportunity

NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) is seeking pre-proposals (required) and, ultimately, full proposals to support its mission, consistent with NOAA's Next Generation Strategic Plan, to search, investigate and document poorly-known and unknown ocean areas through interdisciplinary exploration, and to advance and disseminate knowledge of the ocean environment and its physical, chemical, archaeological and biological resources.