newsletter sep2010

8/6/2019 Newsletter Sep2010

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SUBSEA UK NEWSTHE NEWSLETTER FROM SUBSEA UK WWW.SUBSEAUK.COM SEPTEMBER 2010

International Edition

IN THIS ISSUE

Major Contract Announcements

Spotlight on New Technology

International Events

...and more

We Control, Define & Deliver Oil and Gas Projects

New Developments Decommissioning

Tel: +44 1224 656990 www.epcoffshore.co.uk


2/9

el: +44 (0)845 505 3535-mail: [email protected]

www.subseauk.com

Member List/20 Business Group, Aberdeenshire Council,-CESS Co Uk, ACE Winches, Acergy, AFT Ltd,R Subsea Ltd, AGR Integrity UK, Aker Qserv,er Solutions, Allomax Associates Limited,drew Palmer & Associates, ANSYS UK Limited,htead Technology, Atkins Boreas Consultants Ltd,bin Limited, Baule UK Limited, Beck Prosper Limited,l Valves, BG Group, Bibby Offshore Limited, BJ Processd Pipeline Services, Bond Pearce LLP, Bonds, BPploration Operating Company Limited, BPP-TECH,dge Energy UK, Bruck UK Limited, Buchan Technicalrvices Limited, C3 Global Limited, Caley Ocean Systems

mited, Castrol Offshore Ltd, Centrica Energy, Championvironmental Technologies, Chevron Upstream Europe,MAR, CodaOctopus Limited, Cognetas LLP, Consub,rDEX Instruments Ltd, Cosalt, Cranfield University, CSL,C Marine Projects, Cutting Underwater Technologies

d, Deepwater EU Ltd, DES Operations Limited, DOF

bsea UK, Dominion Gases, Douglas Westwood, DUCOd, Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd, Dynamic Positioningrvices (DPS), E & M ENGENHARIA E MONTAGEM LTDA,ON Ruhrgas North Sea UK Ltd, East of England Energyoup, EPC Offshore Limited, eProduction Solutions,cape Business Technologies, ESS, Expro Group, EXSTO

K Ltd, Exova, Ferguson Modular Ltd, First Subsea Ltd,sher Offshore, Flexlife Limited, Framo Engineering UKd, FTV Proclad International Limited, Fugro impROV,gro Rovtech Limited, Furmanite International Limited,lathea, GE Sensing, General Robotics Limited, Genesisand Gas Consultants, Global Energy Group, Globalrine Systems Limited, Granherne Limited, Buchan

chnical Services Limited, Helix Esg - Well Ops, HTL,drasun Limited, Hydratight, IHC Engineering Business,es Systems, Infield Systems Limited, Inspectahiret. Co. Limited, INTECSEA (UK) LTD, Integrated Subsearvices Limited, International Power plc, IPWL Limted,

Sea Limited, J + S Ltd, J P Kenny Engineering, J. RaycDermott, K.D. Marine Limited, Kongsberg Maritimemited, L&N (Scotland) Limited, Lankhorst Mouldings,quavision, Marine Subsea, Marlin Engineeringmited, Master Flo Valve Co (UK) Limited, MCS Kenny,ODUS, Molecular Products Ltd, National Hyperbaricntre, National Oceanography Centre, Nautronix PLC,

CA - Norse Cutting & Abandonment Ltd, NCS Surveymited, Neptune Deeptech, NETmc Marine Ltd, Nexentroleum UK Ltd, NGP UK Ltd, Noordhoek Offshore B.V,

SIG (Northern Scotland Industries Group), NSRI, NSWchnology Ltd, Nylacast Ltd, Oceaneering, Oceanlab,iversity of Aberdeen, Offshore Installation Services,spring International Limited, OMB Offshore Applications

mited, Online electronics, Optical Metrology Servicesd, Optimus Safety Management Limited, Pan-Oceangineering Limited, PDL Solutions (Europe) Limited,rry Slingsby Systems Limited, Petro-Canada UK Ltd,otosynergy, Pipe Coil Technology Ltd, Polar Media,seidon International, Presens AS, Project Developmenternational Ltd, Proserv Offshore, Prospect, Questshore Resources Inc, Quest Project Personnel (UK)

d, RBG Limited, Reson Offshore Limited, Robert Gordoniversity, Rotech Subsea Limited, Roxar Limited, RRCntrols Services Limited, Saab Seaeye Limited, SAIPEM,hilling Robotics Ltd, Schlumberger Subsea Surveillance,ore Subsea and Wellhead Limited, Scottish Enterprise,al-Tite UK LLC, SECC, Seebyte Ltd, Shell UK Ltd,

mmons & Co International Limited, SMD Ltd, Smitbsea Europe BV, Society for Underwater Technology,lstad Offshore (UK) Limited, Sonardyne International

mited (Aberdeen), Sonavision Limited, Sonomatic,eciality Welds Ltd, Splash Offshore Engineering Limited,rategic Resources European Consultants Ltd, StronachsP, Sub-Atlantic Limited, Subocean Group Limited,bsea 7, Subsea Integrity Group (SIG), Subsea Supplies

mited, Subspection Ltd, Sulzer Pumps (UK) Ltd, TechnipK, Teijin Aramid BV, The Underwater Centre, Total E&PK plc, Tracerco, Transvac Systems Limited, Trelleborg

shore, Tritech International Limited, Triton Group, UKPS/BCO, UnderSea Sense Ltd, Underwater Engineeringrvices Ltd, Univation, Universal Pegasus, University oferdeen, University of Strathclyde, UTEC Survey, Valeport

d, Vector International, VerdErg Connectors Limited,tco Gray UK Ltd, Visualsoft Limited, Webtool Subsea,elaptega Marine UK Ltd, Wellstream Internationalmited, Wilton Group, Wireless Fibre Systems, Worldwidesiness Portfolios, Xodus Group Limited

esigned and printed by www.designinc.co.uk

2 SUBSEA UK NEWS SEPTEMBER 2010

SUBSEA UK NEWS

Forthcoming Events in 2010/2011

13th September Rio Oil & GasRio de Janeiro

27-28th October Subsea Europe ParisParis

30th November DOT Amsterdam- 2nd December Amsterdam

9-10th February 2011 Subsea 2011Aberdeen

Please visit our website for details of forthcoming events.


SUBSEA UK NEWS

We never seem far away from skills issues and we arealready seeing visible signs of strains in the resourcemarket, as businesses vie for potential recruits.

A skills and people development survey just completedby Subsea UK has identified critical areas that will withoutdoubt shape the sector for years to come.

This member survey attracted responses fromSMEs (75% of survey respondents) in addition to majorcontractors and represented a range of services includingdesign, manufacturing, consulting engineering, research &development.

The findings are clear and unambiguous and point to avery bright future for the industry. But there is a clearneed for a significant increase and sustained commitmentto investment in skills for the industry to deliver on itsambitions.

Key findings of the report include: 92.4% of respondents said their business would grow inthe next 5 years

96.3% said that their growth is or would be focusedinternationally

86.5% said they were actively seeking new talent 66.7% had additional needs for technician level resource 74.4% were looking for additional professional engineers 56.8% said more apprentices were needed 66.7% said they needed more skilled/experienced people

Learning strategies varied across the sector, but61.6% saw opportunities for distance and e-learning as ameans of delivering individual development. However, only18.9% said they regularly used external training bodies orservices.

These statistics reveal some major skills gaps thatcould, if not responded to, significantly constrain thesectors ability to retain its global market share.

There is at least growing recognition that skills issuesneed to take high priority and that the solution has to liewithin pan-industry initiatives. And that is where it startsto get a bit tricky.

As an industry sector we are simply not very goodat working together on initiatives, and while there havebeen a number of attempts over the last 10 years to dothings on a wider basis, the willpower to take this on hasbeen at best limited.

We all recognise the issues in managing a cyclicalindustry, and in the high cost of resource. But skillsdevelopment and retention is a long term strategy, andif we are to make a significant impact, we have to ensurewe have such a strategy that will develop enough peopleto do what the industry plans to do.

How many companies have as their agenda items ontheir board agendas, skills development alongside growthplanning?

An alarming finding of the survey was that 2/3rds ofthe companies surveyed were looking for experienced and

skilled people to join their organisations. This cannot besustainable, and this way of looking at the skills marketserves to push up day rates to a level where we becomeuncompetitive in a global market with fierce competition.

A further warning sign from the survey was that some59.5% of respondents felt that there was insufficienttime made available for personal development.

One only needs to search the internet to find thatcompanies are predominantly seeking experiencedpersonnel. It is good to see that skills are in demand,driven by immediate contracts that will create revenue.

We are however paying a high price both in immediateday rate terms, and in the longer term, as we are in somany cases denying the opportunity existing staff andnewcomers alike who can contribute immensely to thesectors long term growth ambitions.

Now that most believe the worst of the downturnis now behind us, the time is right to put this matterto rest and for us all to work as an industry sector,to encourage commitment at all levels to build ourindustrys future.

So lets get on with it!

Investment in Skills Crucial forSubsea Sector Growthby Alistair Birnie, CEO at Subsea UK

International AmbitionsSpur on Subsea UK Membersby Trish Banks, Operations Manager at Subsea UK

Subsea has neverbeen a more globalbusiness than it istoday. The activityof our members iscertainly testimonyto that, withambitions of evenhigher growth.With the helpof UK Trade and

Investment and Scottish Development

International, companies have takenup the challenge to exhibit and/or topresent to international conferencesthe world over.

At our flagship event in Februarywe welcomed an inward mission tothe event facilitated by UKTI whichwill be repeated at Subsea 2011;companies had the opportunityfor one-to-one meetings withrepresentatives from NOCs visitingAberdeen. At Australian Oil and Gasin Perth, Subsea UK ran two sessionsof the conference in collaborationwith the SUT and Subsea EnergyAustralia. At MOC in Alexandria,Subsea UK had a joint stand with SDIand Subsea Asia in Kuala Lumpur gavecompanies the opportunity to exhibitin this important hub for businessin the region and also to present atthe conference. At the end of June,Subsea UK hosted a reception at theHouses of Parliament giving membersa platform to lobby their MPs; wewere pleased to welcome MichaelMoore, Secretary of State forScotland, and Charles Hendry, EnergyMinister, who both spoke in support

of our sector.Looking ahead, we are planningthree regional dinners for London,

Newcastle and Edinburgh and fivecompanies will share a stand atRio Oil and Gas. The next majorevent is Subsea Europe at the endof October, offering the chance toexhibit in the business centre ofParis, La Defense. The end of theyear will bring an opportunity to joinSubsea UK at DOT in Amsterdam andat a Pipeline Integrity event we areorganising in collaboration with thePipeline Industries Guild and the SUT

in London.Subsea UK is an Approved Trade

Body and as such can offer eligiblecompanies funding via the TradeAccess Programme for key events.

Please make contact for moreinformation or visit the website.

Visit our websitefor all the latest hot news

on everything subsea:

www.subseauk.com

Hot News

Rotech Subsea exhibiting at Subsea Asia 2010


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SUBSEA UK NEWS SEPTEMBER 2010

GROWTH

Apache II - Technips Newest

Vessel Officially NamedTechnip has unveiled the Apache II, itsnew state-of-the art pipelay vessel.

She was officially named onThursday, July 22nd by vesselgodmother Margaret Forrest, wifeof John Forrest, Talisman Energy UKvice-president, at a special ceremonyin Invergordon, Scotland, close to

Technips spoolbase in Evanton, whereshe will mobilise for future projects.

In keeping with marine traditions,Mrs. Forrest was invited to take therole as godmother, since the ApacheIIs first operational project was for

Talisman in the UK.The completion of the ApacheII involved the rejuvenation of

Technips old Apache. The existingpipelay equipment from the vesselwas transferred onto a new hullmanufactured in Vigo, Spain.Construction work was carried outat Technips fabrication yard in Pori,Finland.

Ron Cookson, Managing Director ofTechnip UK, said: Weve had a greatreaction to our new pipelay vesselApache II, which has successfullycompleted four projects since shejoined the fleet in May. Im delightedthat she is already committed formuch of the 2011 season.

Apache II offers clients a faster,more modern version of the originalApache, a true stalwart of theindustry. The combination of thepipelay platform of the original Apache

and the new hull results in one of thenewest and most advanced pipelayvessels operating in the industryand further strengthens Technipsreputation as a market leader.

Since she joined the Technip fleet,Apache II has already completed threeseparate projects in the North Seaemploying three different modes ofpipelay operation, and one projectin offshore Trinidad & Tobago animpressive and busy start to heroperational life. Now officially named,Apache II will transit to Orkanger,

Norway to execute her next projects.


GROWTH

C-Tecnics is pleased to announce

the appointment of Andy McAra asGeneral Manger of the Aberdeenbased Underwater Video andCommunications supplier.

Mr. McAra brings with him 18years of subsea industry experiencein the fields of diver communicationsand subsea positioning (mostrecently as Sales Manager forNautronix), having performed various

technical and commercial roles for

the company since their acquisitionof Helle Engineering in 1995.Commenting on his appointment,

Mr. McAra said: C-Tecnics brilliantlyengineered and innovative productsattracted me to the companystraight away, and I look forward toraising the profile of those productswithin the inshore and offshore divingmarkets worldwide. The enthusiasmand dedication of the team atC-Tecnics is immediately evidentand this will contribute greatly tothe success of the company goingforward.

C-Tecnics recently launched theC-Vision System, a Portable TwoDiver Underwater Video systemwith inbuilt light control andcommunications. It can recordup to 30 hours of video footageand captured video can be easilyconverted and downloaded.

Sonomatic Leads the

Way with Collective

Asset Integrity

Management

C-Tecnics Appoint New General Manager

SMD Awarded MajorROV Contract by i-TechSMD has been awarded a contract by i-Tech (a division of Subsea 7) to supply20 (with options for up to a further 10) QX-Ultra work class ROVs. TheROVs will be used by Subsea 7 in Brazil, working for Petrobras. The award isSMDs single biggest ROV order to date and positions the company as theleading supplier of Work Class ROV (WROV) systems in expanding internationalmarkets.

Commenting on the award, Andrew Hodgson, CEO at SMD said: SMD hasbeen Subsea 7s WROV manufacturer and supplier for over four years. Thiscontract was won through competitive tender designed to ensure i-TechsWROV equipment remains at the forefront of technology. Having evaluatedthe market I am delighted that i-Tech has chosen to continue its long standingrelationship with SMD.

The QX-Ultra is an evolution of the successful medium size Centurion QXWROV designed and built for i-Tech by SMD. Utilising the latest Curvetechcomponents and technologies, many from SMDs newest vehicle Atom, QX-Ultra offers the flexibility to undertake a wide range of tasks whilst being easyto use and maintain.

In addition to the WROVs, SMD will design and manufacture the A-frameand winch systems to create a complete turnkey package. SMD remain theonly Work Class ROV manufacturerwith the ability to design andmanufacture WROV launchequipment.

SMD has investedheavily in both itsproduction facilitiesand people over thepast two years to enable itto produce up to 3 completeWROV systems (includinglaunch equipment) permonth. The first twentyQX Ultras will be deliveredover an 18 month period.SMD will also open aservice office in Macae inBrazil and is committed tofurther developing its supplychain in Brazil.

ANSYS and

Cognity Announce

Affiliation

ANSYS and Cognity Ltd have signedan affiliation agreement whereCognity will use ANSYS engineeringsimulation software as part of theirconsulting services. Cognity deliversspecialist mechanical design andadvanced finite element analysis (FEA)to the Energy Industry. The suitefrom ANSYS enables customersto optimise designs throughoutthe product development process,especially in the early stages whenchanges can be efficiently and costeffectively implemented.

Robust analysis is at the core ofCognity, and advanced simulation isoffered as a standalone service or inconjunction with mechanical designprojects. Cognity is currently workingwith Singapore based ManagedPressure Operations to design anddevelop a new range of downholeequipment for the managed pressuredrilling market, and the technicalchallenges presented by this projectallow Cognity to fully exploit thebenefits of ANSYS virtual prototypingand advanced simulation.

Rae Younger, Managing Directorof Cognity, said We are very pleasedto have signed an agreement withANSYS, which we believe offer thebest-in-class simulation tools forproduct design and optimisation. Weare particularly excited by the recentdevelopments made by ANSYS inhigh performance computing (HPC)and parallel solvers. ANSYS HPCwill enable us to deliver superiordesigns and accelerated analysis toour clients in the shortest possibletimescales.

Gary Panes, Regional SalesDirector of ANSYS UK Ltd., said Weat ANSYS are delighted to be workingwith the high calibre engineers andanalysts at Cognity. I believe thatthe unique engineering challengesfaced by the Energy Industriescan be capably resolved with theextensive capabilities that ANSYSoffers, which Rae and his team willbe utilising. I have confidence Cognitywill do an excellent job of leveragingthe unparalleled depth of technicalsolution that ANSYS offers theEnergy industry.

Cognitys business plan is for rapidgrowth and expansion as they seekto exploit the niche for advancedmechanical design to the Energyindustry. The flexible software licenseoptions available from ANSYS are akey enabling factor in supporting thisbusiness plan.

New Orders for Tritechs Excavation

and Jetting PumpsTritech, the innovative underwater technology company, has recently supplieda significant number of its Merlin subsea pumps to South America.

This order follows local delivery of a Boost Pump, a higher capacitypump from Tritechs ZipJet family, specially designed for a global upstreamtechnologies company.

The Merlin pump has been efficiently designed to avoid blockages or jams,as there are no moving parts in the suction flow path. Compact yet powerful,it is ideal for ROV use. A flow reversal valve can be operated to back flush thesuction nozzle, should there be an obstruction. This allows the operator tobreak up heavy and cohesive seabed mud and sand prior to excavation. Poweris derived from a stream of high-velocity fluid creating a low-pressure regionbehind the suction nozzle. With three modes of operation, Merlin may berapidly switched from suction to jetting or be configured to allow jetting andexcavation to be carried out simultaneously.

The Merlin pumps, named after the famous Lochs of Scotland, are handbuilt to an exacting standard at Tritechs Aberdeen site.

Sam Barrett, Technician, Tritech International, comments on Tritechshydraulic range: We take pride in the efficiency and reliability of our pumps.Merlin is just one of a very successful family of ZipJet pumps, all of which arebuilt and tested to the highest possible standards.

nding new ways to improveafety and integrity performanceincreasingly becoming a major

hallenge with the transfer of manyeclining North Sea assets and theevitable conflicts flowing from thesion of old and new systems.There are single-source solutions,

nd Sonomatic as a leader in theeld of ultrasonic inspection, designnd application has had greatuccess implementing systemsnd practices provided by assetanagement peer groups, such asAS 55 from the Institute of Assetanagement.But an alternative and often

ore successful approach is forcollection of experts in their

espective fields to join forces,ombining complementary skills andtrong track records to create angle point of access to a broad

ange of subsea inspection andaintenance services.Behind this approach lies the

gic that no single company can bet the leading edge of a full rangef services. A properly functioningliance or JV instead provides theght environment for innovationnd creativity on all levels. Thisanges from, for example, in-houseevelopment of smart inspectionechnologies to Non-Intrusivespection (NII) planning, dataanagement tools and statisticalnalysis of pipework systems, all ofhich enhance and streamline assetanagement processes.Sonomatic is a founder member

f the Expert Alliancewww.theexpertalliance.com),venture bringing together fourompanies which have in the pastegularly worked on the same projectsr the same clients. The otherembers are: Atkins, an engineeringonsultancy service with widetness-for-service experience bothffshore and onshore; Innospection,hich specialises in advancedectromagnetic inspection solutionsr defect detection and fast

orrosion scanning; Proserv Offshore,pecialists in advanced cleaning andoating removal and cold-cuttingechnologies.

Since the alliance was formedearly 2009, the partners have

ollaborated on a range of projectspredominantly topside inspectionork for both UK and internationalients, including several in Australia.


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immons & Company International,pecialist corporate finance advisorso the energy industry, has appointednthony Cooke as an associate withins Industry & Technology team.A petroleum geologist with 10

ears experience, Mr Cooke has joinedimmons from Schlumberger wheree was responsible for businessevelopment, technical marketing andales for reservoir characterisation,eomechanics and reservoirngineering products and services.

Simmons established its innovativeIndustry & Technology team to providereal technical knowledge and industryexperience to its clients duringtransactions.

The team underlines Simmonsposition as a leading corporatefinance advisor to the energy sector.

Anthonys appointment addsgeosciences to our list of deeptechnical capability that includesdrilling, completion and production,land, offshore and subsea operations.Our specialist team aims todrive value for our clients duringa transaction. This first-handknowledge gives clients confidencethat we understand their productsand services and therefore theirbusiness, its market potential andvalue now and in the future, saidJohn Donachie, Vice President ofthe Industry & technology team atSimmons.

The core functions of the teamare new opportunity identification,deal creation and supporting ongoingtransactions with technical and

market expertise.Commenting on his new role,

Mr Cooke said: The team givesSimmons a real edge in the corporatefinance arena and I am excited

about the potential. There are hugeopportunities in the oil and gasmarketplace at the moment and ourrole is to identify opportunities forcompanies whether they are buying,merging, selling, investing or growing.

Alan Dick, Associate of theIndustry & Technology Team, saidThe combined expertise in the teamenables Simmons to help clientsrealise value in their business byquickly targeting the right acquirersor to build value through acquisitionsthat are in line with their strategicgoals. We also identify technologytrends to spot opportunities thatmay otherwise go unnoticed.

Mr Cookes arrival followsthe recent appointment of ex-Weatherford Chief Technology Officer,Stuart Ferguson, as chief technologyadviser to the firm.


GROWTH


PROJECTS

Record Breaker Readyfor More of the Samehe concept behind the development of Cuttingnderwater Technologies (CUT UK) new range ofModular Diamond Wire Cutting Machines (DWCM) waswofold; one to minimise deck space whilst maximisingutting capacity and, secondly, to incorporate all thetest technology into one single package.The modular DWCM has a cutting capability in its firstode of some 60 84in whilst in the second, cuts ofetween 85 and 120in diameter can be carried outThe cutting capacity can be changed by altering the

entre section of the modular machine. This procedurean be carried out easily offshore in around 60 minutesithout affecting either the efficiency or capability of theachine.

Of particular interest is the capability to executehe CUT developed Castellated cutting profile. Thisapability allows the target to be severed but still retains structural integrity in all vertical and horizontal planesllowing cut completion.This capability would allow some major cuts to be

arried out prior to the arrival, on-site, of the heavy liftrane barge, thus offering considerable financial benefitsithout compromising safety.However, prior to the first operational deployment, the

ient requested that a test piece mimicking the offshorearget was to be cut to validate the modular machine ands capability to perform such an intricate cut profile.Therefore a test piece 120in in diameter, with a wall

hickness of 2.75in, complete with 13 internal pipes ofarying diameters and wall thickness was manufacturedefore being installed in a CUT designed and built test rig.hereafter in early 2009 the worlds first cut of this type

was performed under a centrally located compressive loadof some 550 tonnes (which remains a record for this size

of cut).The cut was performed in one operation taking some727 minutes, or just over 12 hours to complete.

During these trials the opportunity was also taken totest the Automated Wedging System (designed to preventwire jamming) and the various electronic systems fittedto the modular machine. These trials were completedsuccessfully though the wedging system was not requiredduring the actual cutting operation offshore.

A total of eight cuts were executed as part of theoffshore decommissioning project, all on the main jacketlegs: four were at 84inch external diameter and four at120inch. All the cuts were carried out successfully.

With these capabilities now proven through bothonshore testing and offshore experience, the sophisticatedelectronics, and additional advanced features, mean thatthe CUT Modular DWCM can truly be said to be thecutting edge of Diamond Wire Cutting Technology.

Corporate Finance Industry & TechnologyTeam Strengthened with Latest Appointment

CTC Marine Projects Commences Cable Loadout for the Wave Hub Project

Granhernes Multidiscipline ApproachBeneficial to Subsea Processing

CTC Marine Projects has now commenced the load outof the 25 kilometre armoured power cable and its hub aspart of the Wave Hub project, which will go offshore atthe beginning of August.

The Wave Hub project has been developed by theSouth West RDA (Regional Development Agency) andwill create the worlds largest test site for wave energytechnology and consists of a grid-connected socket inthe seabed, 16 kilometres off the coast of Cornwall. Thesite will allow Wave Energy Converter (WEC) developersthe opportunity to test WEC arrays over several yearsin a fully monitored marine environment, and export theirgenerated electricity to the local grid.

The chartered cable laying vessel, MV Nordica, has

transited to JDR Cables in Hartlepool where the cablewas manufactured. It is here that the cable will be loadedonto the vessel in an operation which involves spoolingthe tensioned cable directly from the JDR factory onto a2000 tonne capacity carousel. The Wave Hub has been

connected to the cable and was loaded onto the vesselfirst, followed by the 1,300 tonnes of cable.

Following this procedure, which should takeapproximately 4 days, the Noridca will transit to northCornwall where the offshore operations will commence.

The beach pull will take place first, followed by the cablelay, deployment of the hub itself and burial of part of thecable route. It is expected that the CTC workscope will becompleted in August.

Daryl Lynch, Managing Director of CTC Marine Projectssays: CTC recognises the importance of renewableenergy to the UK and believes the Wave Hub project is asignificant milestone and opens up another avenue in therenewable market.

CTC is pleased to be participating in what we hope willbe the start of many such developments. We believe wecan bring a significant contribution and become a majorprovider to this emerging business.

Granherne has recently completed aconfidential multidiscipline study ofsubsea processing technologies fora deepwater oil field development.

The study reviews the maturity oftechnology of the different subseaseparation systems currentlyavailable, discusses their readinesslevel and technology gaps and providespreliminary cost indications.

Subsea processing is aheterogeneous group of technologiesinspired by the attractive idea ofmoving surface operations to theseafloor, namely subsea boosting andmetering; gas-liquid separation; gascompression; produced water re-

injection and seawater treatment/injection.

After decades of qualification andtesting, these technologies, albeitwith different levels of maturity. havegained a wider acceptance in theoil industry and are now consideredas major building blocks for subseaprojects.

Subsea separators have onlyreached technical maturity morerecently. Accordingly their applications

are still rare. To date full-scale subseaseparators are part of Statoil Tordis,Shell Parque das Conchas and ShellPerdido.

Subsea separation will be also usedon Total Pazflor and Petrobras Marlimprojects, among others. This trend isexpected to continue to unlock futuredevelopments, especially in deepwaterenvironments.

Subsea gas compression has alsoattracted the industry interest. Wetgas compression is a potential enablerof the exploitation of large gas fieldslocated far from the shore (subsea-to-beach developments) or in extremelyharsh environments such as the

Arctic.The subsea reinjection of produced

water was first accomplished by thepilot that Norsk Hydro tested in TrollC a decade ago. Seawater treatment/injection is a relatively youngerdiscipline but, thanks to the progressmade by the other subsea processingtechnologies, is rapidly catching up.

The results obtained so far areremarkable but subsea processingstill poses design and operational

challenges that should not beunderestimated.

The design of the subsea productionsystem must take into accountsubsea processing and ensure itsproper integration with reservoir, welland topsides facilities, and enhanced-oil-recovery techniques Differentsubsea processing technologies usedtogether need careful optimisation, aswhen subsea separation is coupled tosubsea pumping.

Operational challenges are dueto the changes in wellstreamcomposition during the field life; to thebehavior of the hydrocarbons whencommingled in a multi-well separator

and to the handling of produced sand.To effectively manage all of these

challenges requires a multidisciplineapproach. The close interaction ofwell completion, flow assurance,subsea engineering, high voltagepower distribution, subsea controls,topsides design, and R&D as providedby Granherne is beneficial to thesuccessful application of subseaprocessing to the ever-demandingdevelopment of subsea fields.

Forthcoming Subsea Eventswww.subseauk.com

Subsea Europe 201027-28th October 2010Paris

DOT 201030th November - 2nd December 2010Amsterdam

Subsea 201109-10th February 2011Aberdeen


5/9


BUSINESS


TRAINING

Students and ApprenticesPromoting Engineering & Manufacturing as a positive and exciting career forstudents, BEL Valves Ltd, a British Engines group company, has maintaineda long and proud record of work experience developed with local schools andcolleges dating back to the mid 1960s.

Many of the students originally visiting with their school have gone on to jointhe BELs technical modern apprenticeship programme which prepares traineesfor their first appointment in a position of responsibility in engineering.

Learning takes place both on and off the job and provides valuable hands-ontraining specific to BEL Valves manufacturing methods and resources as wellas parallel academic study through a structured day release programme.

Apprentices are involved in developing their key skills, traditionally includedthrough NVQ study. But uniquely also develop other important skills such aspersonal and teamwork development through a series of residential courses.

This year BEL has taken on 12 new apprentices who start on their 3 or4 year programme depending on entry qualifications. BEL would typicallytherefore have 30 to 40 apprentices going through the scheme at any onetime.

The Business has been instrumental in the development of the SubseaFoundation Degree offered by Newcastle College and the Subsea Engineeringand Management Masters Degree at Newcastle University. These have beendeveloped alongside the Subsea Future talent project which has been welladvertised within this publication. Both courses are extremely valuable in theprogression of the academic learning of apprentices as well as advancing the

continued and professional development of the existing employees.

Outstanding Environment for Learning

Higher EducationDevelopment of their in house talent doesnt stop with the end of theapprenticeship. BEL Valves training and development is intrinsically linked withits business strategy and as such employees are encouraged to continuetheir studies into higher education.

A great example of the success of this strategy lies with two recentlyqualified engineers, Gary Burns and Andy Plews. They have both gained

First Class Honours degrees inMechanical Engineering this yearfrom Northumbria University. Aworthy achievement in its own right,but even more commendable whenyou consider that they studied parttime and also gained recognitionby achieving the Institution ofEngineering & Technology prize foroverall academic achievement and theInstitute of Mechanical Engineeringproject prize.

A Foundation forLearningMr Ron Dodd, previous BEL ManagingDirector created an environmentfor learning within the group andhis legacy is paying dividends now.Since 1966 the business has trainedover 600 individuals through theapprenticeship scheme and those

graduating now make up over 25% ofthe current workforce.Rons drive for excellence in skills

development wasnt limited to theBEL Valves in house scheme. Hewent on to establish TDR TrainingLtd, a charitable organisationdesigned to promote Engineering andScience based careers to the NorthEasts students through plannedand structured work experience withlocal businesses. Again recognitioncame this year when Ron wasawarded an MBE for his contributiontowards skills development.

Many businesses now recognisethe need for closer integration oflearning and development within theirbusiness practices. BEL Valves hasinvested heavily in their most valuableasset, their people, and for manyyears have created an outstandingenvironment for learning.

Some of BEL Valves 2nd year Apprentices. From left to right: Andrew Jobling, Steven Givens, Ross Read,Mark Knights, Adam Bennett

Gary Burns and Andy Plews. 1st Class Honours

Ron Dodd Receiving his MBE

Simmons Reports Total DealValue of $1billion at End of

Financial YearSimmons & Company InternationalLimited closed 20 deals with a totaltransaction value of $1 billion in2009/10. The number of deals wasup by more than 50% against theprevious financial year.

The Aberdeen-based specialistcorporate finance advisers tothe energy industry announcedthe healthy deal figures despite afinancial year which suffered from the

global economic crisis and a collapsein the oil price.

Around a third of the deals werecentred on the local Aberdeenmarket which also acts as a hubfrom which Simmons accesses itsinternational market, while more thanhalf of the deals were cross-borderinvolving parties from Europe, NorthAmerica, Middle East and Australia.

The firm is predicting asignificant improvement in dealflowas confidence in the long-termprospects for the energy industrygrows and is entering 2011 with astrong back-log of new projects.

Simmons has retained its fullcomplement of people during thefinancial year and strengthened the

team in specific areas through newappointments and promotions.

Its by no means a record year,but bearing in mind the previousstate of the oil price, economy andbanking sector this time last year weare very satisfied with the outcome,which highlights the performanceof our team and the resilienceof the energy secto r, said ColinWelsh, CEO, Simmons & Company

International.Our completed transactions

list includes a good balance ofacquisitions, sales and financeraisings across the oil servicesector, from drilling and completionsto pipeline, process and generaloilfield services. The subseaspace features predominantlywith successful transactions forNautronix, SubOcean Group andActeon.

The successfully completedtransactions include the acquisitionof Norson by Enermech, the sales ofSerimax to Vallourec and Cyclotechto MI-SWACO and finance raisingsfor International Tubular Services andRed Spider.

Changes to UKAnti-CorruptionLaws

ignificant changes to UK Anti-orruption Laws are due to be

mplemented in October this yearhen the Bribery Act 2010 comesto force. The Act will replace thexisting antiquated anti-corruptionws in the UK and are designedo bring its laws into line with theequirements of the OECD Conventionn Bribery. The Act makes wideanging changes which are likely toffect many businesses.

It introduces criminal offences offfering or giving bribes and acceptingribes (in both cases in the public orrivate sectors) and bribing a foreignublic official.In addition, and of great

gnificance to many companies,he Act also makes an offence forcommercial organisation to fail torevent bribery. The offence is notmited to circumstances where aommercial organisation activelyncourages or procures briberyut applies where a commercialrganisation fails to prevent a personssociated with it from bribingnother person on its behalf. Thisill apply to employees, agents,ubsidiaries and other parties to thextent they perform services for theommercial organisation.The failure to prevent bribery

ffence is not limited to acts ofribery in the UK and will affectany businesses with internationalperations. The offence can apply evenhere the intermediarys actions areot illegal in the territory in whichhey take place if the actions wouldave been illegal if they had takenace in the UK.

There is a defence available to theilure to prevent bribery offence. Itthat the commercial organisation

as taken adequate procedures torevent its intermediary from makingribes. The Government is yet toublish guidelines on what constitutesadequate procedures but it isecommended that businesseseview their procedures and take theecessary steps in advance of thect coming into force so that theyan be confident they can rely onhe adequate procedures defence.his process should involve a numberf actions including reviewing codesf conduct, employment contracts,ontracts with agents and supplierss well as introducing accountingolicies to ensure payments can beentified and carrying out properligence when entering a new marketr territory.


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TRAINING


TRAINING / TECHNOLOGY

Subsea firms in the North East of England have been celebratingrecently, after their part in establishing subsea courses inpartnership with Newcastle College and Newcastle University.

A Foundation Degree in Subsea Engineering Technologies waslaunched at Newcastle College in September 2009 and saw 23students enrol in its first year. The MSc in Subsea EngineeringManagement has seen similar success at Newcastle University,catering to both international students and to subsea employeesliving and working in the region, with over 60 applications alreadyreceived for the 2010 intake. Both programmes were developedin liaison with industry and firms continue to support the coursesthrough employee sponsorship, provision of invaluable studentprojects, acting as external lecturers and providing a substantialamount of capital equipment to enhance the learning experience.

The Subsea Future Talent Project, part-funded by OneNorth East, the Regional Development Agency, was intendedto provide subsea-specific courses and training with a view tomaintaining world-class engineering skills in the region, as wellas attracting new talent to the subsea sector. The partnership,

between Newcastle College, Newcastle University and SubseaNE, a cluster of leading subsea firms operating in the NorthEast of England, has been deemed a huge success with over 60firms engaged and 277 individuals accessing training and CPDopportunities through the project.

In April, the partners were presented with an award forCollaboration in Higher Level Skills, at the regions CelebratingLearning and Skills Success (CLASS) Awards, sponsored by OneNorth East and Business and Enterprise North East (BENE).Over 1,200 guests came together to celebrate the achievementsof those at the cutting edge of skills development, where thecollaboration between Subsea NE, Newcastle University andNewcastle College was cited as an exceptionally broad and

innovative example of employer engagement. D.r Fiona Whitehurstcollecting the award, alongside colleagues from Newcastle Collegeand Subsea NE says: The support the University and Collegehave received from the subsea firms has been excellent and welook forward to strengthening the relationship through furthercollaborative activities including our participation in the NationalSubsea Research Institute

Far from being a short-term effort, Subsea NE is keen tomaintain the position of the North East of England as a world-renowned, centre of subsea engineering, as Neil Kirkbride, ChiefExecutive Officer of BEL Valves, a division of British EnginesLimited, and a key supporter of the project explains: Theestablishment and success of these new courses in Newcastlesends a strong message about the strength of our regionalsector. Firms in North East England will continue to invest in staffand attract new learners in order to maintain the world classskills this region can currently boast.

Subsea Firms Support Future Talentitech, the innovative underwaterechnology company, continueso harness the skills of the nexteneration of subsea engineers.Across Tritechs two sites in

lverston, Cumbria and Westhill,berdeenshire, the company has beenurturing the potential of five studentpprentices.

At Westhill, a student and araduate from Aberdeen Universityave been employed as Studentngineers. Gregor Will and Ben Birdre working under the guidance of theustomer Support Team and will ben placement until mid-September.he students are obtaining hands

n experience in quality controlnd design as well as gaining anppreciation of the various subseapplications that Tritech products aresed for.Tritechs Ulverston site has threeectronic Technician Apprentices;conjunction with apprentice

ngineering and technology trainingrovider GEN II, who are at varioustages in the four year placement.hris Ronson has recently justompleted a work-based portfolio asart of his final year to achieve anVQ level 3+ alongside completings HNC in Electrical & Electronicngineering. Whilst two apprenticesre nearing the end of their secondear, Sam Simpson and Jake Holmesave been receiving onsite training,pending the last year workingowards their NVQ level 3 andompleting their ONC in Electrical &ectronic Engineering in preparationr starting their HNC this year.Knowledge and competency

ndoubtedly go hand-in-hand withelecting the right individual to workt Tritech. As Bill Jaffray, Process andmprovements Manager comments,kills, commitment and teamwork aret the heart of Tritech:

Establishing student placementswithin Tritech has allowed us toattract the best calibre of individuals.

The programme we offer allows thestudents to interact with their peersas we create a learning environmentwhich necessitates teamwork.

Craig Thorburn, Customer SupportEngineer comments on the placementopportunities Tritech provides:

We are able to provide industryleading products for the subseamarket as a direct result of our

dedicated world-class team. Partof this success comes from ourability to take in student graduates,

apprentices as well as placementstudents and give them their firstchance of working in an industrialenvironment. We aim to help themdevelop key personal skills, such asteamwork and communication, whichthey will come to rely on in theirfuture careers.

Ben Bird, Tritech Student Engineer,describes his experience:

Working for Tritech has enabledme to put my knowledge and skills intopractice, providing me with an exciting

insight into the world of subseaengineering and technology.

Tritech Commits to Future Subsea Talent

Technical Team Leader Chris Stebbens (middle) and apprentices Sam Simpson (left) and Jake Holmes.

Subsea firms who have contributed to the project are recognised at a celebratoryevent at Newcastle College. (l-r): Gary Ormiston of SMD, Jerry Baker of AtkinsBoreas, Michelle Unger of Penspen Integrity, Alison Ennis of BEL Valves, Nick Leeof CTC Marine and Jon Greenwood of IHC Engineering Business.Image by Gavin Duthie.

CSL Launches Decommissioning Introduction Coursengineering and project management company, CSL, has introduced a one-day Decommissioning Introduction course tos training portfolio.The course is designed to provide managers, engineers and non-technical personnel with an overview of the processvolved in decommissioning offshore oil and gas installations, with a focus on the environmental, safety and financialsues.Neil Knowles, CSLs Managing Director, says, With more than 800 facilities in the North Sea that will eventually

equire decommissioning, demand for knowledge in this area is on the increase.Topics covered in the course include; decommissioning regulations and legislation; decommissioning options; well

bandonment process; subsea structure removal; pipeline recovery; management of decommissioning waste; re-usef offshore facilities, structures and pipeline; abandonment in-situ; costs associated with decommissioning; and casetudies.By demonstrating the challenges and lessons learned from past decommissioning projects, delegates gain an

nderstanding of the decommissioning process from a real-life perspective which is invaluable, adds Neil.CSLs training courses are offered as both in-company and public courses.

Devon based Babcock Marine has increased productivity, reducedcosts, increased sales and profits after working with Semta, theSector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturingtechnologies.

The UKs leading naval support company needed the rightpeople with the right skills to complete the development of theHMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and to be prepared for work on thesecond warship, HMS Prince of Wales, due to begin in Appledorein January 2012.

In the last 18 months Semta has supported 71 UK Marinecompanies across the UK and as a result 668 employees haveembarked on a qualification; marine companies have accessed1.2m worth of funding with Semtas support.

Babcock Marine called upon Semta for assistance in developingappropriate training programmes for its employees. Semtaworked with the company to develop a robust Management andLeadership programme, delivering high level industry approvedNational Vocational Qualifications (NVQs). Prior to Semtasinvolvement, the company did not have training plans in place forits senior level employees but since doing so, Babcock has alreadyseen significant benefits; employees are now re-evaluating howproducts are categorised, and introducing additional modularapproaches to variations in each package.

Philip Whiteman, Chief Executive of Semta comments: Thereare significant skills shortages in the marine sector that n eedto be filled. So we urge marine businesses like Babcock Marineto take advantage of Semtas service and our National SkillsAcademy programmes, as the benefits are clear, quantifiable andcan have a huge impact on the bottom-line of small to mediumsized businesses in particular.

Semtas role is to raise skill levels and competitiveness in thesectors it represents. Semta and its National Skills Academyfor Manufacturing can do this by helping you understand yourcompanys skills needs and providing solutions to tackle them.

NCS Survey recently performed some restricted access dataacquisition with one of their Gavia Offshore Surveyor AUVs forShell Upstream International Europe.

The primary reason for the survey was to observe anypossible scouring around the spud cans of the jack-up drillingrig located alongside a platform. The AUV flew several linesbetween the legs of the jack-up drilling rig, as well as a coupleof lines between the stern legs and the fixed platform. As canbe seen from the accompanying images, the MBES and SSSimage are both very high resolution. The SSS is a 900kHzMarine Sonics system and the MBES is a 500kHz Geoswatheinterferometric system. The data was acquired in a single divein water depths of less than 10m.

Previously, to perform such a survey required the drilling rig

to suspend drilling operations, lift up the hoses deployed over theside and sail a small vessel under the drilling rig, which obviouslyhad safety implications. By using the AUV, NCS Survey were ableto deploy and recover the vehicle from the standby vessel whilstlocated outside of the 500m zone, thus allowing safer operationsand removing the need to suspend drilling.

The survey is expected to be repeated on a regular basis tomonitor any scour developing around the spud cans. The vehiclecan be mobilised in just a few hours and the data acquired withinthe endurance of a single battery pack which lasts 4 hours. Theoption to utilise 2 battery packs is also available for longer scopes.

The systems have been used on a number of different typesof projects including pipeline inspection, harbour surveys anddecommissioning.

Marine Companies Benefitfrom Semta Expertise inImproving Skills & Training

NCS Surveys Low Flying AUVs


7/9


TECHNOLOGY


ACHIEVEMENT

ACE Winches, a leader in the design,manufacture and hire of hydraulicwinches, marine deck machineryand provision associated personnelfor the offshore oil and gas, marineand renewable energy markets,was presented with the covetedQueens Award for Enterprise2010 International Trade by LordLieutenant of Banffshire, ClareRussell at a special celebration.

ACE Winches was awardedthe prestigious accolade bydemonstrating its internationalgrowth in overseas earnings. Since2003, when the company had 25

employees and a turnover of 1.8million, it has focussed on its mainobjective to achieve sustainedgrowth, success and profitability. Thecompany now employs over 150 staffwith a projected combined turnoverof 16 million by October of thisyear, 75% of turnover realised frominternational activities and sales.

Winning the Queens Award istestament to its policy of long-term organic growth, careful cashmanagement, an avoidance of high-risk expenditure and re-investmentof profits back into the business.

Valerie Cheyne, Chief FinancialOfficer of ACE Winches, said:We are extremely proud to havereceived the Queens Award. Thisacknowledges the hard work,commitment and professionalism ofour employees across the company.

The award is also a testament

of our efforts within the north-east economy to export skills andproducts to the global market.

We will continue to invest indeveloping our people and growingour service offering to ensure thatACE Winches continues to providetailored-made solutions for ourclients in the manufacture andhire of deck machinery and heavilyinvest and grow a strong hire fleetdivision.

Scottish singer, Robert Lovie wasthe Master of Ceremonies for theevent, which recognised 12 of itsemployees with a long service award.

Scott Still, Steven Smith, JacquelineHenderson and John Barron wereamong the longest serving membersof the team, who have collectivelybeen with the company for 46 years.

As part of the celebratoryevent, the company also awarded16 apprentices with ModernApprenticeship Certificates andtwo Trainee Engineers Certificates,before the Lord Lieutenant openedthe ACE Highland Games, whichincluded tug of war, whisky keg,caber tossing and lots more.

Mrs Cheyne continued: It was afantastic celebration for both thecompany and individual members ofstaff who have been recognised fortheir achievements. Our employeesare very important to us and ourmain objective is to secure the longterm future for all our staff andfamilies.

Awarded to Wilton EngineeringServices (part of the WiltonGroup) by IHC EB, the contractencompassed the fabrication andconstruction of a giant 1500 tonnetop tension J Lay Tower plus ancillaryequipment for Saipems new Pipelayvessel, FDS2.

The Wilton Group, who are locatedat the Port Clarence Offshore BaseMiddlesbrough, received the two year

multi million pound contract at theend of 2008. It was a proud momentfor all the construction team whenthe huge structure was finallycomplete, and safely loaded onto atransport vessel heading for Korea,to mate up with the FDS2 vessel inJune 2010.

The J Lay Tower when erect has aheight of approx 80 metres and 16mwide, Weighing in at approx 1800tonnes with a top tension capacityof 1500 tonnes, this makes it oneof the worlds most capable pipelaysystems.

The load out was no easy task. Bututilising both Wiltons RoRo angledquay and its main quay with heav y liftequipment to hand, the structurewas safely and steadily loaded outonto the transportation vessel whichwould be delivering the load to Korea.

Wilton Group Global BusinessAmbassador Des Hatfieldcomments: With all the doomand gloom currently surroundingthe worlds economies, its veryrewarding at this time for a companylike Wilton, to still be producing

high quality, high specificationstructures and equipment for theworlds largest and best offshorecontractors like Saipem, Technipand Acergy. With new contractsof a similar type now in productionwe look forward to expanding ourexpertise and services in the UK andOverseas.

Success forWilton asSAIPEM J LayTower Sets Sail

Ace Winches Presentedwith Queens Award atSpecial Celebration

xpanding its advanced technology portfolio for theeepwater drilling and production sector, GE Oil &as has officially launched the new VetcoGray DHXTeepwater horizontal tree and integral control system athe 2010 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) takingace from May 3-6 in Houston, Texas, U.S.The DHXT is designed to operate in water depths up

o 10,000 feet and at pressures up to 15,000 psi. Thetreamlined design reduces standard industry horizontalree footprint by 12% (to 4.5M x 4.4M) and weight by0% (to 43.7 tonnes), delivering significant installation,aintenance and cost benefits for operators.The D-Series package includes the integral VetcoGrayodPod, a subsea control module that is powered

y SemStar5, representing a new generation oftra-reliable, open architecture subsea control andstrumentation systems.Designed and manufactured in Houston, U.S. and

berdeen, Scotland, U.K., the newest member of GEsodular, short-delivery subsea tree systems, and therst of the Deepwater D-Series to be launched, the DHXT

horizontal tree builds on more than 25 years of designheritage and subsea experience.

As with the new VetcoGray SVXT S-series subsea tree(for shallow-waters) that GE launched at Offshore Europe2009, the new VetcoGray DHXT is a flexible solution,and design-engineered as the result of continuousconsultation and input from both major and independentoil companies. This approach delivers improvedfunctionality and flexibility by incorporating commonproject requirements to meet a wide range of customerstandards.

The new D-Series package includes the integralVetcoGray ModPod, powered by the VetcoGraySemStar5, a fifth generation subsea electronics module,

for first deployment next year by Statoils Tordis VigdisControls Modification (TVCM) project in the North Sea,west of Norway.

Featuring a modular design approach, SemStar5offers new levels of open architecture IP-enabledcommunication capabilities and infrastructure tosupport the higher bandwidth requirements of moderninstrumentation, while also offering high reliability.

The VetcoGray SemStar5 is being developed andmanufactured at GE Oil & Gas facilities in Nailsea, U.K.along with VetcoGray ModPod subsea control modules,and will be shipped to the project site in Norway forinstallation offshore shortly. The VetcoGray SemStar5was awarded a Spotlight on New Technology Award atlast years Offshore Technology Conference.

In addition, the new DHXT and subsea system canbe monitored remotely from GEs new SmartCenter(Subsea Monitoring and Remote Technology Center) astate of the art remote-access data hub connected tosubsea field control and instrumentation facilities aroundthe world. Officially opened in October 2009, the newSmartCenter facility offers assistance and services tothe field at every stage of development - from installationand commissioning, through field start up and onwardsinto routine operation for operational support, conditionmonitoring, diagnostics, and production optimisation.

The DHXT deepwater tree with integral control systemalso features the option for a SemStar5-R, which isa freestanding subsea data hub package designed for

installation on subsea trees, manifolds and processfacilities. The unit is deployed and retrieved by ROV, withconnections to the subsea control and instrumentationsystem made with wet-mateable ROV-deployed jumpers using either electrical or fiber-optic connections. Theexternal package is fully marinised for long-term subseaimmersion, and the internal data-hub multiplexing unitis an application-specific configuration of the innovativeVetcoGray SemStar5 subsea electronics module.

GE Oil & Gas Launches New VetcoGrayD-Series Deepwater Subsea System

Maersk Oil Extends GE Oil & Gas Frame Agreement for North Sea Projects

E Oil & Gas is pleased to announce the signing of a new frame agreement with Maersk Oil North Sea UK Limited. Theew agreement runs for a five-year period.Under the new agreement GE Oil & Gas will continue to supply subsea wellheads, trees and tubular products for

xploration and developed projects in the North Sea. GE Oil & Gas estimates the total value of the agreement to be inxcess of $80M.

Frame agreements provide a standardised scope of supply designed to enhance manufacture and minimise down timend cost for the duration of the agreement.

GE Oil & Gas is a major supplier of subsea hardware to the Oil & Gas Industry and looks forward to supporting Maerskil in its ongoing development requirements over the next five years.


8/9


ACHIEVEMENT

Working in conjunction with their engineering partners ALLCEANS, the 3000m rated fly out offers visual inspectionupport for host vehicle operations in busy, congestednd high risk operating environments. The support thisrovides can be categorised into two vital roles:As a BUDDY the AC-ROV 3000 can keep a watching eye

n the host vehicle. Duties include checking the tether,ving added perspective on any tool deployments andenerally providing an overview of operations. This addsp to reducing risk, limiting host vehicle movement andcreased productivity.As a SCOUT it can be advanced into areas where the

ost vehicle cannot go, or the risks for it are too great,: pipe work, wreck inspection, thermal vents etc.surance cover for high risk operations can be difficult

o obtain or prohibitively expensive. This is where a lessxpensive asset comes into its own, which was one ofhe design drivers for the AC-ROV 3000. The vehicle is

small, simple and robust thereby minimising the valueand maximising the durability of the part exposed to thegreatest risk.

Inline with the AC-CESS ethos of mobility androbustness, the AC-ROV 3000 retains the clean, snagfree shape and orbital mobility of the original AC-ROVunderwater inspection system. The vehicle is garaged onthe host ROV and is deployed and recovered by an electric

Tether Management System (TMS), another All Oceansspecialisation.

AC-CESS business development manager, CallumMagee, explained that the AC-ROV 3000 fly-out is afurther milestone in AC-CESSs history:

The AC-ROV 3000 is testament to the originalAC-ROV design and is a clear statement of intent. Itfurther demonstrates the forward thinking and industrycommitment of both AC-CESS and ALL OCEANS whichkeeps us where we want to be at the front.

AC-ROV 3000 Fly-Out ROV Revealed to the Marketby AC-CESS Co UK Limited of Aberdeen, Scotland

aipem Ltd Sonsub Division 3Draphic designer Kevin Ho hasecently been named as a Youngrofessional of the Year by theuropean Construction InstituteECI) for his efforts in developingnd implementing 3D stereoscopicnimation technology into the Saipemroject lifecycle.Taking inspiration from thecience-fiction film Avatar, Aberdeen-ased Kevin, along with engineeringolleague Neil Millington, decidedo investigate if the 3D effect

ould be recreated in Saipemswn animations which were beingroduced to accompany commercialds, for project HAZID meetings andr offshore project briefings.Kevin commented: We have

onstantly strived to upgrade ournimations to keep pace with currentechnology, incorporating sound,ealistic sea and skies, humanotion, etc. But these advancesre different - the entire screen hasepth, taking on the appearancef a window through which theewer is watching a world on thecreen, with a distinct foregroundnd background, rather than a flat,oving painting. Hopefully end usersill find some benefit in the newepth perception that stereoscopic

magery can provide.The judges at ECI, a learning and

mprovement network covering thentire project cycle for engineeringonstruction, remarked: Kevinan excellent example of the

readth of talent required by the

engineering construction sector inorder to be competitive. Kevin joinedSaipem straight from graduatingin a course in Product Designfrom Aberdeens Robert GordonUniversity in 2006. His first role wasas a CAD draughtsman where herapidly gained skills and knowledge.Kevins technical expertise in thedevelopment and use of 3D modellinghas enabled Saipem to offer its fieldengineers and its clients a uniquecompetence in using stereoscopic3D in computerised animations.Kevins enthusiasm and meticulouscommitment were instrumental in

getting these technologies adoptedby Saipem.

Sonsub Division methodsmanager Vibor Paravic also offeredhis congratulations, adding:Kevins dedication to his job hasbeen integral in developing our 3Danimation capacities, which furthercomplements our existing SIMPL(Sonsub Integrated Management ofthe Project Lifecycle) philosophy. Thework of the 3D group has made us arecognised industry leader in the fieldand I am certain that both Kevin andNeil will continue to keep us ahead ofthe curve.

Saipem Graphic Designer Wins Awardfor 3D Technology Innovation

Bibby Offshore Limited, the provider of turnkey subsea construction/IRM andoffshore management services, today announced changes to its board ofdirectors to support the companys ongoing growth.

Effective from 1st July 2010, Fraser Moonie, who previously held theposition of commercial director for the Aberdeen-based contractor, hasassumed the role of managing director of Bibby Offshore, whilst HowardWoodcock moves from the role of Bibby Offshores chief executive to chairman,retaining the role of chief executive of the holding company of the BibbyOffshore group of companies.

Commenting, Fraser Moonie said: As managing director I have responsibilityfor all our trading activities and most importantly project execution. This bringsa real focus to maintaining the maximum level of reliability and service deliveryand as such I will be working closely with our operations and asset managementteams. I am delighted to have taken over this new role.

Howard Woodcock said: Having further developed our service offering andexpanded our business internationally we have reorganised our managementteam to ensure we maintain operational excellence for our clients whilstcontinuing to drive the business forward through strategic growth. Frasersappointment as managing director of all our trading activities allows me toconcentrate on the long-term development of the business.

A chartered quantity surveyor, Fraser Moonie joined Bibby Offshore in 2003as commercial manager and was promoted to the position of commercialdirector in 2006.

The largest mono-hull wellintervention vessel ever built made arare visit to the North-East recently.

The 157 metre long Skandi Akerberthed in Peterhead harbour, duringa brief stop-over while en route toNorway, after completing deep watertrials in the West of Shetland.

It was the first time the ship,which is operated by Aker Solutions,had docked on the UK mainland,weighing in at 16,000 metric tonnesand with a breadth of 27 metres andan 8.5 metre maximum draft.

Around 100 invited guests fromacross the oil and gas industry weretaken on a tour of the Skandi Akerduring its one-day stay in the port.

Designed and built to conductdeepwater well intervention, subseaconstruction and installation in thetoughest offshore conditions in theworld, the ship can carry a crewof up to 140 people and comesequipped with deck skidding systemsand a 54 metre tall derrick forhandling well intervention equipmentabove subsea wells.

With on-board moon pools forlaunching remotely operated vehiclesand two active heave compensatedcranes with lift capacity of 100metric tonnes and 400 metrictonnes respectively, she has a cargoarea the size of half a football pitchand is capable of reaching speeds ofup to 18 knots.

Alan Brunnen, managing directorof Aker Solutions subsea businessin Aberdeen, said: This was a uniquechance to see one of the mostadvanced vessels of its kind andthere was a great deal of interest in

the Skandi Aker when she berthed inthe North-East.

It is the first opportunity theindustry has had to see this brandnew generation of vessel.

Bibby Offshore Appoints Managing Director

Worlds Largest Mono-hull WellIntervention Vessel Docks in Peterhead


ACHIEVEMENT

3D glasses at the ready: An example of 3D stereoscopic animation


9/9

Subsea UK The Innovation Centre, Exploration Drive, Aberdeen Science and Energy Park, Bridge of Don,

Aberdeen AB23 8GX Tel: +44 (0)845 505 3535 Email: [email protected] www.subseauk.com

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