Offshore Europe News

As Oceanology International celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Marine Technology Reporter explores half a century of subsea technology development and discovery. Oceanology International Americas runs February 25-27, 2019 in San Diego.When Oceanology launched in 1969 in the seaside resort of Brighton the world was a very different place. For a start, Brighton was home to the mods and rockers, who would square off against each other on the town’s elegant seafront. The British currency included shillings and ha’ pennies and man had yet to step foot on the moon.More crucially…

Finalists for the Offshore Achievement Awards 2019 have been revealed last week.The annual awards, which are hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section, give recognition to the best talent, performance and innovation in the offshore energy industry. The award is supported by principal sponsor TAQA.This year’s shortlist recognises exceptional companies, both large and small, ground-breaking technological developments and individuals who go above and beyond in the sector.Over 90 entries were received…

Choosing the ‘top stories of 2018’ was, this year, a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way. Read on to find out how and why.Autonomous Vessels: Ready or Not, Here They ComeFuturistic, remote-controlled autonomous marine vehicles aren’t coming. They are here. As the pace of change quickens, autonomous vessels are already providing service and value on the water. Out ahead of the rulemaking process, autonomous technology providers already churn out not just prototypes and designs, but also countless workboats, many already in service.

The greening of America’s energy signature will not come without the usual discussions, regulatory oversight – and opposition from a raft of special interests.Amidst an atmosphere of possible resurgence in the domestic offshore oil energy, maritime stakeholders are also reminded that there is more than one kind of energy available for development off the four collective coasts of the United States. That process is underway in the Great Lakes; it has already happened off of New England.

Finalists for the 2017 Offshore Achievement Awards, sponsored by TAQA, have been announced today {Friday 13 January}. Hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section, the annual awards recognise some of the industry’s most innovative technology developments as well as talented individuals and exceptional large and small company performance. This year’s shortlist comprises a wide cross-section of the offshore sector, with companies large and small, spanning a variety of sub-sectors, represented. Categories including Innovator, Emerging Technology and Young Professional have proven popular with entrants this year. For the first time in 2017…

Brave Tern, a vessel used for the installation of wind turbines at sea, dominates the Rotterdam skyline as The 132m long ship was jacked up to a height of about 70 meters to test its extended legs. Brave Tern is owned by Norwegian Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, and it has four jacking legs with which she can position herself firmly on the seabed. The four legs of the Brave Tern are extended with fourteen meter each up to 92.4 meters during recent weeks in Rotterdam. The upgrading of…

Reflex Marine, a specialist in offshore personnel access by crane, will exhibit its FROG-XT transfer device range for the first time at the 41st SPE Offshore Europe Conference & Exhibition from the September 8-11 in Aberdeen. Having unveiled the prototype in at OE in 2013, Reflex Marine will now show the finished product at this years’ show. The FROG-XT offers operators a flexible solution to their personnel transfer needs with a choice of four-, six- and 10-person capacity devices.

Safety equipment manufacturer VIKING Life-Saving Equipment said its Offshore Safety Agreements are providing relief for offshore operators seeking to ensure compliance for their safety equipment with minimal in-house administrative overheads in a new, cost-focused paradigm. VIKING, a manufacturer of marine safety equipment and provider of servicing worldwide, will be on hand at Offshore Europe, September 8-11, to help offshore operators and drilling rig owners optimize safety equipment logistics.

Reflex Marine said it is set to unveil its newly developed crane transfer device FROG-XT at this year’s Offshore Europe. The company has largely specialized in crane transfer and offshore access with its two key products, FROG and TORO, driving forward improved safety standards. The FROG-XT is an evolution of the current FROG capsule and captures over 20 years of Reflex Marine’s vast learning and experience. Reflex Marine will showcase a prototype of the FROG-XT at its booth at Offshore Europe, which takes place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center September 3-6.

A standard program template for U.K. offshore decommissioning projects has been credited with heralding a step-change for the industry after being formally endorsed by the U.K. regulators and successfully trialed by three international operators for different types of asset. Decommissioning industry body Decom North Sea (DNS) developed the template in partnership with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The new template will help streamline and standardize the format for decommissioning programs throughout the UKCS whilst still fully satisfying regulatory requirements.

Ocean Power Technologies Ltd. (OPT), a supplier of moored floating buoys that harvest energy from waves, announced that it has chosen Offshore Europe to launch its PowerBuoy technology into the global oil and gas sector. Already demonstrated in the defense, renewables and utilities sectors, the PowerBuoy is capable of delivering energy from a few kilowatts (kW)to several 100 kW, and has been successfully deployed in Hawaii, U.K. and New Jersey. The PowerBuoy moves freely up and down with the rise and fall of waves.

The Ferguson Group, specialists in the rental of DNV 2.7-1 / EN 12079 certified offshore containers, refrigeration/freezer modules, engineering modules and accommodation solutions to the global offshore energy industry, is exhibiting this week at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen at indoor stand 2E132 and outdoor stand X40. Ferguson Group has recently announced the launch of its new Zone 2 workshop, which was designed and manufactured by the Group in 3m or 6m sizes. The 6m module is fitted with a Zone 2 air conditioning system and a manual internal lifting crane…

Hydrasun, a provider of integrated fluid transfer, power and control solutions, is teaming up with Parker Hannifin, a specialist in motion and control technologies, at Offshore Europe 2013 to showcase a range of process control instrumentation products and added value services, which support the industry’s Hydrocarbon Leak Reduction initiative. A practical demonstration area at the Parker Instrumentation technology center (stand X60),  will offer hands-on educational opportunities…

Reed Exhibitions Energy and Marine group (RX Energy and Marine) is launching a series of oil spill prevention and response technology and service zones throughout its global portfolio in collaboration with the U.K. Spill Association (UKSpill) and the European Spill Association (Eurospill). As commercial operations in the world’s oceans continue to develop, the requirement to be able to operate with the least possible environmental impact is an even greater focus than it has ever been for all industries. Also, as activities move into new and harsher territories, meeting this requirement means the development of new strategies and technologies to cope with different and challenging environments.

Finalists for this year’s Offshore Achievement Awards have been named  {Tuesday 22 January}, in an announcement which celebrates the highest performing companies and individuals within the energy industry. The 2013 awards, which were launched in October by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section, received a high level of interest across each of the categories. TAQA Bratani is supporting the awards as main sponsor for a second successive year. The awards, which were re-launched in 2011 by SPE Aberdeen…

Tritech offers a 360° real-time anchor-chain & riser integrity system for Floating Production Storage & Offloading Units (FPSOs). A field-proven technology, RAMS™ offers continuous monitoring of the presence, integrity and position of mooring lines and risers 24/7 from proprietary sonar technology deployed beneath the FPSO turret. First launched at Offshore Europe 2011, this unique 360° sonar technology has beam steering capability that allows the system to be configured upon installation. This ensures its deployment provides the optimum sonar return from the mooring lines and risers in order to provide 100% target detection and reliability.

Schlumberger announced at the Offshore Europe 2011 Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition the release of the FORTRESS isolation valve. The FORTRESS valve is designed to simplify the transition from upper completion to production without the need for intervention. “The FORTRESS isolation valve was designed based on field-proven experience and extensive testing related to debris accumulation,” said Mike Garding, president, Schlumberger Completions. “The new valve serves as a bidirectional barrier valve that exceeds ISO 28781 standards to the point of providing a bubble-tight barrier. This barrier enables increased safety, especially in applications such as deepwater where high differential pressure is required.

Oil and gas professionals are upbeat about the future of North Sea operations, Offshore Europe poll reveals. 57% of delegates at Offshore Europe expect investment in the North Sea oil and gas industry to increase in 2012, according to Economist Intelligence Unit research commissioned by GL Noble Denton. Offshore Europe, Aberdeen – 7 September, 2011: Oil and gas industry professionals are optimistic that there will be increased investment activity in the North Sea next year, according to a poll conducted yesterday at the Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen.

The concept chosen for the Mariner heavy oil project on the UK continental shelf includes a production, drilling and quarter (PDQ) platform based on a steel jacket, with a floating storage unit (FSU). Statoil expects a final investment decision in late 2012 and first oil in late 2016. The Bressay heavy oil project on the UK continental shelf is also progressing according to plan, one year behind Mariner, to ensure transfer of learning and synergies. The Mariner and Bressay projects were presented at a press briefing by Statoil’s executive vice president for Development and Production International, Peter Mellbye, at SPE Offshore Europe 2011 in Aberdeen. “After a period of uncertainty, I am proud to be able to say that we are back on track with the landmark Mariner and Bressay developments.

Gulfstream Services International (Gulfstream), provider of cutting edge equipment to the international oil and gas industry, is launching a world-first fully-automated wireless cement head to the UK market at Offshore Europe today. Gulfstream Services International UK (Gulfstream UK) was set up in January 2010 in Aberdeen to serve the international oil and gas industry and growing demand from customers in UK, Norway, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Gulfstream UK’s turnover has grown to £2million due to its three product lines: Remote Actuated Cement Heads…

Peter Mellbye, Statoil’s executive vice president for Development and Production International. The concept chosen for the Mariner heavy oil project on the UK continental shelf includes a production, drilling and quarter (PDQ) platform based on a steel jacket, with a floating storage unit (FSU). Statoil expects a final investment decision in late 2012 and first oil in late 2016. The Bressay heavy oil project on the UK continental shelf is also progressing according to plan, one year behind Mariner, to ensure transfer of learning and synergies.

“Despite a long-term decline in oil & gas production in the North Sea, its services and support industry has a bright future,” said John Westwood, Chairman of energy business advisors Douglas-Westwood, in Aberdeen this week. Addressing a major event organized by the Norwegian British Chamber of Commerce on opportunities and challenges for the industry in the North Sea area, Westwood noted that the North Sea is a major world-class basin that for the past 40 years has delivered huge economic benefits to Norway and The UK. “However, oil & gas production is in decline,” he said.

The Chief Executive of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), Hugh Williams, 59, has announced his intention to stand down at the end of 2012 after 10 years in post. IMCA is the international trade association for offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies with about 850 members in over 60 countries all around the world. It focuses on offshore construction and marine operations mainly in support of offshore oil & gas, but also marine renewable energy, dredging and telecommunications cable laying.