Houlder Attracting Houston’s Offshore Engineering Talent
U.K.-based engineering group Houlder has launched a new venture to support clients headquartered in the United States following an increasing number of successful global projects for oil majors, operators and service providers. Houlder Americas Inc. opened its San Felipe Plaza doors earlier this year and is already undertaking work for a growing number of clients including Ensco and Schlumberger. Key to the business’s success is employing local engineers to work alongside the small team that has relocated from the U.K. led by Garry Kennie, Houlder Americas Inc. president.
Houlder Fuels Advances in LNG with Boil-off Gas Recondensing Unit
Increased emission legislation is impacting on the maritime industry and the development of LNG as a fuel is growing at a pace. The marine engineers and designers at Houlder have recognized this and are developing specialist equipment as a result. An example, announced this week at the Lloyd’s Maritime Academy LNG Bunkering Seminar, is a standalone processing unit that efficiently manages boil-off gas on board bunker vessels and client ships. With potentially 5,000 LNG fuelled vessels on the horizon, Houlder’s unit is expected to make a significant impact to LNG powered vessels in the future.
Gas Ship Expertise Expands Houlder’s Offering
Marine design and engineering company Houlder announced the formation of an LNG project team in its London headquarters. Ian Meaden, Des Upcraft and Lijo Thomas joined the team this month to work exclusively on developing LNG projects in response to market requirements. The company said its new talent investment means it can build on its current LNG equipment projects to help with all aspects of marine design, engineering and project management from initial FEED study to implementation.
Houlder, MPI Install 650T Pile Gripper Arms
The pile Gripper Arms, installed this week, stabilize 6m diameter 650t steel piles as they are driven into the seabed by the MPI Discovery installation jack up vessel. Installed on the vessel’s stern below deck level, they provide resistance to wave, tide and current forces in water depths of up to 40m. Their position and the additional control this provides significantly reduces installation times providing a valuable enhancement to the Discovery’s capability, Houlder said. “The challenge of handling offshore wind turbine piles has grown along with their size.” commented Frederic Perdrix…
BMT Reports Success at Seawork 2011
BMT Nigel Gee Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has enjoyed double success at the 2011 Seawork International Innovations Showcase. The Turbine Access System (TAS), developed in conjunction with marine engineers Houlder, has won both the Marine Renewables Category and overall Spirit of Innovation award. The lightweight motion compensated gangway provides safe and reliable access from workboats onto turbine structures. The TAS enhances safety as well as increasing wave height capability, by utilising a damped roller system which allows the vessel a degree of vertical movement at the foundation and executes crew transfer via a lightweight, motion compensated gangway.
