Oceaneering Acquires Ecosse Subsea
Houston-headquartered Oceaneering International has, through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, acquired the Aberdeen-based Ecosse Subsea Limited for approximately GBP 50 million (US$69 Million). Headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, Ecosse builds and operates seabed preparation, route clearance and trenching tools for submarine cables and pipelines on an integrated basis that includes vessels, ROVs and survey services. Enabling technologies acquired in the transaction include Ecosse's modular SCAR Seabed System, capable of completing the entire trenching work scope (route preparation, boulder clearance, trenching and backfill), and its newly developed SCARJet trenching system.
Bibby Steers to Offshore Cable Installation
Bibby Offshore announced its decision to move into the offshore wind array cable installation market. The company has purchased a power cable lay carousel from Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS), which will enable Bibby Offshore to lay power cables for offshore wind projects from its vessels. Bibby Offshore and ESS have also entered into strategic alliance by way of a framework agreement. Under this alliance, Bibby Offshore will provide commercial expertise supported by subsea project management and engineering experience, while ESS will provide innovation and in depth sector competence through its trenching expertise. Both companies will collaborate to develop other technologies and working methods which will benefit clients by reducing risk and lowering project costs.
First Vessel 'Plugs In' to New Hueneme Power System
The Port commissioned the Hamburg Sud’s M/V Cap Palmerston, carrying fresh fruit for Chiquita Brands of Charlotte, North Carolina during a ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce the Port of Hueneme’s recently installed Grid-Based Shore Power system. Community leaders were on hand to view this first vessel ‘plug in’. The initial test of ‘plugging in’ a vessel is critical to assessing the performance of this new and very high voltage shore power system. It is also vital to ensuring all trained units including ILWU and ship operators become comfortable with operating the gear.
Port of Hueneme Tests Grid-Based Shore Power
The Port of Hueneme conducted its first operational and safety vessel test of its recently installed Grid-Based Shore Power system. Port crews were on hand to view this first vessel ‘plug in’ by Hamburg Sud’s M/V Cap Pasley, carrying fresh fruit for Chiquita Brands of Charlotte, North Carolina. The initial test of ‘plugging in’ a vessel is critical to the assessing performance of this new and very high voltage shore power system. It is also vital to ensuring all trained units including ILWU and ship operators become comfortable with operating the gear. The process tests the vessel’s ability to synchronize with and connect to the Port’s grid-based system.
Baltic Wind Success Paves Way for Ecosse Subsea Systems
Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) has completed a £4.7 million boulder clearing and pre-lay trenching project which it claims has been one of the most successful ever conducted for the wind energy sector. As subcontractor to Siem Offshore Contractors (SOC), the Banchory-based subsea specialist completed 86 boulder clearing passes followed by 172 first and multi-passes over a 90km route during a 13-week boulder clearing and trenching campaign on the EnBW Baltic 2 offshore wind farm project.
Ecosse Subsea Completes Total E&P Project
Ecosse Subsea Systems has completed a major seabed clearance project on the Laggan-Tormore project west of Shetland on behalf of Total E&P Ltd and its partner Dong E&P (UK) Ltd. The Aberdeen subsea technology company deployed its SCAR1 trenching tool to remove up to 1000 boulders which were delaying progress on cable laying and umbilical installation work. The SCAR1 cut a 10 metre wide swathe over a 67km route, displacing boulders up to two metres in diameter and removing soil to leave a flat seabed for pipe laying to commence.
Ecosse Subsea Systems’ Growing Engineering Division
Energy technology company, Ecosse Subsea Systems, (ESS) has increased the size of its engineering division in response to client demand for specialist engineering packages. Aberdeen-based ESS specialises in trenching, deepwater installation and subsea lifting technologies for the oil and gas, marine and renewable industries, and has a range of patented technologies in development. The new division will complement ESS’ well established consultancy service and will be headed up by chartered engineers David Hunt and Faris Lutfy.
