Latest News

• Region: All
• Date: Dec, 2021

After a rigorous selection process by a panel of expert judges, on a night filled with celebration and laughter in Aberdeen, the winners of the Offshore Well Intervention Global Awards 2021 were finally revealed.

Spanning six separate categories, the awards recognised companies which had, across another incredibly challenging year, remained stalwart in their commitment to progressing the well intervention industry through creating new practices, evidencing new techniques and launching new technologies.

The OWI Awards 2021 winners:

Most Innovative Solution: Baker Hughes

Recognising that subsea wellhead removal from vessels can bring constraints and risks, Baker Hughes introduced the Terminator vessel-deployed, ROV powered subsea wellhead cutting system. This system includes a hydraulic motor, wellhead connector, and Hercules cutter in order to facilitate safe, efficient and cost-effective wellhead removals in a period of less than an hour for single cuts.

Using a mechanical cutter instead of AWJC methods, the Terminator system only requires two personnel to operate (6-8 are required for AWJC methods) and eliminates associated risks with high pressures, among other advantages.

The solution was deployed by Neptune Energy in the North Sea and was able to save the operator 6-12 rig hours while achieving no down time and no HSE issues.

Paul Stein, Commercial Director Subsea Intervention at Baker Hughes, said, “This award goes to the heart of Baker Hughes’s values around Collaborate, Lead, Care and Grow. To achieve this recognition, the team touched on all four of these values. Huge congratulations to both Jarle Hvidsten and Dave Scott, together with the Terminator project team in making this happen.

Commenting on the next steps for the Terminator solution, Stein added, “Proving the technology is now doing more work for customers and broadening its utilisation across the globe.”

Best Project Outcome: BiSN

BiSN was crowned victor of the Best Project Outcome for an outstanding campaign in the North Sea. The company was commissioned by AkerBP to set a final barrier within 30 wells to ensure a secure environmental solution so that the plugged wells did not emit pressurised gases. Due to the need to properly secure the well prior to the conductor removal, a non-permeable bismuth plug was placed inside the conductor to mitigate all risks for hydrocarbon migration from within the wellbore before the surface casing and conductor were removed.

The BiSN Wel-lok™ M2M technology was utilised for this campaign which was able to provide an environmentally safe gas tight sealing solution while reducing time, personnel and equipment required. The campaign was concluded ahead of schedule and all 30 plugs have been tested so that no emittance of gases will be detected, for perpetuity.

Colin Wooller, Global Head of Marketing at BiSN, remarked, “The whole team at BiSN appreciate the acknowledgment of winning such a prestigious award, it was truly a global effort with a very detailed testing programme completed at our UK and USA facilities in the two years prior to the start of the main campaign. Manufacturing of the tools were a separate challenge as these were the largest metal P&A plugs ever manufactured, weighing in at 15 tonnes. AkerBP provided support and technical input throughout the process, including obtaining approval from the Norwegian Petroleum Authority (PSA) to deploy the tools as a barrier, another major milestone in the acceptance of the BiSN products as a permanent P&A barrier.

“Building on the back of the PSA approval and with 300 tools now deployed across the globe, the next few years are packed with excitement for BiSN. We are leading the world in the deployment of bismuth-based alloy tools not just for P&A, but for a full range of completions and invention applications. Our research department also continues to develop new products including the soon to be launched Perf & Melt™ product that will revolutionise the P&A market again by bring the possibility of true rigless abandonment for the first time, with the elimination of section milling.”

Best Example of Collaboration: Subsea Services Alliance

The Subsea Services Alliance, which combines the collective knowledge and strengths of Schlumberger and Helix Energy Solutions Group, has been named the best example of collaboration at the Offshore Well Intervention Global Awards 2021.

The non-incorporated collaboration was conceived to deliver integrated subsea intervention and decommissioning solutions to the offshore oil and gas industry in order to maximise economic recovery and lower costs.

The capability of the Alliance has been demonstrated in the delivery of the Q7000, an advance semi-submersible well intervention vessel. The vessel has been hard at work in West Africa performing campaigns for Exxon Mobil, Total and Chevron in Nigeria; successfully lowering POB, increasing operational efficiency and capturing value.

David Carr, Senior Vice President of Helix Well Ops, noted, “After 7 years of the Subsea Services Alliance, and almost 100 wells intervened by an integrated Helix/Schlumberger package, we are very pleased to be acknowledged by the industry.”

HSE Innovation: FENNEX

FENNEX was recognised for its Behaviour-Based Safety Solution (BBSSTM) which addresses the challenges and complexities associated with end-to-end workflows governing the safety management in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Developed through the combination of deep-industry knowledge and cloud computing technologies the solution is engineered using AI and Machine Learning Technologies to allow the easy input of critical safety data into a collaborative cloud environment so that customised reports can be published in real time.

This enhances the visibility and transparency of critical trends of operations HSE risks and hazards across organisations, which was demonstrated through its implementation across Noble’s global offshore fleet. In six months the BBSSTM delivered significant operational and sustainability efficiencies including a safer workplace, boosted engagement by 30%, and a reduction in programme cost by 70% – saving 15,000 man-hours and up to half million paper cards each year.

Nassima Brown, DIRECTOR of Business Strategy & Administration at FENNEX, remarked, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award; to be recognised as a leader in breakthrough technologies to advance safety performance in the energy sector is a wonderful endorsement of our team’s efforts and dedication to transforming the delivery of digital solutions for our industry.

“For a small tech company as ours, this recognition helps raise our profile, and provides us with an incredible industry exposure – shining a spotlight on the fantastic achievement that is possible through collaboration and strong partnership with our forward-thinking customer Noble Drilling.”

Brown added, “Our ambition is to rapidly expand and scale up the application of BBSSTM within the energy industry, and play a part in transforming and optimising critical business processes to pursue excellence in safety performance, not only within oil & gas, but any high-hazard industry.

“We will continue developing state-of-the-art digital engineering capabilities and unique skills that will be critical to drive further business value, as the industry moves into a high-efficiency future. The BBSSTM technology is the blue-print that demonstrates the significant efficiencies that are realised through agile, scalable and cost-effective solutions, and we are strongly committed to forge further partnerships, and work together to accelerate more innovations.”

Most Impactful Technology: 3M

As of October 2021, 3M has completed 125 installations of Ceramic Sand Screens for users and has maintained a manufacturing time of 6-12 weeks with variables such as size, quantity and shipping time to location.

INEOS initially contacted 3M as they wanted to fracture existing and newly drilled well stock in order to optimise production rates from a tight reservoir. For this scenario, solids control was critical and sand control ranking and selection required a cost-effective approach to sand free production over the well lifecycle.

3M responded with their Ceramic Sand Screens which were E-Line deployed in a single run through the riser system to 65° set depth. Once installed the company was happy to record no proppant flow back for eight wells in two fields and that well installations from 2014 are still producing to this day with no sand control failure. This innovative technology mitigated the need for costly surface solids separation packages, allowing INEOS to save significant costs.

Richard Jackson, Global Product Manager, Glass Bubbles & Ceramic Sand Screens at 3M, commented, “This award positions 3M’s Ceramic Sand Screen Technology as a standard and simple sand control deployed technology extending the erosional boundary envelope from a traditional methodology approach. This technology enables further value creation of optimised productivity return Operator’s request, especially in these uncertain markets.

“3M is in the process of launching its Next Generation Portfolio and associated technical and commercial quick check tool, building on its experience to further partner, support and deliver the needs of the sand control market, both in intervention and new well (cased and open hole) applications.”

Most Significant Contribution to the Industry: AME Pty Ltd

AME Pty Ltd was named winner of the prestigious awards for its Colossus In-Line String Compensator – a portable passive heave compensator that is fully self-contained and can be easily rigged up in an existing derrick to supplement or replace the rig heave compensation system.

The Colossus ILS’ sleek and functional design minimises hang-ups and clashes with hoses and cabling; requires no intervention during operations; and provides essential monitoring data directly back to AME operators and driller. Together with the Modular Tension Lift Frame it forms a primary passive compensation solution catering for well intervention, completions and well testing on board floating MODUs.

The benefits of this combined offering, such as the ability to consolidate equipment on deck to reduce the required footprint prior to and after operations and the fact that they can be rigged up and run by the drill crew with one single AME Specialist required on each shift, was enough to clinch the victory for AME at the awards ceremony in Aberdeen.

Lara Marmion, Project Engineer at AME Pty Ltd, said, “Winning this award is an honour for AME. We are proud to have been recognised by our peers as having made a significant contribution to the global well intervention industry.

“Due to an increased demand for the ILSC and AME’s other specialised equipment, we are currently in production building more equipment & expanding the fleet. AME continues to grow, having recently opened an office in Melbourne, Australia, and we look forward to returning to Norway when travel arrangements permit.”

The OWI Awards will return in 2022 to celebrate the best of the well intervention community. To stay informed regarding submitting nominations, joining the judging panel, attending the awards or hosting reach out to Isobel Singh:
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +44 (0) 203 409 3043

• Region: Mediterranean
• Date: Dec, 2021

At the Offshore Well Intervention Mediterranean 2021 conference, Remke Ellis, Domain Champion at TGT Oilfield Services, hosted a panel session to discuss the economics of well intervention and how to implement effective preventive maintenance plans in order to boost production.

Ellis opened the session by asking the panellists about ways to implement successful well intervention operations. With more than 10 years experience in completion workover well intervention, Atef Mohamed, Completion and Workover Supervisor at BAPETCO, explained that case study is essential and that key points of the operation that need to be addressed need to be set at the start – these include the scope of operation, a credible programme plan, an equipment checklist, an approved MOC, a calculation review as well as a crew and operator checklist.

Mustafa Adel Amer, Well Integrity Specialist at BAPETCO, added that the delivery of the technical aspect of the operation itself from the asset team has a big contribution to a successful project. Amer, an engineer and natural gas analyst with years of experience in the upstream oil and gas sector, gave an example by noting that the delivery of the right range of the reservoir pressure and the right range of perforation contribute to the operation being done efficiently and safely. For instance, wrong delivery of reservoir pressure can lead to safety hazards and equipment loss. Strong delivery and communication between petroleum engineering and well operations, with clean delivery of technical aspects is needed for a successful operation.

Proper well control of the operation

Mohamed spoke about measures of proper well control, commenting that operators have to differentiate between rig-based well intervention and rigless operations. When working without a rig, hazards exist because they are dealing with high well pressures. The engineers have to also confirm all the equipment is certified and depression tested. After the operation is started, the operators have to determine whether they are deploying slickline or E-Line because there are noticeable differences between one another. If they are going with whole tubing, confirming the proper functioning of check valve becomes crucial because whole tubing needs to be controlled from both inside and the outside. This option is not valid incase of slickline, or Eline because of the presence of the wire and the control around it.

Amer added that setting scenarios before going to the operation proves to be quite handy. For example, simulating scenarios of what can go wrong can help the team in repairs and in case of an unexpected event, implement measures to deal with it. Rather than dealing with it on the site, it is always good to have prior knowledge about shortcomings.

Training for the drills in well control situations for the crew is also very important and it is crucial to determine the weaknesses of the crew and if they can deal with it correctly in case of an emergency.

Checking for discrepancies in oil wells downhole

Oil pressure plays a major role in well intervention. The operators have to select the appropriate casing for the reservoir. For example, if higher oil pressure is detected, the operator might as well choose a higher-grade casing to deal with the amount of pressure. The panel concluded that oil pressure plays a major role in well intervention and having the right equipment for it also makes a huge difference in carrying out the intervention in a safe and efficient manner.

The panellists concluded by noting that, in order to increase production in both gas and oil wells it was important that that well integrity and production enhancement worked together before also acknowledging the growing influence of data analysis in the well intervention space – a phenomenon which will only serve to enhance campaigns in the future.

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Date: Dec, 2021

Intelligent Wellhead Systems (IWS), a leading supplier of digital technologies that improve oil and gas well completion operations, has announced that oil and gas company algorithms to improve completions may now be combined with hydraulic fracturing, wireline, and pressure control job data.

By doing this, customised workflows, threshold alerts, and other analytical applications can be created.

The company’s inVision Technology Platform features a powerful data acquisition and control system, iHub, which is a proven digital technology infrastructure at the wellsite for hydraulic fracturing and wireline operations.

The latest innovation for the platform is the ability to leverage the iHub infrastructure provided by IWS to implement operator-driven analytics on the Edge or in the Cloud. The iHub delivers field-proven data acquisition, storage, bi-directional sync, Edge computing power, and an open infrastructure to enable operators to deploy and implement their own proprietary algorithms or digital workflows on the Edge or in the Cloud.

Bob Duncan, Vice-president of innovation at IWS commented, “There is growing demand from E&P data science teams and completion engineers to implement their software developments on the Edge or in the Cloud. We now have a proven solution of equipment, infrastructure, and hands on the ground to make these implementations possible in a cost-effective manner.”

The inVision Technology Platform integrates engineered safety controls, automated digital standard operating procedure compliance, and Digital Handshake processes to improve the safety and efficiency of hydraulic fracturing valve activation and wireline operations.

• Region: North Sea
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Dec, 2021

First Marine Solutions (FMS), an offshore moorings expert, awarded a seven-figure contract by well decommissioning specialist, Well-Safe Solutions.

The agreement will see FMS provide its full spectrum of marine consultancy services, including provision of equipment, marine services, and survey and marine engineering.

Earlier this year, Well-Safe Solutions announced it had secured the contract to execute all well decommissioning activity within Repsol Sinopec UK’s Buchan and Hannay fields. FMS’ contract will commence with this 14-well project.

Steven Brown, FMS Managing Director, said he is incredibly proud to be associated with such an innovative project. He remarked, “This well P&A campaign represents a shift in the offshore decommissioning commercial landscape for which we applaud Well-Safe Solutions. I believe its decision to award this contract to FMS firmly establishes our reputation as the North Sea’s leading integrated mooring and marine service provider.

“The agreement has been four years in the making – a period of time that has seen FMS evolve to an impressive extent through significant investment in personnel, technology and facilities. Since 2017, our workforce has increased fourfold and is now led by a management team of industry experts, allowing us to strengthen our position not only in the North Sea but across a number of international markets; we look forward to supporting Well-Safe as it expands its global business.”

Commenting on the contract award, Lou Duncan, Rig Manager at Well-Safe Solutions, noted, “As we prepare for the deployment of the Well-Safe Guardian, it’s vital to us that we utilise trusted partners to enable timely and safe fulfilment of our obligations.

“Key to our philosophy is the importance of collaboration in order to capture, retain and share knowledge for the benefit of our clients and future operations. We’re looking forward to working alongside FMS during a period of strong growth for Well-Safe Solutions.”

• Region: North Sea
• Date: Dec, 2021

In an operational and financial update, Hurricane Energy has announced that it has successfully completed the plugging and final abandonment (P&A) of the Lancaster 205/21a-4z well.

The well is located in the Lancaster Field, West of Shetland in Scottish waters, which was discovered in 2009. The company is implementing a phased development of the field with the first phase of development, the Early Production System (EPS) coming on stream in June 2019.

During November 2021, the company plugged the 205/21a-4z well for a cost of c. US$1mn. Hurricane also disclosed that US$2.2mn of decommissioning security (previously classified as restricted cash) has now been released back to the company and has been used in part to fund the P&A activity.

• Region: Latin America
• Date: Dec, 2021

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (Helix) has extended its well intervention charter and services contracts for the Siem Helix 2 offshore Brazil with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras).

This will extend the original four-year contract by one year at a reduced rate reflective of the current market. The Siem Helix 2 is now set to remain under contract with Petrobras until mid-December 2022 performing riser-based well intervention activities.

The Siem Helix 2 is a purpose-built, advanced well intervention vessel capable of performing a wide range of subsea services including production enhancement, well decommissioning, subsea installation work, offshore crane and ROV operations, offshore construction work and emergency response capabilities.

Scotty Sparks, Helix’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, remarked, “On the back of our recent accommodation and support contract for sister ship the Siem Helix 1 in Ghana for another customer, we are glad to finalise this process and look forward to continuing a long and productive working relationship with Petrobras.

“The Siem Helix 2 has consistently provided industry-leading well intervention services to Petrobras. This extension demonstrates the capacity for Helix to continuously provide innovative solutions to fit our clients’ needs backed by our experience and proven track record.”

Helix continues to make a global impact on the global stage with this announcement coming hot on the heels of its contract for the plugging and abandonment of wells in the Tui Oil Field, New Zealand. Click here for more details on this announcement.

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Date: Dec, 2021

On the second day of the Offshore Well Intervention Gulf of Mexico 2021 conference, attention turned to technology and operational excellence and plug and abandonment, before attendees were exposed to a number of in-depth case studies.

As chairman for the second day of the conference, Nathan Wolford, Project Manager at C-Innovation, opened the proceedings by noting that in this modern world it is easy to take energy for granted. “Covid-19 saw a collapse in demand for energy products, but it got better and in 2021 we are rebounding in our energy consumption and forecasts expect that we will meet or exceed the 2019 levels (highest historical levels to date). By 2040 the forecast the energy demand will increase by 30%.

“83% of energy worldwide is derived from fossil fuels and oil is the biggest of this. As oil producers and service companies, the good news is oil and gas is the dominant worldwide energy source and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Demand will increase by 30% over next three years, so in some ways we have an obligation to create more production and more energy.

“So we going to have to find more efficient ways to increase existing production through production enhancement mechanisms, and find safe and efficient ways to P&A ageing wells and fields and continue to develop technologies to gain efficiencies on these.”

Over the course of the day, this speakers and attendees demonstrated that they clearly had an intention to do so.

For example, one notable highlight was Zach Bruton’s presentation on the solutions that Baker Hughes has in their toolbox for use in the GOM. The Growth Lead for North America Subsea at Baker Hughes outlined the agnostic and modular tooling design programme that they have developed, introducing the Tree Retrieval Tool and the Tubing Hanger Retrieval Tool before discussing passive well monitoring technology and its possible applications in the region. The session, titled ‘Optimising Asset Retirement Through Agnostic Technologies’ was concluded with a case study from the UK and received a good reception from the audience - interest was demonstrated by the many questions that were directed towards Bruton.

Following this session with another equally engaging demonstration by Christopher Thompson, VP of Business Development at United Subsea Specialists. This young company is committed to delivering equipment to reduce critical path time, cost of operations and risk for operators. Thompson presented several innovative solutions his company has brought to the market, such as their 350t-750t Wire Line Frames, which is enabling them to achieve this commitment.

The plug and abandonment section of the day was kicked off with a panel discussion featuring representatives from Chevron, Schlumberger and Welltec. The experts explored the different types of P&A being executed within the GOM before focusing on the value that can be achieved from performing P&A from a dedicated well intervention vessel as opposed to a rig.

The last point of call was turning to case studies which, as the final section of the conference, were last but certainly not least. Highlights here included a presentation from Bruce Trader, President of MADCON Corporation, who reviewed the development and design of the Structural Composite Retrofit (SCR) Process which restores structural integrity and provides long term corrosion protection to severely corroded or damaged conductors and well casings. Trader presented a number of case studies on the SCR Process and noted that, to date, it has been used to restore the original design capacity and provide long term corrosion protection to hundreds of wells.

The final session of the conference was an engaging presentation from Welltec and Wellgrab AS on replacing conventional heavy fishing methods with light controllable intelligent tools. Garry Andrews, Senior Business Development Manager at Welltec described the solutions that Welltec provides for fishing operations, such as the Well Stoker and the Welltec’s Release Device (WRD), touched on why E-line is preferable over the convention heavy means, outlined some related case studies and finally discussed the Wellgrab AS and Welltec collaboration. Geir Magne Mo Johnsen, Founder and COO of Wellgrab AS followed this by demonstrated the capabilities of its digital well intervention robot which can be converted to fish anything inside or outside a well. The versatility and adaptability of this tool means that this is the only tool Wellgrab AS has in its tool suite.

Each session was sandwiched by networking drinks which allowed attendees, for one of the first times in nearly two years, to meet face-to-face, discuss and potentially formulate partnerships and business propositions for the future. The entertaining conference concluded with a view to returning again in the next year, hopefully when the world has made even more progress along the exhausting road to recovery.

• Region: Gulf of Mexico
• Date: Dec, 2021

Returning live and in-person, the Offshore Well Intervention Gulf of Mexico 2021 conference treated assembled industry stakeholders to an informative two-day exploration of the state of well intervention in the region and examined the technology and best practices which have the potential to shape campaigns of the future.

Jim Maher, President of Trendsetter Vulcan Offshore (TVO) who co-chaired day one of OWI GOM 2021, opened the conference by noting his delight at finally being able to speak to everyone in person and emphasised that “times of great dislocation, which these clearly have been, are often the times where most innovation comes to the fore.

“As the market recovers, the intervention technologies are among the most viable as they are the closest approximation to short cycle. As we start going again, intervention technologies are certainly going to be among the most competitive for the capital available.”

Following this, over the course of the next two days, attendees were treated to a banquet of engaging sessions featuring presentations and discussions from the most influential service providers, operators, consultants, and more.

BP lead a panel discussion on how the company achieved optimal results on its ongoing RLWI campaign (which began two years ago) and the challenges it has faced and how they will continue to overcome them. Representatives from C-Innovation, Halliburton and JDR Cable Systems joined the discussion and together they explored the innovative tools, equipment and technology which could be deployed in order to achieve the most efficient intervention campaigns.

The implementation of new technology was one of the conference’s clear themes, which Charles Brooks, Technical Sales Representative from Interwell, heavily leaned into as he presented on the Interwell Barrier Verification System. This market-leading barrier assurance tool provides, as demonstrated by a case study from the GOM, time efficiency, confident and correct verification of well barrier and integrity, the ability to reduce tensile stress from pressure from pressure testing from surface (especially in fragile well constructions) and more. This solution was quoted as the most extensive downhole barrier verification the operator has performed in the region, proving its quality.

Maxim Volkov, Principal Domain Champion at TGT Diagnostics, followed closely on Brooks’ heels by introducing the Sand Flow product which precisely locates sand entry to the wellbore and provides a qualitative sand count, indentifying problem zones to help combat the serious issue of sand production. Through the use of case studies, Volkov demonstrated how the Sand Flow product, when used in tandem with Tendeka’s Filtrex solution, can localise target and fix sand issues affecting wellbores to ensure productivity is restored and integrity is maintained.

Not to be left out, Archer joined the party as Kevin Squyres, Sales and Service Delivery Manager, demonstrated the capabilities of the Stronghold Barricade, Defender and THOR solutions which can eliminate the need for milling, providing an effective alternative to traditional methods of plug and abandonment.

While new technology can bring value, it is also important to understand and asses the risk of incorporating it into intervention campaigns. This topic was covered in detail by industry experts from Schlumberger, United Subsea Specialists, Chevron and CRG Oilfield Abandonment LLC at the session focused on intervention technologies for existing field uplift.

In the following sessions on day one the sessions were dedicated to:

• Understanding the considerations when evaluating different intervention philosophies and technologies. A Baker Hughes presentation highlighted that light well intervention can achieve substantial benefits such as 55% total emissions reductions (when compared to a rig-based operation) as well as cost-saving incentives.

• The consolidation of well opportunities, where representatives from Trendsetter Engineering, BP, MADCON and TGT Diagnostics presented case studies of campaigns that have increased production and extended the profitable life span of wells as well as explored the future opportunities presented by LWI, HWO and coiled tubing technologies.

• Considering lifecycle completion. Shell, BP, PRT Offshore and Welltec associates discussed the completion design considerations; new completion and well technologies which could have an impact on the future well intervention scope; and how regional operating environment influences operations view’s on new well programmes.

• The successful application of real-time enabled coiled tubing for abandonment of a deviated well with complex anomalies. Ed Adams, Customer Engagement Coordinator at Schlumberger showcased a case study on a tricky well which was causing issues for the operator. Schlumberger deployed the ACTive CCL to detect tubing anomalies and implemented a number of solutions to return the well to safe state which was all done in days before hurricane Elsa entered the GOM.

The day was closed with a brief review of the enormous amount of material that was covered with topics such as marketing dynamics, creating value in well intervention and technology and operation considerations in particularly standing out. Before the attendees retired to the networking drinks, they looked ahead to day two and the exciting subjects that were yet to be explored.

• Region: West Africa
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Dec, 2021

Environment Quality Services (EQS) has successfully assisted in a decommissioning project offshore Angola. Dubai-based EQS deployed their Saab Seaeye Falcon to assess the integrity of the offshore structures via visual inspection and image gathering.

Carlos Rodrigues, CTO, of EQS, commented, The Falcon supports EQS in their aim to fulfil specific works in a safe and cost-effective manner by delivering accurate and relevant information.”

Rodrigues said that the Falcon is an ideal resource for specialist work as it can handle an array of cameras, sensors, tooling and complex data gathering systems that can easily be added or changed thanks to the Falcon iCON intelligent module- focused distributed control architecture.

The Falcon is the top selling robot of its class and its success is attributed to it being a portable, metre-sized, intelligent, powerful highly mahneuverable, easy-to-use vehicle with a depth rated range to 1,000 metres.

It has a reliability record covering more than one million hours underwater, including deep tunnel work. The Falcon can remain stable in turbulent waters and strong currents whilst undertaking both robust and precision tasks.

The structures inspected on the platform offshore Angola included the platform (jacket), well head, protection dome, pipelines and umbilical. EQS helped the offshore energy clients navigate the complex environmental regulatory landscape to achieve compliance as well.

• Region: Latin America
• Date: Dec, 2021

AKOFS Offshore has signed a three- year contract with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) for a broad scope of subsea services in Brazil.

The work will be performed by its Skandi Santos vessel which is designed to install and retrieve subsea trees and modules, including subsea structures and manifolds at water depths of up to 2,500 metres.

Currently, the vessel is completing its current contract with Petrobras which began on 1 March 2010.

The services for this contract will commence in Q4 20220. The total contract calue is about US$107mn. AKOFS Offshore will be performing the operations with its partners Bravente for marine services and IKM Subsea for ROV services.

• Region: All
• Date: Dec, 2021

Tony Branch, a former President of Weatherford’s Regional Operations, will lead Westerton Access, an industry leader and technical innovator in the provision of subsea and topside inspection solutions, and the recently-launched Westerton SplashZone Integrity Specialists (WSIS), a company specifically formed to tackle the highly corrosive and problematic area immediately above and below the water line.

The companies are part of the wider Westerton portfolio, which includes Westerton’s fishing and intervention service.

Robin Porter, Founder of Westerton, said, “We are pleased to have Tony on board, and look forward to working with him. He is experienced in executive leadership roles and has led companies through transitional periods, including the launch of new product lines, so his skillset is well-suited to the newly structured Westerton group of companies.

“He has a proven track record in merging different operations into one cohesive team and I am excited at the prospect of increased growth and collaboration we will see across our specialist companies.”

Branch, who has more than 30 years worth of experience in the industry, commented, “I am excited to be joining a talented, dynamic and client focused team with a strong technical offering. The business has a strong foundation, and I am looking forward to working with the team to help deliver results for our valued clients.

“Building on our recent and successful expansion into the Middle East, we have further growth aspirations, both in terms of geography and the size of the organisation, and I look forward to playing a part in that, along with the rest of the team. Our Access and WSIS services both solve significant problems, not only in our traditional industry of oil and gas, but also in other sectors such as offshore wind."

Branch added, "All structures that are in the ocean are subject to harsh operating conditions and need to be inspected and repaired, regardless of whether they are oil and gas platforms or a wind farm. These assets need to be inspected quickly, efficiently and more cost effectively than traditional vessel-based services currently offer, and with the skills, technology and experience we possess, that is something we are more than capable of doing, saving operators money.”

The appointment of Branch comes after the company has expanded its footprint in the Middle East with new offices in Dubai.

• Region: All
• Topics: Decommissioning
• Date: Dec, 2021

Kongsberg Digital has confirmed that Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) has renewed its Long-Term System Support Program (LTSSP) contract with the company for another five years.

The LTSSP is in support of a K-Sim Offshore Crane simulation system, which features digital twins of HMC’s semi-submersible construction vessels, ships and barges.

Renewal of the LTSSP ensures Kongsberg Digital’s continued commitment to maintaining Heerema’s simulators at the leading edge of available technology. Installed in 2015 as one of the world’s most advanced offshore heavy lift crane simulators, its usage ranges from confirming feasibility of new methods and equipment to optimising efficiency and safety performance for current execution methods.

“By renewing this LTSSP we are ensuring that our clients, offshore crew and project teams continue to benefit from the most advanced simulation-based training and project preparation on the market, simulating real-world scenarios,” commented Jan Pieter de Vries, Manager Simulations and Visual Products, HMC Academy. “Kongsberg Digital have proved a competent partner, working in close collaboration with the team here at HMC to ensure that training and simulation needs are met. We are pleased to confirm our ongoing relationship.”

Heerema’s simulator platform was developed specifically by Kongsberg Digital to meet Heerema’s requirements as a leading marine contractor in offshore renewables and oil and gas, specialising in transporting, commissioning, and decommissioning offshore facilities.

The Simulation Centre is a real-time offshore environment where offshore crew and project teams examine all project aspects and associated risks. It includes two offshore crane operator domes and a bridge with K-Sim DP simulator, based on the same Kongsberg Maritime K-Pos DP systems used on HMC’s vessels. Detailed models of Heerema’s SSCVs, Heavy Lift Vessel, tugs and barges ensure realistic scenarios and enable detailed pre-mission training for heavy-lift projects.

“HMC’s renewal of this LTSSP is a clear endorsement of the capability and longevity of our maritime simulation solutions,” remarked Andreas Jagtøyen, Executive Vice President Digital Ocean, Kongsberg Digital. “Our commitment to supporting the maritime industry is not limited to providing the best technology, but also extends to ensuring that our customers gain value from their investment for years to come, through long product lifecycles and extensive service, provided by our 24/7 support network. Our LTSSP programme elevates our relationship with our customers beyond just being a vendor to rather act a trusted partner.”