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http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/lifting/protea/press2.html Tue, 13 May 2008 16:54:47 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/lifting/protea/press2.html PROTEA won an order from PDVSA PROTEA, a company based in Poland, won a contract from PDVSA Venezuela for delivery of 24 pcs. of electric mooring winches (16 and 40 Tons) for several drilling barges owned by PDVSA. The order includes 16 pcs. of smaller winches and 8 pcs. of bigger winches. PROTEA delivers offshore, marine and onshore Material Handling Equipment, including pedestal cranes, overhead cranes, BOP cranes, A-frames, winches and other. The new order goes very well, together with an opening of a new fabrication place in Kluczbork, Poland. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/atzlisting/2097_36757/press1.html Mon, 12 May 2008 09:57:04 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/atzlisting/2097_36757/press1.html Logica in Partnership with Synergi Solutions Logica and Synergi Solutions has recently announced the signing of a partnership agreement that will provide a key consulting capability and a powerful and competitive risk management solution as well as an expertise of working with oil and gas customers to Logica's business globally. This aligns with Logica's recently-announced four point plan to deliver sustainable value to employees, customers and shareholders. A key part of this plan is to focus on growth, by building the ability to deliver value to the customers with a particular emphasis on building Logica's consulting and focus on areas which is expected to grow above the market. Another reason for the decision was the thought of going to market with the powerful combination of Logica's outstanding chain of solution services and global capacity, presence and experience with Synergi's state of the art technology and risk management expertise. It offers scalable and robust delivery, implementation and customization projects in the local, regional and global risk management marketplace. To build cooperation and a strong partnership that facilitates for focus on core business and the best possible interaction between Synergi, Logica and the clients to ensure product and services innovation, has been a tremendous important milestone. Strengthening and establish new channels for global marketing and distribution of the Synergi Software, was a key element. The partnerships will mean immediate transfer of 25 Synergi support and services staff, expertise and processes to Logica's Centre of Excellence environment in Stavanger. Joint sales and marketing plans and establishment of relevant staff competence in selected Logica locations, will take place soon, and extended hosting and ASP services to present and future local, regional and global clients will be presented in a short while. Logica and Synergi will now be able to offer risk management services based on high quality SLA and 24/7 support model including service desk operation. "We believe that this partnership is an opportunity to provide best in class solutions to our customers. Synergi's market leading technology and an impressive customer portfolio supports our commitment to help our local and global customers build and maintain leadership positions. We are excited about building the centre of excellence in Stavanger which supports Logica's growth agenda” says Tor Malmo, CEO Logica Norge. "Our strategic objective is that this will enable an even clearer focus on software sales and system enhancements of our core product; Synergi," says Olaf Larssæther, CEO Synergi Solutions. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/atzlisting/2097_36756/press1.html Thu, 08 May 2008 12:16:51 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/atzlisting/2097_36756/press1.html Sub-One Technology Announces High-Performance Coatings for Offshore Oil and Gas Applications Sub-One Technology, the market leader in advanced coatings for internal surfaces, announced today that it is releasing a family of new coatings based on its breakthrough InnerArmor#174; technology. The coatings are being tested in key surface, subsea and downhole oil and gas applications including piping, couplers, cylinders, and drilling and completion equipment. InnerArmor coatings were selected based on their unique ability to protect against internal corrosion and abrasive wear, which has been estimated to cost billions of dollars annually. "The release of these new InnerArmor coatings represents an important milestone in our quest to help the oil and gas industry deploy high-performance interior coating approaches," said Andrew Tudhope, CEO, Sub-One Technology. "Depositing carbon-based coatings, metals, oxides and other compounds that can be ionized and applied on the interior surfaces of oilfield equipment promises to achieve a step change in performance and cost savings in many offshore and land drilling, completion and production applications." The new InnerArmor family of coatings has been tuned to solve difficult corrosion, wear and friction reduction challenges in the interiors of critical liquid and gas handling equipment and piping. Each coating has been thoroughly tested using applicable NACE, ASTM and other industry standards to validate performance. Hybrid custom coatings are also available to accommodate application requirements for multiple types of protection. For example, heavy oil producers are using InnerArmor coatings to protect internal components against abrasion and corrosion from slurry flows. The new InnerArmor coatings include: InnerArmor corrosion control - protection against corrosion and aggressive media including acids, salts and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Testing includes sour autoclave test (NACE TM0185) and salt spray test (ASTM B117) InnerArmor erosion wear coating - protection against erosion wear in high-velocity sand and other particle flow environments. Completed testing includes erosion test by solid particle impingement using gas jets (ASTM G76) InnerArmor sliding wear coating - protection against sliding wear (i.e., adhesive wear) in dry, oil, drilling mud and wet environments. Completed testing includes linearly reciprocating ball-on-flat sliding wear (ASTM G133) InnerArmor abrasive wear coating - protection against abrasive wear in slurry flow and other challenging environments. Completed testing includes dry sand rubber wheel test (ASTM G65) InnerArmor flex wear coating - protects flexible metals (e.g., aluminum) against wear and corrosion Sub-One has licensed InnerArmor technology to an expanding network of authorized global coating providers located in Aberdeen and Cambridge, UK; Calgary, Canada; Perth, Australia and Houston and Midland, Texas, US. These coating providers have access to a centralized database of InnerArmor coating recipes to ensure consistent application across the world. Oil and gas customers have the potential to achieve dramatic cost savings by using InnerArmor technology to coat low-cost metals instead of purchasing high-price metal alloys and by delivering strong protection against corrosion, erosion and wear. InnerArmor coatings provide longer service life, improved flow performance and reduced operating costs, and are environmentally friendly. ABOUT SUB-ONE TECHNOLOGY Sub-One Technology is the market leader in advanced coatings for internal surfaces. Its InnerArmor coating process applies a high performance, chemically inert, protective coating which reduces operational costs associated with corrosion, erosion and friction reduction. Based in Pleasanton, California, the company works with a network of global coating providers to offer coating services to Fortune 500 customers in energy, automotive, and other industries. Founded in 2004, Sub-One Technology is a privately held company backed by Chevron, General Electric, Nomura, and Advanced Technology Ventures. http://www.naval-technology.com/contractors/computers/schroff/press2.html Thu, 08 May 2008 09:40:20 GMT http://www.naval-technology.com/contractors/computers/schroff/press2.html Robust Subracks can Handle Extreme Shock and Vibration Now available from Schroff is a range of 19in. subracks that can withstand the rigorous and demanding environmental conditions found in many naval applications, particularly where equipment is subjected to extreme levels of shock and vibration. Featuring a robust aluminium construction, the europacPRO subracks are designed to provide high mechanical stability to protect the electronic systems mounted within them. To verify their durability and stability under shock and vibration, the subracks have been thoroughly tested by an independent test house in accordance with a number of industry standards, including IEC 61587-1, and EN 50155. These RoHS-compliant subracks are available unshielded or with EMC cover plates and contact strips to provide typical shielding levels of 40dB at 1GHz and 30dB at 2GHz. The subracks are 84HP wide and can be specified with heights of 3U or 6U and depths of 235 or 320mm. A comprehensive range of accessories is also available, including card guides, front panels and plug-in units. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/instrumentation/yokogawa-europe/press9.html Thu, 08 May 2008 09:23:25 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/instrumentation/yokogawa-europe/press9.html Yokogawa Announces Certification of World's First FOUNDATION™ Fieldbus Device DTM Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its DPharp EJA V2.5 Device Type Manager (DTM) has been certified for FOUNDATIONT fieldbus by the FDT Group, a world first. This certification marks another step forward for Yokogawa's VigilantPlant Asset Excellence initiative, allowing users of Yokogawa's intelligent FOUNDATION fieldbus devices to tap user-friendly field device tool (FDT)/DTM technology with the guarantee of interoperability and trouble-free installation. 'Best in class' technology and assured interoperability Innovative process plants today utilise the HART, PROFIBUS, and FOUNDATION fieldbus intelligent field communications protocols, making use of a rich variety of field information to improve the safety, reliability, and productivity of plant operations while optimising maintenance. FDT/DTM is a complementary open technology that allows users of these advanced field communications protocols to access and utilise device information regardless of the host system or communications protocol. With a large number of device DTMs already certified for the HART and PROFIBUS communications protocols, certification for FOUNDATION fieldbus has been avidly awaited. As a strong supporter and key member of the FDT Group, Yokogawa is proud to announce the world's first certified FOUNDATION fieldbus device DTM. This certified FOUNDATION fieldbus device DTM is fully interoperable with all certified frame applications, including Yokogawa's latest FieldMate R1.03 and PRM R3.02 asset management systems. This allows users intuitive access to all the advanced features of FOUNDATION fieldbus devices. Yokogawa's release of the world's first certified FOUNDATION fieldbus device DTM means that customers can now deploy HART and FOUNDATION fieldbus devices without the fear of interoperability pitfalls and seamlessly utilise a wealth of field information. Certification technology and infrastructure The FDT Group recently completed the tool set needed for the FOUNDATION fieldbus certification of device DTMs, and Yokogawa used the latest dtmINSPECTOR 2.1 to verify that the device DTM for its EJA pressure/differential pressure transmitters met the FDT Group's specifications for the FOUNDATION fieldbus protocol. Using its certified Interoperability Test Lab in Singapore, Yokogawa accelerated this rigorous certification process. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/corrosion/leighs-paints/press1.html Wed, 07 May 2008 16:53:14 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/corrosion/leighs-paints/press1.html Flying the Flag in Canada From 10th-12th June Leighs Paints will be show casing its hydrocarbon fire protection materials that has the potential to save asset owners US$7.5 million per day! Leighs Paints is offering visitors at the Global Petroleum Show in Calgary, the largest oil and gas event in the world, the chance to talk to fire protection experts about epoxy based fire protection. Visitors will also be able to find out about the technical and practical advantages of using Firetex passive fire protection as an alternative to traditional cement based methods. The Global Petroleum Show is one of the calendar highlights of the year, for the movers and shakers within the oil and gas and chemical industry. The inclusion of Leighs Paints will come as no surprise to those who are familiar with their range of protective coatings developed specifically for the harsh conditions encountered in this industry. During the three day event Leighs Paints can be found in the Upper Big Four stand number 4645 at GPS. Why not stop by and find out how you can save US$7.5 million a day? http://www.worldcruise-network.com/contractors/it/iso-travel-solutions/press7.html Mon, 05 May 2008 16:47:20 GMT http://www.worldcruise-network.com/contractors/it/iso-travel-solutions/press7.html Etihad Holidays implements OCEAN from ISO Etihad Holidays, a business unit of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has selected ISO Travel Solutions to help simplify and automate its selling processes. The Abu Dhabi-based airline's growing holidays division has implemented 'OCEAN'- the tour operator IT solution suite from ISO. er a comprehensive tender in 2007, ISO was awarded the contract to supply the ISO solution. Etihad Holidays can now offer its customers all-inclusive holiday packages, by combining accommodation and additional ground services with Etihad Airways growing network. OCEAN is directly connected to the airline inventory which is held in Amadeus, allowing the user to package flights dynamically with other services. Furthermore OCEAN will be fully integrated with other existing systems, such as the Etihad group's financial accounting system. future stages of the project, other relevant sales channels such as travel trade and web will be equipped with the solution. Also, additional internal connections will be established, i.e. to the award winning Frequent Flyer Programme 'Etihad Guest', to the Etihad CRM system and to an online credit card system. Etihad Holidays also plans to utilise the inbound version 'Canary' of the ISO solution for the stop over programme of Etihad's customers in Abu Dhabi. Justin Warby, Project Manager from Etihad: "The successful implementation of ISO Travel Solutions 'Ocean' is a major step forward for Etihad Holidays. We can now book our customers holiday package in a seamless and live environment. The solution enables complete automation of our ground and air inventory and also back office functions. This initial implementation of Ocean is the first part of a wider strategy, ensuring our customers and trade partners can make holiday bookings with us easier and quicker. Etihad Holidays looks forward to future stages of our project with ISO and to enhance our customer and trade offering further." For ISO this project is another important step to strengthen its position in the Middle East. The company has customers in the region for many years, such as Emirates Holidays and Dnata. Markus Kretschmer, Sales Director from ISO: "We are really happy and proud to now also have Etihad as our customer. The implementation project went very smooth and we are looking forward to taking the next steps with Etihad. They together with our long-time customer Emirates are the two leading airlines in the Middle East, making us the leading technology solution provider for tour operators in the market. As part of our commitment to Etihad and as part of our business strategy we are in the process of setting up a regional support and sales office in the United Arabian Emirates." http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/separation/cetco2/press7.html Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:35:30 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/separation/cetco2/press7.html CETCO Cean Up or Chevron Onboard Stena Spey Rig CETCO Oilfield Services exceeded expectations during another successful clean up operation of oily water streams onboard the Stena Spey rig, as part of a series of well intervention and clean-up operations in Chevron's Strathspey and Captain Fields. The two part operation, which utilised CETCO's CrudeSorb technology, exceeded client expectations with reduced operating time and lower discharge rates than the legal limits set by the BERR. Chevron contracted CETCO to assist in the treatment of the oily water waste streams resulting from a series of well interventions carried out in the Strathspey and well clean up operations in the Captain Field. CrudeSorb technology was used to treat the fluids prior to release overboard. CrudeSorb is a proprietary adsorption media based on resin, polymer and clay technology. It has been proven to be extremely efficient at removing oil, grease and soluble organics from water. The treatment on the Stena Spey was achieved through the use of two CETCO RFV4000's, each consisting of two sock filter vessels and two adsorption media vessels which can run in series, parallel or though a single vessel. When run in parallel each system is capable of processing up to 10,000 bbl of fluid per day. This dual configuration meant that the system operators could switch from one set to the other without having to interrupt the flow at any time, reducing rig time and cost. CETCO successfully treated all contaminated fluids at a rate below approved discharge level of less than 40mg/l. Much of the influent was found to have oil-in-water content which was already less than the overboard discharge limit. This provided the opportunity to improve efficiency by-passing the units when not required. Constant flow monitoring ensured that at no time was there any risk of fluid being discharged to the environment that exceeded the limits set by the BERR. CETCO also treated fluids which had come directly from secondary operations within the well. These included all wash water, including that from the solids washing operations and all other water from equipment involved. STRATHSPEY M3 Perhaps the most interesting well in the combined Stena Spey contracts was the Strathspey M3 well, which is a water injector which was once an oil producer. The M3 intervention was a good demonstration of the benefits CETCO's CrudeSorb system can bring to a project. The well has a 900 foot sump and after 10 years as a producer and 3 years as an injector it was anticipated that some, or all, of this sump had been filled with debris of various origins. The project covered extraction of the crude oil entrained within the fluids and solids build up contained in sump of well M3, prior to additional perforations being added to the well. The fluids from the M3 intervention were cleaned using a series of treatment equipment on board the drilling rig. The fluids and associated solids were flowed back to the Stena Spey through the coil tubing and completion annulus. When on board the fluids were directed through Expro sandfilters and a hydroclyclone desander to remove solids. The fluids from the well were then directed through the two CETCO RFV4000s to remove any hydrocarbons prior to discharge over board. The wash water from the sand wash vessel was also treated by CETCO to remove hydrocarbons, prior to disposal. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/safety/noreq/press5.html Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:36:21 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/safety/noreq/press5.html Noreq AS Establishes Subsidiary in the Netherlands The Norwegian company Noreq, which manufactures and sells maritime equipment, continues to expand. The increasing demand for our products has resulted in the company establishing Noreq, a subsidiary with an office and warehouse facilities in the Netherlands. This puts Noreq in an even stronger position with respect to capacity and delivery times vis-à-vis European customers. "It is a pleasure to present our new company to a market, which, in addition to appreciating our excellent equipment products, has wanted the company to be present. By establishing Noreq BV and its product warehouse in the Netherlands, we have reduced the distance to many of our customers in Europe. This will enable us to provide better follow-up to customers who choose Noreq products," says Sales Director Trond Paulsen in Noreq. Noreq will act as a base for the further expansion of our sales network in the area. The subsidiary will also be developed as a central service base, and it will house training facilities for customers who buy life-saving products. Noreq will also have the important function of serving as the company's warehouse for spare parts for our own equipment products. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/instrumentation/yokogawa-europe/press8.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:54:36 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/instrumentation/yokogawa-europe/press8.html Yokogawa releases Enhanced Version of STARDOM™ Network-Based Control System Yokogawa Electric Corporation has released an enhanced version of the STARDOM network-based control system that complies with US gas industry standards and provides a new data-logging function for the FCN/FCJ autonomous controllers. These enhancements reduce costs by improving the efficiency of both operation and maintenance. Yokogawa will use the release of this enhanced version to strengthen its sales targeting the oil and gas upstream processes. The enhanced STARDOM version supports the American Gas Association's AGA3, AGA7, and AGA8 standards used in North America, South America, and Asia. This ensures correct flow measurement as gas is transported between drilling companies and distribution companies. STARDOM provides both gas metering and control functions. The FCN/FCJ autonomous controllers have been enhanced with the introduction of a new data-logging function. The controllers can now store control data and data from field instruments and facilities for access from distant locations via the Web, enabling efficient remote monitoring. The STARDOM engineering tool has been enhanced with network templates that improve the reusability of applications. At the end of May, Yokogawa will provide samples of these network templates. In addition, to keep pace with the latest advances in operating systems, the engineering tools for STARDOM's FCN/FCJ autonomous controllers will support Windows Vista. STARDOM is an open network-based control system that allows the construction of a supervisory control system from the combination of components that perform functions such as control, operation and monitoring. STARDOM employs the international standard IEC61131-3 programming environment and supports a wide range of communication protocols such as FOUNDATIONTM fieldbus, HART, Modbus, and DNP3. STARDOM combines the high reliability of a Distributed Control System (DCS) with the universal and economical features of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and makes possible the low-cost construction of a full-scale instrumentation system with network functionality. Major target markets include oil and gas exploration, petroleum and chemical processing, water disposal, gas supply, and co-generation fields where facilities are widely distributed; small- to medium-scale oil, chemical, iron and steel, paper and pulp, food and pharmaceutical plants; and electrical, mechanical and other assembly/processing facilities. Applications include the monitoring and control of production facilities, the remote monitoring and control of district heating/cooling systems and co-generation systems, and the remote monitoring and control of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. http://www.worldcruise-network.com/contractors/atzlisting/2037_35403/press1.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:02:25 GMT http://www.worldcruise-network.com/contractors/atzlisting/2037_35403/press1.html On Waves Awarded Fleet wide contract with MSC Cruises to provide on board GSM connectivity. On Waves Ehf, the leading maritime mobile services provider, announced today that it has been awarded a Fleet wide contract that covers all MSC Cruises ships. The agreement covers ten vessels and will include additional vessels in the future. On Waves services will enable voice, SMS and Data connectivity in so far uncovered by terrestrial networks areas at open seas. Further, On Waves services will include Crew Calling pre-paid cards, live on board generated informative messages and live TV and Video transmission over compatible GSM mobile phones and devices. "This major agreement is a milestone in the industry and we are very proud to participate by offering our maritime GSM and CDMA services to the passengers of MSC Cruises," said Constantin Simeonidis, CEO for On Waves. "To have the trust of an organization like MSC Cruises which operates in several countries in Europe and in the US is a great endorsement of the reliability of our maritime GSM and CDMA services and we are highly honoured to participate into MSC Cruises commitment to bring the best of the mobile technology to their guests." Mr Emilio La Scala General Manager of MSC Cruises welcomed the introduction of ON WAVES to the fleet. He said it has become a welcome innovation to the company's electronic communications inventory, particularly with the growing demand by passengers requiring reliable, fast communication. He said the initial trials had proven to be a fleet-wide success, particularly because of the ease of use and availability of telephone, data and video facilities for passengers and crew. ABOUT ON-WAVES EHF On-Waves is a subsidiary of SIMINN, formerly known as Iceland Telecom, headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland. SIMINN has been providing roaming services to the maritime market since early 2003. On-Waves acts as the maritime GSM service provider for Iceland's national telephony provider, SIMINN, a company with 1,200 employees, a market value in excess of US$1.2B and over 450 GSM roaming agreements. In order to provide maritime GSM services, SIMINN has undertaken major investments and has secured extensions of all its terrestrial Roaming agreements into maritime domain. On-Waves and SIMINN are fully compliant with GSM Association standards and regulations. On Waves currently provides service to 35 vessels, both cruise ships and large ferries, operating in Europe, the Caribbean and the southern hemisphere and has a significant backlog for additional vessels. On Waves offers also its services into merchant marine to enable crew welfare on board. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/spt_2/press3.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:04:35 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/spt_2/press3.html Suction Pile Tensile Capacity Trial SPT Offshore has been asked by the CLP Group to investigate the tensile capacity of a suction pile and compare it to its theoretical calculations. The CLP Group is one of the leading power companies in Asia. One of the goals of CLP is to install a wind farm offshore the coast of Hong Kong. The wind farm will involve the building of 60 wind turbines in a water depth of 30 meters. Each turbine will be placed on a foundation constructed by suction piles. SPT Offshore will participate in a feasibility study that will investigate the suitability of suction piles for this purpose. SPT Offshore will conduct a full size test using one of their suction piles. The pile will be installed and left for 45 days to obtain undisturbed soil conditions. After that a reverse suction operation will be performed. The pressure inside the pile will be increased in small steps to mimic a suction pile under tension. With the SAPS-001 pump, SPT Offshore is able to closely monitor the pressures and soil movements inside and outside the suction pile. The pressures can be adjusted up to a 0.1 bar accuracy during the test. Final tensile capacity will be determined when the suction pile starts moving out of the soil. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/spt_2/press4.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:02:30 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/spt_2/press4.html Chevron Frade Riser Anchor Pile Installation In February SPT Offshore finalised installation of 22 No Riser Anchor Suction Piles for the Chevron Frade project. SPT Offshore has designed the suction piles in-house. The suction piles were fabricated under SPT supervision in Brazil. For installation SPT Offshore mobilised its new ultra deep water suction pump/lifting tool, SAPS-003. This pump is hydraulically operated by the ROV, omitting the need an umbilical. Since all the venting and installation equipment is located on the pump, a lot of costs have been saved on the suction piles itself. The suction pile installation only took four days per batch of 11 piles in 1,100m of water depth. When picking up the second batch of suction piles from the quayside, the pump was used as a remotely operated lifting tool. This lead to considerable time savings and increased safety since no working at heights was needed. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/hydraulics/voith/press6.html Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:20:10 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/hydraulics/voith/press6.html Natural Gas Pipeline Receives 33 MW Vorecon Largest Vorecon to Enter Service in USA The demand for natural gas in the USA is continuously rising, which has led to the construction of several large natural gas pipelines in recent years. Among them is the Guardian Northern Border pipeline leading through the states of Illinois and Wisconsin. The 142-mile (225-kilometer) pipeline has been in service since 2002. The operator ONEOK Partners has now ordered two Voith Vorecon type RWC for two new compressor stations. Rated at 33 MW, the two Vorecon, which will be delivered in 2008, are the largest variable-speed planetary gears ever produced by Voith. http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/lifting/structure-flex/press1.html Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:31:12 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/lifting/structure-flex/press1.html Offshore Industry Anticipates the Event of the Year - OTC '08 Last year, world-leading bulk packaging supplier Structure-flex attended the Offshore Technology Conference 2007 (OTC '07), where it showcased its latest range of packaging solutions for the mining and offshore sectors. One year on, and OTC is looking to go from strength to strength, with OTC '08 establishing itself as the key event in the offshore calendar. Taking place from the 5-8 May at Reliant Center in Houston, Texas, OTC '08 is the premier offshore sector event for industry professionals, service providers and suppliers alike. The conference's agenda will include a showcase of the latest technological innovations within the offshore industry, and explore the economic, social and political aspects of resource development and environmental protection. Structure-flex is one of the UK's most successful providers of bulk packaging solutions to the world's food, pharmaceutical, chemical and oil and gas industries, as well as a leading supplier of vehicle tension curtains and lifting products. Structure-flex's drillbags are superior bulk bags for the transportation of drilling mud chemicals. Already regarded with high acclaim in the offshore industry, they are supplied to every major oil operator within the Gulf of Mexico http://www.naval-technology.com/contractors/electrical/trasfor Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.naval-technology.com/contractors/electrical/trasfor Trasfor Situated for over 40 years on its original site in Lugano, in the south of Switzerland, Trasfor has developed a global reputation for the design and manufacture of custom-built dry-type transformers and inductors. As an independent company the spirit of Trasfor comes from the heart and traditions of Switzerland. This affinity is shared by the owners, employees and all parties associated with the company. The reputation for providing quality and guaranteeing reliability has lead to many of the world's more demanding industries becoming regular users of Trasfor's transformers and inductors and transformed the company into the global business that we are today. PROPULSION OR DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS Trasfor has for many years been involved in naval projects, supplying either propulsion or distribution transformers. We use an advanced finite element analysis programme to simulate the extreme conditions typically required for naval vessels. The analysis takes into consideration strong accelerations due to potential impacts and the mechanical structure solicitations on the transformer. Our propulsion or distribution transformers for naval applications are therefore more resistant and equipped with anti-shock and vibration devices. Many vessels use our propulsion or distribution transformers, including T-AKE dry cargo vessels for the US Navy, T-45 destroyers for the UK Navy and FREMM frigates for the French and Italian Navies. FREMM FRIGATE PROPULSION TRANSFORMERS We have supplied 60Hz propulsion transformers with cast resin coils, aluminium conductor windings, 6,600V primary voltage and 690V secondary voltage for FREEM frigates. They include an air-forced and water-forced cooling system for the maximum control of internal temperatures and an IP44 enclosure for maximum protection and isolation from the room environment. Bottom and side anti-vibration shock absorber, and a pre-magnetiser auxiliary transformer in order to avoid high inrush current on starting, are also amongst these propulsion transformers' compact, resistant and high-performance design. MARINE TRANSFORMERS AND INDUCTORS Our transformers and inductors for marine application include medium-voltage transformers with aluminium or copper windings, cast-resin technology transformers for higher voltage, and dry-type technology for low-voltage applications. Single or multi secondary windings, thermal protection and IR windows for the best temperature control are amongst these transformers' features. AIR-COOLED INDUCTORS FOR MILITARY VESSEL CONVERTERS These air-cooled inductors, for converters on-board military vessels, filter harmonic losses in propulsion. They are designed for a medium-current application, and are very resistant to vibration and acceleration. An efficient and customised design calculated with proprietary software includes electro-mechanic solicitations simulation via FEA calculation. http://www.ship-technology.com/contractors/controls/edit-marine Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.ship-technology.com/contractors/controls/edit-marine E.D.I.T. Energy Development International Technology (E.D.I.T.) plans, installs, supports and services electronic and pneumatic devices, and automation and control systems, in vessels and industrial groups in Greece and abroad. SHIP CONTROL, MEASUREMENT AND PROTECTION SYSTEMS E.D.I.T. is specialised in the installation and maintenance of: Systems of control and measurement of pressure, temperature, level, rotations, voltage, etc. Control systems of diesel engines, turbines, and ship manoeuvring Automated systems for control and protection of generators, diesel engines, turbines Systems of control, measurement and protection for loading and unloading tanks of liquids and gases Systems of measuring explosive and toxic gases Automatic control systems for inactive gas protection Supervisory systems of regulation and protection of boilers Electronic and pneumatic systems for control and regulation of pressure, rotations and temperature Inert gas systems ODME systems Gas ballast systems XTS-W bearing condition monitoring systems (as Gnomon Marine's authorised installer) Alpha lubricator systems CorrTran corrosion-protection transmitters for online monitoring Accurate oil-moisture analysis systems Fire extinguishing systems SEPARATOR ALARM SYSTEM For economical and safe operation of a gasoline separator or petrol separator, a separator alarm system is used to detect the gasoline layer thickness and / or top level of the gasoline in the separator. This feature is also a required item according to the EN 858-1:2002 standard. Apart from designations and general construction principles, this European and international standard also defines the functional requirements for separator installations. In keeping with the standard, gasoline separator installations have to be equipped with an autonomous alarm system. This alarm system is approved for use in hazardous areas, zone 0. In due time before reaching the maximum storage volume (oil layer thickness) in the separator, a modern alarm system in keeping with EN 858-1 indicates by an acoustic and optical signal that the gasoline accumulated has to be removed. If it has to be assumed that an overflow will occur in the separator, a second probe will release an acoustic or optical warning signal in due time before reaching the highest level. The alarm system is a complete system consisting of several components, including sensors, a control unit, housing and a mounting set. The block diagram indicates the basic arrangement of the individual components. Depending on the application, three sets of warning systems are differentiated: Single-channel, storage volume or oil-layer thickness detection only Single-channel, overflow detection only Dual-channel, oil-layer thickness and overflow detection MULTIVARIABLE CORROSION MONITORING The CorrTran multivariable transmitter will monitor general corrosion, localised corrosion (pitting), and conductivity through a 4mA to 20mA signal and HART protocol in real time. The corrosion rate or a pitting factor is configured as the primary variable using a two-wire 4mA to 20mA output. The multivariable transmitter is available in a three-electrode configuration with a wide selection of probe types and electrode materials. MARINE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND SPARE PARTS E.D.I.T. provides immediate technical support and spare parts worldwide, covering the technical needs of its customers safely and with the highest quality. To achieve this objective, our technicians are trained in each new system and have at their disposal the most modern systems for maintenance, repair, planning and manufacture. The company and its technicians have undertaken and completed very important tasks on commercial and passenger ships, both in Greece and abroad. E.D.I.T. has carried out important tasks in ships which transport solid, liquid and gas cargos, as well as in naval vessels. We have also collaborated with shipyards and Greek industries. CERTIFIED MARINE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES E.D.I.T. cooperates with certified companies; one such is Gnomon Marine. For more information about their products and services, please click their website link, below. E.D.I.T. operates as Gnomon Marine's technical department, and has successfully performed a number of installations of AMOT'S XTS-W bearing wear monitoring system worldwide. Another certified company that E.D.I.T. cooperates is UTECO (see their website below). Below you can see some of the companies that UTECO represents in Greece: Mitsubishi (frequency inverters for ac motors, programmable logic controllers, Man Machine Interface [MMI] and SCADA software) Jumo (measurement and control) Nivelco (level switches, level transmitters, loop indicators, pressure transmitters and temperature indicators or transmitters) OMC (pneumatic controllers, transmitters, temperature and pressure recorders) Foxboro (pressure and differential transmitters, liquid level, density, liquid interface and flow transmitters) Eurotron (electronic, thermal and pressure calibrators, portable combustion flue gas analysers and infrared thermometers) http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/balltec Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/contractors/installation/balltec Balltec Balltec designs and manufactures high-integrity ball engagement tools for remote connection and handling. Specialising in Ball and Roller Engagement Mechanisms (BREM) Balltec's tools and connectors feature a "common connection interface" for all shapes and sizes of subsea equipment and are designed for frequent re-use. Balltec engineers can be provided to partner with client staff during the conceptual stage of a project to assist in the identification of cost-saving installation systems. Balltec interfaces can also be integrated within subsea equipment to allow rapid future connection for decommissioning / re-deployment. Balltec has invested in state-of-the-art 3D design tools. We can design and manufacture directly from the same electronic files, thereby reducing both time to production and costs to the customer. Our scope of services and supply covers: Subsea mooring connectors Pipeline contingency tools Subsea installation tools Subsea abandonment and recovery tools Subsea deployment and recovery tools Mechanical handling tools Tube and hydraulic connectors In-house capabilities Design, manufacture and testing Consultancy services PERMANENT MOORING AND SUCTION PILE PIPELINE STARTER ANCHOR CONNECTORS Balltec have recently received an order for permanent mooring connectors and for a number of suction pile pipeline starter anchor connectors. The suction pile PLET / pipeline tool is designed to insert into a structural receptacle built into the suction pile. The tools may be used to deploy the suction pile and then re-orientated to become the starter anchor for the subsequent pipelay. The Balltec BREM anchor is specially designed to accept 120t lateral bending load. Balltec have executed engineering verification studies with DNV to confirm the integrity of our designs and their compliance with DNV requirements for mooring connectors. WORLD CLASS MANUFACTURING FACILITIES Head office is located in the UK at Carnforth, Lancashire, North-West England. We have an in-house horizontal test rig (1,000t) for testing our pipeline tools and a vertical test rig (2,500t) for testing our subsea mooring connectors, installed at our assembly facility in Carnforth. Manufacturing and machining is executed at our Preston works, also in Lancashire, North-West England. We are experienced designers, precision engineers and machinists with over 150 years' combined experience and expertise. We have invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing machinery and overhead handling equipment. The recently installed Cincinnati FTV machining centre can handle large components weighing up to 6t. PEOPLE POWER BEHIND BALL AND ROLLER ENGAGEMENT MECHANISMS (BREM) Our Managing Director, Robert Emmett, is the inventor of many ball-related products and patents. He has been designing and delivering Ball and Roller Engagement Mechanisms (BREMs) for over 20 years and has a proven ability to turn out specialised connection and handling solutions within a very short lead time. Please contact us to discuss your requirements in detail. We are confident that you will find us responsive and competent in developing the optimum solution for your connection or handling requirements. http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/usan/ Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/usan/ Usan Field In February 2008, Total was given approval from the Nigerian government to commence the development of its offshore Usan field. Discovered in 2002, Usan lies in licence block OPL 222, around 100km South of Port Harcourt, in water depths ranging from 750m to 850m. "Usan is expected to come onstream early in 2012 and to ramp up quickly to plateau production of 180,000bpd." The field is operated by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (20%) on behalf of equity partners Chevron Petroleum Nigeria (30%), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) (30%) and Nexen Petroleum Nigeria (20%). Proven and probable reserves of Usan have been put at in excess of 500 million barrels of oil. Usan is expected to come onstream early in 2012 and to ramp up quickly to plateau production of 180,000bpd of oil. The associated gas will be reinjected in the reservoir. USAN FIELD DEVELOPMENT The plan features a development of the Usan field with 35 subsea wells connected to a two-million-barrel capacity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel by subsea lines and risers. The processing capacity is around 150,000bpd. First oil is planned for 2010. The Usan-1 discovery well encountered significant net oil pay. It was production tested at a restricted rate of 5,000bpd. The nearby Ukot field was discovered in 1998. The discovery well also encountered significant net oil pay and was tested at a rate of 13,900bpd. This was followed by Usan-2 which was located approximately two miles west of the discovery well and tested an up-dip portion of the fault block. Usan-3 was drilled approximately one mile north-west of the discovery well and tested a separate fault block. The Usan-3 well was production tested and produced 5,600bpd under restricted flow conditions. Ukot-2, an appraisal well on the separate Ukot discovery, is scheduled to spud in April-May 2008. Usan-4, located 5km south of the discovery was drilled in 2003. It flowed at the rate of 4,400bpd from the first interval and 6,300bpd from the second interval. The Usan-5 well was located 6km west of the discovery. The Usan-6 appraisal well was drilled around 4km south of Usan-5 in water depths of approximately 850m. During the well test, Usan-6 was flowed at a rate of 5,800bpd under restricted flow conditions. In 2005, Usan-7 and -8 confirmed an eastern extension of the Usan field. Both wells were drilled using Transocean's semisub, M G Hulme, Jr. USAN CONTRACTORS Cameron was awarded a contract with a value of approximately $650m to provide subsea systems for the initial phase of the 44-well Usan subsea development. "The plan features a development of the Usan field with 35 subsea wells connected to am FPSO." Under the contract, Cameron will provide subsea systems engineering and project management, along with subsea Christmas trees, production and intervention control systems, manifolds, flowline connection systems, installation support and associated spares for Total's Nigerian subsidiary. Saipem was awarded the contract for the Umbilicals, Flowlines, Risers and Oil Loading Terminal (UFR and OLT) activities. The contract is worth in excess of $1.3bn. The contract encompasses the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, pre-commissioning, assistance to commissioning and start-up of the subsea umbilicals (72km), flowlines (61km) and risers connecting the 42 subsea wells to the FPSO, along with the oil-loading terminal, consisting of an offloading buoy and two offloading lines and part of the FPSO anchoring system. Fabrication will be carried out locally in Nigeria, mainly in Saipem's Rumuolumeni yard. The offshore installation will be carried out by the highly specialised vessels Saipem FDS and Saipem 3000, in water depths ranging from 730m to 850m, between the fourth quarter of 2010 and the fourth quarter of 2011. http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/knottyhead/ Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/knottyhead/ Knotty Head Field, Gulf of Mexico The Knotty Head Field lies in Green Canyon block 512 in the Gulf of Mexico. It is operated by Nexen Petroleum with a 25% working interest. Other equity partners include Anadarko Petroleum 25%, BHP Billiton 25% and ChevronTexaco 25%. The field lies in 3,500ft of water close to the Chevron-operated Tahiti and Tonga discoveries. "The Knotty Head field was discovered in 2005." The field was discovered in 2005 when the well encountered approximately 600ft of net oil pay in multiple zones in the lower miocene of the Mississippi fan fold belt. KNOTTY HEAD WELL The well was drilled by the TransOcean Discoverer Spirit drillship. The well reached a total depth of 34,189ft and is the deepest well drilled in the Gulf of Mexico. The field also set a record for the deepest real-time Logging While Drilling / Measuring While Drilling (LWD / MWD). The well also set a third record for the longest 14¾in-bit run at 11,545ft and a total depth of 24,085ft. In order to determine the extent of the discovery, Nexen followed this up by a sidetrack well drilled downdip to a total depth of 32,986ft, with a bottom-hole location approximately 4,500ft to the south of the original wellbore. The sidetrack encountered all reservoirs seen in the discovery well and approximately 400ft of net oil pay were logged. OIL PRODUCTION Nexen's pre-drill resource estimate for the field, prior to drilling the first exploration well was 350 million to one billion barrels. "The Knotty Head Field lies in Green Canyon Block 512 in the Gulf of Mexico." Based on the results of this drilling, the resource estimate reduced to 200 to 500 million barrels of oil equivalent. The initial exploration plan filed by the operator envisages at least four wells to be drilled on GC 512. Floatec, the 50-50 joint venture between J Ray McDermott and Keppel FELS created to deliver deepwater floating production systems, is finishing a concept screening study for Knotty Head. FloaTEC will evaluate tension leg platforms; spars; floating production, storage and offloading vessels; and subsea options for the field. Both wet and dry tree options will be considered. http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/zalivamerika/ Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/zalivamerika/ Zaliv Amerika - Oil Tanker The Zaliv Amerika is the latest medium-sized tanker to join the Primorsk Shipping Corp fleet. Owned by Boussol Shipping Limited, the ship will be initially operated by the Tesoro Far East Maritime Company to transport oil. The ship is under a three-year lease to Tesoro and was commissioned in January 2007. The keel was laid in August 2007. "The ship is the first of six new tankers in the new PRISCO aframax series." The ship is the first of six new tankers in the new PRISCO aframax series. Each of the six new vessels will be named after Far Eastern gulfs. The tanker was built at Hyundai shipyards in Uslan, South Korea, and was blessed on 14 December 2007 by Father Tikhon, an orthodox priest. Irina Bulatova christened the vessel as its Godmother. The vessel was delivered and sailed on 23 January 2008, making her first call at Honolulu, Hawaii, at the end of February. The ship then sailed onto Kachemak Bay, Alaska, where further tests were carried out. The ship then headed for the KPL dock in Nikiski ready to begin operations. TECHNICAL The vessel has a gross tonnage of 104,535t and is 244m in overall length. The length between the perpendiculars is 234m, the draught is 14.9m and the moulded breadth is 42m. The overall depth of the ship is 22m. The cargo capacity of the ship is regulated by Tesoro&squo;s spill response plans for Cook Inlet. Notation of the vessel is 1A1 ICE-1C Tanker for Oil ESP SPM E0 VCS-2 TMON NAUTICUS (Newbuilding). PROPULSION The ship&squo;s three auxiliary boilers are MISSION OC and two MISSION OL 30T/H provided by Aalborg Industries AS. The emergency generator diesel power unit is a 6CT-8.3-D(M) and was supplied by Cummins Inc. The three main generator diesel engine C, P and S are 6H21/32 and were supplied and fitted by HHI. The main propulsion diesel engine is a 7S60MC-C and was supplied by MAN B&W. The steering gear for the vessel is FE21-207-T050.