Tekmar Energy Ltd, a leading supplier of subsea cable protection, has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Barry Cooper as Operations Manager.

Bringing more than 15 years of experience in the offshore sector, Barry has served in several senior management and leadership roles in businesses including Technip Umbilicals, GE Wellstream and more recently, DeepOcean.

In his new role, Barry will be responsible for all operations working closely within the Senior Management Team to ensure products are manufactured to the highest quality, processes are efficient, and the history of excellence in quality and safety is further enhanced.

Prior to joining Tekmar, Barry was Capex Manager at Technip Umbilicals and GE Wellstream where he lead major investment programs developing both manufacturing and research & development facilities as part of global strategic growth plans. Locations included Brazil, Angola, Houston, Malaysia and the UK as well as leading process improvement initiatives in those manufacturing environments and subsea installations with DeepOcean.

Barry Cooper commented, “I am delighted to join Tekmar at a time of significant growth and opportunity across renewables and subsea SURF products. Tekmar are strategically well positioned to take advantage of market opportunities in both sectors and have fantastic facilities already in place to support those plans. I look forward to working with the team to maximize the potential of an already successful brand”.

James Ritchie, CEO, commented, “We are pleased to welcome Barry to our team of highly experienced executive managers. Despite the pressures of the market conditions Tekmar is still focused on growth and our future success depends on putting operations safety first, continually improving product quality and reducing the overall cost of production. By appointing Barry as our Operations Manager, with his track record in offshore operations and manufacturing from some of the leading oil and gas players, we hope to capitalize from that experience to make Tekmar the clear market leaders and the supplier of choice”.

Tekmar’s recent growth has seen the company continue to secure multiple renewables contracts, including Race Bank, Rampion and Formosa. In addition to this, Tekmar has experienced consistent growth in the oil & gas subsea sector, despite the recent downturn, and continues to secure work with new and existing customers.

Well management firm, Exceed is pleased to announce that it has been successful in securing a contract to support Fairfield Energy Limited in its forthcoming North Sea well plugging and abandonment campaign.

Fairfield’s program includes 45 platform wells and 16 subsea wells, all of which will be plugged and permanently abandoned. The platform wells decommissioning will commence in the next few months with the operational phase of the subsea wells work due to start in 2017.

John Anderson, Exceed commercial director

John Anderson, Exceed commercial director, said: “This award demonstrates the capacity of Exceed as a multi-disciplined well management organisation capable of providing support to complex well decommissioning activities. This will be a major focus going forward, both in the UKCS and internationally, and Exceed is delighted to be supporting Fairfield in one of the largest single UKCS well abandonment campaigns of this nature to date.”

Exceed provides outsourced well engineering and project management services with its head office in Aberdeen, Scotland. Exceed works for a wide range of operators in the oil and gas business in the UKCS and internationally utilising the company’s multi discipline team of professionals.

Fairfield is a well-established UKCS operator which is now adding decommissioning expertise to its existing capabilities.

LQT Industries, LLC, a full-service provider of high quality accommodation facilities, design-build construction services, and support services to the oil and gas industry, has been awarded projects from five (5) exploration and production companies in the Gulf of Mexico.

LQT’s scope of work includes on-site assessments, work scope development, material procurement, project management, and the provision of skilled labor to clean and repair HVAC systems and refurbish/upgrade the interior and exterior of living quarters of the fixed platforms and drill ships. The projects are scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2016.

LQT’s Refurbishment Division, headquartered in Abbeville, LA, specializes in full facility upgrades, asset maintenance, and 24/7 customer support for oil and gas operations.

Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL), which specializes in protecting companies’ process control software assets, announced that Total E&P UK has selected its software management platform Asset Guardian. The software will help to secure the integrity and improve management of the process control software used to operate Total E&P UK’s offshore developments in the North Sea.

Asset Guardian software offers a multifaceted, single point solution to manage all requirements associated with the process control software systems that are used to operate key oil and gas assets. Amongst its wide range of capabilities, Asset Guardian provides a centralized, secure repository for storing software files, disaster recovery and software version control.

Total E&P UK’s Elgin - Franklin development in the North Sea

Using Asset Guardian to centralize the management of process control software ensures that authorized personnel - onshore and offshore - have access to the same information, while the workflow built into Asset Guardian prevents simultaneous changes being made to software configuration code. Asset Guardian’s use of MD5 Checksums software provides integrity assurance of files during upload, storage and download.

As part of the project, AGSL is also providing AGSync software, which allows data and files to be seamlessly synchronized between multiple onshore and offshore locations. The ability to synchronize servers will allow Total E&P UK engineers based onshore to transfer new versions of software directly and speedily to engineers located offshore, removing the need to fly software files to remote locations. It also reduces the requirement for transporting software on portable media, which enhances cyber security.

The first Total E&P UK offshore asset to have access to Asset Guardian will be the Elgin Franklin and following a test period the software could then be deployed on other Total E&P UK offshore assets.

“We are extremely pleased to be providing Asset Guardian to Total E&P UK. Installation of Asset Guardian and AG Sync is well underway,” said Sam Mackay, Managing Director of AGSL. “The Asset Guardian solution will complement existing process control software management procedures.”

To support the project, AGSL engineers will assist Total E&P UK with the installation of Asset Guardian software and provide User and Administrator training.

Since 2004, AGSL has been supplying the oil and gas industry with the Asset Guardian toolset. Dana Petroleum, Woodside Energy, GDF Suez, Inpex, Dolphin Drilling, Stena Drilling, BP, Nexen Petroleum and nuclear energy provider EDF Energy are among those using Asset Guardian to protect and enhance management of their critical process control software assets.

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) hosted its annual security analyst meeting in New York where executives reiterated priorities, expressed confidence in the company’s near term outlook and emphasized an advantaged position when markets rebound.

“We’re completing major projects that have been under construction for several years. This enables us to grow production and reduce spending at the same time, which should improve our net cash flow significantly,” said John Watson, Chevron’s chairman and chief executive officer. Watson reiterated the importance of dividend growth and maintaining a strong balance sheet in the company’s financial priorities, noting the company’s record of 28 consecutive years of dividend increases, and plans to limit debt increases beyond 2016.

“Industry conditions are tough right now, with low oil and natural gas prices. We believe markets will improve, and we’ll be well positioned when they do,” Watson continued. “We have an excellent upstream and downstream portfolio, and we are driving operating and administrative efficiencies across the company.”

Jay Johnson, executive vice president, upstream, highlighted key plans. “We’re focused on safe, reliable operations and effective project start-ups and ramp-ups. At Gorgon, we’re producing LNG and the first cargo is expected to ship next week. With an advantaged position in the Permian and a deep portfolio of operating assets, we’re transitioning our spending to more short-cycle, higher-return activity that utilizes existing infrastructure. We have a portfolio of assets that should allow production growth through the end of the decade, even at moderate prices.”

Presentations and a full transcript of the meeting are available on the Investor Relations website at www.chevron.com.

Pulse Structural Monitoring, an Acteon company, has launched a third generation INTEGRIpod™ platform as a new addition to its INTEGRI™ range of structural monitoring sensor systems.

The INTEGRIpod NXT platform has been specifically developed to meet the needs of the offshore oil and gas industry in the current market; offering industry-leading features in a standard, modular format. Along with a range of new features, the new INTEGRIpod platform will support INTEGRIpod’s impressive track record of reliability and robust performance, proved in millions of hours of successful ultra-deepwater subsea operations since the product range launched in 1998.

Typical applications for the INTEGRIpod™ range include linear displacement and static and dynamic inclination of subsea structures such as BOPs, wellheads, conductor systems, mooring lines, and jumpers. With industry-leading on-board processing capabilities, measured data is processed in real-time and transmitted wirelessly or hardwired enabling instantaneous operational decision-making. The new platform also allows for deployments in excess of one year between battery change-outs due to new features such as ‘Smart Logging,’ which enables the device to deploy and only record phenomena over client-defined thresholds; significantly reducing campaign costs and the need for offshore interventions.

Sandip Ukani, technical director, Pulse, said, “At the core of the new platform is a 32-bit ARM™ processor, which offers low power consumption with significant on-board processing capability; delivering best-in-class battery life. The on-board MEMS gyroscopic sensors deliver unrivalled precision and accuracy. The platform allows communication over various connectivity options, including hardwired and acoustic, and can communicate over various industry standard open communication standards, such as RS232/485. Additionally, a multitude of connectors allows direct integration of Pulse’s proven sensor family, including the INTEGRIstick™ (Curvature Sensor), INTEGRIstrain™ (Custom Bonded Strain Gauge Packages) in addition to any third party sensor package.”

The third generation INTEGRIpod™ platform underwent extensive sea trials in the harsh weather of the North Sea, and in deepwater offshore Brazil. It is now ready for deployment as part of Pulse’s extensive fleet of structural monitoring systems.

With just under two weeks until the 2016 Offshore Achievement Awards (OAA) take place, the trophy which will be presented to winners on the night has been revealed.

Last year saw Gray’s School of Art student, Irina Viskanta, win a competition set by the organisers of the awards, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section, to design the 2016 trophy.

Ian Phillips, SPE Aberdeen Chairman with trophy designer Irina Viskanta

Alan Dick of SPE Aberdeen, who is set to host the awards ceremony on March 17, said: “Irina has done a fantastic job of designing and producing this year’s trophy, which reflects the themes of the 30th Offshore Achievement Awards – innovation, collaboration and creativity. I would like to thank Irina for all of her hard work, and I have no doubt that the winners will be thrilled to receive a trophy which has been so carefully thought out.”

Sian Mutch, senior corporate communications advisor at principal sponsor TAQA, said: “The trophy design competition has once again been a great way to involve students and the local community in the awards. TAQA is pleased to have been involved in the competition, and I would like to congratulate Irina on a creating such a stand-out trophy.”

The black tie event will take place on Thursday March 17, 2016 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. For more information or to book a table at this year’s Offshore Achievement Awards please visit www.spe-oaa.org.

Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) announces the award of a major(1) contract by BP, and partner DEA (Deutsche Erdoel AG), for the development of the Giza, Fayoum and Raven subsea fields offshore Alexandria, Egypt.

This is the second phase of the West Nile Delta project, where the field development will be at depths of up to approximately 800 meters.

The contract scope includes engineering, procurement, installation and pre-commissioning of the subsea infrastructure from twelve wells, with 80 kilometers of umbilicals and 220 kilometers of pipelines. It also includes the installation of the export lines from the subsea location to the Idku terminal.

Engineering and project management work will commence immediately and will be undertaken at Subsea 7's Global Projects Centre in London. Offshore installation is scheduled to commence in two stages.

The first stage, commencing in 2017, will comprise the landfall and shallow water pipelay, and the second stage, commencing in 2018, will involve the installation of deepwater pipelines and execution of the SURF scope. Subsea 7 vessels Seven Borealis and Seven Antares will be used for the pipelay, with the heavy construction vessel, Normand Oceanic, being used for the other construction activities.

Øeyvind Mikaelsen, Executive Vice President Southern Hemisphere and Global Projects said: "This major contract awarded by BP recognizes our performance during the first phase of the West Nile Delta project and allows us to deliver synergies across multiple work packages. Our early engagement on this project has enabled BP and Subsea 7 together with DEA to develop an optimized solution for the development of the Giza, Fayoum and Raven fields and demonstrates the effective collaboration between us. We look forward to consolidating our presence in Egypt and building on our long and successful relationship with BP."

(1) Subsea 7 defines a major contract as being over USD 750 million.

Offshore accommodation and workspace specialist HB Rentals has been awarded a contract with Prosafe worth in excess of £1million.

The project will see the company provide an end-to-end solution for the design, engineering, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning and routine maintenance of a customized temporary living quarter (TLQ) complex on board Prosafe’s semi-submersible accommodation vessel, Safe Boreas, currently located off the coast of Orkney, Scotland.

Prosafe is the world’s leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company currently operates a fleet of 14 vessels globally, with capacity for 306-812 people. Prosafe continues to strengthen its market leading position by adding high specification, technically advanced new build vessels to the existing fleet. The Safe Boreas was constructed in 2015 at Jurong shipyard, Singapore and is considered one of the most technologically advanced and efficient harsh environment accommodation vessels in the world.

The scope of work entails a fully customized accommodation complex for 40 persons on board (POB) based on double occupancy cabins with en-suite wet rooms. The package includes a local equipment room (LER), locker/changing room facilities, A60 stair tower and link corridor connecting the temporary living quarters with the existing permanent living quarters.

Upgrade work will also be carried out including data cabling and installation of Hydrogen Sulphide (H₂S) gas detectors, which is not a common requirement in the North Sea where Methane (CH₄) gas tends to be more prevalent.

The modules will be linked and stacked over three levels to form an enclosed living quarter complex, providing increased safety and comfort for offshore workers by reducing time spent on the main deck and offering protection from the elements.

HB Rentals’ responsibility also extends to the delivery of the full package to Safe Boreas at Scapa Flow following trial assembly and customer acceptance onshore at its facility in Sauchen, Aberdeenshire. This will mitigate any potential issues prior to final installation, hook-up and commissioning on the vessel.

Norman Porter, managing director, HB Rentals Limited said: “This year will mark HB Rentals’ 40^th anniversary so we are thrilled to be celebrating with the announcement of this project and look forward to working closely with Prosafe over the coming months. We pride ourselves in our ability to offer tailored solutions for our clients to ensure their requirements are met, and this project is just one example of this.”

HB Rentals was awarded the contract following a detailed technical commercial evaluation, which took place over several months. The HB Rentals TLQ is contracted on the Safe Boreas for work through 2017.

Karl Dickinson, senior manager Client Accounts, Prosafe said: “We would like to thank HB Rentals for responding to the TLQ project in a very timely and professional manner. Working closely with HB Rentals, we were able to provide a technical solution that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to find innovative and cost efficient solutions to our end-client.”

Kongsberg Maritime has expanded its established satellite position reference system portfolio with the introduction of a new system that integrates all available Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and all possible correction services. The new DPS 432 combines full decimeter accuracy with high integrity and availability of GNSS data, supporting the safety and efficiency of offshore operations that rely on advanced Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems.

DPS 432 integrates signals from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, and regional correction signals including SBAS (e.g. WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, GAGAN), in addition to the new G4 services from Fugro, to ensure high flexibility for DP operations globally. Because DPS 432 exploits available combinations of GNSS signals, it is ideally suited to complex operations in challenging environments. The system increases satellite availability, improves integrity monitoring and enables more precision under challenging signal tracking conditions.

The new DPS 432 will be a part of the well-established KONGSBERG DPS range of solutions, a portfolio of products that meets all requirements for operations in any geographical region.

“DPS 432 expands our established and field-proven portfolio of position reference systems for DP operations, ensuring that we can offer a highly reliable solution for any DP vessel or operating region,” said Vidar Bjørkedal, VP Sales & Customer Support, Kongsberg Seatex. “The system is based on the same architecture as other DPS products, which means it features a highly intuitive HMI, while the ability to integrate all available GNSS and corrections provides integrity and availability of the position data needed for safe operations.”

The DPS 432 features the sophisticated DPS NAV Engine^® used in all DPS solutions, which runs critical computations independent from the DPS HMI (operator interface) to ensure continuous and reliable operation. The DPS NAV Engine^® runs in a safe mode, protected from unintended user operations, while several DPS HMIs can be connected to the same DPS NAV Engine® in a networked architecture.

Straightforward operation to enhance DP operations safety further, was a key design goal during development of DPS 432. The system can integrate multiple layers of information, giving the DP operator unmatched opportunities for a customized visual presentation, including i.e., electronic chart, seabed maps, well head positions, static targets and AIS target information.

Seatronics, an Acteon company, and part of its survey, monitoring and data business segment, has announced the appointment of Kevin Strachan as head of finance. The new role will require Strachan to lead the finance function in each of Seatronics’ global bases and divisions.

Strachan holds a masters degree in accounting from Aberdeen University, and a chartered accountant designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. With more than 20 years of experience, he has held a number of managerial roles, including chief financial officer at Chantry Networks in Toronto, Canada, and group financial controller for the Ferguson Group in the UK.

Phil Middleton, group managing director, Seatronics, said, “Seatronics welcomes Kevin to the company in this new role. Kevin has an impressive track record, and we are looking forward to him adding significant value to the management team at Seatronics as we continue to develop our strategic goals in this challenging market.”

Strachan said, “I am excited to join the successful team at Seatronics and look forward to supporting the company's position as the global leader in the rental and sale of marine electronic equipment.”

Cyberhawk Innovations, a world leader in aerial inspection using Remotely Operated Aerial Vehicles (ROAV), also referred to as drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), has completed an offshore ROAV inspection in North America for one of the world’s largest oil and gas supermajors.

The multiple workscope project was completed over the course of two weeks in Newfoundland, Canada.

Cyberhawk used ROAVs to inspect the live flare, the platform underdeck and the roof of the giant concrete gravity base, and conduct numerous thermal surveys in order to maximise the mobilisation. A back log of complex inspection and survey work was competed whilst the Cyberhawk team was on the platform.

Offshore worker with drone

ROAVs were opted as the preferred method of inspection for this project, primarily to reduce safety risks posed to personnel in the notoriously hazardous, foggy conditions present off the east coast of Canada.

Stringent HSE regulations imposed mean that frequent inspection of offshore assets is required, in order to verify the integrity of the asset and maintain an operating licence. Due to the short weather windows available, the speed of ROAV inspection and the ability to capture large amounts of data in a short time presented a significant advantage.

Malcolm Connolly, technical director and founder of Cyberhawk, was part of the team mobilised back in August 2015. He said: “Cyberhawk is well-known for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the field of ROAV inspection, however even with eight years of rope access inspection experience and seven years using ROAVs, this was one of the most challenging projects I have been involved in.

“Carrying out the underdeck inspection workscope alone would have taken weeks of complex overside work for a rope access team, or months for scaffolding to be erected. Add to that the challenging weather conditions on the Grand Banks and this would realistically have resulted in an inspection campaign spanning over the whole summer.

“The main advantage that the ROAV had over other access techniques in this instance was its speed and its ability to capture large amounts of inspection information in short periods. Although the ROAV is able to operate safely in 30kts of wind, during this project we were only able to fly on five out of 15 days due to either fog or gale force winds. The number of areas that were inspected in five productive days proves the speed and efficiency of ROAV inspection.

“The successful completion of this project reinforces that ROAV technology can produce results in the harshest of offshore environments. It is also an exciting step forward for Cyberhawk entering the North American market”

Harris CapRock Communications, a premier global provider of managed communications services for remote and harsh environments, launched SafePass™ Pro, an advanced cyber security solution for proactive defense against cyber attacks targeting oil and gas IT infrastructures. The solution also is available for cruise, maritime and other commercial customers.

Industry experts estimate cyber attacks against the global energy industry will cost businesses up to $1.9 billion by 2018. SafePass Pro improves network resources, minimizes malware and spyware, enables centralized control across all sites, enforces acceptable use and security policies (AUP), and provides an opportunity to assess and eliminate network vulnerabilities. SafePass Pro customers also will receive Harris CapRock’s 24/7 monitoring and support, network threat detection and vulnerability scanning.

The new cyber security solution includes Alert Logic threat monitoring services. Alert Logic Threat Manager provides network intrusion monitoring and detection, as well as a vulnerability scanner, while the firewall protection supports URL filtering, application filtering and security.

Customers also will have access to Harris Corporation’s industry-leading cyber security experts to pinpoint system vulnerabilities, monitor insider threats, proactively defend the network and respond to incidents. Harris experts protect networks that move 2 million air passengers a day and manage 150 Department of Defense satellites as well as numerous government installations.

“Security breaches and emerging threats to corporate networks are impacting the oil and gas market with greater cost and frequency as offshore operations rely more heavily on always-on communications networks,” said Tracey Haslam, president, Harris CapRock. “SafePass Pro offers an unparalleled approach to cyber protection with the added ability of working with Harris cyber security experts committed to securing critical government networks.”

Deep Down, Inc. (OTCQX: DPDW) ("Deep Down"), an oilfield services company specializing in deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil production distribution system support services, announces it has received an order from Shell for an umbilical and distribution system to support a production platform mooring line control system.

In addition to supporting platform positioning, the system will provide real time data collection during high seas and platform operations. Due to increasing safety standards for wave zone equipment, it will be designed to survive extreme wave loading conditions and extended design life.

Ron Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Deep Down, Inc. stated, "This order represents another milestone in the relationship between Shell and Deep Down."

Global inspection, repair, maintenance (IRM) and light construction company Harkand has been chosen to deliver installation work to support a leading US headquartered operator with its existing drilling campaign in the Nevis South Field in the North Sea.

The project will see Harkand provide project management and engineering services and deploy its personnel and one of its dive support vessels (the Harkand Da Vinci or Harkand Atlantis) to install new subsea equipment for North Sea subsidiary Apache Beryl I Limited (Apache). The scope of work has been called off against the master service agreement (MSA) the IRM firm signed with the operator in 2014.

Harkand previously performed tie-in work in 2015 for the Nevis S67 well at the Beryl field and a Beryl midline disconnect scope under the contract. The company also supported Apache with phase 1 of the Aviat development which included preparation work and platform tie-ins of the newly installed Aviat flowline.

Harkand Europe managing director David Kerr said: “In this low barrel price climate, our strong reputation for quality and operational efficiency is proving to be particularly appealing to operators in the region.

“Being selected for Apache’s latest campaign builds on the strong relationship we have established with this key operator over several years. We are committed to delivering the same high standards of safety, quality work and performance for them on this project and in the most efficient manner.”

Apache’s subsea projects manager Patrick Duggan said: “For this latest campaign, Apache have selected Harkand, which aligns with the company’s project culture of pace, innovation and excellence. We are committed to build upon the successful previous performances on the Nevis and Aviat work scopes and see Harkand as an ideal partner in this project.”

Harkand has signed a new joint venture agreement with Esopeg Lda in Angola, its first strategic partnership in the country and third in the region as the global inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) company continues to strengthen its capabilities across West Africa.

The newly formed company Harkand Angola Lda, based in Luanda, will focus on the development of local IRM capabilities and services in country, providing support and local content on both large major capital development projects and maintenance to existing ageing operations. It makes the full spectrum of Harkand’s ROV and diving, inspection, engineering, project management and survey services available to the Angolan market.

“Harkand is very proud to bring its technology transfer, technical expertise and training contribution to the developing local subsea oil service sector in Angola,” said general manager for Africa, Doug Fieldgate.

“This new venture, combined with the operations of the Swordfish DP2 multi-purpose vessel in the country, provides a very sound and sustainable operational basis for further development and growth both in Angola and the African region as a whole. We are now in position to offer all our knowledge, assets, services and support to all of our international and locally based clients operating in the area.”

Harkand has forged a number of strategic partnerships as it progresses its ambitious global growth strategy. In the past 12 months the company has established joint ventures in Nigeria and Ghana, facilitating the delivery of its suite of integrated subsea services to the West African marketplace.

Chief executive officer John Reed said: “Angola is amongst the most resilient of the African regions in this sustained lower oil price climate. The joint venture in this country is a key milestone in the deployment and continued growth of Harkand in Africa.

“It not only strengthens our ability to respond to the needs of our clients, it complements our network of partnerships and local companies already operating in Ghana and Nigeria and makes a clear statement of Harkand’s commitment to becoming an integral local and sustainable player in all the regional markets we work in.”