Deep Down, Inc. (OTCQX: DPDW) ("Deep Down"), an oilfield services company specializing in complex deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil production distribution system support services announces it has received a large order for patented flying leads and unique UTA (Umbilical Termination Assembly), valued at approximately $2.5 million directly from an independent operator.
The flying leads and UTA will be delivered and deployed in the Gulf of Mexico in the first quarter of 2016.
Ron Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Deep Down, Inc. stated, "Despite the current environment of lower oil prices, this order from a new customer reinforces our strategy and ability to work directly for operators."
Wood Group has acquired Automated Technology Group (ATG), one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of control and power solutions for industrial automation.
Established in 1996 and headquartered in Bedfordshire, ATG operates primarily in the UK automotive, food and beverage and airport sectors employing approximately 250 personnel. ATG generated sales of approximately £36 million in the year to March 2015. Andy Robinson, CEO and founder of ATG, will continue to lead the existing management team.
ATG will perform within Wood Group Mustang’s Automation and Control business unit, providing Wood Group Mustang the opportunity to enter into the manufacturing automation market, complementing its current process automation capabilities.
“ATG provides many opportunities for Wood Group Mustang, including growing our automation business to include manufacturing and expanding into the food and beverage and airport markets. With a culture focused on people and innovation, ATG is the right fit for Wood Group Mustang,” said Michele McNichol, Wood Group Mustang CEO.
“Wood Group Mustang’s global resources and diversified project experience will enable ATG to undertake larger projects and access key growth opportunities outside the UK, building upon our custom solutions for our clients,” commented Andy Robinson. “This will benefit ATG both as a systems integrator for automation projects (our Autotech brand) and as a supplier of low- and medium-voltage electrical switchgear and motor controls centers (our Igranic brand).”
Jee Ltd, a leading multi-disciple subsea engineering and training firm, has completed more than a thousand specialist span assessments already this year, delivering major cost-savings by avoiding remediation work.
Graham Wilson, Head of Late Life at Jee Limited, said: “Pipeline spans are formed due to an uneven seabed, scour or sandwaves, and can cause integrity issues with potential catastrophic and costly results. These spans can be susceptible to failure through fatigue and, as span length increases, the risk of fatigue damage due to direct wave loading or vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) also increases.”
Jee’s engineering team boasts a proven track-record for providing pipeline span assessment to the global oil and gas industry, with systems in place to run span analysis quickly and accurately.
Jee span monitoring kit
Mr. Wilson continued: “We have an in-depth understanding of the codes and standards and appreciate their limitations, allowing us to effectively challenge them without adversely affecting safety. By doing so we can remove conservatism and increase the allowable span length, minimising the remediation work required which can lead to expensive operations and potentially create new issues.
“When intervention work is necessary, we are pragmatic in our approach and ensure offshore vessel time and activities are optimized to maintain economical operations.”
In addition, Jee has developed an innovative span monitoring kit which monitors the motion of spans and the associated environmental conditions. The data collected can be used to prove that VIV isn’t occurring when predicted by the design codes, removing the need for costly corrective work. Alternatively, the kit allows the occurrence of VIV to be detected, providing supporting evidence of the need for intervention (the kit can also be used to provide assurance that remediation measures are having the desired effect).
“Jee has a long history of supporting subsea operations and is committed to providing quality engineering services in a technically advanced, secure and sustainable way. Our clients’ needs are always at the forefront of what we do, and we consistently aim to add-value to all projects and operations.” Mr. Wilson concluded.
ADIL, a leading independent energy consultancy, has recorded a 100% increase in demand for its Accelerated Conceptual Engineering (ACE) services as acquisition, merger and divestment activity by UKCS operators ramps up in the lower oil price environment.
Ashtead Technology’s Houston office has secured an industry seal of approval from ISNetworld (ISN) for maintaining the highest oil and gas safety and quality standards within the Gulf of Mexico.
ISNetworld is a global resource for connecting companies with safe, reliable contractors and suppliers. It measures key performance indicators among contractors in meeting industry needs and regulations.
Ashtead Technology is now a verified and compliant member of ISN following a rigorous six month due diligence and audit process.
Chris Echols, (photo) Vice President of Ashtead Technology in Houston said: “With increasing scrutiny on service and costs across our industry, this certification now independently verifies and certifies our commitment to the highest safety and quality standards within the sector.
“We offer customers more than just equipment rental; we supply technology that is specific to their needs as well as provide invaluable expertise through the global provision of qualified, highly-skilled personnel for both on and offshore operational project integration and support.”
ISNetworld provides companies with the tools required to measure their health and safety performance, identify strengths and weakness and assess how they can drive improvement across the business. It serves as a forum for sharing industry best practices and benchmarking resources, leading efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of contractor management systems.
Mr. Echols added: “This is great recognition of the outstanding work carried out by our team who are committed to delivering a first class service to our customers. It allows us to track our performance and validates our position as a market leader in providing integrated subsea technology solutions across the globe.”
Through the delivery of enhanced technical support services, Ashtead Technology is committed to delivering a range of value-added services which now include the supply of offshore personnel, equipment sales, complete asset management, calibration, repair and maintenance, custom engineering, cable moulding and training.
Formed in 1985, Ashtead Technology employs 84 people in Aberdeen, London, Houston and Singapore with agents in Abu Dhabi, Perth (Australia) and Stavanger.
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) has announced the election of Dr. Sean Gourley to serve as an independent director of the company, effective Sept. 15, 2015.
"Our industry and company will increasingly use big data and artificial intelligence to improve exploration, development and production success, and to do it more safely and efficiently," said Anadarko Chairman, President and CEO Al Walker. "As a highly successful executive and entrepreneur in the tech sector, Sean brings a unique and valuable perspective to Anadarko's Board of Directors. Our company is continuously expanding its use of leading-edge technology to develop oil and natural gas resources, and having a Board member with Sean's expertise will complement and enhance our ability to leverage technology as a competitive advantage."
Additionally, Anadarko announced Amanda M. McMillian, formerly Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer. Anadarko's Robert K. (Bobby) Reeves, formerly Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer, will assume the new title of Executive Vice President, Law and Chief Administrative Officer, and will continue to serve as a member of the company's executive committee.
"Amanda has been an outstanding contributor to the success of Anadarko," said Walker. "Since joining Anadarko in 2004, she has been a trusted voice advancing the company's legal and compliance requirements, while demonstrating tremendous leadership throughout our organization. This move also will enable Bobby to devote more time to the management of Anadarko globally and, in particular, to enhancing our approach to domestic and international government relations. Bobby is uniquely capable of further strengthening the positive relationships we've developed with various governments and NGOs, as energy policy in all countries continues to evolve."
DR. SEAN GOURLEY
Dr. Gourley, 36, is the founder and CEO of Primer, an early-stage, venture-backed company building software to power artificial intelligence applications. Prior to founding Primer, he was the founder and Chief Technology Officer of Quid, a San Francisco-based augmented intelligence company building software for strategic decision-making. Quid was a finalist for Innovative Company in Big Data by Fast Company magazine in 2013. Born in New Zealand, Dr. Gourley studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar where he received a Ph.D. in physics, and he received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in physics from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was additionally a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Said Business School at Oxford University and is currently an Equity Partner with Data Collective Venture Capital Fund, investing in key data and algorithmic technologies.
AMANDA M. McMILLIAN
During McMillian's tenure at Anadarko, she also served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Western Gas Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Anadarko and general partner of Western Gas Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) from January 2008 to August 2012. McMillian, 42, began her career at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she represented a variety of clients in a wide range of transactional, corporate governance and securities matters. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern University and received both a Master of Arts and a Juris Doctor from Duke University.
Aberdeen-based behavioral change consultancy Optimus Seventh Generation, has reinforced its commitment to safety by securing a new agreement with Apache North Sea to deliver a series of unique training workshops in 2015 and 2016.
A new level of well control training that for the first time combines simulated advanced technical and behavioral content has been successfully piloted by Seadrill and will now be rolled out globally.
Fugro has formed a strategic alliance with Coremar, a Colombian turnkey port, marine services, and logistics provider. The objective is to provide life-of-field solutions to the oil and gas industry in Colombia and the Caribbean, particularly in the delivery of geophysical, geoconsulting, geotechnical, metocean and other core Fugro services.
The alliance enables Fugro to offer unique turnkey solutions. Combining its scientific know-how, technical and geological expertise with Colombian flagged DP2 vessels, port infrastructure and the operational excellence that characterizes Coremar, creates a local integral solution for Colombia and the Latin America region. Together, Fugro and Coremar will offer the region’s first dedicated geophysical survey and geotechnical sampling Colombian flagged vessels.
The agreement was signed on August 27th 2015 at a ceremony with clients during the recent XVI Congreso Colombiano Petróleo y Gas.
Kvaerner will sign the final contract for delivery of the drilling platform jacket to the Johan Sverdrup field. This is number 45 in a series of steel substructures from Kvaerner in the past 45 years.
On 26 June 2014 Kvaerner entered into a frame agreement for delivery of steel jacket substructures for future Statoil projects. At the same time Letter of Intent were signed for the steel jackets for the Johan Sverdrup riser platform and drilling platform.
Kvaerner is known in the business to always deliver demanding projects at the agreed time and quality. With the two contracts for delivery of steel jackets to Johan Sverdrup in order backlog, Kvaerner Verdal has a solid and predictable foundation as basis for continuous improvement and long-term planning in connection with further development of Kvaerner in Verdal, says Jan Arve Haugan, Kvaerner's President & CEO.
The new contract reinforces Kvaerner's position as the market leader for large steel jacket substructures to the North Sea region. The drilling platform jacket is scheduled to be delivered in the spring of 2018. The engineering has now started at Kvaerner's offices in Oslo. Kvaerner Verdal is the contract party, and the project management will be based at the company's specialized jacket facility in Verdal in Mid-Norway, where fabrication will be executed. Prefabrication will start in the summer of 2016, and assembly will take place from the spring of 2017.
At peak manning, around 250 Kvaerner employees will be working on the drilling platform jacket. Together with the delivery of the riser platform jacket, this will engage around 500 Kvaerner employees when the two projects are at their most hectic. Additionally, it is expected that as spin-off effects of the two deliveries work will be created for another 1 500 people in Kvaerner's sub-suppliers and from regional service providers in private and public sector. Johan
Subsea IMR provider, N-Sea Offshore Ltd, has successfully completed a fully integrated and managed service for Maersk Oil UK’s 2015 Subsea Inspection Program.
The work scope involved four field locations in the North Sea and utilized N-Sea’s IMR and subsea capabilities for a duration of 135 days. The four locations were combined within one scope which commenced on 1 March this year, thus achieving optimum levels of efficiency and productivity.
The Siem N-Sea was utilized for the scope, to combine ROV inspection services with IMR diving works. The vessel is part of N-Sea’s fleet of dive, multi-support and construction vessels designed to deliver a range of subsea services for offshore assets, platforms, FPSOs and renewables operations.
Roddy James, N-Sea chief operating officer
N-Sea’s chief operating officer, Roddy James, said: “The successful completion of this contract further consolidates our excellent relationship with Maersk Oil, which has always been based upon trust and transparency. The project was completed efficiently and safely with no incidents, and reflected our ability to always provide ‘safe, sound and swift’ solutions.
“At a time when identifying streamlined and cost effective solutions is crucial, combining ROV inspection services and IMR diving works into one work scope ensured this project delivered significant cost savings and achieved optimum efficiencies for the client.”
N-Sea is known for its innovative work as an independent offshore subsea contractor, specializing in IMR services for the renewable, oil and gas and telecom/utility industries, as well as for civil contracting communities. N-Sea provides near shore, offshore and survey services to major operators and service companies alike.
Subsea cable protection specialist, Tekmar Energy, is bucking the market trend after experiencing steady growth in the oil & gas sector during what has been a challenging time for the industry.
Since the start of the year, and against the dramatic fall in the oil price, the company has expanded its reach into new global regions, won multiple orders of repeat business and brought in six new clients so far this year including JDR Cables, FlexLife and GE Oil & Gas.
James Ritchie, CEO, commented, “Working under the stringent guidelines of the American Petroleum Institute’s API 17L specifications, we have invested and expanded our materials processes and in house testing to support the supply into this quality demanding sector. It has been tremendous to see the growth potential coming from the oil and gas division in what is described as a declining market”.
In addition, Tekmar has successfully supplied and installed equipment on the prestigious Martin Linge project. Their involvement on the landmark Norwegian development included supply of bend restrictors on the world’s longest high voltage subsea power cable at 170 km (105 miles).
Charlie Sullivan, Tekmar’s Technical Sales Manager, said: “It has been an extremely encouraging time for Tekmar following extensive business development, including the formation of a new oil and gas management team, seeing us gain increasing traction in the sector. This has resulted in us securing several significant orders for cable protection systems to be supplied on projects in Angola, Venezuela and Brazil to name a few.
“Not only are we continuing to supply our core market-leading products such as bend restrictors, j-tube seals, split pipe and TekDuct but we are also receiving more enquiries for bespoke solutions where we can deliver further added value through our innovative approach and ideas. As we continue to grow into new regions, there are an increasing number of opportunities and everyone at Tekmar is looking forward to realizing this potential.”
Tekmar’s growth has seen the company expand into the Gulf of Mexico and Middle East for the first time. To support its expansion in the United Arab Emirates, Tekmar has also appointed Emdad as its strategic, local partner.
Formed in 1979, Emdad is an established service provider and EPC contractor which has played a vital role in enabling Abu Dhabi's key energy players to achieve higher levels of reliability, and performance.
Chief operating officer at Emdad, Aly Abdel Malak, said: “Emdad is committed to strengthening its products and services offering to producers and contractors in the Middle East energy industry. As part of this, we are focused on bridging the gap between trading and service activities through our selective choice of suppliers and targeted development of related products.
“Our partnership with Tekmar is fully in line with this strategy because it enables us to answer the requirements of our customers in the high growth O&G offshore sector. At the same time this provides Tekmar with opportunities for local content through our Coating Services as well as a closer cooperation early in the sales process with our in-house offshore installation partner. We are confident that the value this partnership will bring will be distinct, meaningful and provide many benefits to clients.”
With more than 30 years’ experience, Tekmar is a market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of subsea cables, umbilicals and flexible protection systems for the renewable energy and oil & gas industry.
Tekmar is set to exhibit at the Middle East oil & gas conference ADIPEC for the first time in November where they will be on Emdad’s stand.
Tekmar’s renewable energy division has also announced success in the past month. The firm was selected to provide its innovative TekTube on a wind farm in the Netherlands as well as supplying TekLink cable protection systems on the U.S.’s first offshore wind farm, Block Island.
For more information about Tekmar, please visit www.tekmar.co.uk.
Hoover Container Solutions (“Hoover”), a leading provider of chemical tanks, cargo carrying units and related products and services to the global energy, petrochemical and related industrial end markets, has acquired Tech Oil Products, Inc. (“Tech Oil”).
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in New Iberia, Louisiana, Tech Oil has become an integral part of the Gulf Coast business community, and a market leader for waste processing and handling equipment to the oil & gas and marine sectors globally. The company designs, manufactures, sells and rents a line of waste compacting, processing and recycling products, as well as offshore cargo equipment. Best known for their ENVIRO-PAK®, SafeSub®, Windchiller® and TOP Offshore Basket brands; the full product line includes over 60 products known worldwide for their reliable and safe operation. Recycle the Gulf® - a partnership between producers and operators, Tech Oil and the Arc of Acadiana - was launched in 2001 with the goal of reducing and recycling the volume of wasted generated offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The program provides a valuable service and has made Tech Oil a trusted pillar of the Gulf Community and a responsible warden for the environment.
The acquisition of Tech-Oil will firmly establish Hoover as a premier supplier of waste processing and handling equipment, offshore recycling equipment, chemical, cargo and waste management tanks, baskets, containers and related accessories and services. Together they will continue to provide a diverse product range and robust services to their customers across the region and in the global energy marketplace.
Hoover’s Chief Executive Officer, Donald Young said, “Hoover is always working to introduce innovative products and services to the market and expand operations to best meet our customer needs. The combined Hoover-Tech Oil offerings are one of the largest and most diverse in the Gulf of Mexico region and makes Hoover one of the only worldwide companies to offer a full range of cargo carrying units including chemical, cargo and waste management products to the global energy market. This acquisition follows our partnership with First Reserve last January and supports our growth plan.”
“The partnership of Hoover and Tech Oil will allow us to provide a more complete product and service offering to our customers Worldwide.” said John Zimmer, President of Tech Oil Products. “We are excited to work with the Hoover because both teams share a similar commitment to high quality products and superior customer service.”
Fugro has secured a contract for the installation and burial of array cables at the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm being built in the English Channel, 13 kilometers off the Sussex coast, by E.ON alongside partners, the UK Green Investment Bank plc.
The engineering and planning will start immediately with installation being carried out in two phases in 2016 and 2017. Fugro will lay and bury the cables with its construction and installation vessels Fugro Symphony and Fugro Saltire using one of its two Q1400 trenching systems to bury the cables. The array cables will be pulled in and laid between the wind turbines and the offshore substation, where the power is then transmitted onshore.
“The award of this contract has strengthened Fugro’s successful working relationship with E.ON and comes soon after finishing cable-lay and burial on E.ON’s recently completed Humber Gateway Wind Farm,” said Derek Cruickshank, Managing Director, Fugro Subsea Services Ltd. “Subsea installation and trenching systems are amongst Fugro Subsea’s specialist services and our focus on offshore energy is supported by a team of highly experienced onshore and offshore personnel.”
The Rampion Offshore Wind Farm will consist of 116 turbines, each with a generating capacity of 3.45 MW. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018.
Sparrows Group, a global leader in offshore lifting related engineered products and services, has won a five-year deal with Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) in the Middle East.
The successful retender through the company’s local partner, Abu Dhabi Oilfield Services, will see Sparrows Group providing the operations and maintenance support to all cranes and lifting equipment aboard offshore platforms and the Al Hyleh Barge in the UAE and Zirku Islands. The agreement which covers ADMA-OPCO’s offshore installations – the Umm Shaif Super Complex, Zakum West Super Complex and the Zakum Central Super Complex – is initially a three year contract with the option for two one year extensions.
Sparrows Group will provide operations and maintenance support for cranes and lifting equipment to ADMA-OPCO
Stewart Mitchell, Sparrows Group chief executive officer, said: “We have established a strong and successful relationship with ADMA-OPCO since we began working together approximately 16 years ago. The work we have been contracted to do involves providing the total integrated management of cranes and other lifting equipment which optimizes the performance and reliability of all safety critical lifting operations.
“As well as providing offshore personnel who are supported by our onshore staff in Abu Dhabi and worldwide we will be supplying preventative maintenance, repair and refurbishment, spare parts, and comprehensive technical support.”
“We have placed an emphasis on growing our presence in the Middle East and an important part of this involves building upon our existing contracts. Our strong reputation for quality and a client focused delivery is proving to be particularly appealing to operators in the region.”
In addition to being experts in lifting and handling, Sparrows Group is a specialist in the provision of engineered products and services in cable and pipe lay and fluid power to the energy industry.
The firm has been expanding in the Middle East with bases in Abu Dhabi and Al Khor (Qatar), and recently opened new regional headquarters in Dubai. Sparrows Group has also formed a strategic partnership with the Zamil Group in Saudi Arabia recently.
Established originally in 1946, the Sparrows Group moved into the oil and gas market in 1975 and celebrates 40 years working offshore this year. They are one of the most well-known and trusted names in the oil and gas industry.
The next MTS Houston Section luncheon will be held on September 24, 2015. Danny Hough, Vice President of Developments and Kodiak Project Construction Director with Deep Gulf Energy, will describe the challenges associated with the Kodiak project tieback and how these challenges were addressed using an existing technology in a new application for the Gulf of Mexico.
When embarking on tiebacks, in many cases there are few host facilities with adequate topsides weight or process capacities available. Solutions must be found to add capacity to existing facilities to accommodate the tiebacks. Fluid properties and flowing conditions can result in flowline material specifications which are not readily available or easily installed.
About the project
The Kodiak field is located in Mississippi Canyon blocks 727 and 771 in water depths ranging from 4829 to 5,610 feet. It is approximately 60 miles southwest of Louisiana. The project consists of a subsea tieback to the Devil’s Tower truss spar in Mississippi Canyon block 773.
Devil’s Tower spar, named after Devil’s Tower National Monument, was at one time the world’s deepest production truss spar in 5,610 feet of water. It lost its record holding distinction to Shell’s Perdido platform in 2010.
About the Speaker
Danny Hough is the Vice President of Developments for Deep Gulf Energy. Danny has 40 years of industry experience, including US and international onshore and offshore operations and construction. He has spent ten years working in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
Deep Gulf Energy was formed in April 2005 and specializes in subsea tiebacks. Beginning in 1995 as the Mariner Deepwater Management Team, the group was one of the first independent management teams to operate in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and to date has acquired interest in over 20 deepwater prospects.
UPCOMING MTS HOUSTON PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS IN 2015
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