Xodus Group has promoted Andrew Sewell to the role of Global Subsurface Lead to drive forward its global subsurface capabilities. Mr Sewell has more than 24 years’ experience working in the oil and gas industry, initially as a Geophysicist, and joined Xodus in 2012 as Subsurface Manager. He previously worked with Senergy (now LR Senergy) as Region Manager for Europe and Africa. He started his career with Schlumberger after graduating from Cambridge University with a MA in Physics in 1991.
Mr Sewell has worked across Africa, the Middle East and Europe delivering projects including geophysical reviews, field development plans and due diligence investigations. Recent and ongoing projects he is managing include exploration projects in Kenya and field development projects in Kurdistan and Nigeria.
“In the current market conditions operators are looking to reduce costs and maximise production from mature or marginal fields,” said Mr Sewell. “In addition, the M&A market is becoming increasingly active as oil and gas companies look to buy production and financial companies are now looking to invest in oil and gas companies/assets.
“Xodus Subsurface is well placed to support all types of companies in this dynamic marketplace. We boast a global team of multi-disciplined talent covering exploration and production, with a strong pedigree and track record in supporting M&A deals. By combining this broad wealth of knowledge with the latest software technologies, we can propel our capabilities to deliver high standard products with innovative solutions, efficiently and cost-effectively.”
Xodus’ subsurface offering manages all technical aspects of exploration and reservoir development and includes the core disciplines of geology, geophysics, petrophysics and reservoir engineering, as well as more niche skill sets required for activities such as fracture characterisation. The company provides technical services to E&P companies, investors, start-ups, governments and regulatory bodies, and also expert services to a wide range of private equity businesses and other financial institutions.
Steve Swindell, COO of Xodus said: “We predict a huge growth in subsurface services and are optimistic about the potential out there. Our seamless integration of services from exploration through production and development can greatly enhance the quality of what we deliver as well as saving valuable project time. Andrew’s experience and passion for his field of expertise inspires and motivates the team and I’m confident his ambitions in this new role will be realised.”
Unique Group, a leading integrated subsea and offshore solution provider, has set in place measures to double its size and global infrastructure by 2019 through capital investment, acquisitions and expansion into key markets.
With a current turnover in excess of $100m, the company has restructured its worldwide organization into five new business units, to capitalize on Unique Group’s current and future market sectors.
The first expansion into new sectors is the launch of Unique Group’s range of technically advanced products for Dive Support Vessels (DSVs), the result of three years of research and development and significant investment by the group. As offshore operations move increasingly into deeper and more challenging environments, the DSV market will become significant in Unique Group’s growth.
The business has made three senior appointments to oversee the expansion in key growth areas. Within Unique Group, Mike Jessop has been promoted to global head of diving. The group has also recruited leading figures from within the industry: Andy Doggett, former manager of Teledyne CDL has been brought in to head up the new survey equipment division; and Steve McMillan, former head of diving at McDermott, has been appointed as global HSE & projects director.
Harry Gandhi, Founder and CEO said: “In the field of oil and gas survey, exploration and oil recovery, the forecast of future demand outweighs current supply levels. It is crucial that the industry does not stand still and that we all prepare for projected upturns.
“Current market conditions have led some companies, especially smaller ones, to be overcautious and almost come to a standstill, instead of finding new ways to remain competitive and sustainable.
“We have over 200 engineering specialists across six global regions and a streamlined, multidisciplinary offering. We work with the best vendors and ultimately we offer our customers in the offshore and subsea sectors the most cost-effective solutions for their businesses, whether bespoke or off the shelf.
“We are excited to be entering this latest chapter in our history and I am more than confident that we’ll reach our 2019 growth target.
Unique Group is known for its offshore, onshore and subsea engineering expertise, as well as its brands, Hydra and Seaflex, which are world-leading in diving equipment and buoyancy and ballast respectively.
The full range of specialist services has been streamlined into five complementary multi-site divisions and rebranded under the Unique Group name. The company is still led by its founder Harry Gandhi alongside a long-standing management team that includes his son, Sahil Gandhi, as group executive director. Unique Group will announce a further series of senior global appointments in the coming weeks and the acquisitions will be made public once complete.
The high-resolution multi-bean sonar is part of a specialized inventory of hydrographic and geophysical equipment.
HOUMA, La. – Okeanus Science and Technology (Okeanus) is pleased to announce the acquisition of a new multi-beam system to its portfolio of oceanographic and scientific research rental equipment. The Kongsberg Mesotech M3 Sonar in combination with the OE10-102 Electric Multi-Purpose Pan & Tilt Unit allow subsea survey operators accurate movement and positioning to obtain real-time imaging capabilities of conventional multi-beam sonar with quality imaging comparable to a single-beam sonar.
The Kongsberg Mesotech M3 Sonar offers both imaging and profiling capabilities in the field of hydrographic and geophysical survey. The sonar is used for high-resolution site clearance surveys, ROV navigation, and shallow water multi-bean profiling surveys. The M3 Sonar can detect small objects out to 150 meters with real-time, high quality imaging offering significant time savings to the operator.
The Kongsberg Mesotech M3 Sonar is equipped with the OE10-102 Electric Multi-Purpose Pan & Tilt Unit offering exceptional torques (up to 35Nm from a 24V power input) and positioning performance. The Pan & Tilt Unit provides accurate 2 axes movement and positioning while directing cameras and sonar equipment. Its performance in the harshest subsea environments is continuous due to high shock and vibration tolerance, environmental and electrical protection features, and a pressure compensation unit with a depth rating of up to 6,000 msw.
Along with the M3 Sonar, Okeanus has an extensive portfolio of hydrographic and geophysical rental equipment including a variety of echo sounders, side-scan sonars, sub-bottom profilers, and magnetometers. The ability to lease equipment meant to aid in the measurement of features in relation to offshore oil exploration, drilling, marine construction, dredging, and navigation alleviates project challenges and budgetary constraints.
“The acquisition of these multi-beam sonars and pan & tilt units add another exciting dimension to our hydrographic and geophysical survey rental equipment portfolio’” stated Benton LeBlanc, Vice President and General Manager of Okeanus. “Our customers have spoken, and we are listening. We have noticed a great response to this addition, which is proof that we are creating value for our customers by allowing them to lease these assets rather than having to purchase them. In addition to our Simrad Echo Sounders, Klein Side-Scan Sonars, EdgeTech Sub-Bottom Profiling Units, and our Geometrics Magnetometers, the Kongsberg M3 Sonar systems further solidify our position as a premier provider of hydrographic and geophysical rental equipment.”
CSA and EEH have teamed to expand their capabilities in Qatar.
Energy & Environment Holding (EEH), an independent consulting firm specializing in energy, environment, privatization, and sustainable development based in Doha, Qatar, and CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA), a firm specializing in services related to environmental impacts from offshore oil and gas and construction activities worldwide, have announced the formation of their new joint venture CSA Ocean Sciences (Doha) LLC. The board of directors for the joint venture is chaired by HE Sheikh Jabor bin Yusef bin Jassim al-Thani, principal holder of EEH, and includes members Roudi Baroudi, Chief Executive Officer of EEH and Robert Mulcahy, Chief Operating Officer of CSA.
The new relationship combines the core capabilities of CSA and EEH to provide a comprehensive suite of environmental services in the Gulf region, including environmental impact assessments, risk assessments for offshore oil and gas activities, support for large marine infrastructure projects, biological impact assessments, and regulatory compliance permitting and monitoring.
EEH is a Doha-based strategic advisory consultancy that provides studies and market analyses related to environmental policies and programs with a focus on sustainable energy projects, environmental programs, deregulation, privatization, security and other issues related to energy projects in both the Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean. Since 2007, EEH has positioned itself to be a leader in energy and environmental affairs in the Gulf region while supporting numerous efforts to promote business growth within Qatar.
CSA has successfully conducted over 45 environmental programs off the coast of Qatar since 1994 with verified long-term results, including oil and gas environmental compliance projects and mitigation programs using methodologies approved by the Qatari Ministry of Environment. Notably, CSA was contracted to conduct a Benthic Ecological Survey and develop a Coral Management, Relocation, and Monitoring Plan (CoMRMP) for the Barzan Project. Subsequently, CSA modified the CoMRMP in 2014 to address the needs of the Flow Assurance Project off Ras Laffan City, Qatar. Currently, CSA is monitoring corals, benthic colonization, fish assemblages, coral recruitment, water quality parameters, and urchin populations at both the Barzan and FAP site.
Mr. Baroudi of EEH stated, “We look forward to joining forces with CSA to build the leading environmental services firm in the GCC region. EEH is dedicated to quality and sustainability of the natural environment, which will only be reinforced with the assistance of CSA.”
“CSA is pleased to have EEH as a partner,” added Mr. Mulcahy. “We are very excited to be able to provide not only CSA’s core service offerings, but to also expand our services and capabilities in concert with EEH. EEH’s focus on sustainable energy development supports the Qatar National Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to provide a balance between sustainable development and the protection of Qatar’s unique and diverse natural environment. We are proud to be working with an organization such as EEH and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.
Coretrax, leading engineered servicing company for wellbore clean and abandonment, has strengthened its position in the Middle East by opening an office in Abu Dhabi, its fourth base in the region, totalling a $2million investment.
A team of four personnel work from the base, and this is expected to grow to 14 within the next 12 months as Coretrax expands to another office and warehouse based in Mussafah, southwest of the city, in late 2015.
Coretrax, who offer a wide range of downhole tools and services with applications across the well life cycle, currently has bases in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, which have been operational for 24 and 12 months, respectively. The company also has a base in Ebril, Iraq and a team of 14 is currently employed across all Middle East bases.
This latest expansion signifies the next step in Coretrax’s ambitious plans to penetrate the Middle East and comes as the company announces the appointment of UAE based agent, SAMCO to represent Coretrax in Abu Dhabi.
Coretrax global business development director, John Fraser, said: “Having a permanent local presence in Abu Dhabi allows us to continue to surpass client expectations by offering a superior service and enables us to build on our customer base. Having now opened four offices in the Middle East further underpins and confirms our commitment to expand our offering in the region.
“Through our work in the Middle East, we have experienced real growth for Coretrax internationally, and we hope to maximise further opportunities by our appointment of SAMCO, who will act as a conduit for us in Abu Dhabi. We see SAMCO as a dynamic and forward thinking company, which aligns well with our team. We are confident that our agreement will be beneficial, and we anticipate a successful relationship.”
Rolv Flaaten, CEO of SAMCO, said: “We are continually searching for the most innovative companies to represent and we are happy to be working with such a highly efficient company. We look forward to working with Coretrax and further building the company’s profile within the UAE by offering its pioneering wellbore clean products to our expanding client base.”
Coretrax was established in 2008 to provide a bespoke and tailored service, offering a wide range of downhole tools and services which provide up-to-date solutions to improve time efficiency, maximise cost reduction, reliability, damage prevention and technological advancement to the global oil and gas industry.
The company currently employs 36 people across its bases and this number is projected to increase within the next nine – 12 months due to increased business activity globally.
Assystem, a leading innovation and engineering consultancy, providing multi-discipline design services to clients throughout the world successfully presented a paper at the NAFEMS seminar which took place in Aberdeen, demonstrating how Assystem can drive value for the oil & gas industry in the current financial climate.
Against a challenging backdrop, the oil & gas industry is currently facing a host of challenges. The integrity management of structures, pipelines and risers in a hostile marine environment, as well as increasing pressure to minimize costs, safety risks, downtime, and emissions all present key challenges for the simulation community.
The accurate representation of the reality of loading and response of offshore installations and their mechanical components requires a multi-disciplinary approach, as well as knowledge of current best practices & standards to deliver the innovative solutions which are required by industry.
David Lister, Senior Stress Engineer and Dr. Adam Towse, Assystem’s UK Head of Discipline for Stress at Assystem in the UK
The NAFEMS seminar on the ‘Latest Developments of FEA & CFD for Offshore Oil & Gas Facilities’ explored the latest challenges in the oil & gas industry, and provided an opportunity for attendees to gain an insight into the current applications of FEA and CFD from oil and gas industry experts.
Dr. Adam Towse, Assystem’s UK Head of Discipline for Stress and David Lister, Senior Stress Engineer at Assystem in the UK, presented a paper on “Leveraging Cross-Industry Simulation Methodology To Drive Value For The Offshore Industry”. Assystem in the UK are leading the way in the use of simulation tools to aid the engineering process across multiple industries, either by building more efficient structures, extending the life of existing assets or speeding up the design process to minimize development costs. Working across; energy, infrastructure, aerospace and automotive industries, Assystem has the ability to look across industries and understand the most effective approaches for typical engineering problems.
The purpose of the presentation was to showcase similarities in assessments across industries, and how best-practice methodologies can be used to drive value for the offshore industry.
Commenting on the event, Adam Towse said: “The seminar was very positive – lots of papers demonstrating that life extension is a key demand, and given our experiences across a range of industries, we are well placed to assist our customers in this regard. There was also positive interest in the fracture assessments, pressure vessel assessments and cutting-edge topology optimization, which were highlighted in our presentation.”
Within the Energy & Infrastructure business area, Assystem specializes in Oil & Gas systems and infrastructures at different stages of the Oil & Gas cycle including through upstream, midstream and downstream. Key capabilities include Project Management, Multi-discipline Engineering Design and System Integration.
Globally, Assystem is an international Engineering and Innovation Consultancy. As a key participant in the industry for more than 45 years, Assystem supports its customers in developing their products and managing their capital expenditure throughout the product life cycle. Assystem employs more than 11,000 people worldwide and reported €871 million in revenue in 2013.
J2 Subsea, an Acteon company, has opened a new subsea tooling facility at sister Acteon company, Seatronics’, subsea electronics location in Houston.
The new facility marks the next stage in J2 Subsea’s global expansion plan. North American customers can now access a comprehensive suite of subsea equipment for diver and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) applications. The new facility includes a workshop for tool preparation, servicing and support. It will provide torque tools, analysers, cutters, manipulators, intensifier panels, grinders, dirty work packs, jetters and more.
John Walker, director, J2 Subsea, said, “J2 Subsea has a strong reputation in the subsea marketplace for offering top quality service and fast response times. We already operate from other Seatronics facilities, and the new Houston location supports our ultimate aim of offering everything on the ROV globally. Our goal is to give customers support wherever they need it, and establishing this facility in Houston is in direct response to customer demands.
“The J2 Subsea Tool Changer and the J2 Subsea iVP Control System are examples of innovative products that will now be available from our Houston facility. By investing in product research and development, we continue to bring cost-effective solutions such as these to the marketplace. Innovation is a vital part of J2 Subsea’s business, and the new Houston tooling facility will showcase our full suite of equipment.”
McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE:MDR) has announced it has been awarded an offshore contract by Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation (EPCI) and pre-commissioning of the Ayatsil-C replacement jacket and associated deck installation.
The value of the large brownfield award will be included in McDermott’s second quarter 2015 backlog.
McDermott completed the Ayatsil-B eight-leg jacket and deck from its Altamira fabrication yard in 2014. (Photo: Business Wire)
“This is the fourth contract McDermott has received for the Ayatsil field and follows the successful delivery of the Ayatsil-B drilling platform in 2014 and installation of the Ayatsil-A offshore jacket, deck and piles earlier this year,” said Scott Munro, McDermott’s Vice President for Americas, Europe and Africa. “Our integrated EPCI approach allows McDermott to provide PEMEX with a faster delivery schedule and lower-cost solution that will be locally-built and executed to our global industry-recognized quality and safety standards.”
McDermott expects to use its in-house engineering and procurement experts, Altamira fabrication yard located in Mexico, Intermac 600 transportation and launch barge and heavy-lift Derrick Barge 50 vessel to complete the installation of all structures. The total weight of the facilities is approximately 14,800 tons. Completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2016.
Located in the Bay of Campeche, the Ayatsil field is the largest discovery for PEMEX to date. Pemex has said it plans to develop Ayatsil field with as many as four platforms and adjacent Tekel heavy oil field with one platform, all tied to a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. It plans to drill 43 wells in the project. Water depths in the area are approximately 375-405 feet.
Leading provider of well completion technologies to the global oil and gas industry, TCO has appointed a managing director for its UK division.
With over 35 years’ experience within the energy sector, Paul Betteridge (photo) has been appointed in response to company growth, providing strategic vision and focus on the expansion of the TCO’s global presence.
Prior to joining TCO, Mr. Betteridge worked for AGR, initially appointed as a business development manager in 2008. During this time, he identified key opportunities for the business, including in Israel and was therefore promoted to asset and general manager of newly established AGR Energy Israel. In order to launch the business, he worked with the Israeli government and local authorities to obtain the required approvals for offshore activity and helped AGR to achieve seven offshore licenses and drill one deep-water exploration well.
Latterly, he was promoted to vice president of AGR seabed intervention. Reviewing the business, Mr. Betteridge implemented changes which stabilised the division and resulted in the division being acquired by Marin Subsea in late 2013.
Mr. Betteridge has held numerous roles for Dril‐Quip, Aker Kvaerner Subsea and Vetco Gray. For each of these roles, he has spent time overseas in the Middle East, Norway and South East Asia.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Betteridge says: “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead the TCO UK office as we focus on developing our global presence. In recognition of our sound products and excellent services, the company has achieved rapid growth in recent years and I believe my experience means I am well placed to spearhead our fantastic team to the next stage of our expansion.”
TCO serves the upstream oil and natural gas industry throughout the reservoir life cycle and specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of completion barrier plugs (laminated glass barrier plugs), chemical injection systems, topside chemical injection systems, multi-cycle valves and Annulus Pressure Relief Systems, as well as the provision of tubing-conveyed perforating (TCP) equipment and services.
The company currently employs 130 people across its bases in Aberdeen, Norway, North and South America, Australia, Russia, Africa and the Middle East. This number is expected to grow in the coming months as the company achieves its plans for global growth.
AnTech Ltd, provider of specialist products and services for the upstream oil and gas industry, has reported record results across its product division, with overall sales up by 52% during the last financial year.
As the industry continues to put safety standards at the forefront, the drive to ensure that every well, every platform and pipeline operates safely is essential. As a result, safety practices are improving and technologies continue to evolve in response to market demand, particularly those that monitor permanent completions around-the-clock. AnTech specialises in product technologies that meet the industry’s stringent health, safety and environmental standards, including products that are fully ATEX and IECEx-certified for use in hazardous areas up to Zone 1, whilst meeting NACE and API 6A requirements.
Utilised in some of the most extreme environments around the globe, the majority of AnTech’s product sales are derived from its permanent monitoring and downhole tools product ranges, with the company seeing a significant growth in sales of Wellhead Outlets (WHO) to Australia, USA and Europe. Continued high demand from the Middle East echoes AnTech’s commitment to the area, where it launched its Saudi Arabia premises earlier this year.
Managing director, Toni Miszewski gives an insight into the success of AnTech’s product range: “These excellent results bear testament to our design capability, focus on product quality and customer support. We continue to work closely with the major service companies, and our relationship with them is such that AnTech is now provider of choice for both standard tools and bespoke solutions. That is undoubtedly a crucial component in our success.
“By strengthening the relationships we have with our clients and by building our technical understanding of their requirements, we are working hard to offer a responsive service unlike any other in this field.”
Sales Manager, Tim Mitchell highlights another significant factor in AnTech’s on-going success: “Whilst our entire product range has performed well over the past 12 months, the continued industry focus on tool safety is clearly illustrated through the sales performance of our stripping and splitting tools.
Virtually eliminating the risk of injury whilst preparing to terminate encapsulated line, these tools have seen an impressive sales increase of 300%.”
By focusing on providing the latest product solutions, AnTech now offers a range of world-first fire tested Fibre Optic Wellhead Outlets, certified for use in the most safety conscious oil field environments in the world, including the North Sea.
AnTech also has a Directional Coiled Tubing Drilling Service division, which provides a range of Bottom Hole Assemblies (BHA) for re-entry and grassroots well operations.
Businesses are operating in tough economic times, with budgets being significantly cut during the current industry downturn.
Unfortunately, when lowering costs is a key priority, learning and development budgets have historically been one of the first areas to take the hit, yet projects still need to be completed and delivered on time and to the highest possible standard.
Jee Ltd, a leading independent multi-discipline subsea engineering and training firm, recognises this and believes that, since unpredictable market conditions inevitably lead to cuts, flexible training options are essential to support continued learning.
Jenny Matthew, Head of Courses at Jee Ltd said: “Despite the current climate, it should be remembered that investing in training and staff development is essential to ensure immediate and long-term business objectives are met, such as greater efficiencies in project delivery, as well as supporting professional career development.”
To help mitigate the issue of companies slashing training budgets, Jee has developed and applied a significant price promotion for its public and online subsea engineering training.
Ms. Matthew continued: “We understand and sympathize that in tough market conditions training budgets are under strain, so to help alleviate this pressure, the team at Jee is consistently searching for flexible approaches to ensure investment in training and staff development continues to be a viable priority for our customers.
“Through the development of adaptable blended learning programs, and by offering up to 50% off public and online courses until the end of this month, we hope to encourage oil and gas companies to continue investing in the development of their people. This in turn will help to meet immediate or long-term objectives, and emphasise a company’s intention to nurture growth and create an environment where staff feel invested in and valued. “
Jee believes that developing staff and their capabilities helps to form a cohesiveness within a company that will strengthen the resilience required to overcome this downturn. Continuous learning and development is beneficial to the individual being trained, the company he or she works for, and the industry as a whole.
Training and people development should be a key part of a company’s overall strategy and rather than cutting deeply into training budgets, alternative cost-saving solutions should be considered.
“Businesses should see this downturn as an opportunity to look at the bigger business picture, take advantage of cost-effective training solutions and the much needed ‘time to learn’ while the market has slowed. Ensuring that staff are at the top of their game to meet the needs and demands of a challenging market.” concluded Ms Matthew.
Jee has been training the global oil and gas industry for more than 20 years, with all tutors also practising engineers, thus boasting a wealth of up-to-date experience in the subsea industry. The company’s portfolio of courses have become the benchmark for excellence in the industry, having built up a portfolio of 24 subsea engineering courses offered worldwide to assist in the standardisation of engineering knowledge across the global industry.
Offer details are as follows:
Strainstall selected to provide offshore monitoring system for Bluewater’s turret mooring systems contract for the Kaombo deep water Project
Strainstall to deliver its market-leading Chain Tension Monitoring System (CTMS), providing customers with confidence during challenging operations
Two CTMS to be installed on two FPSOs for the Total E&P Angola Block 32 Kaombo Project off the coast of Angola, West Africa
Strainstall, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has secured a significant contract with Bluewater Energy Services (Bluewater), a leading offshore company specialising in Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels and Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems, for the provision of its innovative Chain Tension Monitoring System.
The integrity of FPSO moorings is a known issue industry-wide that has been highlighted due to a number of recent mooring chain failures. Identification of these failures, as they occur, is of critical importance for maintaining safety onboard. Strainstall’s CTMS provides a cost-effective solution that warns users immediately in the event of anchor loads exceeding pre-determined limits, delivering a simple system on which operators can rely.
Bluewater selected Strainstall’s superior monitoring solution to ensure the integrity of the turret mooring systems on two FPSO vessels in the Kaombo deep water oil field. The CTMS systems will provide increased operational efficiency and cost reduction through the delivery of a long-term monitoring system that incorporates fully sealed, bespoke sensors lasting over 20 years - significantly longer than any comparable offering.
“Strainstall’s CTMS system was selected as it suited Bluewater’s requirements for a simple and easy to install solution to monitor the integrity of the mooring chains for the two Kaombo FPSO's” explained Evert Han Huernink, project manager at Bluewater Energy Services BV.
Strainstall’s reputation in providing customers with confidence during challenging projects, through the delivery of innovative monitoring solutions for the offshore environment, ensured its success.
“This win is an excellent development in Strainstall’s on-going relationship with Bluewater for the provision of load monitoring solutions.” explained Simon Everett, managing director of Strainstall. “We’re extremely pleased with the opportunity to deliver our advanced mooring monitoring system, which has been proven on a number of Total’s offshore platforms previously.”
The ability of the CTMS to interface directly with on-board monitoring and control systems was significant in its selection, providing a simple and easy to use solution for this CTMS application. The system will provide real-time data to operators, giving an accurate indication of mooring loads to ensure they are not overloaded and stay within safe limits.
With previous experience on numerous applications world-wide, including Moho Nord field off the West coast of Africa, CTMS is proven to ensure safe operations in the harshest of environments.
FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FTI) announced on Monday, that it has received an order from BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) Ltd. to supply subsea production systems for Well Clusters 3-5 of the Shah Deniz Stage 2 project in the Caspian Sea. The order has an estimated value of $297 million in revenue and is in addition to the initial order for Well Clusters 1-2 received in 2014 from BP, the operator of the Shah Deniz Stage 2 project. The Shah Deniz field is located offshore in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea, approximately 100km south of Baku.
"This award continues our multi-year support for BP on this project," said Tore Halvorsen, FMC Technologies' Senior Vice President, Subsea Technologies. "Our close cooperation on this project has accelerated the transition to the manufacturing stage and enabled us to reduce the lead time delivering the project."
Ceona, SURF contractor with deepwater subsea construction capabilities, has announced today that the company’s executive vice president commercial and business development, Mark Preece, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mark takes over from current CEO, Steve Preston, who after 40 years in the industry has decided to retire from operational management and step down. Steve has worked tirelessly to establish Ceona as a key subsea player over the last three years, having been a prime mover and overseeing the construction of the company’s purpose-built flagship, Ceona Amazon.
John Smith, chairman at Ceona, said: “Steve is an inspirational leader who has worked with our teams to develop the strong building blocks for our business. His dedication to seeing the Ceona Amazon come to fruition, combined with his passion for innovation, saw him lead the project from design concept right through to the successful launch of the next generation, hybrid field development vessel, on time and on budget.
“We are sorry to see Steve go and extend our best wishes to him for the future, and look forward to Mark building on the foundations he has laid. Mark is a highly-experienced industry figure who has been involved with the subsea market for over 32 years. We believe he will be well placed to lead Ceona through what is an extremely challenging market environment for the industry as a whole.
“Our industry is cyclic and we remain confident in the long-term fundamentals for the deepwater subsea sector. The Ceona team, with the Amazon, will deliver a quality, cost-effective service, while our focus continues to involve working with all our stakeholders to ensure that our cost base is aligned to come through this down cycle strongly.”
Mr Preece said of his appointment: “Working with Steve has been great and he leaves some big shoes to fill. But with the team’s support, especially chief operating officer Stuart Cameron, who has been fundamental in getting the company this far, and despite the strong head winds, I feel optimistic for the future.”
Ceona is a SURF and heavy subsea construction contractor in the deepwater market, specialising in full-service engineering, pipelay and construction project management and execution, including floater installation (Semi, TLP, SPAR). The company has already established an impressive track record which has seen it expand into West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil.
The ground-breaking Ceona Amazon is a powerful, purpose-built hybrid vessel that can execute complex logistical projects in remote, harsh and deepwater territories in one trip. Designed to deliver full flexible or full rigid pipelay, she can change easily and quickly between each mode within five days and is weather resilient. Due to her on-board capacity – the Amazon has a deck area of 4,600m2 and the ability to carry 9,500te of pipe on deck and in her two holds – she can carry more product than any other of her counterparts while the multiple, vertical-lay pipelay system features a top tension of 600 tonnes and capable to lay rigid pipe to 3,000m (10,000 ft) water depth.
The Amazon can cover the majority of deepwater field development needs including 100% of tie-backs while her two 400te cranes, which have been designed to operate in tandem to support work in water depths of up to 3,000m (10,000 ft), enabling her to lay manifolds and other structures. Ceona, which is backed by majority shareholder Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, has offices in London, Aberdeen and Houston, with strategic partners in Brazil and West Africa.
Ceona is certified by DNV to ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards. FPAL supplier number: 10053050 – Achilles ID: 29319 www.ceona-offshore.com
International oil and gas skills organization, OPITO, is making Nigeria safer for oil and gas workers with the accreditation of a second training company.
Cegelec Oil and Gas, based in Ogere, Nigeria, has secured approval from OPITO to deliver mechanical, electrical and instrument training to standards recognized by the oil and gas industry globally.
A unique, not-for-profit organization, OPITO is wholly owned by the oil and gas industry and responsible for ensuring it has a safe, skilled and competent workforce. The organization develops the highest training standards to improve offshore safety. With operations centers in Aberdeen, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Houston, OPITO delivers standards, qualifications and workforce development frameworks used by employers in 42 countries worldwide.
Cegelec Oil and Gas has been initially approved to deliver Mechanical, Electrical and Instrument and Control Level 2 training and expects to conduct additional OPITO-approved courses going forward. The training provider is currently in the process of seeking OPITO accreditation for Process Operations training for production trainees.
OPITO group chief executive officer David Doig said: “This approval marks another move forward for OPITO in the drive towards common safety standards in the industry around the world. “Following the accreditation of the first OPITO approved training centre in Nigeria in [YEAR] there has been an increasing awareness of the value in ensuring the competency of the offshore workforce and dramatically improving safety levels.”
“Africa’s proven oil reserves have grown by nearly 120 percent in the past 30 years and it’s estimated that at least another 100 billion barrels are yet to be discovered. If the continent’s oil producing countries are expected to meet these targets, they need a highly skilled and safe workforce.”
As the skills and standards body for oil and gas globally, OPITO has a vital role to play in ensuring the safety of the industry’s workforce all over the world.
Earlier this year, OPITO announced the launch of a global framework for vocational qualifications. The oil and gas skills body has developed global technical standards and a qualifications framework which will meet current and future skills demands and improve competence in the operations and maintenance activities associated with the extraction of hydrocarbons.
Mr. Doig added: “In a short space of time, we designed appropriate, industry-specific, valued nationally and globally recognized training that will result in a safe and competent workforce. “Whether a school leaver in Nigeria or an existing offshore worker in Kuala Lumpur, individuals will now be able to gain qualifications in processing hydrocarbons, electrical and mechanical maintenance and instrumentation and controls which will be recognized by oil and gas companies worldwide.
Specialist Software Helps Manage and Secure Process Critical Software Assets
Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL), which specializes in protecting companies’ process critical software assets, announced that it has received a contract from McDermott Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (McDermott).
The contract requires AGSL to provide its Asset Guardian software management toolset to protect and manage the software installed on the process control systems that McDermott uses to operate several of the company’s pipelay vessels.
Asset Guardian Solutions has already installed Asset Guardian software on McDermott's pipelay vessel North Ocean 105. The software helps to protect and manage the process control systems that McDermott uses to operate the vessel.
Asset Guardian has been installed on the McDermott pipelay vessel North Ocean 105. Following this initial installation, configuration and testing period, Asset Guardian will be installed on the Construction Support Vessel 108 and North Ocean 102.
Streamlining Management of Change
A key factor in McDermott’s decision to purchase Asset Guardian is its ability to streamline the management processes associated with making changes to the configurations of process software and to make certain that effective version control is in place. It also ensures that backups of new and modified software are securely stored and easy to access from any location. This minimizes downtime caused by process system software failure.
Quality training holds key to maximizing return on investment
Quality training is an essential part of the implementation process. It gives users the confidence and the skills to use the Asset Guardian toolset effectively, maximizing return on the company’s investment. AGSL is providing comprehensive classroom-based training and online training through the Asset Guardian computer-based training (CBT) program.
“The contract awarded by McDermott is especially meaningful. It demonstrates the confidence that they – and the industry - have in our ability to provide a reliable, field-proven method of protecting the process control software used to operate essential assets,” said Sam Mackay, Chief Executive Officer of Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd. “We look forward to working with them to help ensure that their pipelay vessels operate at optimum levels, without disruption.”
Field-proven performance
Since 2004, AGSL has been supplying the process control industry with the Asset Guardian toolset. Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited, Woodside Energy, GDF Suez, Inpex, Dolphin Drilling, Stena Drilling, BP, and nuclear energy provider EDF Energy are among those using Asset Guardian to protect and enhance management of their critical process control software assets.
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