Operation Completed Safely, Without Harming Staff or Environment

Conductor Installation Services (CIS), an Acteon company that provides hammer services to install conductors and drive piles, has successfully installed directional conductors to form the basis of two new production wells as part of a major project offshore Australia.

Although CIS has installed directional conductors for numerous operators around the world, the recent operation was the first time that the company had installed them for this particular operator. “Because the project plays such a vital role in the supply of gas to Australians, we are acutely aware of how important it is that each and every phase of construction is completed safely, with attention to detail and sensitivity to the environment,” said Andy Penman, Group Managing Director of CIS. “We are extremely pleased that this inaugural operation for this operator was a success.”

To ensure that the operation would be executed successfully, it was critical that the conductors be properly positioned before being driven into the seabed. CIS engineers carefully assessed the angles required so that the conductors would be appropriately offset. The company also produced three customized deviated drive shoes necessary to drive the conductors: two for the wells and one as a back-up. The directional drive shoes were then welded onto the conductor pup joints at the CIS Asia Pacific Region base in Singapore. Once this was completed, they were transported to Australia.

Working from the Sea Drill West Telesto jack up rig, CIS used a 150 kJ hydraulic hammer to install the conductors safely, driving them approximately 126 meters subsea and a further 117 meters below the mudline to their respective target depths. The total length of each conductor extended 243 meters.

The platform is live, so CIS chose to use a cold cutter system to cut the conductors to the correct height and the required bevel in order to prepare them for receiving the respective wellheads. By doing so, the cutting process was executed safely in a potentially explosive gas environment. CIS completed the entire offshore operation in three days.

The range of services provided by CIS supports the Acteon Group’s commitment to defining subsea services across a range of interconnected disciplines. The company is an active member of Acteon’s Seabed Foundation Technologies.

Learn more at www.acteon.com.

Low global crude prices have hit Saudi Arabia hard. With a considerable budget deficit, Saudi has been forced to begin borrowing from capital markets – $4bn in July. The kingdom is highly reliant on oil – accounting for more than 90% of budget revenues. Cuts have not been made to capital expenditure and Saudi has engaged in an expensive conflict within Yemen. Consequently, the decision to ride out lower prices has put a huge strain on finances – the IMF estimates $50 oil will lead to a deficit of ~$140bn (20% of GDP) this year. Plugging holes in the budget with bond issues is the clearest sign yet that the kingdom is feeling the pinch, the question is, how long can it continue?

At least for the time being, there seems to be room for more lending, with plans to raise $27bn by year end. Debt levels have been dramatically reduced since the late 1990s when borrowing reached 100% of GDP (prior to July’s bond issue, debt was 1.6% of GDP). At present, liquidity does not seem to be a problem with local banks easily absorbing bond issues. However, further borrowing into 2016 and beyond could prove problematic. Predicted rises in global interest rates over the coming years may make borrowing unattractive, forcing further withdrawals from the country’s foreign reserves. If current oil price trends continue, these reserves could fall to $200bn by 2018 – 70% less than pre-crash levels.

Where does this leave the country? Maintenance of oil output has secured market share and proved devastating for US onshore drilling. However, with a “bathtub” shaped recovery a very real possibility, Riyadh may be forced to make a number of difficult decisions regarding domestic subsidies and expenditure in order to reduce a potentially crippling budget deficit.

Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS), a leading provider of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry, has announced it is combining its CFO group with its Mergers, Acquisitions and Integration group, and has appointed Don Miller as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Miller is replacing John Briscoe, who will be leaving his current position as Chief Financial Officer to pursue other business opportunities. Jonathan Baliff, President and CEO of Bristow Group, stated, "I want to thank John Briscoe for his efforts on behalf of Bristow. We are grateful for his contributions to the company, especially in the successful implementation of our ERP system and leadership of the CFO group at a very dynamic time in our industry. We wish him great success in his future endeavors."

Miller, who joined Bristow in 2010, was until recently Senior Vice President, Mergers, Acquisitions and Integration. He has 30 years of experience in finance, capital markets and M&A, and was responsible for creating the Mergers, Acquisitions and Integration group at Bristow that led to the acquisition of Cougar Helicopters, Eastern Airways and Airnorth. Prior to joining Bristow, Miller spent nine years with Enron North America in positions of increasing levels of responsibility, ending with his role as post-petition President and CEO of Enron North America, leading their wholesale businesses through their orderly disposal after 2001. From 1985 until 1997, he held financial positions with Citicorp Securities, as both an energy corporate banker and high yield research analyst, and as account executive with Dean Witter Reynolds. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Memphis, and a Master in Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Baliff added, "Don has an outstanding track record of value creation and many years of energy finance experience at senior levels in international corporations and banking. His proven leadership skills, and knowledge of both the aviation business and capital deployment have been critical to the success of Bristow's recent initiatives, including our Gulf of Mexico restructuring, Canadian expansion, and fixed wing investments in the U.K. and Australia. As we navigate through a rapidly changing aviation market and a more challenging energy environment, Don's skill set and experience make him a natural fit for this important role at this important time."

Following the successful completion of a 3 year qualification program of subsea flowline for hydrocarbon service, PETRONAS has requested Airborne Oil & Gas to supply a TCP Flowline for a pilot project, intended to be installed later this year.

The scope includes the delivery of a 550 meters TCP Flowline, ancillaries, offshore installation, engineering and field support. The 6 inch ID TCP Flowline is to be installed in 30 meters water depth connecting two platforms located offshore Malaysia.

Datin Rashidah Karim, Head of Operational Technology of PETRONAS Carigali said, “At PETRONAS we recognize the potential for the use of Non-Metallic Pipe as a substitute for carbon steel under certain conditions and will embark on the world’s first offshore pilot having done extensive qualification of the material, installability and operability of the pipe. The TCP Flowline does not corrode, reducing the OPEX significantly. Furthermore, by close collaboration between the installation contractor, Airborne Oil & Gas and PETRONAS, adopting an integral design approach, a cost effective installation method has been developed that allows for a total project cost reduction while meeting PETRONAS’ requirements such as for instance on-bottom stability".

The lightweight TCP Flowline is supplied in long lengths, spooled on transport drums. Martin van Onna, Chief Commercial Officer: "This project marks the world’s first pilot for a TCP Flowline, and the beginning of a new phase in the relationship between PETRONAS and Airborne Oil & Gas. We are grateful for the support from PETRONAS during this important time in our development, in which we jointly completed the qualification, performed installation trials and demonstrated the capability of the TCP Flowline in this demanding environment, both technically and commercially."

"With this project, we now have commercial deliveries on all our Thermoplastic Composite Pipe products: Downlines and Dynamic Jumpers for well intervention, Static Jumpers and Spools for injection, and Flowlines for hydrocarbon service. The potential for Flowlines in particular is very large; we manufacture up to 7 inch ID TCP Flowline, replacing 8 inch nominal steel pipe as well as conventional flexible pipe. We manufacture these in lengths up to 3000 meters per spool, allowing fast installation by reel lay method, reducing installation cost significantly and with that the total project cost," said Martin.

Songa Offshore has taken delivery of Songa Endurance from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in Korea.

Songa Endurance will shortly depart South Korea en route to Norway for commencement of an eight-year drilling contract with Statoil, with first assignment on the Troll Field on the Norwegian continental shelf. The voyage to Norway will take place with tow-assist and the rig will arrive with all third party equipment installed and ready for final acceptance testing. Commencement of drilling operations is expected to take place around year-end.

Songa Endurance is a sixth generation, high specification, harsh environment, midwater rig designed for efficient year around drilling, completion, testing and intervention operations in water depths up to 500 meters. The rig is certified DP3 and is equipped with a "state-of-the-art" drill-floor and an efficient layout with improved safety and working environment features.

Songa Endurance is the second rig in a series of four Category D rigs specifically built for and contracted to Statoil.

ACO Marine has signed a contract to supply a bespoke version of its new Clarimar MF wastewater treatment plant to the CFT 623 wellhead platform under construction for Dubai’s Dragon Oil.

The specially adapted Clarimar MF-2 has capacity to treat 3.5m3 of black and grey wastewater a day and features a sludge tank for liquid discharges from drilling operations.

“The offshore oil and gas sector is an important market for ACO Marine,” said Managing Director Mark Beavis. “We have delivered a number of systems for installation to offshore rigs in the past, but this is the first offshore contract we have received for the new Clarimar MF. This prestigious contract will open the door of opportunity to supply equipment to other offshore projects.”

ACO Marine has been awarded a contract to supply its new Clarimar MF to the CFT 623 wellhead platform

Due to the platform’s location, the end-user required a system proven to meet the stringent environmental regulations governing oil and gas production in the ecologically sensitive Caspian Sea.

ACO Marine’s system, type-approved by Bureau Veritas according to new IMO MEPC 227 (64) requirements, incorporates a unique “Bio-Sword” filtration technology capable of replacing the settling and chlorination stages found in more traditional biological wastewater treatment systems.

“The Bio-Sword allows the system to operate in environments with bio-mass concentrations up top four times greater than conventional plants, greatly reducing activation tank volume, system footprint and maintenance requirements,” said Beavis.

The system ACO Marine will supply in September has double piping and system componentry, and is manufactured from durable PPFR composite which, unlike coated black steel, is light weight and completely resistant to corrosion.

In February 2014, Dragon Oil awarded a contract for the engineering, construction, and installation of the Dzheitune (Lam) E wellhead and production platform and associated pipelines. Detailed engineering and fabrication is underway with the platform due for completion in 2016.

Global Marine Systems Limited, the UK headquartered world leader in subsea system engineering, installation and maintenance, has appointed Richard Fraser-Smith as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He started in June 2015 and sits on the company’s board and leadership team.

Mr Fraser-Smith joins Global Marine with a wealth of relevant experience. Most recently he was European Finance Director at CH2M Hill, a US-based organisation that offers a diverse range of engineering consulting, design, project management and project delivery services. Some of the notable UK infrastructure projects to which Mr Fraser-Smith contributed during his time with CH2M included Crossrail, HS2 and Thames Tideway. Prior to that he was Regional Finance Director at Halcrow Group Limited, the company acquired by CH2M Hill in 2011.

“I’m excited about my role at Global Marine. I see it as a company which combines the knowledge that only such a vast heritage in subsea engineering can bring, with a commitment to innovation; a combination that presents significant opportunities for growth. I want to be a fresh pair of eyes; challenge the status quo in order to evolve the business.”

Originally a graduate in chemical engineering, Mr Fraser-Smith spent a year in the oil industry as a process engineer before moving into finance. He qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC in 1991 and has since taken on various roles in different industries for companies including Conoco, DuPont, PepsiCo, Walkers and Aramark.

“Richard sees himself as a front-facing business partner and a results-driven accountant, which is precisely the kind of CFO we were looking to appoint,” says Ian Douglas, CEO at Global Marine. “He clearly brings with him a wealth of corporate knowledge which, combined with his experience in operational finance and risk management, is certain to be of enormous benefit to Global Marine and assist with our plans for growth in our current key market sectors; telecoms and oil & gas.”

Making her debut at the Martin Midstream Dock in Galveston, Texas, Fugro’s premier geophysical survey vessel, the Fugro Americas, was showcased to top clients, with over 100 in attendance.

Fugro gave guided tours of the new-build vessel, with geophysical, geoscience, survey and HSE professionals on hand to demonstrate its state-of-the-art equipment and features along with the working parts of a geophysical survey. Clients were able to view the advanced survey instrumentation, including Fugro’s 3,000-metre-rated AUV, from a first-hand perspective, which prompted positive comments on the vessel’s impressive equipment and exceptional design. The two-day event provided an important opportunity for clients to not only view the Fugro Americas and its equipment, but also to understand how Fugro’s capabilities consistently meet their survey needs.

The Fugro Americas departed the construction shipyard in Louisiana on April 13th and was immediately mobilized to the Caribbean for a highly successful geochemical coring campaign. Measuring 193 feet in length, the multi-purpose vessel is well suited for high resolution geophysical surveys and seafloor mapping and is permanently mobilised for rapid deployment to locations throughout North and South America.

Fugro also owns and operates three Hugin AUV systems, two depth rated to 3,000 meters and one to 4,500 meters, all of which are portable and able to be mobilised onto the Fugro Americas or other vessels of opportunity.

Danos has been selected by Shell Offshore Inc. to fabricate three boarding valve skid assemblies for its deep-water Appomattox project. The project, which will engage five Danos divisions – coatings, fabrication, instrumentation and electrical, project management and procurement – will begin immediately, and is expected to take about 12 months to complete.

“Shell and Danos have worked on projects together for the past 44 years,” said Mark Danos, construction and fabrication division manager. “It’s an exciting time. Not only is this a great opportunity for Danos, it will create new jobs at our Amelia facility.”

The boarding valve skids will be fabricated at Danos’ Amelia, Louisiana fabrication facility and shipped to Ingleside, Texas for integration on the facility topside. Following integration, the equipment will be installed on a floating production platform located in deep-water Gulf of Mexico, about 80 miles off the Louisiana coast.

The Gerritsen On- & Offshore Services BV Company has handled a routine turbine maintenance procedure being undertaken on an offshore location in the Southern North Sea. This involved four of their personnel, utilizing an air operated hoist unit manufactured by the J D Neuhaus company for the safe and effective lift and maneuver procedures for a turbine lift load of 26,500lbs. The turbine was responsible for supplying power to a gas-compressor utilized for power, steam and other general services.

The JDN hoist was a Profi TI and this unit was also combined with an overhead rail mounted trolley, also air powered, to provide horizontal movements of the load. For maximum safety of operation in offshore conditions, a rack and pinion drive was incorporated into the trolley mechanism, with the whole lifting package also incorporating a spark resistant finish for operation within potentially explosive atmospheres. Control operations for the hoist mechanism were incorporated into a JDN E-type pendant controller providing single speed control of the raise/lower/traverse load movements.

The current range of Profi TI air operated hoists manufactured by JDN comprises 13 models covering individual lift capacities from 550lbs to an impressive 100 metric tons. All these models are suitable for use in explosion-hazardous areas, as typically found in offshore environments, providing unbeatable advantages over conventional electrically driven handling products.

They are all designed for easy, quiet operation with 100% duty ratings and unlimited duty cycling. The models include low-headroom and lightweight characteristics, with all hoists also featuring lube-free operation. They are also insensitive to dust, humidity and operating temperatures ranging from 20°C to +70°C, and combine strong, fast, silent operation with safety, as well as oil-free and low maintenance performance. Their Ex classification according to EC Directive on Hazardous Location 94/9/EEC is as standard: EX II 2 GD IIA T4 / II 3 GD IIB T4 and with increased spark protection EX II 2 GD IIC T4. Hoists featuring hydraulic drive mechanisms are also available.

The first piece of the Johan Sverdrup development has now been completed and installed on the field in the North Sea.

It was Heerema Marine Contractors’ crane vessel “Thialf” that completed the installation of the 280-tonne pre-drilling template on the Johan Sverdrup field.

“We have completed and installed the first piece of one of the largest industrial projects in Europe. We still have a long journey ahead in the Johan Sverdrup development, but we are very pleased that we have completed and installed the subsea template without serious incidents and according to plan. This is a good start according to the required quality and precision standards for successful implementation of the development,” says Kjetel Digre, head of the Johan Sverdrup field development.

The pre-drilling template is 32 meters long and 10 meters high.

Heerema Marine Contractors were responsible for design, building and installing the pre-drilling template.

The 32-meter-long, 10-meter-high pre-drilling template is one of the smallest building blocks of the Johan Sverdrup development but plays a key role in the project.

The pre-drilling template contains eight well slots that allow production wells to be pre-drilled before the drilling platform is installed in 2018 and production starts at Johan Sverdrup in late 2019.

Pre-drilling allows the production capacity to be utilized as efficiently as possible when Johan Sverdrup has come on stream. Pre-drilling and the pre-drilling template thus help capture maximum value for the partners and the whole society over the next 50 years.

The «Deepsea Atlantic» drilling rig will start pre-drilling on the Johan Sverdrup field through the pre-drilling template from March 2016.

“The activity level for the Johan Sverdrup project will be substantially increased as new steps are taken in the field development. We are working closely with the suppliers in the platform pre-engineering process. We have awarded several main contracts and utility packages worth more than NOK 40 billion so far. More contracts will be awarded during the autumn. We have also started building the first platform jacket at Kværner Verdal. So far, the Johan Sverdrup development is on track,” says Digre.

The Johan Sverdrup partnership consists of Statoil, Lundin Norway, Petoro, Det norske oljeselskap and Maersk Oil. The partnership has recommended Statoil as the operator of all field phases.

Matson, Inc. (NYSE: MATX), a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, has taken delivery of a new 65-ton gantry crane to replace one half its size at the company's Kodiak Terminal.

Standing more than 340 feet tall at its peak with a boom spanning 164 feet, Matson's new crane is the largest in Alaska, capable of lifting loads up to 60 feet long and weighing up to 145,000 pounds.

Its state-of-the-art industrial equipment will be powered entirely by renewable energy. An electrically powered crane that uses fly wheel technology to capture, store and then return power as needed, the crane will run on electricity provided by the Kodiak Electric Association, which uses wind and water turbines to generate 99.9 percent of its power. (See the technology in action here: ABB to enable integration of renewables in Alaskan island microgrid ; Alaskan island goes green with ABB technology - YouTube.)

With a price tag of more than $10 million, the new crane is one of a number of investments Matson is making to improve the services and capabilities of its Alaska operations. It has also purchased new ground equipment and ordered a fleet of new dry and insulated containers for use in Alaska.

Matson has also scheduled work to install new exhaust scrubber systems on the three former Horizon D7 Class vessels it now operates in Alaska, with each vessel going into dry dock for three months, one after another, starting in September.

Matson, Inc. closed its acquisition of Horizon Lines, Inc., which included Horizon's Alaska operations and the assumption of all non-Hawaii business, for $469 million (before transaction costs) on May 29, 2015.

Matson is committed to continuing Horizon's long operating history in Alaska with a three vessel deployment of diesel powered Jones Act qualified containerships that provide two weekly sailings from Tacoma to Anchorage and Kodiak, and a weekly sailing to Dutch Harbor. In addition, Matson has retained Horizon personnel and maintained operations port terminals in Anchorage, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor and acquired several reserve steam powered Jones Act containerships that may be used for dry-dock relief.

In 2014, Matson was rated the #1 ocean carrier in the world in Logistics Management's annual Quest for Quality Awards, considered by many the most prestigious industry award recognizing performance excellence and customer satisfaction.

NYC-based PIRA Energy Group reports that the U.S. to allow exchange of Mexican heavy crude for domestic light crude. In the U.S., commercial inventories increased this past week, modestly widening the year-on-year stock surplus. In the Japan, crude runs continued rising, while low level of crude imports drew crude stocks back. Specifically, PIRA’s analysis of the oil market fundamentals has revealed the following:

U.S. to Allow Exchange of Mexican Heavy Crude for Domestic Light Crude

The U.S. is set to allow the exchange of up to 100 MB/D of Mexican heavy crude for U.S. light crude. PIRA believes this move will add modest support to U.S. crude prices relative to international levels by reducing the risk of price disconnects. A lighter crude slate in Mexico increases light product yields and allows for somewhat higher runs. In our view, this development represents another incremental step towards easing restrictions on U.S. crude oil exports, but not a fundamental change in policy.

A Slight U.S. Stock Build

Commercial inventories increased this past week, modestly widening the year-on-year stock surplus. In contrast to recent weeks, product stocks drew while crude inventories built. Crude stocks are now almost 94 million barrels higher than last year. The bulk of the remaining product excess to last year is in distillate and propane with the latter showing up in other products.

Japanese Holiday Supports Gasoline

Due to the mid-August holiday, two weeks of data were reported this past week. Crude runs continued rising, while low level of crude imports drew crude stocks back below 100 MMBbls. Gasoline demand was strong both weeks and stocks drew to near record lows. Gasoil demand was depressed in the latest week due to the holiday and stocks built. The kerosene stock build rate accelerated on low seasonal demand. The indicative refining margin has improved a bit on better gasoil cracks and gasoline cracks, which are still characterized as strong.

EIA Proposing Some Significant Changes to Petroleum Data

The EIA published a number of significant proposed changes to their petroleum forms and data in a recent Federal Register Notice. Adding complete balances for a PADD II split into PADD II-A (Northwestern PADD II), and PADD II-B, the balance of PADD II, is one of the major changes. They propose to consolidate the number of breakouts in jet and distillate balances. EIA also proposes to stop collecting crude oil stocks held at production lease storage – currently about 32 million barrels – and remove those volumes from all historical and forecast balances. They are proposing to add better coverage of in-transit stocks moved via rail, tanker, and barge. They are also proposing reorganizing the gasoline balance along the lines of gasoline blended with ethanol and gasoline not blended with ethanol.

U.S. Waterborne LPG Exports Slump

Waterborne LPG exports from the U.S., as tallied by PIRA shiptracking efforts were just 3.3 MMB (470 MB/D) last week, a significant 45% decrease from the previous week’s sailings. Approximately 60% of these shipments are headed to the Latin America/Caribbean region. Worsening arbitrage economics over the past few weeks help to explain this latest decrease in export activity.

U.S. Ethanol Recover some of the Midweek Loses

Ethanol prices were pulled down August 12 because of a USDA report that was bearish for corn values. Assessments rebounded by the end of the week as buyers returned.

U.S. Output Flat

The ethanol industry was stable the week ending August 14, with production remaining at 965 MB/D after having fallen to an eleven-week low 961 MB/D two weeks earlier. Stocks increased by 32 thousand barrels to 18.6 million barrels.

The information above is part of PIRA Energy Group's weekly Energy Market Recap - which alerts readers to PIRA’s current analysis of energy markets around the world as well as the key economic and political factors driving those markets.

PIRA Energy Group, a leader in global energy market analysis, announced today the official launch of its new website and complimentary subscription service called PIRA PERSPECTIVES. PERSPECTIVES combines a high-level, weekly overview of PIRA’s energy intelligence with a monthly video series featuring its top analysts. This complimentary subscription is now available online at: http://www.pira.com/insights.

Subscribers can access updates and video, spanning across 12 different commodity areas. PIRA’s fundamentals-based, integrated view of the market helps analysts to keep a pulse on the market. It will also serve media professionals who often request information from PIRA that can be shared with the general public. PIRA’s complete information services and data tools are reserved for its paid subscribers to its DIMENSIONS platform. Trials to that platform can also be requested through the new website at http://www.pira.com/dimensions.

“PERSPECTIVES is a significant step forward for PIRA as we start to share some of our market-leading energy intelligence with the outside world” said CEO Gemma Postlethwaite. “The energy industry has long regarded PIRA as being a valued partner in analyzing the markets. PERSPECTIVES allows energy professionals to get closer to PIRA’s market-leading intelligence.”

The launch of PERSPECTIVES is part of an ongoing, focused effort to deliver the deep expertise of PIRA’s leading team of experts in ways that best align with the needs of today’s energy professionals. “Our brand stands for delivering the total view of the energy market and now analysts can see what we mean by that every week, right in their inbox” said Jeff Mancini, PIRA’s Chief Marketing Officer. “PERSPECTIVES online is just the beginning. We are committed to sharing more of our deep industry knowledge through studies and live events as well.”

For more information about PIRA PERSPECTIVES, click here.

ASCO, the leading provider of specialist logistics services to the global oil and gas industry, has been honoured for its commitment to health and safety in the workplace by receiving the BG East Africa President’s HSSE Award.

Kongsberg Maritime is working with Norwegian shipping company Østensjo and the Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute (Marintek) on a new R&D project for operations using motion compensated and telescopic gangways, typically found on accommodation vessels in the offshore sector. The project is part of the Norwegian Government’s innovation program MAROFF (Maritime Activities and Offshore Operations).

Accessing any fixed or floating offshore structure via a vessel can be challenging due to the movement against the structure, with weather conditions playing a critical role. Gangways eliminate the need to use dangerous ladders but it is important that the distance between vessel and structure is within the operational limit of the telescope on the gangway. Positioning equipment ensures the vessel and structure remain within operational limits, but with gangway connection and disconnection operations performed relatively rarely, crew training is essential to reduce risk to personnel and avoid structural damage.

Utilizing Kongsberg Maritime’s Dynamic Positioning (DP) controller for operation of Østensjo’s new generation accommodation vessel, Edda Fortis, the project will involve the collection and analysis of operational data together with simulation studies using the SIMO simulation tool package and Kongsberg Maritime’s DP algorithms. In addition, a tailor-made simulation software system for crew training on critical operations, incidents and planned operations preparation will be developed by Kongsberg Maritime.

Sensor data will be interfaced to Kongsberg’s DP system to simulate the compensation of the motion between the rig and the accommodation vessel. The data analysis will then be used to adjust the DP control strategy on board, with a key aim to extend the operational window defined for gangway operation.

“We are enthusiastic about taking part in this advanced R&D project,” explained Terje Heierstad, Global Product Manager, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation. “The accurate full scale data from the accommodation vessel will be used to improve, update and tune the simulator models to an extreme level of accuracy, which is important when training for operations with high safety requirements and small risk margins.”