Eco-friendly HullWiper technology to fight fouling and enhance efficiency for oil & gas company fleet

GAC EnvironHull has signed a contract with the international energy company Statoil to provide underwater hull cleaning services for its vessels operating in Scandinavia, the Middle East and the Far East.

From the second quarter of 2015, GAC EnvironHull, part of global shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC Group, is using its pioneering HullWiper technology to remove fouling from the Statoil fleet of long term chartered vessels to enhance efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, whilst also preserving and protecting the delicate maritime environment.

Signing of agreement between GAC EnvironHull and Statoil at Statoil’s headquarter:

HullWiper is a diver-free underwater hull Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) which uses high pressure water jets to remove marine fouling. It can clean up to 2,000 m² of hull per hour without causing any damage to anti-fouling surfaces. As no divers are involved, cleaning can be done alongside during loading or discharging operations, and any risk to life is significantly reduced. HullWiper cleans about five times faster than conventional cleaning methods, reducing the cleaning time by approximately half.

The entire process is in line with the GAC Group’s stringent Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) and compliance policies, as well as all local and regional environmental regulations. Residues and harmful marine growths captured during cleaning are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner instead of being discharged into the sea as done using traditional methods.

GAC EnvironHull’s agreement with Statoil ASA comes after the Norwegian-based company used HullWiper to clean the hull of one of its chartered vessels at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.

Simon Doran, Managing Director of GAC EnvironHull, says: “The energy industry focuses on minimising the impact of their operations on the environment and HullWiper meets their high green standards and eliminates the risk to human life.

“This contract represents an important milestone for GAC EnvironHull, as it further strengthens our steady position in a market with growing demands for cost efficient and eco-friendly technology.”

Launched in late 2013, GAC EnvironHull’s diver-free hull cleaning technology is now available in the Swedish port of Gothenburg, the ports of Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the port of Sohar in Oman and most recently in Singapore.

BP and Sinopec Fuel Oil have announced the formation of a 50:50 marine fuels bunkering joint-venture, BP Sinopec Marine Fuels Pte Ltd. Based in Singapore, one of the largest and busiest ports in the world, the joint venture will build out from its partners existing bunkering locations and activities. In addition to marine bunkering in Singapore, the joint venture will provide marine bunker sales in key global locations.

The ports served by BP Sinopec Marine Fuels Pte Ltd will be: Singapore; Fujairah, United Arab Emirates; Antwerp, Belgium; Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands; Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen, China.

BP is an established and leading global provider of marine fuels, and Sinopec is a leading provider within China. Both companies have a long history of working together in China and overseas, and this agreement represents a significant continuation of the relationship.

Rising Demand for Cost-effective Pipeline Inspection, Repair & Maintenance Services Triggers Expansion

IRM Systems, the independent authority on emergency pipeline repairs, announced that it has opened a new base of operations in Houston, Texas.

Improving efficiencies in hydrocarbon recovery has meant the production cost per barrel using older, existing assets has dropped significantly. “The implications of this development are tremendous, bringing with them the need for a new perspective on pipeline inspection, repair and maintenance, which is where IRM Systems comes in,” said Rutger Schouten, General Manager of IRM Systems. “By having a permanent presence in Houston, we are in a much stronger position to provide customers with cost-effective, hands-on IRM engineering solutions; ones that will help to ensure that once accessed, these resources can be delivered efficiently at the lowest cost,” he added.

Assessing integrity, mitigating risks

Given the reduced cost and efficiencies offered by IRM Systems, it is experiencing increased demand for its integrity assessment, mitigation, inspection, repair and maintenance services. Already, the company is working on behalf of operators in South America and the Caribbean. It will support customers throughout The Americas, as far north as the Arctic. One of the primary aims of its Houston enterprise is to further develop its risk management services, particularly its integrity assessment and mitigation capabilities for pipelines, steel catenary risers, and fixed risers.

The new Houston base supports the expansion of IRM Systems’ project management engineering services, further complementing those supplied by the company from its headquarters in The Netherlands. “I look forward to offering the innovative, hands-on approach of IRM Systems to the Houston market,” said Danny Ling, recently appointed General Manager – The Americas for IRM Systems. “The company’s track record showcases its ability to adapt and develop workable solutions quickly, using a systematic approach. As a result, production downtime is significantly reduced and environmental impact minimized,” he added.

The new IRM Systems office is located in northwest Houston just off the Highway 8 at:

118 Vintage Park Boulevard Suite W

Houston, Texas, USA 77070

T: +1 (281) 406-5861

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web: www.irm-sys.com

Experienced engineers wanted

IRM Systems is confident that having a presence in Houston will dramatically improve customer support to those in the region. To achieve this, the company will be recruiting staff, particularly those with hands-on engineering experience.

About Independent Risk Management Systems B.V.

Independent Risk Management Systems B.V. (IRM Systems) is dedicated to helping pipeline operators and owners understand, mitigate and manage risks that could damage or interrupt the operation of critical pipeline networks. The company specializes in developing, implementing and operating Emergency Pipeline Repair Systems (EPRS) and pipeline integrity services. These services are provided by an experienced team of risk, marine and pipeline technology specialists. Founded in 2011 by Rutger Schouten, IRM Systems’ headquarters are in Delft, The Netherlands.

Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL), which specializes in protecting companies’ process critical software assets, announced that it has secured a key contract with oil and gas operator Dana Petroleum. The contract requires AGSL to implement and support Asset Guardian, a software solution that helps to secure the integrity of process software and the mission critical processes that it controls.

Single secure repository improves workflow, protects software integrity

Asset Guardian software will be installed by AGSL on Dana’s Triton FPSO in the UK North Sea. By installing Asset Guardian, Dana’s process-related software and data will be stored in one central repository, improving workflow and reducing risk. In the event of a system failure, Asset Guardian dramatically speeds recovery of software and data, significantly reducing the impact that such an event has on production.

Services delivered offshore

AGSL engineers have already visited Dana’s offshore asset to gather existing process control software files and load this information into Asset Guardian.

In addition, AGSL is providing AGSync software, which allows data and files to be synchronized between multiple onshore and offshore locations. As a result, the integrity of information is maintained, even when communications links are disrupted.

Asset Guardian helps maintain compliance with relevant regulatory standards and government directives relating to process critical systems, such as IEC61508, 61511, ISO 9001, CPNI and HSE KP4, among others.

“With its depth of experience in process control systems, AGSL has the expertise to fully integrate the Asset Guardian toolset for Dana, " said Sam Mackay, Chief Executive Officer of AGSL. "We will use our innovative technology to protect the integrity of the process control software, and maximize its operational efficiency."

The award of this contract from Dana to AGSL follows on the heels of several others. In recent months, AGSL has been awarded contracts by GDF Suez, Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd, Dolphin Drilling AS, Woodside, Inpex, Stena Drilling, BP Quad 204 and Clair Ridge, and nuclear energy provider EDF Energy.

For the past eight years, AGSL has been supplying the oil and gas industry with the Asset Guardian toolset to help ensure that operations run smoothly, reducing potential disruption.

About Asset Guardian Solutions Limited

Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd was born out of the recognition that most companies involved in the process industry had little to protect the integrity and safekeeping of the Software Assets used that control their production processes.

Originally, it was part of Elite Controls Systems Ltd, a company that specializes in process automation, has a global ‘blue chip’ client base, and boasts an enviable reputation.

By combining its control automation and IT expertise, in 2000 the company developed Asset Guardian, an innovative solution that ensures users compliance with ISO & IEC Standards, Government Directives and Industry Best Practices for the “Configuration and Change Management” of process-critical systems.

Following 10 years of continuous growth involving detailed market research and collaboration with users, Asset Guardian has transformed from a “product” to an “integrated solution” that protects the integrity of safety and process-critical systems. Its future development and growth will now be carried on under the leadership of Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd, a team that was formed by combining the original development team with a new sales and marketing team to maximize the company’s potential within the global marketplace.

Working in close partnership with its clients, Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd appreciates the need for rapid, demonstrable returns on client investments, and encourages them to follow the company ethos “Take Control and Control Change.”

Subsea IMR provider, N-Sea Offshore Ltd has moved into new, Norwich-based premises as business continues to grow.

An integral part of its growth strategy, the premises signify further expansion for N-Sea and will support the company’s increased activity in the oil and gas and renewable market in the Southern North Sea area.

Offshore renewable activity currently accounts for almost 30% of N-Sea’s business, through its bases in Aberdeen and Zierikzee, The Netherlands. The new office facility at Dragonfly House, Norwich will serve to maintain and grow this market, supported by the appointment of business development manager, Gary Thirkettle.

Explaining the strategic relevance of the expansion to East Anglia, N-Sea’s chief operating officer, Roddy James (photo) said: “Our investment in the Norwich office is a succinct illustration of our commitment to ensuring we continue to provide the very best service to our clients who are based - or plan to establish a presence - in the area.”

Commenting on the appointment of Gary Thirkettle, Mr. James continued: “We are delighted to welcome Gary to the company. With nearly 30 years’ experience in the offshore survey sector, he is ideally qualified to lead N-Sea within the oil and gas and renewable energy markets, building upon N-Sea’s excellent reputation as we continue to deliver effective and cost efficient solutions to our clients.”

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.

To develop its large fleet, Groen Offshore, Guard & Support has selected the first Damen Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier 2610 to be customized with Offshore Oil & Gas standby capabilities. The Netherlands-based company will deploy the new vessel on long-term charter for a major E&P operator in the Danish part of the North Sea, following quick delivery this summer from Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam.

On 13 May, Henk Groen, Director of Groen Offshore, Guard & Support (in Dutch known as Rederij Groen), signed the contract for the new FCS 2610 with Frits van Dongen, Director of Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam – the Damen yard in the Netherlands that will finish the vessel from stock. The FCS 2610 is the first Damen Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier in Groen Offshore, Guard & Support's modern fleet of 27 vessels and 37 charter vessels.

New twist to Twin Axe success story

Damen has built more than 40 vessels from the highly successful Damen Twin Axe FCS 2610 design. Thanks to its proven seakeeping performance in demanding North Sea conditions, the popular workboat is already a mainstay of Europe's Offshore Wind construction and maintenance sector. The order for the first FCS 2610 customised for Offshore Oil & Gas highlights the design's multipurpose functionality as well as Damen's ability to quickly tailor the built-from-stock vessels to client specifications.

Groen Offshore, Guard & Support, with more than 40 years of experience in Offshore Oil & Gas, specified a number of plug and play features including a davit for a fast rescue craft on the fore deck, a 10-foot offshore container outfitted as a hospital/office, a multipurpose deck crane and Dacon Rescue Scoop. The vessel also meets the highest safety standards specified by Groen Offshore, Guard & Support.

"The Twin Axe Fast Crew Suppliers stand out for their speed, maximum seaworthiness, excellent fuel economy and high stability," a spokesperson for Groen Offshore, Guard & Support stated. "That means they can also be deployed in harsher weather conditions."

Two of Fugro’s vessels currently searching the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, were recently involved in an historic find - the discovery of a previously uncharted shipwreck at a depth of around 3,900 meters.

The wreck is likely to be that of a 19th century merchant sailing ship and so great is the detail that what is believed to be scattered coal can be seen throughout the debris, which may indicate that it had an auxiliary steam-powered engine. The debris also appears to include an anchor and the stunning imagery will be provided to expert marine archaeologists for possible identification.

It’s a fascinating find,” said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) Peter Foley, Director of the Operational Search for MH370, “but it’s not what we’re looking for. Obviously, we’re disappointed that it wasn’t the aircraft, but we were always realistic about the likelihood. And this event has really demonstrated that the systems, people and the equipment involved in the search are working well. It’s shown that if there’s a debris field in the search area, we’ll find it.” How the story unfolded
When the deep tow system operated by Fugro Equator detected a cluster of small sonar contacts in the southern part of the search area, 12 nautical miles to the east of the 7th arc, the sonar data was carefully analyzed. It was categorized as Class 2 – ‘of potential interest but unlikely to be related to MH370’.

“It could not, however be ruled out,” said Peter Foley. “There were characteristics of the contact that made it unlikely to be MH370, but there were also aspects that generated interest, multiple small bright reflections in a relatively small area of otherwise featureless seabed.”

All sonar data collected by Fugro goes through a detailed analysis and an exhaustive review process to ascertain its quality, coverage and most importantly any sonar contacts of interest. “The analysis starts with the mission crew on board the search vessels,” continued Peter. “The data is then reviewed again ashore by sonar analysts at Fugro’s office in Perth and then it is independently reviewed by the sonar experts in the ATSB’s Operational Search team. The process is methodical, meticulous and it is designed to ensure that nothing is missed. In this case we planned to resurvey the contact in more detail.”

The Fugro Supporter was tasked to further investigate the contact, performing a high resolution sonar scan using Fugro’s Echo Surveyor VII autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The high resolution data revealed a large number of sonar contacts lying very close to the seafloor, at a depth of around 3,900 meters. The majority of the contacts were comparatively small – around the size of a cricket ball – interspersed with a few larger items, the biggest being approximately 6 meters in its longest dimension. Although the debris field appeared to be of man-made origin it did not exhibit all the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field.

An additional AUV low-altitude mission was then undertaken using the underwater camera to gather images of the field. Analysis of the images revealed that the debris was actually the wreck of a ship.

Fugro’s search director Paul Kennedy of Fugro Survey explained: “This find has given us a great deal of confidence. It shows we are able to find small pieces of metal on the seafloor, a long way down. Pieces from MH370 would be roughly 10 times as big as those of the wrecked ship.” Extended search
Senior Ministers from Malaysia, Australia and the People's Republic of China recently agreed to extend the search by an additional 60,000 square kilometers to bring the search area to 120,000 square kilometers and thereby cover the entire highest probability area identified by expert analysis. At an April meeting they received a detailed briefing on the thorough and rigorous work being undertaken to search for the aircraft, including details of the technology used in the underwater search, assessment and analysis of data collected and classification of sonar contacts.

Discussions also covered the challenges and risks in the search operations in such a remote and difficult location in extreme depths. The additional search area may take up to a year to complete given the adverse weather conditions in the approaching winter months. Regularly updated information, including illustrations, is available online.

iSURVEY Pte Ltd, Singapore, has been awarded a contract from EMAS AMC for the provision of positioning and survey services on board its pipe lay vessel, the ‘Lewek Centurion’.

The work is in support of Chevron’s 2015 pipeline installation campaign in the Gulf of Thailand. The project commenced in Q1 2015 and has an estimated duration of 120 days. iSURVEY will provide lay barge positioning and four personnel during the installation of 18 pipelines of varying diameters.

iSURVEY Singapore’s managing director Bill Petrie commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract with EMAS AMC, after completing a smaller positioning project for them in 2014. The award of this significant contract represents a key milestone in the development of iSURVEY’s business in South East Asia.

“We have experienced a very strong first half of 2015 so far, and our reputation as a leading provider of high quality and high specification positioning services continues to go from strength to strength.”

iSURVEY, a leading provider of survey and positioning services to the global oil and gas, offshore renewables and telecommunications sectors, established operations in South East Asia in 2011 with the launch of a base in Singapore.

NYC-based PIRA Energy Group reports that Basrah Heavy enters the market. In the U.S., another counter-seasonal U.S. stock draw. In Japan, crude runs decline, with much lower crude stocks. Specifically, PIRA’s analysis of the oil market fundamentals has revealed the following:

Basrah Heavy Enters the Market

Basrah Heavy, a new Iraqi crude grade, will begin loading in June 2015. The crude is quite heavy (23.5° API) and high in sulfur (4.2 wt. %), and is more similar to Mexican Maya crude than most other Middle East grades. SOMO, the Iraqi oil marketing authority, has introduced this crude because the average quality of Basrah production from southern Iraq has been declining over the last several years due to inclusion of new production from heavier fields including West Qurna 2, Missan and Halfaya. PIRA believes SOMO has crafted a sensible marketing strategy to deal with changing production quality and capture high value for their sales.

Another Counter-Seasonal U.S. Stock Draw

Overall commercial oil inventories fell 2.1 million barrels this past week following the week earlier stock decline of 5.5 million barrels as product demand remained very strong. Year to date, the DOE weekly demand data adjusted for normal degree days and actual product exports (versus the DOE assumptions) is up 440 MB/D. Sixty percent of this increase is in gasoline certainly suggesting price matters despite a weak U.S. economy. The latest four week average adjusted demand is running 740 MB/D, or 4.0%, higher than last year.

Japanese Crude Runs Decline, with Much Lower Crude Stocks

Crude runs dropped 174 MB/D with low imports such that crude stocks drew strongly. Finished product stocks rose modestly. Gasoline demand fell back after the holiday, while gasoil demand rebounded. Kerosene demand was moderately strong and the stock build rate fell back. The indicative refining margin remains good with all the major product cracks firming on the week.

U.S. Shale Oil Independents Also Winning Reserves Additions Battle

For the period between 2010 and 2014, the average reserves replacement ratio of a group of U.S. independents has been twice as high compared to Big Oil (216% versus 105%). However, a large portion of these newly added reserves are associated with future shale oil/gas drilling locations that may need to be drilled within a five year period or be taken off the books. If drilling activity stays at the current low level due to sustained low crude prices, it may be a challenge for the independents to keep all those reserves in the proved category. For independents, this can affect their ability to get favorable financing or issue equity.

Asian Arbitrage Hampered by Soaring Freight

Saudi CP Propane futures languished as soaring spot freight continued to make the arbitrage East unworkable. June CP futures lost 7% to $407/MT, approaching the low levels plumbed in January. Meanwhile, the Far East Index dipped 2.6% to near $500 while butane prices were steady at $542/MT. LPG prices in Asia remain in tight competition with naphtha for petrochemical use, necessitating lower source pricing for triggering incremental demand.

U.S. Ethanol Prices and Margins Increase

Chicago ethanol prices rose the week ending May 15, supported by robust demand in the domestic markets, as well as the third straight week of stock draw. Manufacturing margins improved for the ninth consecutive week to levels not experienced since December.

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.

Wintershall is ceasing its activities in Qatar and is returning Block 4 North near the North Field off the Qatari coast on 25 May 2015. Wintershall’s office in Doha will be closed. In 2013, Wintershall made the “Al Radeef” gas discovery off the cost of Qatar.

“During the development planning, it was always clear to us and our partners that an economic development of the discovery, including the processing of the gas, would only be possible if we have access to local infrastructure. This access was not granted. That is why we have decided to take this step”, explains Wintershall Board Member Martin Bachmann, who is responsible for exploration and production in Europe and the Middle East.

Further activities in the Middle East region are not affected by the withdrawal from Qatar. The current focus of Wintershall is on the United Arab Emirates. “We are also closely following the developments in other countries in the region”, explains Bachmann. “The challenges in the region are increasing with local energy consumption growing rapidly. In order to maintain production in the long term, fields must be exploited more efficiently and technically more complex fields need to be developed.”

Wintershall has considerable experience in deploying ‘Enhanced Oil Recovery’ (EOR) technology, which is used to increase the yield from complex reservoirs, especially in mature fields in Germany and Europe. “In combination with modern exploration techniques, it is precisely this experience that we want to increasingly utilize in the Middle East region.”

DNV GL, the technical advisor to the oil and gas industry, has been awarded another offshore pipelay surveillance contract by Statoil to monitor quality assurance throughout the installation campaign.

As new fields have become increasingly complex, the pipeline segments have also experienced cost challenges like other parts of the industry.

“New technologies and continual development of best practice have the potential to contribute positively to the cost reduction efforts necessary to make the industry more robust. Our aim for this project is to contribute to safe cost reductions through ensuring best practice during the installation process to avoid stops and repairs, thus reducing downtime to a minimum during the costly laying process,” says Kjell Eriksson, Regional Manager – Norway, DNV GL Oil & Gas.

“This contract award marks the continuation of a strong collaboration between DNV GL and Statoil’s Pipeline Installation segment. Integrated subsea pipeline installation, field verification and quality surveillance have been a major service field for our Stavanger office since 1997 and this is yet another example of how we contribute with our best experience to assure efficiency and quality throughout the installation process,” continues Eriksson.

Statoil is installing the 480km long Polarled gas pipeline between the Aasta Hansteen field in the Norwegian Sea and the Nyhamna gas processing facility in western Norway. The pipeline will have capacity of 70 million cubic meters per day. The contract is valued at approximately 31 million NOK (US$4 million) and is expected to run until the end of the pipeline installation, 3rd quarter 2015.

DNV GL will complement Statoil’s installation team of pipeline engineers with multi-disciplined surveyors and inspectors to follow-up the quality aspects during welding and Field Joint Coating (FJC) on-board the pipelaying vessel throughout the installation campaign. Both pipelines (Polarled and Edvard Grieg Oil Pipeline (EGOP)) will be installed using Dutch installation contractor Allseas’ lay vessel “Solitaire”.

DNV GL’s first pipeline code was issued in 1976. It has achieved global recognition, winning prestigious industry awards and currently 60-70% of all new projects globally are designed and constructed according to DNV GL standards. Just recently during Corrosion 2015, the world’s largest corrosion conference, DNV GL was awarded NACE’s Distinguished Organization Award for 2015. “DNV GL has decades of distinguished service and dedication to the science of managing corrosion, illustrated by NACE leadership and participation, leadership in Joint Industry Projects (JIPs), and authorship of numerous white papers, industry standards, recommended practices, and service specifications.” the NACE jury said in its statement.

Global-leading energy services company Proserv has successfully completed the first phase of one of its largest contracts yet to provide subsea control systems for deepwater projects in Brazil.

The firm has delivered the initial three of nine control systems that will support drill pipe riser (DPR) intervention services at depths of 2500 meters. The work forms part of a $40million (approx £24m) deal with a leading oilfield service company. The remaining six systems are expected to be delivered by the turn of the year in line with key project milestones.

David Lamont, Proserv’s chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted to have completed the opening stage of this contract award which is testament to the hard-work, expertise and experience of our global project teams.

Proserv has manufactured three of nine subsea control systems as part of its record contract in Brazil.

“From our subsea controls experts in Great Yarmouth - who are responsible for the overall project execution, engineering and build of the control systems - to the delivery of the first accompanying hydraulic power units by our dedicated manufacturing facility in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, this success demonstrates the international collaboration across the business to deliver best in class technology and service.”

The project reinforces Proserv’s rapidly evolving global footprint and market-leading position through exporting some of the most technically-advanced subsea equipment to clients around the world.

Proserv’s DPR control system is the first of its kind for the offshore industry. The product incorporates deepwater electro-hydraulic installation and workover controls for supporting the manipulation of all subsea operations, the tubing hanger running tools and surface test trees. The systems all feature Proserv’s Artemis 2G, a next-generation subsea electronics module which has been specifically designed to suit challenging environmental and operational conditions.

Proserv, which operates worldwide through 29 operating centers based in 11 countries, has a 40-year track record in delivering world-class solutions for the energy industry, particularly in the drilling, production and subsea market sectors.

The company has won a string of industry awards in recognition of its people and outstanding achievements. Most recently, Proserv was named Great Large Company at the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Offshore Achievement Awards in March. The accolade came shortly after Proserv was crowned Company of the Year at the 2015 Subsea UK Awards while just weeks before, two of Proserv’s promising young employees were recognized for their outstanding achievements at the 2015 Oil & Gas UK awards.

For the US energy industry, 2014 will be remembered as the year when crude oil prices fell below 50 $/bbl, resulting in significant realignments in the sector. Aside from the oil price collapse and the historic high of domestic natural gas production, several other energy records were set last year. Both solar and wind energy production reached an all-time high in the US, contributing to a record 9.8% of total primary energy supply.

The US is ranked the second largest producer of wind energy. With more than 65 GW installed capacity in 39 states, wind energy represented over 4% of national power generation in 2014. Annual installations peaked in 2012 when some 13 GW of new capacity came online. At the time of writing, onshore wind energy is approaching cost-competitive levels around the country. However, while the US is internationally recognized for its strong offshore energy operations, there has been no utility-scale offshore wind energy production in the country to date.

Several groups have been working on offshore wind project plans, but they have faced funding difficulties and public resistance, which have negatively impacted their ability to reach a final investment decision. Throughout two rounds, the US Department of Energy selected three Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects which are expected to start their operation in 2017.

Ahead of the government supported projects, and after seven years of planning, the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm – the first US offshore wind plant – finally began in April 2015. The 30 MW farm which will be located 18 miles from the coast of Rhode Island, consists of five turbines and is expected to start its operation in Q4 2016. The feasibility of the project is secured by a 20-year power purchase agreement. Compared to the European sites, the Block Island project is tiny, but it could prove the commercial viability of such projects for policy makers, utilities and capital funds, boosting further investment in the US offshore wind energy sector.

Patrik Farkas, Douglas-Westwood Houston +1-832-591-0202 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The MacArtney Group is delighted to have signed a representative agreement with Vsense Technologies LTD - an industrious and innovative technology company based in Israel. The two companies will team up to offer cutting-edge underwater technology products and solutions to clients within relevant Israeli markets.

Vsense

Operating out of high-tech Kibbutz Einat in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Vsense Technologies is a global leader in the design, development and marketing of innovative video, audio, data surveillance, recording and COFDM transmission systems serving government agencies, defence contractors, industrial clients and academic institutes. Through a dedicated representations department, Vsense represents leading manufacturers from Europe and the USA in fields of communication, optical, energy, maritime and underwater solutions. Vsense works closely with its clients supporting their needs and activities.

Unlocking potential beneath the surface

As an official MacArtney representative, Vsense will have access to the entire range of MacArtney products, systems and integrated solutions. As a dedicated provider of underwater technology, MacArtney holds decades of experience with advanced solutions for underwater applications. Empowered by MacArtney products and systems, hereunder especially SubConn® connectors, subsea cables and LUXUS cameras and lights, Vsense is enabled to move into new markets and unlock vast potential for integrating underwater and harsh environment solutions and applications for new and existing customers.

Globally local underwater solutions

Continuously strengthening its global outreach and customer support through strategic local presence in key markets is a long-standing cornerstone of MacArtney strategy. With an extensive network of local and regional contacts and clients within the realm of shipbuilding, defence, ocean science, offshore, diving and civil engineering industries, the partnership with Vsense is bound to be of great value to MacArtney. “Vsense holds a great reputation and is very well connected to relevant regional operators, stakeholders and markets. Moreover, the company boasts an extensive engineering capacity within electronics and optics and will be able to fully service MacArtney products locally” says MacArtney Sales and Marketing Director, Marco MacArtney. “We are delighted to work with Vsense and remain confident, that the partnership will aid to open even more doors for both our companies”, Marco MacArtney concludes.

The 12-position rosette and 10-liter water bottle system are part of a specialized inventory of environmental monitoring equipment.

Okeanus Science and Technology (Okeanus) is pleased to announce the acquisition of a new 12-position water sampling rosette and 10-liter water bottle system to its portfolio of oceanographic and scientific research rental equipment.

The Sea-Bird Electronics SBE 32 sampling rosette, operable to a depth of up to 7,000 meters, can be outfitted with up to 12 10-liter General Oceanics GO-FLO sampling bottles to retrieve water samples in any position. The unit is easily integrated with Okeanus’ corresponding CTD and auto fire module (AFM) rentals for automatic firing of bottles based on time or depth, and is the newest addition to Okeanus’ comprehensive catalog of environmental monitoring equipment.

In addition to water quality sampling systems, Okeanus’ marine environmental monitoring inventory features Bongo and Neuston nets and 1-meter and 10-meter MOCNESS plankton collection systems, as well as a diverse selection of sediment sampling equipment that includes box cores, Van Veen and Ponar grab samplers, 12-position multi-cores, handheld push cores and a comprehensive suite of ROV sediment sampling equipment.

“We are very excited about the addition of the new 12 position rosette and 10 liter water bottle system to our rental inventory,” stated Benton LeBlanc, Vice President and General Manager of Okeanus. “This acquisition adds a new dimension to our existing rental pool of environmental monitoring equipment, further demonstrating the commitment that Okeanus has made to our customers and to our environment. By our investment in this broad spectrum of marine environmental monitoring equipment, we enable customers to focus on their core competencies and maximize their profitability by allowing them to lease these assets rather than purchase them.”

Gauthiers’ announces the acquisition of an equity share of Modex, a leading international manufacturer of DNV-certified offshore equipment. As part of the transaction, Gauthiers’ will merge its operations with Modex to create the world’s third-largest offshore container company, with an inventory of 17,000 units, a global presence and comprehensive service offerings from engineering and manufacturing to the sale and leasing of offshore containers and modules. Modex currently has operations in Norway, Brazil, UAE, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the United Kingdom (Aberdeen) with further growth planned in the near future.

This new partnership provides substantial advantages to both parties. Gauthiers’ benefits from adding full in-house manufacturing design and production capacity as well as capital support for its continued growth, while Modex gains access to the North American oil and gas market via Gauthiers’ locations, expertise and relationships with operators, contractors and service companies in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gauthiers’ branding materials will be updated to include “A Modex Company” to reflect its expanded capacity and new global service offerings. Meanwhile, Gauthiers’ existing Louisiana locations (in Lafayette, Houma and Port Fourchon) will continue under the same management while offering an even broader range of customized units along with a larger available inventory.

“It will be business as usual – only better – with the merged company. Our customers will still receive the same outstanding service they always have, only now they will gain access to additional units, more facilities, new models and direct factory support,” said Gauthiers’ President Robert Gauthier. “What’s more, we can now serve customers anywhere in the world.”

Modex is the leading integrated Cargo Carrying Unit (CCU) manufacturer and rental provider in the world. Unlike other CCU providers that subcontract their production, Modex owns and operates the most advanced CCU and cabin manufacturing facility in the world, capable of producing 5,400 CCUs and 120 cabin units per year.

“Gauthiers’ is an ideal partner for us because of their experience, facilities and long-standing customer relationships throughout the Gulf region. And just as importantly, they are industry leaders in the development and implementation of international safety standards,” said Modex CEO Eric Snellen.