A new high pressure fill-up and circulation (HPFAC) tool launched by Drawworks allows operators to fill-up, circulate and take flowback while casing is being run. The patent-pending tool aids in running casing and liners under pressures up to 10…
Automated ultrasonic inspection specialist Sonomatic is hailing its new MAG-Rover as the first remotely steerable ultrasonic scanner capable of deepwater operations.Designed and developed in-house over the past four years, the innovative scanner is capable of carrying out topside…
FMC Technologies has signed a definitive agreement to acquire control and automation system solutions provider Control Systems International (CSI). Founded in 1968, CSI is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, and has operations in Irvine, California…
An autonomous PowerBuoy recently deployed by Ocean Power Technologies for the US Navy is reported to have delivered ‘a very strong performance', meeting all of its mission specifications.The autonomous PowerBuoy, hailed as a self-sustaining…
Mustang has acquired a majority stake in Latin American automation and control engineering and consulting firm ISI Solutions for an initial consideration of $5.2 million. The company will be rebranded ISI Mustang and will continue to be led by Pedro Santamaria and the existing management team.
Reservoir complexity and an emphasis on asset integrity have encouraged developers to refine visualization technology for oil & gas applications. OE shares details of a handful of new products that have come across our desk in recent weeks.The…
Seeking to establish itself as the national strategic centre of excellence for subsea research, the National Subsea Research Institute (NSRI) recently unveiled the future focus for its ground-breaking research – and the accent will be very much…
In less than a year, shipyards' lack of experience in delivering automated, highly-integrated offshore topsides has dropped as a primary source of non-productive time, according to a recent report that polled operators about the causes of NPT…
Exploration and production at greater depths and a heightened emphasis on safety could mean even bigger roles for ROVs in offshore operations. Experts say the machines are not just up for the challenge, but ahead of the game. Russell McCulley reports…
No crystal ball is needed to determine one area of offshore activity where spending will rise inexorably in coming years: inspection, repair and maintenance. With one leading commentator predicting this sector’s annual spend will reach $7 billion by 2014…
All alarms exist for a reason, but in many offshore assets too many alarms can be worse than too few. Amor Group’s Brendon Glass explains why.In today’s automated plants or platforms, thousands of alarms have been configured into the control system…
Prompted by practical engineering needs, Foster Wheeler Upstream developed a design tool to facilitate the design of subsea plate mudmats. Dr Jinming Xu, Paul Schank and Ray Young discuss how Mudmatician, through automation and built-in intelligence…
Another drilling contractor, Seadrill, recently put to the test DNV’s new standard for managing integrated software dependent systems. Wendy Laursen assesses the system’s scope for reducing software-related downtime on drilling units.There are…
By automating the process of data analysis and optimisation, downhole monitoring and completions specialist Zenith Oilfield Technology says its Z-Sight tool facilitates better management of the high volumes of data associated with artificially lifted wells…
For a while, non-productive time was a problem most companies didn't want to acknowledge. Two recent reports have brought into focus the amount of time, and money, lost due to non-productive time. Jennifer Pallanich finds out what the Athens…