Subsea technology and innovation goes on show today at this week's Subsea Expo, in Aberdeen.
More than 5000 delegates are expected from all over the world at the annual subsea conference and exhibition, running today to Friday, this year themed - Adapting to the New.
Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK said: “Adapting to the prolonged period of lower oil and gas prices is a challenge that many companies throughout the UK, and further afield are currently facing up to. This year’s conference will look at the hurdles we still face and how we can overcome them through cost-efficiencies, new technology, diversification and internationalization.”
Below, we list some of the new technologies being showcased by some of the ca.150 exhibitors at the event, being held from Wednesday-Friday, 1-3 February, many of which look to offer efficiencies in today’s environment.
Innovative UK companies will also be pitching their subsea technologies to a panel of operators and Tier 1 contractors on Wednesday 1, as Subsea UK takes its Subsea Springboard event to Expo for the first time.
SEA
SEA (stand 89), a part of defense technology firm Cohort, is launching its new, low cost and short lead-time subsea control module (SCM) to extend the life of marginal developments and late-life fields in the oil and gas sector.
The SCM, including a subsea electronic module (SEM) and master control station (MCS), was developed by SEA’s subsea engineering team, based in Aberdeen. SEA says the system has a high level of configurability while maintaining reduced complexity by using commercial, off-the-shelf hardware where available.
SEA subsea engineering director Matt Blair said: “The current market makes us all challenge conventional thinking. Our wider experience within the subsea production controls and defense industries allows us to bring novel and innovative solutions to address an increasingly competitive environment. The challenges of hardware obsolescence drives our flexible approach to engineering offering solutions designed with maintainability and a circular economy in mind.”
Webtool
Hydraulic cutting tools specialist, Webtool, announces the latest developments in next generation, cable gripper and retrieval tools, and electrically operated subsea cutters, at Subsea Expo 2017. The stand will feature the Webtool cable gripper, allowing the safe and controlled recovery of damaged power and telecoms cable up to 8in diameter.
The hydraulically operated, cable lifting tool is designed for cable retrieval and decommissioning projects. Fabricated from corrosion resistant steel and stainless steel, the mechanically locked gripping action ensures the cable cannot escape during retrieval. Also, featured on the stand will be the latest developments in electric cutters giving all electric ROVs a Webtool cutting capability for softline ropes and guidewires.
In addition to the market leading, range of Webtool hydraulic cutters for steel and fibre ropes, the stand will also feature the new ROV resettable Emergency Disconnect Cutter for well intervention systems. The Webtool emergency cutter is a simpler and quicker emergency disconnection than more complex multi-line stab-plate systems for mixed material bundles. By making the cutter ROV resettable it avoids the need to return the cutter to the surface vessel for resetting.
“With the growth in offshore wind further offshore, recovering damaged power cable can be time consuming and expensive. The cable gripper offers offshore wind operators a quicker and more cost-effective means of lifting and lowering previously damaged cables,” says Keith Elliot, engineering director, Allspeeds.
Impact Subsea
Impact Subsea is premiering its ISD4000 survey grade depth and temperature sensor with optional integrated HMRU.
The ISD4000 has 0.01% full scale depth measurement accuracy combined with a temperature measurement accuracy of 0.01°C. The ISD4000 can also be supplied with an integrated HMRU. Providing the user with heading, pitch and roll values.
Designed to be an ideal sensor for ROV and AUV underwater applications, the ISD4000 offers a significant degree of capability, in a small form factor, at a very cost effective price.
It is in a titanium housing and only 8cm (3.1in) long and 4.5cm (1.8in) wide and weighs just 0.42kg (0.93lb) in air. It has low power usage, at under 40mA of power at 24VDC.
Interventek
Interventek (stand 157) is presenting its new shear and seal Revolution Valve. The unique Revolution Valve is the only compact, shear and seal valve on the market which is able to cut all types of intervention media, in all kinds of operating environment, whilst maintaining its ability to seal.
STR
STR (stand 113) is releasing its new SeaGamma Flooded Member Detection System. Gamma Flooded Member Detection has long been the method of choice for the inspection and monitoring of subsea structural members for the detection of water ingress. FMD inspection technique can also be applied to locating blockages in pipelines as a result of pigging or silt build up.
Progressive marine growth means traditional methods of NDT inspection can be costly and inefficient. The STR SeaGamma FMD standard system has been designed from the ground upwards to rapidly survey components up to 2m diameter from an inspection or work class ROV and requires no marine growth removal to deliver results.
Igus
Go see the world’s largest plastic e-chain, the E4.350 on motion plastics firm igus stand (182). The firm’s tribopolymer chains are offer an alternative to steel for working in the harsh environments of the offshore industry. Igus says they are tougher than steel and much lighter, as well as resistant to most chemicals and petrochemicals and weathering.
This e-chain is predominantly used for the movement of large, heavy and stiff cables, such as those used on oil platforms.
As well as the E4.350, the firm is displaying its GL (Germanischer Lloyd) approved chainflex cables, developed specifically for offshore applications, including the CF113.D measuring system and CF27.D servo cables. Also available are MUD resistant according to NEK-606 (Norsk Elektroteknisk Komitee) chainflex cables, including the CF 170.D control and CF270.UL.D servo cables.
Ideal for harsh underwater environments, the drylin W linear guide system can be delivered preassembled for easy installation, with individual or double hard-anodized aluminum rails. It is dry running and therefore virtually maintenance free. Additional features include low noise and weight, as well as resistance to the ingress of dirt.
Designed for extremely harsh environments, iglidur X bearing material is resistant to most chemicals and petrochemicals. This material is ideal for use in pumps, replacing the traditional PTFE-coated bearings that can, in certain circumstances, contaminate the fuel or damage the shaft, ensuring a longer service life.
The conference is held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (Aberdeen AECC).
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