The Oil & Gas Innovation Center (OGIC) has invested more than £300,000 into three new projects which have the potential to cut operational costs and improve efficiency in the oil and gas industry. The projects will see three UK companies work with Scottish universities to develop innovative technology to solve current industry challenges and represent the latest investments by OGIC.

UUV Aquabotix Ltd announced the addition of new commercial partner and distributor Azorean Aquatic Technologies, S.A. to help support the company’s global expansion and sale of its underwater robotics products, including its Endura ROV (remotely operated vehicle), Integra AUV/ROV (autonomous underwater vehicle/remotely operated vehicle) and AquaLens Connect underwater camera system. To date, Aquabotix has sold more than 380 vehicles in nearly 60 countries worldwide.

Approximately 250,000 people leave military service each year and begin the often bumpy process of re-entering civilian life, a large part of which is finding a suitable career. As construction continues to grapple with a chronic workforce shortage, the numbers of new veterans alone represent enormous potential for the construction industry.

Divers from U.S. Navy Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) Two, Underwater Construction Team (UCT) One and the U.S. Coast Guard braved harsh Arctic waters to play a critical role during a torpedo exercise as part of Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2018.

 

Highlights of this year’s most talked-about commercial diving convention, Underwater Intervention 2018, where industry leaders and innovators come together to learn, exchange ideas and see the newest developments in subaquatic technology.

A susceptibility to sustained load cracking (SLC) has been identified in cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloys of specific grades, manufactured between 1963 and 1995. Sustained load cracking is a metallurgical anomaly occurring in cylinders that have remained pressurised for sustained periods of time. WorkSafe New Zealand Safety Alert There have been two recent incidents of serious harm in the Asia-Pacific region caused by the catastrophic failure of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloy 6351. As a result of these incidents in August 2017 WorkSafe New Zealand issued a Safety Alert entitled "Cylinder design approvals withdrawn". In its Safety Alert WorkSafe New Zealand announced that it had decided to withdraw approval for SCUBA and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cylinder designs which used aluminium alloy 6351. The withdrawal came into effect from 31 October 2017. UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Safety Bulletin On 8 March 2018 the UK HSE issued Safety Bulletin ED 1-2018 entitled "Cylinders manufactured from aluminium alloys HE30/AA6082 and AA6351 and used primarily for gases for underwater breathing apparatus". The publication of this bulletin was prompted in part by the Asia-Pacific incidents, but also by an incident of serious harm caused by the failure of an HE30/AA6082 cylinder in England in 2017. For a full report, click below

Products Affected: 510-505 Face Seal (for standard Hoods with foam face seal), 510-712 KMB Hood Assemblies (standard) The 510-505 Foam Face Seal is now available as P/N 525-505 Foam Face Seal Kit. 525-505 Kit is ordered when a replacement face seal for the standard KMB Hood is required. The Kit contains one 510-505 Face Seal and detailed instructions for removing the old face seal and installing the new. No price change at this time. Kit includes: one face seal and instruction sheet. For more information, click below

The March/April issue of Underwater Magazine is online now. This issue is the Underwater Intervention recap issue and features a rundown of many of the exciting things that happened at UI18. In addition to UI coverage, this issue introduces the ADCI Store, which will launch on August 1, 2018, gives an update on what your Board of Directors are doing for you, and features an interview with Steve Struble, UI18’s Technical Program Chairman and Commercial Diving Track Leader. All of this and much more in the latest issue of Underwater Magazine.

TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company announced that easements, permitting and agreements are complete and groundbreaking and construction will begin in five days on a beach landing project that will serve multiple subsea cables and users in Southern California. The project will use horizontal directional drilling to install bore pipes for the shore-end landing due to the minimal impact this type of operation has on the environment of the beach and tidal area.

Fara Holdco Limited ("Fara"), owners of the Bibby Offshore group of companies ("Bibby"), announced a merger with Rever Offshore AS ("Rever"). Rever’s subsidiaries include CECON Contracting AS, an international subsea and offshore contractor, as well as two vessel companies which own both the Cecon Excellence and Cecon Sovereign.

Winners of the 2018 Offshore Achievement Awards were announced on March 22 in a celebration of industry talent, innovation and enthusiasm. The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen Section revealed the 11 winners to an audience of more than 450 people, with categories covering technology innovation, company performance and individual achievement across the U.K. offshore energy sector.

Subsea Technology & Rentals Ltd (STR) adds an additional Saab Seaeye Falcon robotic vehicle to their global rental fleet of inspection class vehicles, with planned investment for more Falcons in the near future. Growing demand over the last 12 months for the Falcon from their clients in the Oil and Gas and Renewable sectors has led STR to expand their rental resource, as their existing Falcons are currently on long term rental.