ADCI Underwater Today

Welcome to ADCI TV!
ADCI’s new video series brings education and information from your industry and association.

Watch the first episode here.

ADCI Member Update - December 2012
• ADCI Updates Two Training Videos
• Underwater Intervention 2013
• ADCI's Latest Initiative

 

Purchasers can go to the UnderWater magazine website to place their orders:  www.underwatermagazine.com

Electronic PDF Download (Spanish Translation) - $200.00

There are substantial differences between the 5th and current 6th editions. Please take time to note all of the changes and additions to:
• Operational and equipment requirements
• Diving personnel medical training requirements
• Diving personnel certification requirements
• Checklist and audit protocols

Implementation of Certification and Equipment Requirements
Except where noted, all new certification and equipment requirements will take effect immediately. Noted changes to take effect after formal adoption of this document will be annotated by a superscript (1, 2, or 3) after the stated requirement.

The legend for the superscript is as follows:
1 – Compliance required after 6 months from 7 July 2011
2 – Compliance required after 12 months from 7 July 2011
3 – Compliance required after 24 months from 7 July 2011

Preview the Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving and Underwater Operations 6th edition on the ADCI website.  A "read only" version can be found at www.adc-int.org.

 

Interested in contributing to UnderWater magazine?
UnderWater magazine is seeking feature stories and photography covering subjects of broad significance to the commercial diving industry. Possible article topics include, but are not limited to: safety, new techniques, new equipment, equipment reviews, recent projects, etc. Special attention will be given to articles highlighting safety; however, all topics of general interest to diving contractors will be considered. Photography accompanying your story is welcome and encouraged. Here is a chance to highlight and share some of the notable accomplishments of your company or school.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/adc-nwl/articles/index-v3.asp?aid=204811&issueID=29423 to view the full article online.

 

Underwater Construction Team 1 divers, from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va., conducted semiannual training Jan. 16-17 in Key West, Fla., to hone their specialized skill set in variety of construction projects in the ocean environment.

Visit http://www.dvidshub.net/news/100920/uct-1-divers-train-future-readiness to view the full article online.

 

Jan. 23 marked the anniversary of the Bathyscaphe Trieste‘s descent to the bottom of the ocean in 1960. This was the first time a vessel, manned or unmanned, had reached the deepest known point of the Earth’s oceans, the Mariana Trench.
Trieste was at first operated by the French Navy, which operated it for several years in the Mediterranean Sea, but the US Navy purchased the Trieste in 1958.
Although two men took the ride down, all accounts say that it was an isolating experience. Jacques Piccard – well-known today for his exploration of the oceans – and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh descended about 11 kilometers (7 miles) to the bottom.

Visit http://www.universetoday.com/99593/the-ocean-is-a-lot-like-outer-space/ to view the full article online.

 

Vintage diving enthusiast says manoeuvering 180-pound suit underwater at the Vancouver Aquarium was an amazing experience

Visit http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/in-pictures-a-dreamy-dive-from-the-past/article7660800/ to view the full article online.

 

Construction of a Chinese deep-sea base will begin in may this year and the base will be operational by the end of 2014, an official said Tuesday.

Visit http://www.newkerala.com/news/newsplus/worldnews-127721.html to view the full article online.

 

Among the under-reported stories related to off-shore drilling are the serious advances oil and gas producers and component suppliers have made to deliver a commercially viable subsea compression system that would render traditional oil platforms obsolete. The technology would allow oil and gas producers to forgo costly oil platforms, and directly extract, process and export oil and gas from beneath the seabed.

Visit http://seekingalpha.com/article/1136511-20-000-leagues-under-the-sea-platform-less-oil-gas-production-part-1-of-2 to view the full article online.

 

Construction and operation of offshore wind farms is more complex and far more dependent on the weather, particularly the roughness of the sea and the capabilities of vessels to operate in that sea.

Visit http://www.windpowermonthly.com/channel/plantoperations/indepth/1120752/Distant-sites-call-tailored-service-policy/ to view the full article online.

 

A U.S. Navy minesweeper will probably remain stuck on a Philippine reef for two more weeks because it is too damaged to move on its own, a Navy official says.
The USS Guardian became grounded on Tubbataha Reef a week ago, Stars and Stripes reported Thursday.
The 224-foot vessel has several breaches in the hull and "will have to be lifted off onto another ship or barge to leave the area," Rear Adm. Tom Carney said during a news conference with Philippine military representatives.

Visit http://www.upiasia.com/Top-News/2013/01/24/Minesweeper-to-stay-on-reef-two-more-weeks/UPI-29671359037228/ to view the full article online.

 

Entering the new year, operators, contractors, and suppliers are looking forward to an increased level of E&P activity in the US Gulf of Mexico, both in terms of drilling and production. Once again, activity in the deepwater portion of the Gulf is expected to drive the bulk of capital expenditures.
Despite being one of the most mature hydrocarbon basins in the world, the GoM remains a source of significant growth potential for supermajors, large independents and, by extension, oil service, capital equipment, and rig companies. In fact, a recent analysis by investment research firm ISI noted that "the deepwater Gulf of Mexico is in the early stages of an extended growth cycle and is poised to be the strongest offshore market in the world through 2015." ISI notes that this growth will be fueled by further exploration and the development of plays like Lucius, Hadrian, Big Foot, Jack/St. Malo, Tiber, and Kaskida.

Visit http://www.offshore-mag.com/articles/print/volume-73/issue-01/gulf-of-mexico/gulf-operators-contractors-ready-busy-2013.html to view the full article online.

 

Hydroid, based in the USA, will hold an open enrolment training session during the week of 25 February to 1 March 2013, in Gulfport, MS, USA. Training will focus on basic operations and maintenance of the REMUS 100 AUV led by Hydroid’s technicians.

Visit http://www.hydro-international.com/news/id5942-Registration_for_REMUS__Training.html to view the full article online.

 

Bluefin Robotics, a leading provider of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), announced that they will produce a variation of the Knifefish UUV for the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). Knifefish is a specialized Bluefin-21 UUV that is being developed for the Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (SMCM UUV) program for which Bluefin is under subcontract to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. Bluefin completed the Knifefish Preliminary Design Review earlier this year and will leverage that design to deliver a system to NRL. The vehicle will be used to advance NRL’s low-frequency broadband (LFBB) payload technology and support their broader mission to advance basic and applied research in undersea warfare.

Visit http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/robotics/newsid=28683.php to view the full article online.

 

The wind farm will be located 23 kilometres from the Dutch coast between Noordwijk and Zandvoort, and the contract is signed with the joint venture Eneco-Mitsubishi Corporation.
The 43 wind turbines will have a combined capacity of 129 Megawatts and will generate green electricity for nearly 150,000 households. Construction will start in July 2014 and will be completed after the summer of 2015.
As EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor Van Oord shall be responsible for the monopiles, the electrical infrastructure, the offshore transformer station and the installation of turbines.

Visit http://www.seadiscovery.com/mtStories.aspx?ShowStory=108576 to view the full article online.

 

In November 2012, the UK's Crown Estate confirmed that three organisations have secured rights to progress with the development of tidal energy projects at eight sites around the UK. Dr Nicola Davies examines the UK's tidal potential and looks ahead to a surge of new projects and technologies likely to make waves in 2013.

Visit http://www.power-technology.com/features/featureuk-tidal-hydropower-renewable-energy-britain-england/ to view the full article online.

 

Seatronics Ltd invests in iXBlue's inertial and acoustic products used for positioning in deepwater projects.
Seatronics Ltd, an Acteon company, has expanded its equipment rental pool to include more iXBlue inertial and acoustic products in response to increasing market demand for inertial navigation technology to enhance positioning for deepwater projects in West Africa and Brazil.

Visit http://www.seadiscovery.com/mtStories.aspx?ShowStory=108572 to view the full article online.

 

IKM Subsea have been awarded a 3+2 year frame agreement by Nexans Norway for ROV services.
Merlin WR200 ROV represents a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) work class with deepwater capabilities.
The contract has an expected value in excess of 100 million NOK. Initially the frame agreement will include ROV services onboard Nexans Cable lay ship, Skagerrak Nexans. Further ROV work on other vessels chartered by Nexans Norway is also expected.

Visit http://www.yoursubseanews.com/3%2B2+year+rov+frame+agreement+awarded+to+ikm+subsea+by+nexans+norway_86140.html to view the full article online.

 

Kongsberg Evotec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime, will deliver its new mobile Launch and Recovery System (E-LARS) for Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) to Swire Seabed in August 2013.
Swire Seabed is an established subsea support company based Near Bergen Norway, whose three vessel fleet provides services across the entire subsea spectrum including construction support, work & observation ROV services and geotechnical, seismic, trenching, dredging, decommissioning and renewables support.

Visit http://www.yoursubseanews.com/swire+seabed+chooses+custom+rov+launch+and+recovery+system+from+kongsberg+evotec_86131.html to view the full article online.

 

Crowley-owned global marine salvage and wreck removal company TITAN Salvage, the firm responsible for the salvage of the Italian cruise liner 'Costa Concordia', has established a new office and equipment depot in Cairns, Queensland.
The move comes "to meet the needs of changing market conditions and increased commercial vessel traffic in and around the Great Barrier Reef," TITAN said in a statement.
"The presence in the pacific south east enhances the company’s marine salvage, wreck removal and emergency response capabilities in the region."

Visit http://www.bairdmaritime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13849:titan-salvage-opens-facility-in-australia&catid=72&Itemid=64 to view the full article online.

 

One thing that appears to be lurking offshore is the tightening of the screws on Jones Act enforcement. This article will review recent developments that could adversely affect offshore operations in 2013 and the foreseeable future.

Visit http://maritimereporter.marinelink.com/page.aspx/201301/18/ to view the full article online.

 

OIL and gas exploration and recovery are rapidly advancing into challenging geographic areas. These new oil and gas fields can be as deep as 3,000 metres or more. Such depths necessitate fixed or 'free floating' platforms. To date, communications to and from the platforms have generally been via microwave or satellite which are limited by distance and not always reliable in bad weather conditions. Oil and gas companies are now starting to see the advantages of using subsea fibre-optic technology, which delivers high quality, high reliability and low latency communication systems.

Visit http://www.poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=13052563 to view the full article online.

 

DSV 74 – 74 m Diving Support Vessel
When it comes to underwater repair, inspection and construction works, the DEVELOPER is a vessel conceived as a multifunctional flexible solution. It provides space and deadweight capabilities to accommodate diving support systems, grouting equipment, ROVs and UAVs as well as other related systems, on deck as well as below deck. The DEVELOPER has a large off shore crane with active heave compensation and is capable of station keeping by means of its Dynamic Positioning System (DP2) and optional 4-point anchoring. The vessels flexibility and cargo capabilities allow for other off shore logistics services, all of them within Fassmer philosophy of energy efficiency and environmental soundness.

Visit http://shipbuildingtribune.com/2013/01/23/germany-fassmer-presents-efficient-solutions-for-offshore-challenges/ to view the full article online.