Gene Kliewer - Houston
Cascade/Chinook telemetry set
BMT Scientific Marine Services has contracted Sonardyne International Ltd. to supply an integrated acoustic positioning and telemetry system for use at Petrobras America’s Cascade/Chinook field in the Gulf of Mexico. The system is part of a life-of-field integrity monitoring program covering five free-standing hybrid risers.
Cascade/Chinook will use an FPSO and all risers, umbilicals, and monitoring system transceivers are integrated into a turret buoy. The buoy and FPSO are to be able to disconnect in response to weather.
The acoustic instrumentation is to monitor the position of each riser tower and the turret buoy in relation to the seabed. Integrated sensors will monitor depth, temperature, inclination, and sound speed. The modem will transfer the data from BMT’s load and attitude monitoring system on each riser tower to the turret buoy at the central location.
The turret buoy will be fitted with transceivers to ensure a line of sight to each riser tower without obstruction by the risers or mooring lines. These transceivers will be controlled by BMT’s monitoring system in the FPSO’s turret to acquire position, sensor, and load monitoring data. In the event of a disconnect, the system will continue to record data which can later be downloaded by the FPSO or another vessel.
Roxar launches new multiphase meter, looks at acquisition bid
Roxar has launched its third generation multiphase meter, the MPFM 2600 based on its new Zector Technology.
Zector Technology consists of new field electronics, new electrode arrangements, and voxel-based signal processing, which will provide higher accuracy than previously available, according to Roxar. The new technology allows for a large number of simultaneous sectors of the flow to be investigated with a measurement rate of 12,000 measurements per second.
“The technological aspect is that this meter introduces a completely new measurement principle – a non-radioactive algorithm and capacitance based signals to measure density,” says Roxar CEO Gunnar Hviding.
On the business front, Aegir Norge Holding, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson, has reached an agreement to launch a voluntary offer for 100% of Roxar’s shares. Emerson will offer $0.735 per share in cash, which represents approximately $179 million, for the total share capital of Roxar. Upon successful completion of the acquisition, Emerson expects to redeem approximately $212 million of Roxar debt.
Roxar’s board has unanimously resolved to recommend the offer.
“The Roxar board has looked at all strategic alternatives for the company and has taken considerable time for this process,” says Hans Olav Torsen, Roxar chairman. “The board considers Emerson as an attractive partner to Roxar, with a similar technology and customer-focused business culture and complementing market segments.”
Deepwater subsea mooring design venture starts
First Subsea and Offspring International plan to jointly develop the next generation of subsea mooring systems, designed for deepwater projects.
The joint development intends to produce mooring systems and connectors that are easier and simpler to install than current products.
“There is a real need for mooring systems that better reflect the rigors of installing in deepwater,” says Brian Green, GM of First Subsea. “They need to be designed specifically for this environment, lighter and less complex and, as a result, delivering higher performance than existing systems.”
Wastewater technology goes subsea
A method to process and retain polluted fluids subsea has come from CETCO Oilfield Services. Its Nomadic Environmental Media Operated Host (NEMOH) can treat and retain chemically contaminated water without topside facilities, the company says. NEMOH is described as an equalized underwater media vessel capable of operation in 6,000 ft (1,829 m) of water. It is operated from the topsides and controlled by ROVs.
The NEMOH is landed on the bottom and uses a hot stab into the inlet and a connection to the outlet. To prevent backflow or fluid release, the equalization valves are closed for treatment.
CETCO says the device can operate with various types of media depending upon the treatment required, and that several of them can be run in series.
OceanWorks, Schilling team on ROV packages
Schilling Robots has sold two new UltraHeavy-Duty ROVs to Ocean Works International. The ROVs will be part of two systems with OceanWorks electric drive ROV winches and handling equipment for an unnamed operator.
The 150 hp ROVs will be paired with Schilling’s tether management system and rated for operations to 4,000 m (13,123 ft) water depth.
Delivery of the ROVs is scheduled for September 2009.
Pemex hires Cal Dive for Tabasco pipeline
Cal Dive International Inc. has won a contract from Pemex Exploración y Producción to install 13.9 km (8.6 mi) of 20 in (51 cm) subsea pipeline in the litoral Tabasco field in 30 m (98 ft) of water. The lump sum contract will generate revenues of approximately $58 million and involve 114 total utilization days, using two of Cal Dive’s assets, a pipelay barge and a derrick barge. The offshore construction is expected to being in May 2009.
Murphy selects FDPSO riser monitor system
Murphy has contracted 2H Offshore, an Acteon Co., to supply a flex-joint monitoring system for theAzurite Floating Drilling Production Storage and Offloading (FDPSO) drilling riser offshore, Republic of Congo, West Africa.
The FDPSO is the first of its kind, and uses a drilling riser with a Subsea Isolation Devise (SID) and surface BOP.
2H Offshore Inc developed the design of the drilling riser system from concept to detailed design. The system will incorporate 2H’s INTEGRI sensors to monitor the differential flex-joint angles of the drilling riser and will allow rig personnel to capture data in real time.
