ROVOP Takes Delivery Of First US GoM ROV

ROVOP expanded its fleet of ROVs for the U.S. region, taking delivery of a new vehicle, which will be the first of its kind for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM), the company said Sept. 29.

The commercially proven Seaeye Leopard electric work-class ROV will help operators reduce costs by 40%. The ROV is compact and generates a significantly smaller footprint than other vehicles used in the GoM, the company said, adding that it can handle work tasks including drill support, pipeline surveys, exploration and salvage in strong currents, ideal for the GoM, where loop currents often stop operations.

RPSEA Releases Plan For Researching Industry Challenges Beyond 2016

On Sept. 26, RPSEA released its strategic plan for management of research into the oil and gas industry’s biggest technical challenges through 2016 and beyond.

Numerous new opportunities for research exist, highlighted by pressures on the industry through low commodity prices and increasingly stringent regulations, RPSEA said in a press release.

RPSEA said it has begun seeking broader sources of funding for projects and will continue pursuing government funding through various state and federal agencies.

It also is pursuing new project opportunities with individual energy companies, joint industry projects, foundations and nonprofits.

Under the strategic plan, RPSEA will continue using its technical advisory committees to identify research needs and create and manage strong teams to perform critical research, expand the scope of its environmental and safety committee and establish regulatory and investor committees.

RigNet Will Provide Managed Communications To Offshore Services Company

Technology solutions provider RigNet Inc. received a multivessel contract to provide its managed communication network to an international offshore energy services company that provides subsea contracting and well intervention.

RigNet also said Sept. 20 that, through the customer, it will provide communication services to a national oil company and the vessel owner for operations in Brazil.

Houston-based RigNet’s contract includes installation, commission, monitoring and maintenance.

BHP: GoM Mad Dog Economical At Current Oil Price

Phase 2 of BHP Billiton Ltd.’s Mad Dog offshore joint venture with BP Plc in the Gulf of Mexico was economical at oil prices below $50/bbl, BHP said on Oct. 5.

Originally slated for development in 2013, the project has been deferred due to low oil prices and moves to reduce construction costs.

After losing three-quarters of its value from mid-2014 to early 2016, West Texas Intermediate prices have rallied more than 80% since February to nearly $50/bbl.

Aker Solutions Add To Semisub Platform Offerings

The semisubmersible platform selection has grown as Aker Solutions has unveiled a new lighter-weight platform.

With topsides weighing about 6,000 metric tons, Aker Solutions claims the Lean Semi platform will help “producers unlock more marginal oil and gas fields in harsh environments across the globe.” The platform is capable of bringing fields holding as much as 300 MMboe online in water depths ranging from 100 m to 400 m (328 ft to 1,312 ft), the company said in a news release.

Other features include an unmanned hull with a single flat top deck and a topside designed for standardized equipment, which makes way for easier placement of equipment skids and small modules on the deck.

“We envisage these platforms will be ideal in developing marginal resources that are located next to bigger fields with excess processing capacity,” Valborg Lundegaard, head of Aker Solutions’ engineering business, said in a news release. “The concept combines lean design philosophy with the highest levels of safety.”

The new offering comes after Aker brought together elements from two designs—one for the North Sea and one for the Gulf of Mexico—following a review of platform items, Aker said. The goal was to enable a 60,000-bbl/d production capacity at a lower cost.

Equipment For Johan Sverdrup Arrives At Kvaerner Yard

A shipment of pile clusters and flotation tanks that will be installed on the largest steel jacket for the Statoil-operated Johan Sverdrup development in the North Sea have arrived at Kvaerner’s Verdal yard at Verdal.

Kvaerner shared news of the arrival Oct. 4, noting that the steel jacket is under construction.

The company said the Johan Sverdrup riser platform will be its biggest and most complex jacket from Kvaerner to date. “The four pile clusters and two sets of flotation tanks weighing 7,000 tonnes will be unloaded from transportation vessels to Kvaerner’s quay at Verdal,” a news release said.

—Staff & Reuters Reports