Deep Down has completed its first steel tube umbilical for a major oil and gas operator in the Gulf of Mexico. The umbilical, based on the company’s patented non-helical design, was tested and manufactured at the company’s Channelview, Texas, facility during Q1 2013 and is scheduled for deployment offshore in the second quarter. Deep Down CEO Ron Smith said the demand for steel tube umbilicals in 2013 remained strong and was projected to surpass 2012’s annual sales of $350m.