Aker BP, Norway, has awarded IKM Subsea, Norway, an ad hoc call-off agreement for light IMR services on the Norwegian continental shelf. The duration of the contract is three years with additional six years of options.

IKM Subsea will provide onshore project management, engineering, tooling preparation and offshore operations utilising its Merlin ROV fleet.

Hans Fjellanger of IKM Subsea said the company was proud of the fact that yet another oil and gas major company in the North Sea had recognised the growth and development IKM Subsea has had in recent years. “We see this as an acknowledgment to the lean and agile approach we have demonstrated to the industry during the down turn of the last few years,” he said.

Rana Diving, Italy, reports it has been subcontracted by Saipem, Italy, for air diving activities for the FPSO Firenze disconnection.

The FPSO Firenze is moored in the Aquila field in the Southern Adriatic Sea, offshore Brindisi (Italy) in approximately 850 metres water depth. She was installed in 2013, with Rana involved at that time for the disconnection of the old FPSO Firenze and the hook-up of the new one.

Since the first FPSO Firenze installation, Rana has carried out several maintenance and inspection activities at the Aquila field.

Meritaito of Finland has been awarded a hydrographic survey contract in UK and European waters by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). The contract covers the Civil Hydrography Programme’s medium water surveys (LOT2) for the years 2018-2020 and includes options for 2021-2022.

“Reaching out to the international hydrographic surveying markets is an important part of Meritaito’s strategy. The extension of our operating area enables us to carry out hydrographic surveying projects around the year,” said Hannu Ylärinne, Meritaito’s CEO.

“We have received positive feedback on the hydrographic surveying performed for Finland’s, Sweden’s and Norway’s authorities responsible for hydrographic services. Winning the competitive bidding for the UK’s hydrographic surveying is another indication of the high level of Finnish hydrographic surveying know-how,” added Jukka Suonvieri, Meritaito’s senior vice president and head of the Hydrographic Division.

The areas surveyed in the project stretch around the coastal areas of the UK from Scotland to England. The surveying depths range from the coastline to approximately 300 metres.

The surveying, which will begin in late 2018, will be carried out with Meritaito’s hydrographic surveying vessels MSV Pohjanmeri and MSV Kaiku.

Aberdeenshire, UK-based ROV and engineering firm Aleron Subsea has won its first contract for its new hybrid TRACKROV technology which will see it supporting unexploded clearance work on an offshore wind project in the Netherlands.

The TRACKROV vehicle has been built to operate on the seabed for extended periods and in currents of up to three knots, according to Aleron Subsea. By designing it as a heavy flotation free system, it can stay in the water longer than work-class ROVs typically utilised for these seabed survey campaigns.

The vehicle can be deployed from a small ROV A-frame or vessel crane and is fitted with a Pangeo Subsea (Canada) sub-bottom imaging system (SBI), a high-flow dredge pump and a series of survey sensors to locate and identify potential UXO targets.

“TRACKROV was designed to support multiple tasks for clients who require seabed operations completed around the world in regions known for their challenging tide and current conditions. It was a complex task but one we have met head on thanks to the engineering skills of our in-house team and their experience in supporting other similar projects in the renewables and oil and gas arenas,” Aleron Subsea’s technical director, Mike Bisset, said.

He added: “We now have a unique system for the market which can be used for target identification, subsea excavation, clearance, survey and tooling tasks. Coupled with the Pangeo Subsea SBI system which provides a real-time view of the seabed in 3D, this latest addition to our rental fleet is proving to be a very cost efficient, adaptable and versatile system.”

Fugro, the Netherlands, has won a contract to collect seafloor data for the New South Wales (NSW) Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), Australia, on behalf of the NSW Government.

The project will deliver data as part of OEH’s Seabed NSW programme and involves the collection of high-resolution, seamless bathymetry across the New South Wales coastal and marine environment. The data will assist in mapping the seafloor and sediment compartments along the NSW coast. This information will enable councils, scientists and government agencies to better understand nearshore processes and allow them to model coastal hazards at a local scale with far greater accuracy than traditional marine survey methods.

The bathymetric data will also shed light on the structure and range of habitats on the seafloor off NSW beaches which will assist in the management of the marine estate.

Fugro is utilising airborne LiDAR bathymetry (ALB) sensors to conduct the work, capturing data along the shore to depths of around 30 metres. The ALB systems enable safe and efficient survey without impacting the environment or disrupting activities on the ground or water, according to Fugro. The specialised technology was developed in Australia and is supported by ongoing research and development programmes.

“Fugro has a strong track record in using airborne LiDAR bathymetry and other sensors for safe and cost-effective mapping of shallow water environments,” said Paul Seaton, Fugro’s director of business development and government relations for Asia Pacific.

UK-based ROV and survey tooling rental and sale specialist J2 Subsea has announced a large order for its four-port tool changers in collaboration with Palm Tecnologia, Brazil, for a MOBO intervention campaign offshore Brazil.

“The J2 Subsea four-port tool changer enables ROVs to connect with tools subsea with zero leakages,” said the company. “Cost and time savings are achieved because the ROV does not have to make multiple trips between the vessel and the seabed to replace each tool.

“Further savings in time and costs are generated through the compact dimensions and low weight of the tool changer in air – ROV end 18.4 kilograms and tool end 5.4 kilograms. These factors make it economically viable to transport by helicopter leading to quick mobilisation and demobilisation.”

For the MOBO (modulo de bomba or pump module) campaign it was important that the combined weight and dimensions of the tool changers did not exceed those of the offshore operator, so the shipment could be transported by helicopter saving valuable hours compared to transit on a support vessel.

The tool changer, which has been designed, developed and manufactured by a partnership of Walther Präzision, Germany, and J2 Subsea, has been tested and rated to water depths of up to 5000 metres and consists of a ROV end plus a tool end. It meets the requirements of all work-class ROVs and enables connection or disconnection from tools and intervention panels requiring either high-flow or high-pressure applications, J2 Subsea said.

Huon Aquaculture in Australia has doubled its fleet of Saab Seaeye, UK, Falcon ROVs to four vehicles.

The two new Falcons will join the fleet to inspect nets, rigging and moorings at Huon’s aquaculture pens.

The pens are positioned in areas of strong current and rough water favoured for salmon farming as it mimics their natural habitat.

“Designed for such strong currents and turbulent waters, the Falcon can remain steady under robust conditions whilst undertaking delicate or rugged tasks and manoeuvre with precision as needed,” said Saab Seaeye.

The company added: “The Falcon’s iCON behaviour-based intelligent control architecture offers precise positioning and active station keeping to let the operator concentrate on the task in hand, thereby reducing their workload.”