Taking Innovation Beneath The Surface

Organisations require innovative technologies to ensure their assets remain in top functional condition and their life span extended in a cost-effective manner.

Those who continually strive to provide these innovative solutions to maintain quality service with utmost regard for safety are highly sought for within the oil and gas industry.

One area where we see the highest potential for growth and innovation is Subsea operations. It is estimated that by the end of 2015, the international oil Companies operating in Nigeria will have sold at least 250,000 barrels per day worth of equity in onshore and shallow water producing assets in the oil producing Niger Delta region (Source: ‘Review of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry 2014’ by PWC). This represents the single highest opportunity for indigenous companies to participate in the upstream sector.

The term Subsea relates to the exploration, drilling and development of oil and gas fields in underwater locations which is typically split into Deep Water Solutions and Shallow Water Solutions. Subsea production systems can be used to develop reservoirs, or parts of reservoirs, which require drilling of wells from more than one location. Deep water conditions, or even ultradeep water conditions, can also inherently dictate development of a field by means of a subsea production system, since traditional surface facilities might be either technically unfeasible or uneconomical due to the water depth.

This implies that Subsea technology in offshore oil and gas production is a highly specialized field of application with particular demands for world class Asset Integrity Management Systems that provide cost effective solutions to business needs while protecting health, safety and the environment.

To achieve said business results, thought leaders in the industry continuously adopt innovative technological solutions to improve asset reliability and safety whilst reducing unplanned maintenance and repair costs subsea. However, these management systems and innovative technology do not exist in isolation, ‘’Subsea operations must consist of qualified and experienced personnel who combine their expertise with a responsive service to provide inspired solutions and business results’’ says Leslie Oghomienor, CEO of RusselSmith Group.

Those who are ahead in the industry understand this ideology all too well and constantly innovate cost and time effective solutions to meet business needs and stay relevant.

Some of these innovative and cost effective solutions include the following:

Mini Remotely Operated Vehicle Assisted (MiniROVA) Services

1. MiniROVA Mechanical Integrity Services

• MiniROVA Underwater Inspection In Lieu of Drydocking (UWILD)
• MiniROVA General Visual Inspection (GVI)
• MiniROVA Close Visual Inspection (CVI)
• MiniROVA Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM)
• MiniROVA Flooded Member Detection (FMD)
• Remotely Operated Vehicle Assisted (ROVA) Services
• Diver Assisted (DIVA) Services

2. MiniROVA Fabric Maintenance Services

• Cathodic Protection Survey and Calibration (CP)

3. MiniROVA Services

• Offshore Structure Cleaning

Remotely Operated Vehicle Assisted (ROVA) Services

1. ROVA Pipeline Integrity Management Services

• ROVA Aqua Magnetic Tomography Method (MTM)
• ROVA Discovery Subsea CT Scanner
• ROVA Guided Wave Testing

2. ROVA Construction Support Services
3. ROVA Joint Integrity Management Services
4. ROVA Survey & Data Verification Services