Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – Prince Charles, in his capacity of Duke of Rothesay, has opened Balmoral Offshore Engineering’s (BOE) new subsea test facility.
BOE is a specialist developer of deepwater buoyancy, insulation and elastomer products.
Chairman and managing director Jim Milne said: “In these highly risk-averse days the requirement for product testing is ever-increasing, the size of products is ever-increasing, and the demand for just-in-time delivery is the norm.
“Relying on third-party test houses would put us in a very uncompetitive situation, that’s why we carry out as many processes as we can in-house – from product concept to material development, testing, and realization.”
The new facility can undertake a wide range of procedures for subsea testing, including hydrostatic, mechanical and laboratory trials.
New and upgraded vessels on site are designed to simulate conditions equivalent to water depths of 7,000 m (23,100 ft). These are mostly installed underground with access at ground level, making handling much easier and safer, according to BOE.
In addition, the company has created special software to enable full test traceability and real-time observation from anywhere in the world. It claims this level of monitoring is a first for the industry, informing clients whether current testing is running successfully or not.
The center will also be made available to the energy, defense, oceanographic and academic industries.
10/05/2018
