Spotlight on Emergency Preparedness at Pipeline Conference Hosted by TDW Offshore Services in Norway 

STAVANGER, Norway – April 9, 2010 – TDW Offshore Services AS (TDW) today announced that it has hosted its first pipeline conference dedicated to the latest developments in emergency preparedness for subsea pipelines in Stavanger, Norway.  The TDW Offshore Services Client Conference spotlighted innovative ways that the company’s technology can help pipeline operators prepare themselves to respond effectively when the unexpected happens to their subsea lines. Special emphasis was placed on how pipeline downtime can be reduced when making critical repairs or conducting planned maintenance and inspection services.

Throughout the two-day event, more than 50 guests from the oil and gas industry attended the conference, which was held at the Stavanger Chamber of Commerce. On the first day, guests attended a series of seminars. Topics ranged from emergency preparedness for subsea pipelines and case studies about recent incident responses to the latest innovations in pipeline products and benefits of using hot tap technology for subsea interventions. On-hand to present were representatives from Saipem and Acergy, along with senior managers from TDW Offshore Services’ corporate headquarters in Stavanger and Aberdeen, as well as parent company T.D. Williamson, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Being Prepared Holds Key to Rapid Response
Following subsea pipeline incidents in the North Sea and extreme weather in the Gulf of Mexico, pipeline operators are increasingly embracing Emergency Pipeline Repair Systems (EPRS) as part of their standard emergency response contingency programs. “Today we’re seeing a shift in attitude about EPRS from one of ‘available alternative’ to that of an ‘essential component’ of pipeline project concept development and Front End Engineering and Design (FEED),” said Jon Major, Vice-President of TDW Offshore Services. “Fortunately, the pipeline technology featured in these solutions is focused on helping pipeline operators to respond more quickly so that they can more readily remedy an emergency situation. This reduces downtime, which benefits all concerned,” he added.

Between hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and anchor snags in the North Sea and elsewhere, being unprepared has taken a toll on several pipeline operators during the past few years. In many cases, production downtime has gone on for several months. When a pipeline operates at a billion cubic feet per day of gas throughput, and it’s down for even a day longer than planned, that is a significant loss to all stakeholders. Plus, it’s a major interruption to business, affecting upstream and downstream customers. According to Major, understanding and planning ahead for the potential risks to subsea pipelines is “knowable.” In other words, by making reasonable assumptions, operating prudently, and assessing the top three risks through engineering study and gap analysis, a pipeline operator can develop an effective EPRS response plan. 

“Being unprepared can be up to five times more costly to the operator in real costs when the dust settles following an emergency, and that doesn’t include loss of production or business interruption costs,” said Major. Case studies presented at the conference supported that point. “Basically, it’s about thinking ahead, engaging the right service and solution providers ahead of time, and working collaboratively to develop an effective EPRS program. The time to buy insurance isn’t after the fire,” he said. 

Monitoring Pressure Through Pipe Wall Enhances Low Pressure Pipeline Repair
To share news of its work in the area of low pressure isolations, Gordon Blair, UK Sales Manager for TDW Offshore Services, presented a case study titled “Developments in Low Pressure Isolations for Emergency Repair.” TDW uses its SmartTrack™ system to enhance performance of High Friction Pigs (HFP) to carry out pipeline isolation operations on pipelines with low delta pressures of up to 5 Bar. Each HFP is custom-designed to operate within the specific conditions of the pipeline targeted for isolation. It is then fully function-tested prior to deployment to make certain that it will operate as planned with the required operating characteristics. With its ability to negotiate geometry posed by dents or a damaged area that isn’t passable with a plug, the HFP is ideal for use when isolating a low pressure pipeline. 

Following the presentations, guests were taken on a tour of TDW’s facilities, where they viewed live demonstrations and examined the latest advances in pipeline technology. These advances serve as critical specialist tools in an EPRS tool box.    

Statoil’s Pipeline Repair System Facility Reflects Commitment to EPRS
The next day, conference guests were treated to a tour of Statoil’s Pipeline Repair System (PRS) facility at Killingoy, in nearby Haugesund. While there, presentations were given by Statoil about recent deployments of their PRS capabilities. Statoil has invested a great deal of time and money in preparing itself and its partners to have the right tools for the “EPRS job” for the company’s pipeline assets in the North Sea. Lengthy interruption to any one of the major gas trunk lines feeding the UK, Germany or Norway has major implications.

Raising Awareness
For TDW, the conference proved to be a significant event in the process of raising awareness of emergency preparedness and highlighting developments in the technologies available to create an effective EPRS. “As it was the first technical conference that TDW Offshore Services has hosted in Norway, we are extremely pleased with the fact that client representatives from so many major operators and key service companies chose to attend,” said Mark Sim, Regional General Manager - North Europe for TD Williamson.

Looking Ahead
With 100% of those guests who responded to a post-conference survey indicating that they would highly recommend that colleagues attend the conference, it is clear that they gained valuable insights about EPRS that they could not have gained access to elsewhere.  Building upon the success of this inaugural event, TDW is actively planning “EPRS 2010.” 

About TDW Offshore Services
The core business of TDW Offshore Services is to provide its customers with products and services they need to construct and maintain pipelines. The company’s world‐class engineering capability has resulted in numerous innovative products and services.  Its engineering staff excels in customized design and fabrication of a wide range of repair clamps installable by remotely‐operated vehicle (ROV). The SmartPlug® tool from TDW Offshore Services is the world’s leading pipeline pressure isolation technology.

The company is a subsidiary of T.D. Williamson, Inc., the world leader in pipeline equipment
and services. T.D. Williamson delivers safe integrity solutions for onshore and offshore
applications, including hot tapping and plugging, pipeline cleaning, geometry and MFL
inspection, pigging and non‐tethered plugging pig technology services for any pressurized
pipeline system, anywhere in the world.

Note to editors:  The following photos may be obtained by contacting Sharon Roe below.

-Jon Major, Vice-President of TDW Offshore Services

-TDW facility tour 1 – proposed caption:  “While touring TDW’s facility, technicians explained the role of various technologies that oftentimes feature in an EPRS, such as the 34-inch pipeline clamp (left foreground) and custom-designed pigs (right foreground).” 

-TDW facility tour 2 - proposed caption:  “During the tour of TDW's facility in Stavanger, guests learned about some of the possible elements of an EPRS, including this 34-inch pipeline clamp."

-Statoil facility tour – “At Statoil’s Pipeline Repair System facility at Killingoy in Haugesund, attendees viewed a wide range of tools and equipment that serves the needs of pipeline system operators engaged in emergency preparedness and intervention operations.” 

For further information, contact:
Rutger Schouten, Director of Operations and Technology, TDW Offshore Services, Stavanger, Norway
Phone: +31 62 63 86 866, Email: rutger.schouten@tdwilliamson.com

Helene Torjusen, Marketing Manager, TDW Offshore Services, Stavanger, Norway
Phone: +47 51 44 32 52, Email:  helene.torjusen@tdwilliamson.com

Sharon Roe, Spinnaker Communications, St Andrews, Scotland
Phone : +44 1334 473 754, Email: Sharon.roe@tesco.net