1. 18 S C A N D I N A V I A N O I L - G A S M A G A Z I N E N O . 9 / 1 0 2 0 1 6
It is often said that listening and
speaking should be a 2:1 ratio. As
the oil and gas industry endures
the longest period of downturn,
and therefore uncertainty, in its
history, listening to others has
become more pressing than ever.
Attendances have waned at many
industry shows over the last 2
years, one effect of the global
downturn, but Offshore Northern
Seas 2016 bucked the trend last
month with record numbers. As
Hydratight’s global subsea market
development manager, I’ve been
fortunate to be amongst the pre-
senters at exhibitions and confer-
ences this year, including Subsea
UK’s Subsea Expo and the forth-
coming Subsea Asia 2016.
Major operators, global contrac-
tors, investment groups and ana-
lysts are represented within these
audiences. Although I have been
speaking at the events, the most
important part is listening. This
industry has become a good exam-
ple of one which shares knowledge
and works together. Events are a
chance to catch people when they
have time to speak and have those
frank conversations needed to
remain safe and productive. We
should always listen to one anoth-
er and look forward to hearing the
experiences of our peers around
the world. In the constantly
changing oil and gas market, the
listening to speaking ratio should
perhaps be increased to 3:1.
Critical Communications
Open lines of communication are
vital at all times, but this impor-
tance is magnified during planned
maintenance and emergency
pipeline repairs in particular. Such
conversations as part of genuine,
effective relationships have allowed
Hydratight’s products to develop in
ways we could not have foreseen.
Feedback from product demonstra-
tions and focus groups is now
part of our modern range of
connectors.
For more than 15 years, most
major operators on the continental
shelves of the UK and Norway have
relied on our MORGRIP® range
of mechanical connectors for
emergency repairs and planned
shutdown repairs on their pipeline
assets. As subsea infrastructure
increased in volume and subse-
quently aged, the connectors have
also been used to upgrade subsea
manifolds. On a global scale, they
remain a preferred permanent
repair method on topside and sub-
sea assets, in shallow water and
deepwater, onshore and offshore.
From a financial and safety point
of view, they are a viable alterna-
tive to expensive and time-
consuming pipeline welding.
Adapting to Market
Demands
More than ever, contractors to
North Sea oil and gas operators
such as BP, Shell, Statoil or Total
must show they are willing to lis-
ten. They must show resilience and
flexibility. Leaders such as Shell’s
Paul Goodfellow have said they are
listening to the supply chain and
want contractors to challenge
them on best practice.
IRM expectations are changing as
assets in the province age.
Inspection techniques above and
below the waterline have evolved,
I R M S U B S E A C O N N E C T O R S
Constant dialogue is vital to help oil and gas
industry operators monitor and deliver successful
inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM)
programmes. Long-standing relationships are
fundamental to the work of topside and subsea
connector specialist Hydratight as it develops
product-based engineering solutions with partners
across Northern Europe and further afield.
BY JAMES ROWLEY
Listening into
a Connected
Industry
MORGRIP® – mechanical connector, ball and taper
(photos: Hydratight)
Hydratight MORGRIP® with tensioners – subsea connectors
provide a mechanical alternative to hyperbaric welding

2. S C A N D I N A V I A N O I L - G A S M A G A Z I N E N O . 9 / 1 0 2 0 1 6 19
and in some cases merged with
other disciplines to help lower costs
while remaining safe. Any contrac-
tor must be willing to work with
others as part of a wider project
and focus on the overall objective
of getting the job done right – that
is ultimately in everyone’s best
interests.
Just as drone technology has revo-
lutionised and lowered the costs of
topside inspection, while also cre-
ating a profitable and in demand
service for operators of such tech-
nology, subsea technologies have
developed over the last 25 years to
be worth USD 12 billion annually
in the UK alone. As IRM evolves to
encompass an increasing amount
of asset integrity and decommis-
sioning works it has a strong
future. These are areas where
Hydratight and our collaborative
partners have been able to create
value around the world.
Depth of Experience
Understanding is one of the great-
est results of good communication
practices. The more stakeholders
understand a product or techno-
logical development the better for
safety and efficiency. Divers and
project management teams in
companies we work with know our
connectors and have installed
them many times before.
We have formal and informal
agreements with the likes of
Connector Subsea Solutions (CSS)
and Underwater Cutting Solutions
(UCS). These types of non-compet-
itive agreements are mutually ben-
eficial. We enjoy the counsel and
niche expertise of our partners. We
know when we are fitting a con-
nector, they will cut the pipe how
we need it. Similarly, we work with
diving contractors who have sig-
nificant knowledge of our prod-
ucts.
In procurement and business
development discussions we look
to companies that can provide
services which are part of the
entire pipeline repair strategy and
align with our own connector
engineering specialisms. These
partner firms are typically experts
in cutting, coating removal or
dredging. Striking up conversa-
tions and relationships outside of
an active project is a huge advan-
tage. It means that when we col-
laborate offshore we already have
that familiarity and mutual
understanding of one another’s
requirements.
During a recent project to install
two 26-inch connectors, UCS was
contracted by the operator to carry
out the pipe cutting. Without the
client having to do any extra work,
our engineers knew UCS’s team
members, who knew the toler-
ances, measurements and quality
required for our connectors. The
operator clearly benefitted from
these synergies as risk was reduced
through familiarity, the connectors
were fitted first time and the cor-
rect pressures applied.
The earlier we are involved in proj-
ect decision making the better. We
prefer to be involved in the earliest
FEED conversations with engineer-
ing contractors to establish best
practices, procedures and technical
solutions. Ultimately this means
projects run smoothly and create
value for the client.
Ensuring Project Diversity
While speaking with operators, it is
vital to understand where their
IRM programmes are changing so
we can add value in the right
places. For example, the same
MORGRIP® mechanical connec-
tors that we use for pipeline and
manifold upgrades have been
deployed for bypass works in fields
where decommissioning is under-
way. When one platform is
removed at end of its life, the asso-
ciated pipeline infrastructure
remains critical to other working
platforms and nearby fields due to
the networks built organically over
the years.
Hydratight’s UK based team has
been contracted by a major opera-
tor to carry out rerouting activity
over the next two years. We are
designing solutions to reroute
hydrocarbon and utility lines in
the Northern North Sea over a
multiple phase project. This is
where the lines between tradition-
ally regarded IRM and decommis-
sioning blur.
The use of mechanical connectors
as a permanent solution will
ensure the integrity of pipeline
assets that are around 35 years old.
They could now last another 20
years, however are likely to be
removed as part of further decom-
missioning works within that
timeframe.
These subsea connectors provide a
mechanical alternative to hyper-
baric welding. Hydratight’s MOR-
GRIP® range uses a novel pipe
gripping and unique sealing sys-
tem that does not compromise the
integrity of the pipeline. The use of
metal graphite composite sealing
allows the seal to flow around the
pipe, producing a chemically
resistant, high temperature, high
pressure barrier that will not
degrade in extreme environments,
like the North Sea.
The load exerted on the pipe by
ball and taper gripping elements is
an engineered value and depends
on key factors including pipe
strength and wall thickness. These
decisions are taken by highly-
experienced personnel as any
breach could have major safety,
financial and reputational
impacts. This type of contract is
increasing and justifies our con-
tinued investment in our line of
mechanical connectors.
Peace of Mind
Safety remains mission critical for
all. With widespread uncertainty
I R M S U B S E A C O N N E C T O R S
Inspection of a MORGRIP®
mechanical connector
Hydratight MORGRIP® mechanical connector, lowered into
water

3. 20 S C A N D I N A V I A N O I L - G A S M A G A Z I N E N O . 9 / 1 0 2 0 1 6
around global oil prices and politi-
cal upheaval, every company has
attempted to retain control of prac-
tices and procedures they can
directly effect. Legislation enforced
by countries surrounding the
North Sea means all companies
must have contingency in place for
emergencies.
As a contractor, Hydratight has
adapted its equipment and services
offerings to suit this. For several
years the Emergency Pipeline
Repair System (EPRS) club has
been utilised by clients in the UK,
Norway, Ireland and Australia.
Members of the club have access to
material and design solutions cov-
ering their high priority, high pro-
file assets. It means that if an
emergency repair is required, we
can mobilise equipment at short
notice. Of course, the expertise of
our people is provided to ensure
any repair is completed quickly,
reducing risk and downtime.
We have worked with EPRS leaders
within oil majors for more than 15
years. Over the last 24 months we
have discussed how requirements
have changed in this time to
reassess risk and number of assets
covered under the scheme.
Increasing age and complexity of
asset networks mean more ele-
ments are deemed to be high risk
than in the early 2000s. Hydratight
and each operator we work with
have also agreed more flexible
financial agreements to take into
account industry applications,
locations or geography. This can
be seen as a form of non-verbal
communication that provides
assurances to both parties in a
market where one size fits all
options are rarely the right option.
Constant Review for
Future Projects
Any good oil and gas industry con-
tractor must prepare well for the
expected while constantly being on
standby for the unexpected.
Hydratight takes its responsibilities
to industry operators incredibly
seriously as we know the critical
nature of emergency pipeline
repair procedures. Any delay could
cause irreversible environmental,
security or reputational damage.
We continually monitor our equip-
ment stock and ensure we have the
right people on hand should our
services be called on. We listen to
our operator contacts, have recom-
mended changes to service provi-
sion and have adapted to our cus-
tomers’ requests and legislative
demands. This is the only way we
believe engineering and consul-
tancy for pipeline upgrades and
repairs truly works.
As a team, Hydratight will contin-
ue to use the increased ratio of 3:1
when discussing these vital
operations. n
The Author:
James Rowley – Global Subsea
Market Development Manager,
Hydratight – is a Chartered
Engineer focused on global subsea
development opportunities. Active
in the subsea industry for over 10
years with international experience
in riser, pipelines and emergency
repair strategies. His current focus
involves the provision of deepwa-
ter pipelines & riser Inspection,
Repair and Maintenance services
and products.
I R M S U B S E A C O N N E C T O R S