November 2011, Vol. 238 No. 11

Projects

Oceaneering Opens TQR Lab In Scotland

Oceaneering Umbilical Solutions has opened its $2 million TQR (Test, Qualification and Reliability) laboratory in Fife, Scotland to evaluate and assimilate the long-term behaviour of deepwater umbilical cables.

The facility will house a team of specialist analysts to evaluate test data and carry out performance tests to meet the demands of customers.

Umbilicals generally have a 25-30 year lifecycle, however, operational rigors and stresses due to the effects of ocean currents and tidal wave movement on the umbilicals can cause general fatigue and allows corrosion to set in earlier than anticipated.

Central to this will be the identification of critical failure modes, investigation into what causes these failures and how Oceaneering Umbilical Solutions can mitigate against these occurrences.

In opening its TQR laboratory, Oceaneering can now carry out testing to industry standard ISO 135628-5.