Deep Sea Mooring opens new office in Australia

Deep Sea Mooring (DSM), a provider of mooring solutions, is expanding its international footprint with the opening of a new office in Perth, Australia.

The facility, which will officially open 8 October, will provide sales and technical support to customers across Australasia.

To support its mooring operations, the company has also secured a 13,000m² yard in Karratha, 1500km north of Perth, which is a main access point to major oil and gas developments offshore Western Australia.

DSM CEO, Åge Straume, says the company has confidence in Australia’s future as a key global player in the offshore oil and gas industry.

“The number and size of developments offshore Australia has created a steady market for drilling rigs,” he explains, noting, “and with the local industry’s increasingly stringent standards we believe there’s now a strong foundation for long-term growth and success.

“Companies operating in Australia are very QHSE oriented,” Straume adds, “so they understand the benefits of quality mooring equipment, smarter mooring solutions and performing pre-laying in order to maximise uptime. This fits our profile and our offer is tailored to meet that market demand head on.”

Testament to this conviction is the 7000 tonnes of mooring equipment in transit to the Karratha yard. The company has already procured most of the equipment heading for Australia, which has a value of USD 30m, bringing the total value of its rental pool up to more than USD 125m. The equipment used in DSM’s Australian operations will be optimised for local hard-rock geological formations.

“We will also bring our unique combination of planning tools, logistics systems and patented RFID electronic marking on all equipment,” Straume states. “These proven innovative systems reduce operational time, impacting positively on safety and efficiency standards.”

Expansion into the Australian market comes off the back of a track record of success on mooring projects around the world and in particular in the North Sea, where the company honed its advanced technology and harsh environment experience. Recent DSM developments of note include project wins with Repsol and Maersk Drilling.

The Australian subsidiary, Deep Sea Mooring Australia Pty Ltd., will initially employ nine people, led by Managing Director, Barry Silver, who brings over 16 years of experience in the mooring industry.

“Our regional contacts report that they see a real need for increased competition in the Australian market and welcome our arrival. We bring proven expertise, innovative technology and a fresh perspective to the industry here, and we believe that’s a compelling business proposition for this exciting, dynamic marketplace,” states Silver.