Forum unveils new deepwater test facility

Subsea technology provider, Forum Energy Technologies, has unveiled a deepwater test facility and received industry accreditation for the calibration laboratory at its new European Operational Centre in Aberdeen.

Forum said in a statement on Wednesday that its indoor test tank will be used for testing subsea tooling and survey sensors as well as work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

The test tank and laboratory have a primary purpose of providing full control, certification and faster turnaround in preparing Forum’s rental inventory for hire while offering a full test and calibration service to customers.

Ian Porter, VP for Manufacturing Subsea, said: “Our continued investment in testing and calibration capabilities ensures that clients can be assured our systems have been prepared to the highest possible standards. This focus on delivering quality products means clients know they are receiving ROV systems that will perform reliably in the field and safeguard the project costs.

These latest facilities have been created as part of the consolidation of Forum’s Aberdeen businesses and to supplement those available in our other UK plants.”

The company said that the large fresh water tank, measuring 5m x 6m x 4.5m, is fitted with an overhead 10T crane, lighting, cameras and a viewing platform. Furthermore, Forum said its test tank and lab builds on the company’s subsea facilities across the UK.

Forum also operates a 9.7m-long and 2.4m diameter hyperbaric testing vessel with a service rated to 241bar (2,400m depth) at Moffat, Northumbria, and an ROV manufacturing facility which has a dedicated System Integration Test (SIT) facility in North Yorkshire. The SIT facility includes an 11m x 9m x 6m tank which is capable of fully submerging and flying multiple ROV systems or complete trenchers.

The company said that the calibration laboratory in Aberdeen has been accredited by Valeport, a manufacturer of hydrometric and oceanographic instruments, and conforms to traceable procedures for the recalibration of Valeport CTDs (conductivity, temperature, and density) and sound velocity sensors and parameters fitted on current meters, tide gauges, wave recorders and loggers.

In addition, seven of Forum Subsea Rentals’ (FSR) engineers have undergone extensive training at Valeport on all aspects of the calibration of CTD and sound velocity parameters.