GE OIL & Gas has further expanded its subsea portfolio capabilities with today’s official opening of the new GE Oil & Gas, Drilling and Production business unit devoted to subsea and remote technologies.The expansion at Nailsea, near Bristol, is appropriately called the Subsea Monitoring and Remote Technology Center (or SmartCenter).
The new centre is a remote-access data hub connected to subsea field control and instrumentation facilities around the world. It will offer assistance and services to the field at every stage of development – from installation and commissioning, through field start-up, and onwards into routine operation for operational support, condition monitoring, diagnostics and production optimisation.
The facility was opened by Ove Magne Kallestad, who is VP subsea technology and operations at StatoilHydro, which has a long track record of working with GE on next-generation solutions for subsea architecture, including remote monitoring and diagnostics, subsea power and processing.
He said the UK facility would help shape the future of the global subsea drilling and production industry, enabling oil companies to “drive optimum performance and efficiency, and helping maintain world-class standards in environmental, health and safety management”.
The SmartCenter represents the latest in a string of investments in the Nailsea site worth about $5million over the past 12 months. As business continues to expand, the site is currently seeking about 30 professionals in all disciplines of engineering, project management, sourcing and product management.