Aberdeen-based engineers Muir Matheson, who specialise in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of weather/metocean monitoring equipment both on and offshore, has secured a significant multi-million pound contract.
The five-year deal awarded by Shell UK Exploration and Production (Shell Expro) allows Muir Matheson to take over responsibility for their metocean network (METNET) - the system that provides real time weather conditions offshore.
The contract that has already commenced covers all aspects of METNET including provision of hardware, software, system engineering, field maintenance, data archiving and project management. A core team of ten, including consultant engineers and support staff will support the contract.
The key activity will be rolling out upgraded software and display systems for each of the 22 Shell Expro installations already covered by METNET and providing networked access to the data via the Web both offshore and onshore. There is also an option to extend the services to Shell's operations in the Dutch and Norwegian sectors.
It is believed that the contract should also provide a catalyst to help further establish a pan-industry approach to real-time systems by means of Muir Matheson's UK WebMET system. This new web-based developed by Muir Matheson system collates, distributes and archives metocean data such as wind, wave, temperature, humidity and pressure measurements from offshore sites. It then displays these measurements on screen so they can be used to assist with weather-sensitive operations.
UK WebMET has been developed as a result of a UKOOA Metocean Committee initiative, which looked into the benefits of a more co-operative approach to operational metocean activities. It is currently supported by key energy players in the Aberdeen area including Shell Expro, BP, Exxon Mobil, Total E&P UK plc, BHP, Kerr McGee, Met Office, WNI and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
WebMET is already operational in the Caspian and it is intended that this will be extended to Azerbaijan. The aim is to get other companies involved and substantial work is guaranteed for the next few years.
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