Oceaneering Umbilical Solutions, the Rosyth based deepwater cable manufacturer arm of Oceaneering Inc., the global oilfield services provider, has established a Joint Industry Project (JIP) with Norwegian company, Marintek, to pioneer a predictive stress analysis tool designed to transform the performance and longevity of deepwater umbilicals.

The tool, called, UFlex (Umbilical Flexibility), is designed to provide data based on the umbilical’s expected deep water behaviour. Umbilicals carry an array of vital services such as hydraulic power for valves, signals for control systems and electrical power for motors, as well as communication cables. Given the nature of their environment, they can be exposed to immense stresses from its own weight and from tidal wave and current forces.

Oceaneering Umbilical Solutions will incorporate a number of sensors into the umbilical manufacturing process enabling its technicians to assess specific behaviourial traits. This assessment gives a thorough understanding of the umbilical’s likely operational performance. As each client’s umbilical technical specification varies, UFlex will be used to benchmark and standardise each client’s bespoke configuration, so the data captured by the software tool can be used on future production runs.