Issue 28 September 2006 Submarine Telecoms Forum Is Published Bi-Monthly by WFN Strategies, L.L.C

Offshore Oil & Gas

Issue 28 September 2006 Submarine Telecoms Forum is published bi-monthly by WFN Strategies, L.L.C. The publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the Welcome to the September 2006, 28th issue of Submarine Telecoms Forum, our Oil & permission of the publishers. Gas edition. Submarine Telecoms Forum is an independent com mercial publication, serving as a freely accessible forum for Last year at this time we were just beginning to appreciate the magnitude of Hurricane professionals in industries connected with submarine optical Katrina, and its impact on this very significant industry. Since then we have fibre technologies and techniques. experienced the most expensive oil the world has seen, due to political, economic and Liability: while every care is taken in preparation of this natural causes. We have also witnessed a potentially incredible find in the Gulf of publication, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any errors which may Mexico, which poses interesting implications for the future. It is clear that the oil & gas occur in advertising or editorial content, or any consequence industry will only grow in importance in the years to come. arising from any errors or omissions. We have some exceptional articles for your consideration. The publisher cannot be held responsible for any views expressed by contributors, and the editor reserves the right Karl Jeffery provides an outstanding overview of the worldwide oil & gas industry, while to edit any advertising or editorial material submitted for Mark Davidson describes a future Gulf of Mexico inter-platform cable system. Paul publication. Polishuk discusses repeaterless submarine systems for platforms, while Charlie Foreman © WFN Strategies L.L.C., 2006 outlines mitigation strategies for ISM bands. We reprise Russ Doig’s excellent article on requirements and drivers for broadband in the oil patch. Alan Mauldin explains Contributions are welcomed. Please forward to the Managing Editor: Wayne F. Nielsen, WFN Strategies, subsea bandwidth demand, as Gary Gibbs reveals one company’s return to the oil patch. 19471 Youngs Cliff Road, Suite 100, Potomac Falls, Jean Devos returns with his ever-insightful observations, and of course, our ever popular Virginia 20165, USA. “where in the world are all those pesky cableships” is included as well. Tel: +[1] 703 444-2527, Fax:+[1] 703 444-3047. Happy reading. Email: [email protected]

General Advertising Email: [email protected]

Designed and produced by Unity Marketing

Issue No 28 Emails to the Editor 4 CTC 6-9 September 2006 NewsNow 6-9 General Offshore 32 Oil and Gas Fibre Optics Karl Jeffery 12-15 Global Marine Systems 16 Great Eastern 36 BP to link Gulf platforms with fiber-optic cable Mark Davidson 13-14 Nexans 11 Unrepeatered Submarine Cable Technology OCC Conference 2006 25 and Its Impact on the Oil and Gas Industry Paul Polishuk 17-19 PTC 31 Interference in the ISM Band: Mitigation Strategies Charles Foreman 21-24 STF Advertising 10 Technology Transforms the Oil Patch Russ Doig 22-23 STF Reprints 4 Submarine Networks 2006 24 Oil & Gas Market Opportunities John Golding 26-27 The Calendar 20 Fueling Subsea Bandwidth Demand: Demand Drivers WFN Strategies 5 and Internet Traffic Growth Alan Mauldin 28-30 From the Gulf of Mexico to Washington DC . . . and Back Gary Gibbs 33-35 Tracking the Cableships 37-41 Letter to a Friend Jean Devos 42 Upcoming Conferences 43

Thank you for your Email Emails to and the short cut to the �� Middle East above 3 options. If, for example, RTD is of option those segments of the route than there was The oldest and traditional fiber optic route is mum importance to the buyer, then the new two or three years ago. Submarine Telecoms Forum. via the Middle East, using the systems of Flag additional option of routing via Russia, one ThankThe likely trend youin prices of forcapacity onyour EmailI briefly visited this �� EuroEmails Asia or SEA-ME-WE-3. would to assume, will be ofthe great interest. theEditor routeand via Russiathe and Mongolia short is very hard cut to thewebsite and found�� the These two submarine systems were im- Future price movements, by nature, are of to predict. There are relatively few suppliers ca- mensely significant developments at their time course very difficult to predict. The USD 35 000 pableSubmarine of provisioning end-to-end Telecomscircuits and Forum.information to be quite A confidential service for the supply of I briefly visited this interesting. �� of construction.I Theyenjoy are essentially reading branched throughrepresents the a small reduction onSpectacular prices over the therefore the intensityjob of competitionputting is not as specialized positions for the submarine systemsthe designed to provide Editorconnectivity to past 12 months. Price reduction in the last year greatwebsite as either of the other routes.and The existencefound the cable sectors serving oil & gas, telecoms SubTel Forums, even though I large numbers of countries en route. Ring pro- has been small compared withthis the annual re-together...it’sof the other routes nevertheless should con-very getting more and more distant information to be quite Bill Brock, ForA confidential BP service for the supplyand defense of industries tected submarine systems in other oceans of the duction of circa 50 % p.a. that hasimpressive. been recorded tinue to act as a downward pressure on prices America Production Co � Direct Placement Support world were developedfrom laterthe and field neither Flag (unfortunately). nor over previous years. We can but hope that prices on theinteresting. shortest route. specialized positions for the submarine Spectacular job putting � Executive Search SMW-3 are, inThere themselves, are ring systems.few names Resto- acrossI recognize the Atlantic, across continental USA and The growth of predicted traffic to China cable sectors serving oil & gas, telecoms this together...it’s veryDr. William J. Barattino, � ration of Flag anymore.and SMW-3 has to be created us- across the Pacific have now stabilised. As regards overBill the coming yearsBrock, is well known. IndeedFor BP and defense industries Confidential Reply Service impressive. Global Broadband � ing support of capacity one from the other or the trends in prices on the route via the Middle ChinaAmerica Telecom is pro-active Productionin being a part of Co Direct Placement Support from other, less immense systems which paral- East, the prices of Europe-AsiaSolutions, capacity follow- this business, LLC launching plans to develop busi- Thanks for a great� read Visit our website or contact: Hope business is good. I look Executive Search lel some Dr.of the route. William J.ing Barattino,that route have declined less dramatically ness in Europe by opening a new office in the � Lisa Fontaine forward to keeping in touch. and even though theConfidential Reply Service [email protected] TheGlobal RTD is circa 230 ms. PricesBroadband are quoted over the previous five years yet we can see noth- UK. The company, which has already made business is “way down Managing Associate – Recruitment by various suppliers, offering a range of prices ing to cause upward pressure on prices on that similar moves into the North American mar- WFN Strategies, LLC normallySolutions, at least double those via USA/trans- LLCroute. ket, isThanks believed to be tracking for corporate a custom- great read where the musicVisit ourplays”, website or contact: Roy Samras [email protected]@wfnstrategies.com3 Pacific option. Indeed, with new cablesIt opening was up be- quiteers withand bases in even Europeinformative and China.though the wherever that [email protected] Fontainebe, [+1] 410-268-2036 It is obviously apparent that the buyer’s tween India and Singapore andand onward tointeresting. East- businessChina Telecom was granted Iis ando operat-“way not down there is alwaysManaging a light Associate – Recruitment criteria will decide which route to use from the ern Asia, there is now a lot more competition ing licence in the US two years ago, enabling think thatwhere you thewill music be plays”, at the end of theWFN tunnel/Strategies, LLC Job seekers can forward CVRésumé to our [email protected] [email protected] confidential résumé database at It was quite informativewilling QUANTITYtowherever provide that such may be, cable. [+1] 410-268-2036 [email protected] and interesting. I do notan information 100there 200 200 isservices always 500500 a light at the end of the tunnel/Mike Wiseman, Esq. think that you will be free2-page B&W of $50.00charge $65.00 for $130.00a long Job seekers can forward CVRésumé to our willing to provide such time. cable. confidential résumé database at 2-page ColorColor $260.00 $360.00 $600.00 an information services [email protected] 4-page B&W $100.00 $130.00 $260.00 free of charge for a longBest regards,Mike Wiseman, Esq. Good work on the latest REPRINTS 4-page Color $520.00 $720.00 $1200.00 REPRINTStime. 4-page Color $520.00 $720.00 $1200.00 edition. Prices on the right are for digital reprints of editorial pages from Submarine 6-page B&W $150.00 $200.00 $400.00 Prices on the right are for digital reprints of editorial pages from Sumio6-page B&W Yamano,$150.00 $200.00 Sumitomo $400.00 Telecoms Forum, unaltered. Page size is 8.25” x 11.75” on 28lb paper stock. Submarine BestTelecoms Forum regards,, unaltered. Page size is 8.25" x 11.75" Ocean6-page ColorColor Development$790.00 $1080.00 $1800.00 & Shipping cost is in addition to reprint price. Good work on the31 latest Les K. Valentine, NEXANS [email protected] on 28lb paper stock. Shipping cost is in addition to reprint price. EngineeringForFor more information information contact contact [email protected]. [email protected] Co.. Ltd.. Norway Sumio Yamano, Sumitomo �� Ocean Development & Les K. Valentine, NEXANS [email protected] Engineering Co. Ltd. Norway 6 Thank you for your Email �� Emails to 6 and the short cut to the �� Submarine Telecoms Forum. I briefly visited this �� the Editor website and found the information to be quite A confidential service for the supply of interesting. Spectacular job putting specialized positions for the submarine cable sectors serving oil & gas, telecoms this together...it’s very Bill Brock, For BP and defense industries impressive. America Production Co � Direct Placement Support � Executive Search Dr. William J. Barattino, � Confidential Reply Service Global Broadband Solutions, LLC Thanks for a great read Visit our website or contact: and even though the [email protected] Fontaine business is “way down Managing Associate – Recruitment where the music plays”, WFN Strategies, LLC [email protected]@wfnstrategies.com3 It was quite informative wherever that may be, [+1] 410-268-2036 and interesting. I do not there is always a light think that you will be at the end of the tunnel/ Job seekers can forward CVRésumé to our willing to provide such cable. confidential résumé database at an information services [email protected] free of charge for a long Mike Wiseman, Esq. time.

Best regards, Good work on the latest edition. Sumio Yamano, Sumitomo Ocean Development & Les K. Valentine, NEXANS [email protected] Engineering Co. Ltd. Norway ��

6 www.wfnstrategies.com ' Engineering for submarine and terrestrial optical cable, microwave/WiMax, mobile, satellite and RF systems EASSy News

The latest rift between the parties behind the EASSy project continues to grow – or isn’t a rift at all, depending on whom you listen to.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm A synopsis of current news items from NewsNow, the weekly news feed available on the Submarine Telecoms Forum website. ECOWAS Supports West African Cable Plan

Alcatel Wins Contract for Alaskan Cable Authority Approves of Iceland’s Support for Farice Project The Sixth Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Telecommunications and ICT of the Member Countries of the Economic Community of Alcatel has announced that its Maersk Defender cable ship is about The EFTA Surveillance Authority announced on July 19 that it has West African States (ECOWAS), held in Abuja on May 11, 2006, en- to start laying a regional submarine cable network for Kodiak Kenai closed its formal investigation procedure regarding the Icelandic dorsed a declaration of support for the Infinity Worldwide Telecom- Cable Company - a subsidiary of the Alaskan Old Harbor Native submarine cable project, Farice. It authorized the two support mea- munications Group of Companies, Inc.’s (IWTGC) submarine cable Corporation - in Seward, Alaska. sures granted by the Icelandic State in favor of this project, which project linking the West Africa Region and Southern Europe and consisted of a state guarantee and a share capital increase by the mandated ECOWAS to continue discussions with IWTGC in order www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/23_july_2006.htm Icelandic State in favor of Farice hf, the company responsible for to accelerate deployment of this vital infrastructure project. preparing, constructing and operating the cable. www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/23_july_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm Australia to Establish Protection Zones for AJC, Southern Cross Expansion of Fugro’s Seismic Fleet The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is Consensus on EASSy Project Following Stakeholders inviting public submissions about its proposals to declare protection Meeting Fugro has exercised its earlier agreed option to enter into a charter zones for two submarine cables off the New South Wales coast. agreement with E Forland Shipowners (Norway) for the Seisquest, The World Bank announced in a statement that following extensive an 8-streamer 3D seismic survey vessel. www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/20_august_2006.htm dialogue and negotiations, the project structure of the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and the governments, www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/20_august_2006.htm NEPAD e-Africa Commission, telecommunications operators and the Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) have agreed on the roles of the respective stakeholder groups.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/23_july_2006.htm

While inaugurating the new FALCON submarine cable system, Dayanidhi Maran, India’s Minister of Communications and Informa- tion Technology, said that the growth in the bandwidth demand would soon exhaust the current inventory of circuits on many GCN Cable Laying Completed Global Marine Begins Work on Pioneering UK Wind submarine cables. Energy Project www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm The laying of the Global Caribbean Network (GCN) submarine cable system linking Guadeloupe, St. Croix and Puerto Rico has Global Marine Systems Limited has begun subsea cable installation been completed. work on the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project (Beatrice Project), a flagship project for offshore wind energy development. LINX Welcomes Latest Member Etisalat www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/16_july_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm The London Internet Exchange (LINX) now connects the networks of 210 Content Delivery and Internet Service Providers across the Global Crossing Introduces Carrier VoIP Community world. Peering Service Hibernia Atlantic Adds North American PoPs www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm

Global Crossing has introduced to carrier customers its VoIP Com- Hibernia Atlantic has doubled its fiber-optic network in North munity Peering service, what the carrier says is an industry-chang- America to now include seven new network points of presence ing feature of the company’s VoIP Outbound Service. (PoPs), one in Canada and the rest in the United States. Marine Survey for Second Faroe-Scotland Cable Underway www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm Føroya Tele, the leading carrier for the Faroe Islands, has commissioned the marine survey for the company’s second cable linking Howard Communications Established the islands with Scotland. www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/16_july_2006.htm Since leaving Verizon Business, Dave Howard has started his own company,

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/27_august_2006.htm

African regulators, policy advisors, operators, businesspeople, civil society delegates, and consumer lobby groups, amongst others, gathered to discuss the issue of Africa’s access to international fiber connectivity in Johannesburg, on 24th and 25th July 2006.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm Nexans Awarded Umbilical cable with 24 kilovolt Phoenix International Names General Manager power Phoenix International, Inc. (Phoenix) recently announced the BP America has awarded cable company Nexans a NOK 98m promotion of Chris A. Klentzman, P.E. to General Manager of its SBSS Wins Papua New Guinea Gas Platform Project (USD 16m) contract to design and manufacture a 26km, 1700m Landover, MD facility. SB Submarine Systems (SBSS) Co. Ltd, the joint venture between deep umbilical cable with a 24 kilovolt power connection, believed China Telecom and Global Marine Systems Limited, has signed a to be the world´s first. www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/20_august_2006.htm contract for a cable installation project for Saipem SpA, a leading offshore engineering Company, to enable power and remote com- www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/20_august_2006.htm munication to be supplied to two new gas production platforms off Phoenix International Signs Term Charter Agree- the coast of Papua, in Bintuni Bay. ment Nexans Wins Contract for Power/Fiber Cable to Long www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm Island Phoenix International, Inc., (Phoenix) announced today that it has signed a term charter agreement for the M/V KIMBERLY CANDIES. Nexans has been awarded a contract worth over 73 million Euros The agreement includes options until June 2011. Southern Cross Tackles Growing Bandwidth De- to design, manufacture, deliver and install a 138 kV high voltage submarine transmission link between Norwalk, Connecticut, and www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm mands with Nortel Optical Solution Northport on Long Island, New York, in the United States. Southern Cross Cables is significantly increasing the capability of its U.S. terrestrial optical network with a Nortel optical solution. Nor- www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm Phoenix Supports US Navy ADS 2000 Certification tel will supply, deploy and maintain the optical solution on the U.S. mainland’s west coast as part of Southern Cross’ 30,500-kilometer Phoenix International, Inc. (Phoenix) announced today its participa- submarine cable network that acts as the major link for broadband tion in achieving material certification of the US Navy’s one-atmo- services and Internet traffic from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and sphere diving system, ADS 2000. Hawaii to the U.S.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/10_september_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/13_august_2006.htm

Tyco Telecommunications has announced that it has been selected by SEA-ME-WE-3 (SMW3) Consortium to implement the third upgrade to segment S6 of the SMW3 network as part of a global system upgrade.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/13_august_2006.htm T-Com Picks FLAG Telecom for Transatlantic Band- Transworld Associates (Pvt.) Ltd Announces the width Readiness of TW1 Vietnam, Japan to Cooperate on ICT Issues FLAG Telecom, a subsidiary of India’s largest private telecom ser- Transworld Associates Private Limited, Pakistan’s first private un- Mr. Tran Duc Lai, Vice Minister of Posts & Telematics, also received vice provider Reliance Communications, has announced signing of dersea fiber optic cable operator, has announced that its undersea and worked with Mr. Tatsuya Ito, Japanese Member of Parliament a contract with T-Com, the broadband/fixed line strategic business fiber optic cable system, TW1, is ready for service. unit of Deutsche Telekom AG. cum Chairman of Special Committee on Economics and Foreign www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/6_august_2006.htm Affairs Cooperation under Public & Freedom Party on his occasion www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/13_august_2006.htm of the 1st visit to Vietnam on 3 August 2006.

www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/27_august_2006.htm TS Marine expand choosing SMD Hydrovision Quan- Teledyne to Acquire Majority Stake in Ocean Design, tum 150shp ROV systems Inc. VNPT Cuts Circuit Prices Aberdeen based offshore contractor TS Marine have chosen SMD Teledyne Technologies Incorporated has announced that its subsid- Hydrovision (SMDH) for supply of two 150shp, 3000m Quantum The Ministry of Posts and Telematics (MPT) on July 10 issued five iary, Teledyne Instruments, Inc., has entered into an agreement to Construction Class ROV systems and associated equipment. decisions allowing the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications acquire a majority interest in Ocean Design, Inc. (ODI) for approxi- Group (VNPT) to reduce circuit-leasing charges. mately $30 million. www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/27_august_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/16_july_2006.htm www.subtelforum.com/NewsNow/20_august_2006.htm

CTC Marine Projects Ltd. Cutting Edge Cable Capability Across the World Coniscliffe House, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington, DL3 7EE, England Tel: +44 (0) 1325 390 500 Fax: +44 (0) 1325 390 555 Email: [email protected] INSTALLATION BURIAL MAINTENANCE Web: www.ctcmarine.com ince 2001, Submarine Telecoms Website Banners Forum has been the platform for Post your web linked banner to the home Sdiscourse on submarine telecom page, as well as News-Now sections of the cable and network operations. Industry Submarine Telecoms Forum website, where professionals provide editorial content some 5000+ readers can come as often as from their own niche and focus. every week to view the latest news feed, or Each bi-monthly edition includes our bi-monthly magazine. commentary and information on system and service provision, and issues critical Rates US$ 3 Months 6 Months 12 Months to the industry. Home Page 540 900 1,440

News-Now Page 810 1,350 2,160 Advertising Rates Both 1,216 2,026 3,240 Magazine pages Rates US$ 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x Feature Section Sponsorship Page 1613 1564 1516 1468 1419 1371 Available at full-page advertisement rate, section sponsors 2/3 page 1189 1154 1118 1082 1047 1011 are identified with a banner (link) at the beginning and end 1/3 page 768 744 721 698 675 652 of the featured section. All advertising rates as at December 2003.

Advertising enquiries Tel: (703) 444 2527 Fax: (703) 444 3047 [email protected] 500 m

At submarine depths, goes deeper

Nexans was the first For further information, contact: Nexans Norway AS to manufacture and Telecom: P.O Box 6450 Etterstad, Vegard Larsen N-0605, Oslo Norway install 384 fiber Tel: + 47 22 88 62 21 Tel: + 47 22 88 61 00 submarine cable.Nexans E-mail: vegard-briggar. Fax: + 47 22 88 61 01 has qualified and [email protected] US Contact: installed their URC-1 Oil & Gas: Les Valentine Jon Seip Tel. +1 281 578 6900 cable family for fiber Tel: +47 22 88 66 22 Fax: +1 281 578 6991 counts up to 384 fibers. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

1500 m exans Global expert in cables and cabling systems

41 Transoceanic fibre optic communications are You don’t need a direct fixed connection from the absurdly cheap. We have all spent many hours rig to the fibre to benefit; a rig can communicate sending e-mails and getting websites across via Microwave or Wimax to a nearby rig which oceans and barely paid a penny for it. does have a fibre connection.

Over 500,000 km of fibre optic cables have You can use a Microwave (line of sight) or WiMax been laid so far in the world. Fibre optic cables link, carrying 80 mbps distances up to 80km, or 25 can carry a multiple of terabits per second, mbps of distances up to 15km, respectively. enough to keep the oil and gas industry happy for a few years at least. So as the oil and gas Costs industry demands faster and more reliable communications, it seems sensible to assume we The obstacle is the installation costs, and some will be seeing a lot more fibre. kind of mechanism for them to be shared by several different companies. To give you an idea And as the data requirements grow of the costs, BP has announced plans to spend Oil and Gas exponentially, with perhaps companies wanting $100m laying a 700km loop of fibre across its to send continuously updated seismic data deepwater Gulf fields, entering the ocean in (5D?) and does videoconferencing for all staff Freeport or Corpus Christi, Texas, and Pascagoula, Fibre Optics members, wave technologies make is possible to Mississippi, in water depths of 3,000 to 8,000 feet. for the fibre cables to carry a lot more data than It will cover fields in the Viosca Knoll, Green it was originally designed for. But there are still Canyon, Atwater and Mississippi Canyon blocks, plenty of oil rigs which do not have any fixed in a 700km loop. The intention is to start laying By Karl Jeffery fibre connection, in areas of offshore activity the cable in December 2006 and ‘light it up’ in such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Persian Gulf, off summer 2007. Africa and in Sakhalin. BP says that the fibre optic connections will “The odds are that fibre optic networks are provide each rig with the equivalent of 50,000 bound to happen in the Gulf of Mexico and satellite dishes. The network will be hurricane off Africa,” says Marc Fullenbaum, product proof, but will enable the rigs to be operated when marketing group manager with Alcatel they have been evacuated after a hurricane. It Submarine Networks. could provide the communications links for the planned security communications, such as radar, “Fibre in the Gulf of Mexico is under undersea acoustic monitoring and cameras. discussion,” he says. “I would say that the next interesting area is the West Coast of Africa.”

12 Norway There are currently three networks in the North For the North Sea, the TampNet fibre structure Sea, put in by a mixture of oil and gas companies (owned by Statoil), a linear network which Meanwhile the Norwegian Oil Industry (Statoil and BP), and private companies (North connects to Kollsnes and Karstø on the Norwegian Association (OLF) is so concerned that the Sea Communications, and Data Marine Services, Coast, also linking to BP fibre cables connecting networks are running sub-optimally with different owned by Schlumberger). with Aberdeen, and North Sea Communications operators, that it has proposed setting up some (NorSeaCom) networks, linking with Lowestoft. kind of central network infrastructure for all of the “It is important to establish such an integrated oil and gas fields. common infrastructure well ahead of the TampNet was established in January 2002, aiming implementation of integrated operations in bigger to be an offshore telecom provider, serving OLF believes that a fibre optic network, scale,” says OLF. central and northern North Sea, initially with five connecting as many rigs as possible, is essential platforms connected directly to the system and 23 in ensuring that production can be optimized, and Currently there is a star-shaped fibre network connected by radio links. this means making maximum use of the available in the Haltenbanken area on the North Coast communications infrastructure, and never being of Norway, operated from a rig in Heidrun and North Sea Communications owns or leases a ring beholden to one private company. The central connecting to shore. Currently it only serves of fibre optic, going from the North Sea rigs to operator would effectively buy the use of the Statoil rigs and bypasses BP (Skarv) and Shell Aberdeen and Lowestoft in the UK, undersea infrastructure from the cable owners and then sell (Draugen) rigs in the area. to France, via land to Copehagen, undersea to it as required. Finland, via land to Stavanger in Norway, then to the North Sea rigs.

BP to link Gulf platforms He said the fiber-optic network, which will stretch to operators onshore. “The problem with that is it from either Freeport or Corpus Christi, Texas, to doesn’t work during a storm,” Lang said. with fiber-optic cable Pascagoula, Mississippi, will provide an advanced communication link among all of the company’s In order to maintain vital communication, the By Mark Davidson platforms in the deepwater Gulf and with its transmitter on the rig must remain in line of sight of operations headquarters in Houston. the satellite. “During big storms, you have clouds (Reprinted with permission from Platts Gas Daily) come over that block the satellite,” he said. “There The London-based supermajor will own the are periods where you don’t have communications.” network and use part of the bandwidth for its BP will spend $100 million to lay an undersea fiber- own communications and lease the rest to other In addition, with microwave transmissions originating optic cable across the floor of the Gulf of Mexico to deepwater Gulf producers. “Others like Shell and in the deepwater Gulf, the signal is bounced from one help maintain communications among its deepwater Chevron have approached us,” Lang said. offshore platform to another on its way to shore, Lang gas and oil production platforms during hurricanes, a said. “If any one of the facilities gets damaged, you company official said Tuesday. The network will allow onshore operators to monitor suddenly lose communications.” what’s happening on the platforms during hurricanes Kenny Lang, BP’s vice president of Gulf production, when all personnel have been evacuated, as well as BP’s plans call for laying the fiber-optic cable on the told the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice during normal operation, BP said. sea floor at depths of about 6,000 feet — far from University in Houston that the firm plans to begin the reach of tropical storms raging on the surface. installing the cable in December and “light it up next Currently, the rigs use microwave transmissions and The offshore platforms will be tied into the fiber-optic summer.” satellite links to communicate with each other and 13 This ring structure means there is no single point If one link is ever broken, or its price is put up, the Alcatel, one of the largest providers of subsea of failure. market system can work out the next best way to cables, believes that a better approach is to have send it. a ring of cable entirely underwater, with feeder Central North Sea Fibre Telecommunications risers going to all of the rigs. Company connects the Ula rig to Aberdeen. It With the increasing number of smaller oil and gas is owned by BP and operated by Data Marine companies, having an offshore telecoms network This means that if the cable is ever broken Services, part of Schlumberger. which is independent of any single company will anywhere, data can flow the other way around the be attractive; but a third company will probably ring, until a maintenance vessel can fix the break not find it easy to install the system speculatively or replace that section of the cable. A free market will not be easy. The cable is not vulnerable to problems which Perhaps what we will eventually see is some kind Fibre rings and lines might happen on any one rig, e.g. due to weather of free market telecom system, where data packets or explosion, because the whole of the ring is can be transferred using a variety of different To date, most of the fibre installations in the oil underwater. methods, such as fibre, satellite, microwave and gas industry have been linear, with lengths Another layout possibility is the hub network, and wi-fi, depending on the amount of data, the of fibre going from one rig to the next, with data as seen in the Haltenbanken area North of urgency, the methods available, and the data boosters (‘repeaters’) on each rig. Norway, where cables are run from a central point urgency. (probably a rig) to other rigs and to shore.

system via links that originate at the facility on the made when you designed it, and modify it if it needs by allowing BP operators onshore to conduct routine topside of the rigs and that travel down to the cable. to be beefed up,” he said. “It allows you to fine-tune.” monitoring functions. That will free the crews aboard the rigs “to do the things that only they can do, like The new network will significantly increase the Lang said BP has received approval from the maintenance on turbines,” Lang said. “You’re never amount of data that can be transmitted, Lang said. Minerals Management Service to leave certain rigs going to be able to do that by touching a button.” “It’s the equivalent of each one of the facilities having operating by remote control, even in the midst of access to 50,000 satellites.” a hurricane. “We don’t do it yet because we want to know that we can monitor it and have a robust Once the fiber-optic network is installed, BP telecommunication with it, so that in the event that operators will be able to control from the shore a it wasn’t performing as anticipated you can shut it number of the functions of the offshore rigs. “More down,” he said. and more, rigs are becoming sophisticated with automation and advanced control,” Lang said. “You The fiber-optic network will give the operator the can monitor the health of the facility, learn about the ability to remotely operate a platform and allow it to position of it, and how it is performing during the continue producing gas or oil even after the rig has storm.” been evacuated. “The way it is now, the last person to leave turns off the lights,” Lang said. The system will allow operators on the shore to monitor the impact of the storms on the structural In addition, this remote operating capability will integrity of the rigs by measuring metrics such as improve efficiency during times of normal operation metal fatigue. “You compare it to the calculation you 14 If there is a breakage in the cable, then Other projects communications from one rig to the star is broken, but not all communications are lost. There are plans discussed to build fibre optic communications connecting rigs in Sakhalin to the Repeaters shore, for Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, a joint venture between Shell, Mitsui and Repeaters, which lie on the ocean floor and boost Diamond Gas Mitsubishi Corporation. the signal, are normally used every 50-100km in transoceanic cables; but this technology has not BP has also commissioned a 26km umbilical cable yet been used so much in the oil and gas industry. connecting two subsea wells, running 1700km deep, with a 24 kilovolt cable, also carrying If repeaters are not used, the data signal needs to high and low volt electrical power, fibre optic come up to a rig every 50-100km for boosting, so connections and lube oil connections, in its King the communications is vulnerable to a problem on Complex in the Gulf of Mexico, caring the tieback a rig. to the Marlin Tension Leg Platform, 135km South East of New Orleans. The whole cable’s design “Repeaters are absolutely reliable,” says Mr and manufacture will cost around $16m. Karl Jeffery is editor and founder of Fullenbaum. “We have deployed over 4,300 Digital Energy Journal, a magazine repeaters and none of them have failed so far. The based in London about information mean time between failure for a repeater is 10,000 technology and communications in years.” the upstream oil and gas industry, see www.digitalenergyjournal.com. He is Protection from ships also editor of Digital Ship, a magazine

about information technology and There have been a few problems about cables being broken by fishing and ship anchors. Normal communications in the deep sea maritime practice is to use armoured cable at depths down industry. He also produces conferences to 1500m, putting a steel armouring around the for the deep sea tanker operations cable. Armored cables are buried from 50 to 1500 industry and its oil major clients. He m with a burial depth to 1 m. Below 1500-2000m, was staff writer for Hazardous Cargo cables are surface laid. Bulletin since September 1996 and has a Alcatel is very proud of the fact that none of the bachelors degree in chemical engineering submarine cables were damaged during the Asian from Nottingham University. Tsunami.

the major costs of installation of an unrepeatered Unrepeatered Submarine Cable system is due mainly to the need for complete burial of the cable to prevent damage form fishing Technology and Its Impact on the trawlers and ship anchors. The cable itself, therefore, is often a lightly armored cable, and Oil and Gas Industry often with a higher density of fibers some cables by Paul Polishuk have been installed with up to 192 fibers). Marine installation technology is advancing at a pace equal to cable and terminal technology Introduction networks technology and that being developing by in many instances. Highly maneuverable sea With the increased demand for oil and the research community undersea networks. bed tractors and remotely operated vehicles escalating gas prices, there is growing pressure This article is based on a recently updated are useful for burial of cable and can often be on off-shore drilling and exploration to become IGI Consulting report. “Unrepeatered Submarine deployed from shore or ship. As technology has more efficient and effective.. As the sensor Cable Fiber Optic Systems.” and an excellent been developed and introduced into submarine technology for exploration becomes more article on the subject by Marc Fullenbaum of fiber-optic systems, unrepeatered transmission sophisticated, there is also a need for real time Alcatel Submarine Networks in the May 2004 distances have steadily increased and prices processing of large amounts of data. Often the issue of “Sea Technology Magazine.” have remained stable or have decreased.. As processing of the data is many miles from the in repeatered systems, the maximum distances drilling site, usually on land at a data center. Costs of Unrepeatered Systems are Coming that can be traversed without repeaters is a The use of unrepeatered submarine Down function of bit rate and wavelength; the higher the cable technology can be used by the off shore oil The cost of an unrepeatered system bit rate, the shorter the distance. As illustrated and gas industry to extend their exploration and is different from a typical repeatered system in the following sections, developments in fiber drilling distances, and develop undersea networks because of its design and means of installation. In optics technology increase both the length and to transmit high speed data to data centers. This a repeatered system, cost breakdown is typically usefulness of unrepeatered systems. represents an opportunity for the submarine cable 30% for cable, 15% for marine installation, 40% industry to take a proactive approach to undersea for repeaters, 5% for terminal equipment, and Trends in Repeaterless Systems Technology networks as in many off-shore oil exploration and 10% for network management facilities and Repeaterless fiber-optic systems by their very production there are several different companies miscellaneous costs. In an unrepeatered system, nature are highly dependent on technological all requiring communications. For example, in the 30% of the cost is for cable, 45% for marine advances. Advances in technology continue to Gulf of Mexico alone, there are over 4,000 oil rigs. installation, 15% for terminal equipment, and push the limits of fiber-optic transmission, both The industry will benefit from existing undersea 10% again for buildings and instillation. One of in terms of system length and bit rate. The major

17 advances most important to repeaterless systems Networks for Off-shore Platforms for Oil include: Exploration and Production ♦ Improved light sources for transmitters and The oil and gas companies own and operate a pumps number of Off-shore drilling platforms in various ♦ Improved detection parts of the world. The present method of ♦ Forward error correction communications is by satellites or microwaves. ♦ Improved fibers These models of communications suffer from ♦ Optical amplification (EDFA and Raman) reliability and security issues. In addition, the data ♦ ROADM rates for data, control and analysis are increasing. ♦ DWDM There has been a recent trend to use fiber optics ♦ CWDM submarine cables either alone or in power cables. IGIC sees this as a potential growing market Of the above list, optical amplification is perhaps especially as the exploration and production the most important technology in submarine occurs further off-shore and in deeper waters. fiber optics today. For repeaterless systems, Other Unrepeatered Fiber-optic Cable Exhibit 3 shows a typical oil rig and undersea it is the one technology that has quickly and Opportunities cable system linking various parts of an oil field cost-effectively pushed the theoretical limits of In addition to unrepeatered submarine fiber- installation in the North Sea, fiber itself. Systems without optical amplification optical cables for telecommunications, there are a typically have a power budget of about 43dB number of other potential markets for submarine at 622Mbps and 36dB at 2.5Gbps, for spans of fiber-optic cable. Developments in the technology 200km and 160km, respectively. Increases of for these applications will also benefit the oil and 14 to 15dB are common today, and increases of gas industry. These include: 20dbB and greater have been demonstrated in ♦ Off-shore platforms for oil exploration and the laboratory. production Research Networks Head the Way for Future The following exhibits, 1 and 2, show the Undersea Networks ♦ Research networks capabilities of existing and future systems. Further Undersea exploration is becoming a large ♦ Military and government test ranges developments in future systems will include non- potential market for submarine fiber-optic cable ♦ Sewer systems and canals linearity reductions and improvements in fiber suppliers. Research indicates that only one ♦ Off-shore wind farms design, both in dispersion compensation and percent of the total undersea area has been ♦ Hybrid power cables large effective core area. Present unrepeatered explored. Undersea fiber-optic networks allow submarine fiber systems can reach 450Km at large coverage of areas that can be covered by 2.5G and 10G. 18 sensors of all types tied together by fiber-optic is needed to characterize the divers range of conventional able laying assets and the cables. Exhibit 4 shows an example of a research spatial and temporal scales over which the technology developed will be useful in off-shore network for the Neptune scientific submarine natural phenomena occur. This can be facilitated exploration and production. system off the west coast of the United States. by using ocean observatories to provide power This is only one of many research networks being and communications for distributed real time Case Study of an Off-shore Communications developed and installed around the world. sensor networks covering large areas. Real time Needs The Neptune scientific submarine cable system networks also enable an education and public Just this week, the oil industry announced plans to “wire” the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate outreach capability that can dramatically impact that it was on the verge of opening a deep water and turn it into an interactive ocean science the public attitude toward the ocean sciences. region in the Gulf of Mexico that could become laboratory. Neptune will provide 30 seafloor nodes The Neptune project (http://www.neptune. the U.S.’s biggest new domestic source of oil distributed over a 500x1000 km area to which washington.edu) is a joint US-Canadian effort to since the discovery of the Alaska North Slope many scientific instruments may be attached. “wire” the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate located more than a generation ago. Located 270 miles The modes will supply power at several kilowatt off northwestern, North American with 330 km of from New Orleans, a 300 mile wide swath of the levels and data communications at aGbps rate. dedicated scientific fiber-optic cable, hosting 30 gulf that lies below miles of outer and deep within Neptune will utilize an unconventional parallel science nodes spaced a nominal 100 km apart. a bed of ancient rocks estimates are that there power distribution system and industry-standard Each seafloor node connects to the Internet. could be reserves of oil and gas of 3-15 billion Ethernet data communications hardware. Exhibit 5 shows the planned layout for Neptune. barrels. This would boost the nation’s reserve of Neptune differs from a conventional submarine 29.3 billion barrels by 50%. At today’s price of telecommunications system in two key respects. $70 per barrel, this represents a total potential First, Neptune requires data input and output revenue stream of $210-1050B. This is “real at many seafloor sites rather than a few land money” that could pay the freight for an extensive terminuses. Second, Neptune has to distribute fiber network connecting the various oil rigs. At power at variable and fluctuating rates to many the present, there are five oil companies drilling seafloor instruments in addition to energizing in eleven locations. The distances are all within its own internal systems. For these and other the capability of unrepeatered fiber optic systems. reasons, the engineering solution for the Neptune It is up to the submarine fiber optics industry The study of the dynamic, interactive power and communications system does not to be proactive to promote the development of process that comprises the earth-ocean system closely resemble those used in commercial submarine fiber optics networks for the oil and require new approaches that complement the telecommunications systems. However, Neptune gas industry. traditional ship-based e expeditionary mode will take advantage of the submarine fiber-optic which has dominated oceanography for the cable technology used in telecommunications past century. Long-term access to the ocean for its backbone, and will be installed using 19 Submarine Cable Industry Calendar 2007

Submarine Telecoms Forum is seeking purchasing staff, field and shipboard Sponsorship Cost: $7,000 per monthly like-minded sponsors to contribute their personnel, academicians, consultants, membership. corporate images to the 2007 Submarine financiers, and legal specialists. Cable Industry Calendar. For further information, reservations and The Submarine Telecoms Forum industry information contact: The 2007 Submarine Cable Industry calendar will be printed in full colour on calendar will be provided free of charge to high quality 200gsm silk art paper, approx Tel: +1 (703) 444 2527 Submarine Telecoms Forum’s subscriber 600 x 300mm, giving sponsors an area of Fax: +1 (703) 444 3047 list, encompassing some 5000+ readers approx 300 x 300mm to display their Email: [email protected] from 85 countries, including senior corporate image. government and international organization officials, telecom company executives and team, support and supply company management, and technical, sales and

20 did not always guarantee interference-free transmission of data, it allow for remediation through the FCC. Low speed data is no longer Interference in the ISM adequate to operate the field. The operators need more data, and it has to be closer to realtime. This requires higher bandwidth and Band: Mitigation Strategies higher polling rates. At the present time, the By Charles Foreman commercially available radios that economically fill this need are in the unlicensed ISM bands. While this unlicensed operation makes for one less step in the deployment process, it leaves More and more, the ISM bands are being is required so that the operator can model the operators in congested areas nervous about used for wide area, wireless networks in the oil reservoir with higher resolution. the ability to control potential interference from patch. Because the ISM bands are unlicensed, neighboring operators. anyone can use them so long as they comply Personal safety and environmental protection with the FCC regulations. This can lead to have always been important. The negative Depending upon the terrain, frequency, power potential RF interference between operators impact of an accident can take years to rectify. availability, and RF interference, commercially in the same geographical area, on the same By recognizing that an “event” has occurred at available, point-to-multipoint radio systems can frequency band, using different modulation the well head in a matter of minutes, instead of support from 512kbps to ≈12Mbps connectivity. techniques. Fortunately there are techniques hours, the operator can take corrective action Choosing the right frequency band, antenna and strategies to minimize the effects of the in a timelier manner and, hopefully, minimize height, and hardware can satisfy most of the interference. the impact. system requirements for data throughput. RF interference can be much trickier. In the past, gathering a few data points from The challenge becomes one of: how do an oil or gas well once an hour was adequate you collect the data from thousands of wells RF interference is a fact of life. It cannot to operate the field. “Good oil field practices” spread over hundreds of square miles with be completely eliminated nor avoided. Any did not require large amounts of data to no connectivity back to the central operations unwanted signals or background noise may manage the reservoir. This has not been true location? Plus the connectivity must be highly introduce errors into the transmission path. for some time. As the oil and gas become reliable. Typically, the wells are located These errors will decrease the system’s more valuable, even small percentages in in remote areas without any commercial throughput due to the need for retransmissions, extraction efficiencies contribute significantly infrastructure to support mission critical, high or in the worst case, block all throughput to hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir and throughput data. because the receiving radio cannot discriminate hence to the company’s bottom line. In order the data. Fortunately there are techniques to improve extraction, more data, more often One solution is to use radios to provide the incorporated in the radio equipment to mitigate connectivity. In the past, low speed (9600 the effects of RF interference. Industrial, Scientific, and Medical bands are at 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8GHz. Equipment is unlicensed but baud), FCC licensed radios were adequate to must be FCC compliant. meet the operator’s needs. While this solution 21 It’s C/I (carrier-to-interference) ratio is avoidance to mitigate interference. If it There are two transmission techniques higher than that of a frequency hopping lands on a frequency that is in use, it used in the ISM band, and they use different system. This means that a DSSS retries on the next random frequency. approaches to handle interference: system can tolerate a higher noise floor As the noise floor rises, FHSS will hop and still maintain throughput. more frequently to maintain connectivity. 1. Direct-sequence spread spectrum Excessive hopping decreases the data (DSSS) is a spread spectrum wireless 2. Frequency-hopping spread spectrum throughput and adds latency to the coding method that spreads the (FHSS) is a spread spectrum technique system. modulated information signal over a that directly modulates a carrier that fixed frequency carrier signal. It uses randomly hops between discrete Both of these techniques use adaptive suppression to mitigate interference. frequencies within the band. It uses modulation schemes that increase the

Technology Transforms bit, depth, direction, mud weight, etc. From this when relocating. Use of VPNs and IP encryption the Oil Patch information the on-site rig staff can operate the rig technologies over the transport insures data By Russ Doig more efficiently and remote engineers, geologists, integrity and security. and other experts can quickly come into play to diagnose and resolve issues. Other specialized High-speed secure networking has brought Over the past 10 years there has been applications can be brought into play for about change for production facility process a radical transformation taking place in the oil specialized drilling such as exploration. Real-time control. Serial links and low speed SCADA production industry that has been facilitated by well logging and analysis allows geological and systems are replaced by high-speed IP links communications technology. This transformation reservoir experts to quickly analyze exploratory supporting distributed process control automation has lead to rapid advances in drilling, process drilling results. The end result is reduced costs systems. As with drilling, new applications automation, and plant operations technologies. for drilling because less time is required to drill provide a “dashboard” view of plant operations Ultimately these advances have reduced the time a well, less staff is required on-site, drilling and control systems. The process systems take to market for field development and reduced the results are improved due to better information, an incredible amount of data points and present lifting costs for oil and gas extraction. and experts can manage multiple projects. The the operations personnel with only the crucial enabling communication technologies that make information to do their jobs. In some cases the The ability to provide more cost effective these applications possible are broadband wireless, operations staff can do “what if” scenarios to bandwidth to drilling rigs has brought forth new wireless LAN, and direct broadcast digital and simulate the effect of minor process changes applications and systems for rig operations. Internet satellite services. These systems allow on system operation and production efficiency Drilling information systems now monitor all drill rigs to be freed from the tether of point-to- to better tune day to day plant operations. facets of the drilling operations both locally and point microwave systems and leased lines, which Remote engineering staff can access views of remotely. These applications produce a real-time increases mobility, provides greater bandwidth, the plant operation and historical data to do informational dashboard that displays operational and reduces the need for human intervention parameters such as bit rotational speed, weight on 22 probability of a robust and highly available link. might be used to share the band. frequencies in different zones than those the Forward Error Correction (FEC) also improves FHSS systems are using. The drawback performance. These systems are capable of Before implementing any radio system, a RF is that you cannot tell what other operators recognizing persistent interferers and avoiding study should be done to identify the existing may be planning. Picking a robust system those channels. radio systems operating in the local geographic now does not guarantee that it will be “future area. Based upon the study, the advantages proof.” Because the ISM band is unlicensed, In spite of the inherent capabilities of the ISM of a DSSS system vs. a FHSS system can any operator can add to the RF noise at any radio systems, RF interference will still occur. be evaluated. If all the existing systems are time in the future. There are some system design techniques frequency-hoppers, a new direct-sequence that are used to minimize the interference. system will cause interference. If you install “Good” RF engineering will help mitigate Also there are some operational practices that a DSSS system, care must be taken to use interference. Designing a frequency plan

long term modeling and planning in order to de- Personal communications has changed to provide local data and images at the point of bottleneck operations and improve plant operating radically in the recent past. Mobile field staff once equipment malfunction or repair activity to assess efficiency. Additionally, if a plant operations dependant on two-way radio and paper and pencil those activities and send images and data to issue surfaces, the remote operational engineering for communication and data gathering has been remote experts or vendor locations for assistance staff can see what the on-site staff sees in real liberated. Instead of returning to the field office and consultation. Emerging mesh networking time to recommend immediate resolution. This to get blueprints, the next work order, submit a devices and sensors based on motes and automation increases the plant production request for material, or turn-in a log sheets they nanotechnology will produce the next generation efficiency, reduces staffing requirements, can now do that from their vehicle. This reduces of innovative oil field applications. and improves health and safety therefore travel time and increases the overall mobility of reducing operating costs. Gigabit fiber optic field maintenance and operations crews. Use of plant backbones running both proprietary and hardened PCs and PDAs in the vehicles allows conventional IP protocols are the core transport for for data entry and retrieval. In harsh or remote these systems. Outlying facilities and production climates GPS can be used for position location areas can be brought into the plant transport via and tracking to improve safety. Wi-Fi, broadband gateways that are connected via fiber, microwave, wireless, and wireless LAN hotspot technologies or satellite IP links. MPLS and other technologies are the key communication enablers for these are used for the wide-area links so that production applications. data can share transport but still be segregated from other services to insure high reliability and Continuing technology advancements are availability. already driving new systems and applications such as wearable computing and visualization devices. These devices can be used in a plant environment 23 Subnet06_86x180WFN 7/13/06 3:03 PM Page 1

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K without overlapping frequencies will minimize References 9th Annual self-interference. Directional antennas (antennas with narrow beam widths) will help [1] E. McCune, “DSSS vs. FHSS reject unwanted signals. The system can be narrowband interference performance configured to avoid interfering frequencies. issues,” RF Design, September 2000, For example, if a DSSS system is operating in pp. 90 -104. World 2006 a particular ISM zone, a FHSS system can be 3 - 6 October 2006, Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, Singapore set up to skip that zone. Featuring Vinod Kumar President VSNL International, Before installing a new system, initiating a local Charles Foreman Singapore users’ forum will go a long way towards being Wilfred Kwan has been involved in CTO Asia Netcom, “a good neighbor” and sharing the ISM band. It telecom systems for Hong Kong Intelligent Infrastructure is in everyone’s interest to share the band and William Marra It’s all about global connectivity! over 30 years, including President not be knocked off the air by other operators. Tyco • The world’s most established global serving abroad as Telecommunications, Even if you can’t identify every ISM operator, USA telecommunications infrastructure Engineer responsible Beng Yeoh conference shortly after you up turn up a new system that CEO for the development REACH, Hong Kong • A conference that considers the interferes with their system, they will come impact of high bandwidth of a strategic telecoms Bandwidth Busters consumption on global telecom looking for you. Moving both operations to Jamie Davis networks plan for Saudi ARAMCO, Manager Managing Director other parts of the band will reduce mutual RF ESPN Star Sports, • High level and strategic; an event that Singapore interference. This may result in increased of Systems Engineering for Fujitsu, provides insights on changing Paul Greenberg business models of carriers and Systems Engineer for NEC America, and COO retransmissions (decreased throughput), but Napster Inc., Japan infrastructure owners Project Engineer for Arabian American you both will still have connectivity. Steve Rogers Exclusive Platinum Sponsor: Silver Sponsors: Head, Production Oil Company. He has supported WFN BBC, UK The ISM band offers a good solution for wide Strategies in the engineering, provision Alfred Tolle Bronze Sponsors: Cocktail sponsor: CEO area, point-to-multipoint connectivity in the and installation of a fiber optic, RF, Lycos Inc, USA oil patch. However, because it is unlicensed, microwave and cellular telecom system the system must be designed to alleviate the in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, as well as Submarine Networks World 2006 FAX (65) 6226 3264 � I am interested in attending the conference. Please contact me. inevitable RF interference. Choosing the the development of microwave-based � I am interested in sponsorship/exhibiting at the event. Please contact me appropriate spread spectrum technology will � Please send me a Submarine Networks World 2006 conference brochure network in Wyoming. He possesses a Name: ______help mitigate the interference. Contact and Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Designation: ______sincere interaction with other operators in the Organisation: ______Engineering, and Masters of Business Address: ______local area will help share the band between all Postcode: ______Country: ______Administration, and is a Member of Organised by: interested parties. Tel: ______Media partner: IEEE. He joined WFN Strategies in Fax: ______E-mail: ______2003 as Project Manager. For more information, please call on +65 6322 2700 or visit www.terrapinn.com/2006/snw_sg

24 Composite 25 As the telecom industry continues to Marine and its joint venture partners, SBSS strengthen, buoyed by a growing demand and NTTWE Marine have been able to tap for new IP-based communication services, into the knock on demand for oil and gas subsea cabling companies should not ignore platform cable installation and maintenance the growing market opportunities which services. This has included work in diverse the oil and gas industry has to offer. Whilst locations such as China, Russia and the cabling maintenance and installation services North Sea. obviously have to be adapted to reflect the different challenges this sector presents, such as connecting power cabling to an oil platform, the development of Global Marine Systems Limited shows that telecom cable installation experience and technology can be successfully applied to the oil and gas Oil & Gas Market industry. Opportunities

By John Golding But what does this type of work involve? Typically, it could be laying a composite cable which provides power and fibre optic control capabilities to an oil or gas platform, as these types of platforms require numerous offshore staff to operate many of the control functions. By installing fibre optic cable connectivity back to the mainland, many of these functions can instead be controlled from on land, saving In recent years, global energy markets have the platform operator considerable time and boomed and oil, gas and electricity prices are expense through having more of their staff continuing to rise. By adopting a pragmatic onshore, rather than on the platform. approach to subsea cable contracts, Global

26 skills and experience for long term benefits, and our work on the Beatrice Windfarm Demonstrator project completed earlier this month, has allowed Global Marine to improve our already enviable track record in this market.

For oil platforms, a cable installer could also John Golding is Company be involved in “mattressing” work - a process which uses an electronic heave compensation Security Officer and Designated control winch in the laying of protective Person Ashore for Safety at concrete covers over parts of the oil pipeline Global Marine, which means he which connects the platform back to the is responsible for the company’s mainland. In all of these cases, much of the fleet of ships, their masters technology and skills required are exactly the and commanders, officers and same as for a telecoms network installation - such as the use of cable ploughs, grapples crew. After working on ships and ROVs. for 20 years he came ashore in 1999 and since joining Global Telecom cable installation will always be a Marine John has implemented a core Global Marine service but, today, it forms number of successful initiatives part of a balanced portfolio of sector work including a fleet security plan, which in addition to oil and gas, also includes regular work in the renewable energy, which resulted in Global Marine defence and scientific exploration markets. having the first British flag vessel Ultimately, our strength should be our ability with an International ship security to diversify and adapt to changing market certificate. conditions. The oil and gas industry is an excellent way to showcase these transferable

27 Since the late 1990s, Internet capacity cable broadband. During 2005 the total requirements have emerged as the number of broadband subscribers in the world principal source of overall bandwidth rose 37 percent, to more than 221 million. demand. As a result, gauging the pace of Not only are the numbers of subscribers Internet traffic growth plays a pivotal role growing, but so is bandwidth available per in understanding demand for submarine subscriber. No longer does broadband just bandwidth. International Internet traffic mean a 768 Kbps DSL line, but speeds of growth took a somewhat surprising turn in 10 Mbps, 20 Mbps, and even 100 Mbps Fueling Subsea 2006, as traffic growth reaccelerated on connections are now possible in for many many routes. Based on data TeleGeography subscribers. Bandwidth collected directly from providers during 2006, aggregate average international Internet Increased local access speeds would have Demand: Demand traffic grew 75 percent annually, a significant no effect on Internet traffic if there were jump over the 50 percent growth rate during no applications encouraging broadband 2005. TeleGeography’s latest research also subscribers to make use of their new Drivers and shows that traffic growth outpaced the rate connectivity. In addition to reporting total of underlying IP capacity deployment in the volumes of traffic on Internet networks, Internet Traffic past year, leading to higher utilization levels carriers surveyed by TeleGeography were on international Internet backbones. Global also asked to report the share of traffic Growth average traffic utilization levels increased various end-user applications accounted for from 28 percent to 33 percent, while peak on their networks. The applications driving utilization rose from 43 percent to 47 percent. traffic on IP networks vary substantially By This is a positive development for submarine among providers. However, it is clear than Alan Mauldin cable operators, since higher utilization is a video content, whether downloaded from harbinger for future bandwidth purchases. the Web, accessed through a file-sharing application, or streamed live has become the Traffic Drivers largest consumer of network capacity. Our data reveal that Web and peer-to-peer (P2P) What is fueling the rapid pace of Internet file sharing are the two dominant types of traffic growth? It is no secret that the total traffic, accounting for more than two-thirds amount of traffic generated by end-users has of total traffic on many networks. The share increased dramatically as consumers have of P2P traffic on Internet backbone networks switched from dial-up modems to higher- has surpassed Web traffic according to many bandwidth technologies such as DSL and providers surveyed by TeleGeography. In fact

28 some carriers indicated P2P traffic accounted Sportsline. The company reported a peak Although the continued growth of broadband for more than 70 percent of their traffic. of 268,000 simultaneous streams on the first subscribers access speeds and the rise of Ranking below Web and P2P, streaming day of coverage. video content will continue to play a large audio and video account for approximately role in the pace of international traffic growth, 3 to 10 percent of total Internet traffic. Online gaming traffic is believed to be a fast- other factors exists which could mitigate or Streaming audio and video are high growing application on long-haul networks. intensify the rate of future traffic increases bandwidth applications that can account for a Based on data collected by TeleGeography, over submarine cables. large share of traffic for short periods of time; gaming traffic is no more than 1 to 8 percent however, this traffic is small when compared of total traffic as of mid-2006. One of As mentioned earlier, P2P traffic has emerged to overall traffic levels. Four providers the most popular online games, World of as a sizable portion of many carriers Internet surveyed by TeleGeography indicated that Warcraft, reported 6.5 million subscribers in traffic. However, several factors could limit streaming media accounted for 10 to 15 early 2006, up from 1.5 million subscribers a the growth of P2P traffic on international percent of total traffic. year earlier. Providers of online games try to bandwidth demand. place their servers such that latency remains Regardless of how the shares of Web, P2P, as low as possible. Thus, while gaming traffic As P2P traffic levels surge, ISPs may employ and streaming media vary by provider, is growing, the majority is more likely to be new applications that cache P2P content the primary reason that these applications domestic than international. locally or encourage file sharing between dominate Internet traffic is video content. users that are in closer proximity. Notable Traffic from web-based video content Voice-over-IP (VoIP) is a rapidly growing companies working in this area include providers such as YouTube and Apple’s application, but according to the providers CacheLogic, Sandvine, and PeerApp. These iTunes store has surged. YouTube reported surveyed by TeleGeography, VoIP traffic was approaches would reduce an ISPs upstream in early 2006 that it had 20 Gbps of outbound no more than 1 to 5 percent of their total bandwidth costs by curtailing the amount of traffic and was growing approximately 20 traffic. Although P2P traffic that leaves an ISP’s network and percent a month. Apple reports that 15 million VoIP accounts for a rather small share of could potentially travel over international IP videos have been downloaded through its total Internet traffic, the level is actually links. iTunes Store as of mid-2006. Although music impressive considering that VoIP is a low- has been the impetus behind much of the file bandwidth application. Even when video is not P2P-based, the trading in the past, video files now account continued development of content delivery for the 61 percent of P2P traffic, according Traffic Outlook networks operated by companies such as to CacheLogic. Streaming video continues Akamai and Limelight Networks will bring to experience rapid growth fueled primarily Predicting the pace of future Internet traffic video content closer to users, leading to by live events. For example, the annual growth is complicated given the myriad improved quality and reducing the demands US college basketball tournament games in factors that influence the volume of traffic placed on long-haul segments of networks. March 2006 were streamed for free by CBS traversing international Internet links. In addition, many companies are working on

29 new video compression technologies that as a household necessity rather than as a could further reduce the file size of video futuristic gimmick, the substitution of video content, in turn curtailing the impact of video calling for audio-only calls could someday content on Internet traffic growth. account for a sizable—if not dominant—share of international traffic. Although technical solutions may allow backbone operators to limit the strain that Rapid international Internet traffic growth video traffic places on submarine cable is vital to the revenue prospects of Internet capacity, not all types of video traffic can be backbone providers given the continued managed in this way. As opposed to P2P decline of prices. But how fast will files and streaming video content, video international Internet traffic continue to calling is one type of traffic that cannot be grow? TeleGeography is examining the topic cached locally. Video calling is a true long- of Internet traffic and bandwidth forecasts distance application that has the potential in our Global Bandwidth Forecast Service. BIO of Alan Mauldin to significantly boost international traffic We have always taken one of the most growth. Video calling is already possible “bearish” stances in the analyst community; Since joining the company in using several instant messaging applications, nevertheless, we think that demand for such as Skype and Microsoft Messenger. In international bandwidth could grow at a 2000, Alan Mauldin has served fact, Microsoft claimed that users of Microsoft compounded annual rate of 27 percent as a principal analyst in many Messenger engaged in 1.1 billion minutes of between 2006 and 2012—good news indeed areas of TeleGeography’s video calling in January 2006. Some VoIP for submarine cable operators. research, including international providers—such as Vonage and 8x8—have Internet infrastructure, submarine launched video calling add-ons as a means cable systems, and bandwidth of differentiating themselves from other demand modeling. Mr. Mauldin VoIP companies. I do my share to boost heads TeleGeography’s Global trans-Atlantic Internet traffic by making daily video calls from my home office in Europe Bandwidth Forecast and to TeleGeography’s Washington, DC office Global Internet Geography via Apple’s iChat. Currently, few consumers research services. Mr. Mauldin have enough upstream capacity to take also contributes to many of advantage of high-definition video calling. TeleGeography’s custom However, as broadband access speeds consulting studies. He holds a increase, the quality of video calling improves, B.A. from Baylor University. and consumers come to regard video calling

30 THE 29TH AnnUAl pAciFic TElEcommUnicATionS conFErEncE & ExHiBiTion

Topics include: • Convergence of communications & entertainment services on IP • Disaster management • Distance learning • Health care • VoIP • Video, youth, and lifestyle marketing • Cyber communities & gaming • Next generation service licensing • Net neutrality & IPTV 14–17 JAnUAry 2007 ® • Satellite HilTon HAWAiiAn VillAgE BEAcH rESorT & SpA • Submarine Cable HonolUlU, HAWAii USA

For more information, visit www.ptc07.org 2454 South Beretania Street, Suite 302 • Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 USA Tel: +1.808.941.3789 • Fax: +1.808.944.4874 Email: [email protected] • Website: www.ptc.org

PTC07 Full Ad 273x180mm SubTel H1 1 8/31/06 9:00:13 AM 32 From the Gulf of Mexico to Washington DC . . . and Back By Gary Gibbs

When Phoenix International, Inc. (Phoenix) a series of current projects, we are designing manufactured in Vancouver, British Columbia was founded in 1997, the company consisted a portable, fly-away saturation diving system by Oceanworks International. Commercially, of nine employees. The majority of them lived for Navy use, and a diver assisted underwater the HardSuits™ gave us a 1,200-foot depth in Louisiana, and had early and extensive inspection system for taking ultrasound capability. The suits were primarily used backgrounds in the Oil & Gas sector working thickness measurements within sea chests of to support subsea tree installation and underwater projects throughout the Gulf of varying diameters. platform inspection programs. The ADS Mexico (GoM). At its inception, Phoenix soon proved to be the diving method of competed for and won a US Navy contract Having parlayed our early oilfield expertise choice for us in water depths below 200-feet, to provide diving services, underwater ship into a healthy government business, Phoenix yet they see considerable use in shallower repair, and related engineering. The founders is extending a path back into the oilfield waters. In addition to completely eliminating were all involved in and committed to support sector; a market diversification effort to the requirement for decompression, the of this contract. help secure a viable future. Preparations HardSuits™ physically protect the diver / pilot for oilfield activities started in late 2002 by from most common traumatic injuries. In the In the last nine years, Phoenix has expanded negotiating service agreements with the subsea environment in which we operate, from this small cadre to over 200 people smaller independents. Shortly thereafter, the HardSuit™ has proven to be a welcome working in six locales. Phoenix continues Phoenix began conducting shallow water, addition to our already stringent safety to hold the Diving Services contract, and conventional diving operations to fill the slack program. has added the Navy’s multi-year Undersea periods in our government and commercial Operations contract under which we maintain work schedules. By the time Hurricanes Ivan, Our return to working in the oilfield has not and operate Navy owned equipment used Katrina, and Rita rampaged through the Gulf, been without some frustration. In 2005 we to conduct search and recovery missions our dynamic, young underwater services were launching our Subsea Projects Group to water depths of 20,000 feet. Phoenix is company was ready and able to assist in Houston, Texas and operating one of the also the maintenance and operations Prime in assessing and repairing the extensive largest dynamically positioned ROV support Contractor for the Navy’s next generation damage caused by these storms. vessels in the GoM, the 450-foot converted submarine rescue system. In response cable ship M/V BOLD ENDEAVOR with to these and other government contracts, We added the HardSuit™ Atmospheric an installed 200 horsepower Remotely Phoenix has built a highly capable, multi- Diving System (ADS) to our diving equipment Operated Vehicle (ROV). After Hurricane disciplinary engineering design staff. Among inventory in 2003. The HardSuit™ is Ivan swept through the eastern portion of the

33 Gulf, the vessel was quickly employed for Our first client kept the vessel and spread repair items requiring launch or recovery to post-hurricane inspections of pipelines and busy for about four months, primarily the deck during repair operations. The 28-ton platforms as well as for performing salvage performing post-hurricane inspection duties crane will be replaced by a 40-ton crane in duties associated with a downed drilling rig. and light repair work. Our next customer then late fall. Unfortunately, our promising start with the kept us busy for nearly sixty days, conducting BOLD ENDEAVOR abruptly ended less than similar inspection and light repair tasks. Most In furthering the scope of our GoM services, a year later when our joint venture partner lost inspections were associated with platforms we are presently negotiating a term charter ownership of the vessel. and other fixed or floating structures as well for a 133-ft., ex-NOAA research vessel owned as pipelines. The work often included non- by Reservoir Geophysical Corporation of Not to be deterred, by August of 2005 we destructive testing using cathodic potential, Sugarland, Texas. The M/V FERREL has a gained first right of refusal for spot charter magnetic particle, and ultrasonic techniques. 6-ton knuckle-boom crane at her stern and a of the M/V KIMBERLY CANDIES while The benefit of our onboard spread was an 1.5-ton box-boom crane forward, so she will she was still in the shipyard in Lockport, ability to call on or supplement a given diving be ideally suited for shallow water platform Louisiana. Owned by Otto Candies, L.L.C. technique at any time in order to satisfy repair as well as being capable of inspection of Des Allemands, Louisiana, the KIMBERLY emerging client requirements. support. The term charter is contingent upon CANDIES is a 238-foot DP II vessel. We the vessel’s receipt of a United States Coast were scheduling a small flying lead project at The M/V KIMBERLY CANDIES spread Guard (USCG) Certificate of Inspection (COI). a client’s subsea well sited in a water depth is proving to be more versatile than we Upon receipt of her COI, we will commence of 1,135 feet. We intended to mobilize our first imagined. The availability of the already scheduled work for platform repairs. HardSuit™ ADS for the project. Hurricane diverse diving modes assembled onboard Phoenix is one of a very limited number of Katrina then arrived and temporarily crippled the vessel, the high quality of embarked qualified providers of high quality, certified the port of Fourchon, Louisiana, but left the Phoenix operations personnel, and the hyperbaric welding services required for such vessel relatively unscathed in the shipyard. In professionalism of Otto Candies’ crew aboard work. realization of the scope of support work that the support vessel quickly gained a reputation would now be required throughout the Gulf for efficiency in the GoM and resulted in more We have also negotiated an arrangement with as a result of Katrina, we supplemented the scheduled work. Otto Candies to move the M/V KIMBERLY HardSuit™ installation by adding a surface CANDIES from spot charter to term charter. supplied diving capability to 300-foot depths, As a number of shorter follow-on projects This agreement has been fully executed and a 25-horsepower ROV with full ocean initiated a trend away from inspection efforts giving Phoenix options on the KIMBERLY depth capability for inspection and light work. toward more involved repair work, we put CANDIES for five years. This winter, a 40-ton As soon as the waterways to Fourchon and a 28-ton crane onboard the KIMBERLY knuckle-boom crane will be installed on her to to the GoM were clear to pass, we were CANDIES. The addition of the crane gave us further enhance her versatility and allow us to underway. an ability to overboard concrete mattresses undertake ever more challenging projects. and spool pieces of reasonable size, as well as an ability to handle other equipment and

34 This fall, Phoenix will take delivery of two database developed by Phoenix for the Navy state-of-the-art, 200 horsepower Ultraheavy- and Coast Guard. Duty (UHDTM) ROVs from Schilling Robotics. Gibby, aka Gary Gibbs, began At their core, these sophisticated vehicles It has been an extremely interesting and sport scuba diving in 1971 at age have a modular subsea control system, challenging period of growth for Phoenix. 16 and entered military service the Digital Telemetry SystemTM (DTSTM), We have come full circle from the oilfields with the United States Army in based on a gigabit Ethernet backbone. The to the Beltway and back; an ebb and flow of 1975 graduating from the United versatile DTSTM system is extremely flexible, talents and services with roots in each market configurable, and expandable allowing now applied to the benefit of both. We are States Naval School of Diving & support of a wide range of tools through “plug now re-entrenched in oilfield service from Salvage in 1976. After serving as and play” interfaces. Our Houston Subsea shallow to deep water. We will continue to an Army Diver through 1978 and Projects Group will utilize these vehicles for utilize and further develop our expertise, receiving an honorable discharge infield development work. providing underwater solutions worldwide to as an E-5, Gibby arrived in the our government and commercial clients, as Gulf of Mexico in early ’79 and All this is happening concurrently with well as to our ever-expanding base of oilfield inspection operations, subsea tree clients. was employed by a major Gulf installations, and large platform repairs of Mexico diving contractor. conducted from other client-supplied Working as a Diver, Atmospheric vessels and drilling rigs as well as with our Bell Pilot and Diving Supervisor, on-going government and non-Oil & Gas assisting with bids while onshore commercial work. All Phoenix customers and also traveling to bid complex ultimately benefit from the skills developed while conducting work in other sectors. projects, Gibby was promoted to The value of our ability to support diverse Commercial Manager, all over global commercial and military markets a period of 23 years. Gibby was demonstrated several times this year took the position of Bids & when we utilized the capabilities aboard Proposals Manger with Phoenix the M/V KIMBERLY CANDIES to conduct two critical recovery missions in the GoM International, Inc. (Phoenix) in for the Navy. Similarly, the commercial 2003 and became their Business market has benefited from government Development Manager for the funded endeavors. The extent, progress, Gulf of Mexico in 2005. and responsibilities associated with present day hurricane clean-up efforts are being monitored and tracked using an extensive

35 ' A global guide to the latest known locations of the world’s cableships*, as ot September 2006. Information Provided by Llyods List.

MOVE ARRIVAL SAILED MOVE ARRIVAL ARRIVAL SAILED SAILED LR NO VESSEL NAME TYPE DATE DATE PORT NAME COUNTRY NAME TYPE DATE DATE EST DATE DATE EST QUALIFIER QUALIFIER QUALIFIER 8710871 I.T. Intrepid 8/24/2006 Halifax Canada 8710871 I.T. Intrepid 8/6/2006 8/6/2006 Halifax Canada 8710871 I.T. Intrepid 7/6/2006 8/6/2006 Halifax Canada 9100748 Wave Sentinel P W 8/7/2006 8/7/2006 Dover Strait United Kingdom 9100748 Wave Sentinel 7/6/2006 Y A 7/23/2006 Y B Portland(GBR) United Kingdom 9100748 Wave Sentinel 7/6/2006 7/6/2006 Milford Haven United Kingdom 9236494 Tycom Reliance 8/15/2006 8/26/2006 Y B Bristol United Kingdom 9236494 Tycom Reliance 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 Falmouth United Kingdom 9019602 Teneo 7/22/2006 7/27/2006 Aberdeen(GBR) United Kingdom 9205720 Skandi Neptune 8/12/2006 Y A 8/21/2006 Y B Shetland Is. United Kingdom 9199854 Team Oman P W 8/7/2006 8/7/2006 Dover Strait United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 8/14/2006 8/17/2006 Cromarty Firth United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 8/5/2006 Y A 8/14/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/18/2006 7/20/2006 Invergordon United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/16/2006 7/17/2006 Peterhead United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/14/2006 Y A 7/16/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/13/2006 7/14/2006 Peterhead United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/11/2006 Y A 7/13/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/10/2006 7/11/2006 Peterhead United Kingdom 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/6/2006 Y A 7/10/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 9207053 Maersk Recorder 7/27/2006 8/2/2006 Tees United Kingdom 9227754 Geomaster P W 7/7/2006 7/7/2006 Dover Strait United Kingdom 9230414 Polar Queen 8/18/2006 8/20/2006 Tyne United Kingdom 9230414 Polar Queen 8/1/2006 8/4/2006 Tees United Kingdom 9247041 Ile de Batz P W 8/5/2006 8/5/2006 Dover Strait United Kingdom

* Over 1000 tons MOVE ARRIVAL SAILED MOVE ARRIVAL ARRIVAL SAILED SAILED LR NO VESSEL NAME TYPE DATE DATE PORT NAME COUNTRY NAME TYPE DATE DATE EST DATE DATE EST QUALIFIER QUALIFIER QUALIFIER 6930520 Elektron 8/27/2006 8/27/2006 Buckie United Kingdom 6930520 Elektron 8/17/2006 Y A 8/27/2006 Y B Loch Carnan United Kingdom 6930520 Elektron 7/8/2006 7/9/2006 Invergordon United Kingdom 8813910 Discovery 8/26/2006 Dundee United Kingdom 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 8/16/2006 8/24/2006 Cromarty Firth United Kingdom 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 8/8/2006 Y A 8/16/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 8/8/2006 8/8/2006 Cromarty Firth United Kingdom 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 8/3/2006 Y A 8/8/2006 Y B continental shelf United Kingdom 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 8/3/2006 8/3/2006 Invergordon United Kingdom 9236494 Tycom Reliance 8/26/2006 8/27/2006 Gibraltar Gibraltar 7382469 Salma 7/10/2006 7/10/2006 Gibraltar Gibraltar 9199854 Team Oman P E 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 Gibraltar Gibraltar 8027781 Peter Faber P W 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 Gibraltar Gibraltar 8302014 Giulio Verne P W 7/22/2006 7/22/2006 Gibraltar Gibraltar 9250529 Pertinacia 7/28/2006 Flushing Netherlands 9100748 Wave Sentinel 7/23/2006 7/23/2006 Everingen Netherlands 9199854 Team Oman 7/10/2006 7/12/2006 Beverwijk Netherlands 9207053 Maersk Recorder 7/19/2006 7/20/2006 Rotterdam Netherlands 9247041 Ile de Batz 7/26/2006 7/26/2006 Everingen Netherlands 6930520 Elektron 7/11/2006 7/12/2006 Schiedam Netherlands 8918629 C.S.Sovereign 7/31/2006 7/31/2006 Everingen Netherlands 9199854 Team Oman P S 8/25/2006 8/25/2006 Port Said Arab Republic of Egypt 9248100 Rene Descartes P N 8/15/2006 8/15/2006 Port Said Arab Republic of Egypt 9248100 Rene Descartes P S 8/3/2006 8/3/2006 Suez Arab Republic of Egypt 8104199 Raymond Croze P N 7/5/2006 7/5/2006 Port Said Arab Republic of Egypt 9247041 Ile de Batz P S 8/20/2006 8/20/2006 Suez Arab Republic of Egypt 9105889 Teliri 7/8/2006 7/12/2006 Nordenham Germany 9242352 Tyco Dependable 8/26/2006 8/26/2006 Port Angeles United States of America 9242352 Tyco Dependable 8/6/2006 8/6/2006 Astoria United States of America 9242352 Tyco Dependable 7/25/2006 8/3/2006 Portland(OR USA) United States of America 9242352 Tyco Dependable 7/20/2006 7/20/2006 Astoria United States of America 9242364 Tyco Dependable 8/22/2006 8/24/2006 Mobile United States of America 9242364 Tyco Dependable 7/12/2006 7/17/2006 Mobile United States of America 8027810 Wave Venture 8/26/2006 8/26/2006 Port Angeles United States of America 8027810 Wave Venture 8/7/2006 8/7/2006 Port Angeles United States of America MOVE ARRIVAL SAILED MOVE ARRIVAL ARRIVAL SAILED SAILED LR NO VESSEL NAME TYPE DATE DATE PORT NAME COUNTRY NAME TYPE DATE DATE EST DATE DATE EST QUALIFIER QUALIFIER QUALIFIER 7616779 Calamity Jane 8/28/2006 8/29/2006 Mobile United States of America 7616779 Calamity Jane 8/1/2006 8/4/2006 Mobile United States of America 9215218 Maersk Reliance 8/20/2006 Mobile United States of America 9215218 Maersk Reliance 7/13/2006 7/16/2006 Mobile United States of America 8900866 Global Sentinel 8/25/2006 Portland(OR USA) United States of America 8302014 Giulio Verne 8/13/2006 Y A 8/29/2006 New York United States of America 8302014 Giulio Verne 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 New York United States of America 9019602 Teneo 7/6/2006 7/6/2006 Port Alucroix American Virgin Islands 8302959 Seamec Princess 7/27/2006 Mumbai India 9248100 Rene Descartes 8/19/2006 8/19/2006 Catania Italy 9248100 Rene Descartes P N 8/19/2006 8/19/2006 Messina Strait Italy 9248100 Rene Descartes 7/29/2006 7/29/2006 Catania Italy 8104199 Raymond Croze 7/8/2006 7/8/2006 Catania Italy 6514974 Certamen P S 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 Messina Strait Italy 6514974 Certamen P N 8/8/2006 8/8/2006 Messina Strait Italy 6514974 Certamen 7/27/2006 8/7/2006 Catania Italy 6514974 Certamen 7/27/2006 7/27/2006 Augusta Italy 6514974 Certamen P S 7/26/2006 7/26/2006 Messina Strait Italy 6514974 Certamen P N 7/12/2006 7/12/2006 Messina Strait Italy 9242352 Tyco Dependable 7/5/2006 7/7/2006 Hitachi Japan 9017824 KDD Pacific Link 8/26/2006 8/30/2006 Moji Japan 9017824 KDD Pacific Link 7/20/2006 8/24/2006 Moji Japan 9017070 KDD Ocean Link 8/23/2006 8/26/2006 Hitachi Japan 9017070 KDD Ocean Link 7/31/2006 8/22/2006 Yokohama Japan 8027808 Wave Mercury 7/12/2006 Y A 8/7/2006 Y B Japan Japan 9165188 Segero 7/20/2006 7/21/2006 Masan Republic of Korea 9017824 KDD Pacific Link 8/25/2006 8/25/2006 Busan Republic of Korea 9199854 Team Oman P E 8/19/2006 8/19/2006 Malta Malta 6930544 Nordkabel P N 7/8/2006 7/8/2006 Skaw Denmark 9207053 Maersk Recorder 8/29/2006 8/30/2006 Esbjerg Denmark 9230414 Polar Queen 8/6/2006 8/15/2006 Kalundborg Denmark 7619458 Bourbon Skagerrak P S 8/24/2006 8/24/2006 Skaw Denmark 6930520 Elektron P N 9/1/2006 9/1/2006 Skaw Denmark 6930520 Elektron 8/31/2006 8/31/2006 Copenhagen Denmark 6930520 Elektron P N 8/30/2006 8/30/2006 Skaw Denmark MOVE ARRIVAL SAILED MOVE ARRIVAL ARRIVAL SAILED SAILED LR NO VESSEL NAME TYPE DATE DATE PORT NAME COUNTRY NAME TYPE DATE DATE EST DATE DATE EST QUALIFIER QUALIFIER QUALIFIER 6930520 Elektron 8/29/2006 8/29/2006 Kalundborg Denmark 6930520 Elektron P S 8/28/2006 8/28/2006 Skaw Denmark 6930520 Elektron 7/30/2006 8/5/2006 Randers Denmark 6930520 Elektron P S 7/30/2006 7/30/2006 Skaw Denmark 9236494 Tycom Reliance 8/11/2006 8/12/2006 Brest Denmark 8027781 Peter Faber 8/31/2006 Fos France 8027781 Peter Faber 8/29/2006 8/31/2006 Y B Fos France 8108676 Leon Thevenin 8/18/2006 Brest France 9227754 Geomaster 7/8/2006 8/3/2006 Brest France 9247053 Ile de Brehat 7/24/2006 Brest France 9247053 Ile de Brehat 7/8/2006 7/24/2006 Y B Brest France 9105889 Teliri 7/14/2006 7/17/2006 Kristiansund Norway 9205720 Skandi Neptune 8/21/2006 Stavanger Norway 9205720 Skandi Neptune 8/12/2006 8/15/2006 Halden Norway 9205720 Skandi Neptune 8/6/2006 Y A 8/12/2006 Y B Moss Norway 9205720 Skandi Neptune 8/4/2006 8/6/2006 Stavanger Norway 9199854 Team Oman 8/1/2006 8/7/2006 Y B Halden Norway 9231535 Normand Cutter 8/4/2006 8/5/2006 Stavanger Norway 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/29/2006 7/30/2006 Stavanger Norway 9231535 Normand Cutter 7/23/2006 7/23/2006 Stavanger Norway 7619458 Bourbon Skagerrak 8/13/2006 8/24/2006 Halden Norway 6930520 Elektron 8/17/2006 8/17/2006 Borg Hbr. Norway 6930520 Elektron 8/17/2006 8/17/2006 Halden Norway 6930520 Elektron 8/11/2006 8/11/2006 Borg Hbr. Norway 6930520 Elektron 8/11/2006 8/11/2006 Oslo Norway 6930520 Elektron 8/6/2006 8/6/2006 Drammen Norway 6930520 Elektron 7/7/2006 7/7/2006 Stavanger Norway 6930520 Elektron 7/5/2006 7/6/2006 Stavanger Norway 9247039 Ile de Sein 7/4/2006 7/4/2006 Port Sultan Qaboos Sultanate of Oman 7814436 Eclipse 7/16/2006 7/17/2006 Sohar Sultanate of Oman 9063287 Cable Retriever 7/27/2006 7/28/2006 Batangas Philippines 9063287 Cable Retriever 7/22/2006 7/22/2006 Batangas Philippines 9063287 Cable Retriever 7/12/2006 7/22/2006 Subic Bay Philippines 9063287 Cable Retriever 7/10/2006 7/11/2006 Batangas Philippines 9019602 Teneo 7/15/2006 7/15/2006 St. Michael’s Portugal MOVE ARRIVAL SAILED MOVE ARRIVAL ARRIVAL SAILED SAILED LR NO VESSEL NAME TYPE DATE DATE PORT NAME COUNTRY NAME TYPE DATE DATE EST DATE DATE EST QUALIFIER QUALIFIER QUALIFIER 7382469 Salma 7/6/2006 7/7/2006 T Aveiro Portugal 6514974 Certamen 8/15/2006 8/15/2006 Kalamata Greece 7824998 Setouchi Surveyor 8/31/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 8302959 Seamec Princess 7/13/2006 7/13/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 9247039 Ile de Sein 7/26/2006 8/5/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 9009310 Badaro 8/31/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 9009310 Badaro 8/29/2006 8/31/2006 Y B Singapore Republic of Singapore 7803566 Sarku Santubong 8/20/2006 8/26/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 8506062 Trinity Supporter 8/5/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 8506062 Trinity Supporter 7/8/2006 8/5/2006 Y B Singapore Republic of Singapore 9063275 Asean Restorer 8/4/2006 Singapore Republic of Singapore 9063275 Asean Restorer 7/6/2006 8/4/2006 Y B Singapore Republic of Singapore 7382469 Salma 8/4/2006 Sagunto Spain 8027781 Peter Faber P E 8/13/2006 8/13/2006 Tarifa Spain 8027781 Peter Faber P E 8/11/2006 8/11/2006 Tarifa Spain 8027781 Peter Faber 8/6/2006 8/9/2006 Cadiz Spain 9227754 Geomaster 8/8/2006 8/13/2006 Vigo Spain 9227754 Geomaster 8/5/2006 8/7/2006 Vigo Spain 9242364 Tyco Decisive 7/17/2006 Y A 8/22/2006 Y B Ciudad del Carmen Mexico 8027781 Peter Faber 8/13/2006 Y A 8/13/2006 Y B Tangier Morocco 7206330 Umm Al Anber A 7/18/2006 7/20/2006 Fujairah Anch. United Arab Emirates 7382469 Salma 7/23/2006 7/24/2006 Iskenderun Turkey 6514974 Certamen P W 8/29/2006 8/29/2006 Istanbul Turkey 6514974 Certamen P E 8/20/2006 8/20/2006 Dardanelles Turkey 9242376 Tyco Durable 8/12/2006 8/26/2006 Keelung Turkey 9242376 Tyco Durable 7/15/2006 8/12/2006 Keelung Turkey 8306591 Lodbrog 8/19/2006 8/21/2006 Keelung Turkey 9017070 KDD Ocean Link 7/26/2006 7/27/2006 Keelung Taiwan 8306591 Lodbrog 8/5/2006 8/17/2006 Shanghai People’s Republic of China 8027808 Wave Mercury 8/7/2006 8/11/2006 Shanghai People’s Republic of China 8027808 Wave Mercury 7/7/2006 7/12/2006 Shanghai People’s Republic of China 6930520 Elektron 8/13/2006 8/14/2006 Klaipeda Republic of Lithuania 7619458 Bourbon Skagerrak 7/4/2006 Y A 8/13/2006 Y B North Sea IndiaWarrior runs event the “Atlantic was still riskin everyone’s “of over building, memory. It thoughis for “over-competition”.these reasons among others that STC (UK) rejected the Alcatel‘s suggestion to come with a Thejoint following bid, to questions offer a “European” are also now solution. coming to mind: What will the South-East Asia carriersOne do? of And the where winning stands factors the Japanese has been the Letter to a friend carriers?Port-Botany cable factory. Such a factory was a Letter to a friend strong requirement from OTC (now Telstra) and fromfrom JeanJean DevosDevos Thethe Japanese Australian carriers, Government. NTT and KDDI are looking Alcatelat building was their the mostown single motivated. direct Such a Japan-USfactory could cable. expand They still its influencehave the possibility in the Pacific to whereupgrade the the three existing other Japan-US. players were historically AAGwell (Asia-America established in Gateway) this region, is whicha Malaysia- represents Telecom initiative. The idea is to organise a It is quite interesting to note that China plans consortiuma large part of SEA of theircarriers market. and build They their saw this My dear friend, to build TPE, a Transpacific loop, when Tata/ ownfactory connexion as a torisk US. for Are their they existing going to facilities!stay VSNL (India) own TGNpac, a 7 Terabits cable anSubOptic independent ‘87 inproject Versailles or are came they at going the right to time. A changing Asia-Pac! of which “only” 640 Mbits is presently lit. It joinIt oneis where of the the other Australian projects? teams We will discovered see. the meansand l’Astrolabe, that the Chinese landed want in 1788 their to own discover cable that French model, a close cooperation between You try to understand what is going on in the My Dear Friend directCaptain to US. Cook was already around bearing the My dear friend, many discussions are probably Asia-Pacific region and you have requested my Alcatel and FT, exactly what they wanted to es- British flag. So Botany Bay is now for me the takingtablish place in betweentheir country. all these players. Only help.“Botany It is Bay” clear that the emergence of India VSNL has now announced the construction symbol of a dream which becomes a reality! “God” knowsMy friend, - and things I am not are even changed sure ofsince, that but and China is now the main driving force of of a Singapore –Guam cable interconnecting - how the final picture will look like! A lot of I published recently a modest novel, whose title Tasman 2 has been yet another chapter our industry. Actually India, much more than TGNpac with their TIC, Tata India-Singapore geo-politicalone thing stays and true:economical When youfactors offer are something, inter- China.is Botany Bay. It is the place in Australia where cable.in this With long their Anglo-French planned India-Europe competition! cable The playing.the reader can see between the lines if you are Alcatel established a (logicallyaward to Portugal) Alcatel came this wouldout as close a big the surprise TGN to or not genuinely motivated and sincere. Then India - through companiessubmarine like Tata/VSNL, cable fac- globalmany, loop. including Reliance-Flag inside Alcatel. have nowEverybody put was Forecastingyour offer is becomes becoming really an almost attractive impossible and this Reliance/Flag, Barthi - is now playing a major tory in 1989 as part of theirnaturally Falcon expecting cable into the service British and to maywin extendthat bat- taskopens in a therapidly route changing to “Botany world. Bay.” But it’s fun! global role when China is acting to respond it tle,to East and Africa.such an expectation was at that time And it is the right approach: infrastructures to its own need. India is deregulatedits contract so therefor the Tasman 2 link. In this very logical. are nowSee planned, you soon. built and financed by the one are a lot of business opportunities. China is MTNL/BSNL the state owned India companies who need it! growing rapidly and so is theirsame internationalbay, where two are alsoThere planning were to jointlyso many build difficulties their and traffic, but under close controlcenturies and abefore very the networkmisunderstanding eastward and westward.between ThisAustralia is and Jean Devos cautious approach. ChinaFrench Netcom has expedition now a France,governmental the main reaction one being to the the private French presence Submarcom Consulting even sold their Asia-Netcom“La network. Pérouse” made of entrepreneursin the Pacific area, the worse being the nuclear Jean Devos two ships, La Boussole bomb experiment in Tahiti! The sad Rainbow

44 UPCOMING CONFERENCES Diary AND EXHIBITIONS

Conference Date Venue www

Oceans MTS/IEEE 2006 18-21 September 2006 Boston, Massachusetts USA www.oceans06mtsieeeboston.org

Submarine Networks World 2006 3 - 6 Oct 2006 Singapore www.terrapinn.com/2006/snw_sg

Dynamic Positioning Conference 2006 17-18 October 2006 Houston, Texas USA www.dynamic-positioning.com

Offshore Communications Conference 2006 7-9 November 2006 Houston, Texas USA www.offshorecoms.com

OES Homeland Security Technology Workshop 2006 5-7 December 2006 Newport, Rhode Island USA www.oceanicengineering.org

ITU Telecom World 2006 4-8 December 2006 Hong Kong, China www.itu.int/world2006/

PTC 2007 14-17 January 2007 Honolulu, Hawaii USA www.ptc07.org

Underwater Intervention 2007 30 January – 1 February New Orleans, Louisiana USA www.underwaterintervention.com

SubOptic 2007 14-17 May 2007 Baltimore, Maryland USA www.suboptic.org

Issue 28 September 2006  Submarine Telecoms Forum Is Published Bi-Monthly by WFN Strategies, L.L.C

Issue 28 September 2006 Submarine Telecoms Forum Is Published Bi-Monthly by WFN Strategies, L.L.C