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Issue #9 - Released 2-14 Issue #10 - Released 5-13 Issue #10 - Released 5-13 Welcome to Issue 78, our Off- hours, then arise and teach an our industry was at its lowest In some ways, it seems so dis- shore Energy edition. under-Grad political science in generations, BP first ap- tant to the old Drillco pipe; in class, then attend a few class- proached me about their Gulf many others, it’s not so far at I got my first taste of oil when es, and then start the cycle fiber aspirations, and there all. I was a second year Grad stu- anew. This worked for some began a series of fascinating dent in Michigan in the early months until one Christmas projects for a variety of clients Happy reading. ‘80s. Eve when I was laid-off due in a number of interesting to the low price of oil, compel- places, which thankfully still On the afternoon shift I ran ling me to finish my thesis on exists today. Fiber to offshore a long-bed lathe, removing the Mexican O&G industry in assets is well beyond the con- and re-cutting male and fe- record time and graduate on- cept stage. male connections for deep- time five months later; hole well pipes and casings, thanks in no small which were then used by lo- part to the Wayne Nielsen is the Founder and Publisher of cal wildcatters as far north as changed cir- Submarine Telecoms Forum, and previously in the Upper Peninsula. They cumstance 1991, founded and published “Soundings”, a would buy second or third and the print magazine developed for then BT Marine. hand piping that had been support In 1998, he founded and published for SAIC originally produced in Texas of a new the magazine, “Real Time”, the industry’s first and which then slowly made wife. electronic magazine. He has written a number its way north to lesser known Hunger of industry papers and articles over the years, fields. After a while it would is an ex- and is the author of two published novels, find its way to small machine cellent Semblance of Balance (2002, 2014) and Snake shops that would repurpose motiva- Dancer’s Song (2004). the threads for use a while tor! +1.703.444.2527 longer. Twenty or [email protected] I would work my 9 hours so years lat- until 1 AM, then sleep a few er and when In This Issue...
Exordium Kurdish ISPs Enable Growth Of Iraqi Internet 4 Wayne Nielsen 74 Doug Madory
Advertiser Index Back Reflection 8 80 Stewart Ash & Bill Burns News Now 10 Advertiser’s Corner Offshore Energy: An Overview 90 Kristian Nielsen 18 Kieran Clark Coda Chesapeake Oil? 96 Kevin G. Summers 30 Stephen Nielsen
Fibre Optic Cables: Why They Are Increasingly Used 40 For Offshore Oil And Gas Rigs In The GCC Rusty O’Connor
London Array Offshore Wind Farm 56 Erlend Andersen & Rannveig Bergerød Aase
How Do Offshore Communications Work? 66 Rigzone Advertiser Index
OFS www.ofsoptics.com 26
Terabit Consulting www.terabitconsulting.com 16
WFN Strategies www.wfnstrategies.com 72 Alcatel-Lucent Drives Doubling Digicel Calls For Public Private Of SAT-3/WASC Undersea Cable Partnerships To Build New News Capacity Submarine Fibre Optic Cable To Now Connect All Pacific Islands Alcatel-Lucent Named Industry Group Leader For Technology Digicel: Approval For Caribbean Hardware & Equipment Sector In Fibre Network The 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices Review Edward Snowden Reveals Tapping Of Major Australia-New Zealand Alcatel-Lucent Starts Construction Undersea Telecommunications Of US-Brazil Subsea Cable For Cable Seaborn Networks FASTER Subsea Partners Tap NEC Anil Ambani pumping $212M to up for New Cable holding in RCom FASTER Subsea Partners Tap NEC Asian Submarine Cable System for New Cable UPDATED Going Live In 2015 As Korea’s KT Hooks Up FCC Approves Antilles Crossing Cable Landing License Brazil’s CPqD Develops Optical Submarine Cable Amplifier FCC Filing: Update to Hibernia Landing License Construction Of SEA-ME-WE 5 To Commence FCC Issues Final Rule On Regulatory Fees Assessment And Didon Cable Linking Italy And Collection For Fiscal Year 2014 Tunisia Enters Service Fujitsu Laboratories Develops IDB Offers $44m For Second WAN Acceleration Technology Undersea Cable News That Can Adapt To Combined Communications Networks Now Kiwis To Keep Waiting On Second Sub-cable Fujitsu, NTT, And NEC Move Forward On Commercialization Of World’s Top-Level, 400Gbps-class LIME Makes Major Network Optical Transmission Technology Upgrade Investment In St. Kitts And Nevis
Furukawa Electric Announces Commercial Production Of New Fiber Optic Links To Boost Micro ITLA For 400 Gb/s Optical International Internet Speeds Coherent Transmission NITEL, Mtel bid: FG shortlists Government Lends WACS Natcom, Nectar Submarine Cable To CAMTEL Omantel To Invest $71m In GTA Joins $250M Cable Plan Submarine Cable Project
Hawaiki Selects Hawaiian Telcom PLDT, Hong Kong’s PCCW Laying For Its Hawai’i Cable Landing Down New Underwater Cable To Station Make Internet Service Resilient
Hexatronic Signs Distribution Repairs To Cable Break Disrupting Agreement With Tawasol In Jordan Vietnam’s Internet To Take Nearly 20 Days
How One Company Is Building An Internet Connection Through The Arctic Thanks To Climate Change SEA-US: Global Consortium To Superfast Broadband On Its Way To Build Cable System Connecting The Roseland As Cables Are Laid News Indonesia, The Philippines, And Under River Fal Now The United States Tampnet To Acquire CNSFTC From Seaborn Networks Adds Microsoft BPEOC To The Seabras-1 Submarine Cable System Between US And Brazil Telecom Namibia: WACS Repairs To Start This Weekend Seaborn Networks Increases Maximum Capacity Of US-Brazil Subsea Cable By 50% TIME Continues Global Expansion With Asia-To-America Submarine Cable Investment Submarine Cable Almanac Issue 11 TOT Pressed For New Revival Plan Submarine cable operator says storms could hit Pacific traffic Vietnam Service Provider Blames Poor Design For Submarine Internet Submarine Cable Repair To Finish Cable Fractures On Sept 12 Vietnam’s Internet Disrupted Again Submarine Cables To Land In By 2nd Cable Cut In 2 Months Coogee
SubOptic 2016 Dates Announced By E-marine As Event Gathers Momentum To Take Place In Dubai
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Kieran Clark elcome to SubTel 2014. There were 4 additional remainder of 2014. There already looking towards 2018 Forum’s annual systems planned for 2015, 3 has been a sharp decline for and beyond, with a further WOffshore Energy systems planned for 2016, and 2015, with only one system 6 systems planned between issue. This month, we’ll take a 6 systems planned for 2017. now planned to be ready for 2018 and 2020. As a note particular look at the growing service, but 2016 and 2017 of historical interest, only 9 worldwide market for After a year’s time, these have seen a frenzy of renewed systems went into service submarine fiber in the offshore numbers are significantly activity. As of this article, there from 1998 until 2012. Over the Oil & Gas market. These cable different. This year, 2 systems are now 7 systems planned last 2 years, we’ve seen half systems link conventional have come into service, for 2016, with an additional the number of systems built fixed platforms, vertically with no plans to implement 11 systems planned for compared to the previous 14 moored tension leg and additional systems for the 2017. Several companies are years. By 2016, projections mini-tension leg platforms, spars, semi-submersibles, floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) and SYSTEMS PER YEAR floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facilities. The data 12 used in this article is obtained from the public domain and is 10 tracked by the ever evolving SubTel Forum database, 8 where products like the Almanac and Cable Map find 6 their roots. 4 Systems Per Year 2 For last year’s Offshore Energy issue, 3 systems were planned 0 to be ready for service here in 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 are that the total number of systems will have more than doubled in the span of 4 years. ANNOUNCED KMS ADDED BY YEAR Route Kilometers Per Year 3500
With the rapid rise of new systems projected over 3000 the next several years, we can expect to view a 2500 rather large increase in the total kilometers of 2000 cable added. We saw an increase of 605km for 2013, 800km for 2014, only 160km for 2015, with 1500 2016 and 2017 promising to bring 2693km and 1000
3170km, respectively. This is a significant overall 500 increase compared to last year’s numbers. As 0 more and more platforms begin to require high 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 capacity fiber connections, expect the amount of cable added to continue to increase at these high rates. Systems Announced Systems Announced By Region 2015-2017 From a regional perspective, AustralAsia will By Region be the busiest region over the next several years. Out of the 17 systems planned for 2015 AustralAsia through 2017, 9 will be located in this region. Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico and West Africa regions will see 2 additional systems over the next 3 years, Black Sea with the remainder of the regions represented Indian Ocean here receiving 1 system each. This coincides Persian Gulf with the direction the international submarine South America cable industry is going as well, spurred on by West Africa the rapid economic development of Southeast As more INVESTMENT BY REGION 2015-2017 and more
ARCTIC platforms NORTH ATLANTIC WEST AFRICA begin to SOUTH AMERICA PERSIAN GULF require high INDIAN OCEAN BLACK SEA capacity GULF OF MEXICO AUSTRALASIA fiber
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 connections, (in Millions USD) expect the Asia and Asia, which will Investment By Region investment at $310,000,000. amount of be supported significantly Most of the other regions by Australian hydrocarbon With more projects comes more that only have 1 or 2 systems cable added extraction. It’s also worth money invested. Over the planned naturally have a noting that for 2018 to 2020, next 3 years, the various new much lower amount of capital to continue there are 3 potential systems systems have an estimated invested. The West African for each of the Gulf of Mexico cost of nearly $1,000,000,000. region, which will see only 2 to increase and AustralAsia regions. As expected from the amount new systems over the next 3 of systems planned, the years, will end up accounting AustralAsia region represents for the largest majority of total at these a large chunk of this proposed system investment at a value high rates. Kieran Clark is an Analyst to Analyst and is currently Forum publications. He has for Submarine Telecoms responsible for the research 4+ years of live production Forum. He joined the and maintenance that experience and has worked company in 2013 as a supports the SubTel Forum alongside some of the Broadcast Technician to International Submarine premier organizations in provide support for live Cable Database; his analysis video web streaming. event video streaming. In is featured in almost the 2014, Kieran was promoted entire array of SubTel
of $383,000,000. This is due to Summary platforms start to require the offshore hydrocarbon basins, the fact that, while the number high capacity and reliability such as the Arctic and US East of proposed systems in the Overall, we can see very that submarine fiber Coast, these trends may well region is low, West Africa will healthy growth over the next provides. As with seemingly be enhanced in the future. see the most length of cable 3 years. With 6 additional everything else in today’s added compared to any other systems already planned for economy, interest seems to be region. 2018 through 2020, expect to centering on the Pacific. With see sustained levels of growth the potential advent of new as more offshore Oil & Gas or emerging heretofore seen
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14th Edition Chesapeake Oil?
Stephen Nielsen o a funny thing happened just this year. SThe U.S. hit the lowest average cost of oil in years. The national average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas has dropped by 10 cents since this time last year to $3.44. The Washington metro area is even lower, at $3.39. “These prices are the lowest we’ve seen since 2010,” said Lon Anderson, managing director of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic in a recent article from the Winchester Star in Winchester, VA. In 2010 the price of gas nationally averaged $2.59. This year’s numbers are relatively low despite geopolitical tensions in Russia, Ukraine and Iraq. its highest annual level of oil states averaged 68.9 Bcf/day, allowing greater access to According to Anderson, this is production since 1972. which is the highest monthly state and private land. largely because of additional average on record. On Aug. 29, oil pumping in the U.S., And it isn’t just oil. product set a one-day record One example of this is a recent offsetting the international of 69.4 Bcf/day. The previous boom in oil production in issues. According to Bentek Energy, record was established on North Dakota, where oil and an energy market analytics natural gas production has “The U.S., right now, has July 30 at 69.3 Bcf/day. company out of Denver, CO, grown so quickly that it has become one of the largest U.S. natural gas production Now, this can be attributed outpaced the infrastructure energy producers,” Anderson rose 0.4 billion cubic feet per to a number of things, but that supports it. said. day from July during August. ultimately this is a product Production in the lower 48 A recent article from The country is approaching of changing regulations Bloomberg Businessweek compare to the possibilities According to the Energy process of writing a new five examines a Norwegian that have recently opened us Collective, a commentator on year plan, for 2017 to 2022. oil company, Statoil, with with the recent decision by the energy issues, “88.6 billion Currently, about 87 percent of plans to widen its natural U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy barrels of oil and 398.4 trillion the outer continental shelf is gas capture program in Management (BOEM), which cubic feet of natural gas are off limits, including all of the North Dakota’s oil fields. may also have a great impact believed to be held in the eastern seaboard. Depending As it stands, the company on potential business for the Outer Continental Shelf, on what new surveys could is forced to flare 30 percent undersea cable industry. according to the Bureau find in the area, BOEM may of the natural gas produced, of Ocean Exploration and decide to begin issuing new which is fairly standard in As of July, BOEM has opened Management.” Although leases in previously off limits the state, but hopes to reduce the outer continental shelf these estimates are 30 years areas. it with further development. from Delaware to Florida old and may change with the Indications show that in time to exploration by energy recent allowances given for “It’s been about 30 years since terrestrial oil and natural gas companies preparing to apply new exploration. surveys were conducted in production will only increase for drilling leases in 2018, this region, and technology in the U.S. when current congressional That being said, there are has vastly improved,” said limits are set to expire. no standing guarantees that Brian Straessle, media contact This, however, doesn’t new leases will be sold for for the American Petroleum “The bureau’s decision offshore building, either for Institute. “You can get a reflects a carefully analyzed oil platforms or wind farms. clearer picture now about U.S. natural gas produc- and balanced approach that Instead, BOEM is in the what resources are there and will allow us to increase our tion rose 0.4 billion cu- understanding of potential bic feet per day from offshore resources while July during August. Pro- protecting the human, marine, duction in the lower 48 and coastal environments,” states averaged 68.9 Bcf/ acting BOEM Director day, which is the highest Walter Cruickshank said in a monthly average on re- statement to the Associated Press. cord. On Aug. 29, prod- uct set a one-day record This change has created the of 69.4 Bcf/day. The pre- potential not only for new vious record was estab- business for the oil industry on the east coast, but for any lished on July 30 at 69.3 companies providing services Bcf/day. to newly built platforms. (Bentek Energy) leasing like in the East Coast, will lead to new platforms “88.6 billion barrels of eastern Gulf of Mexico and “In the Atlantic alone, the for the oil industry, it does oil and 398.4 trillion cu- areas like that.” benefits [of offshore drill- suggest that the attitude in bic feet of natural gas are ing] could equal 280,000 the country has begun to be Despite the BOEM’s, there caught up in the momentum believed to be held in the are questions that have new American jobs and Outer Continental Shelf, $51 billion in revenue for that has led the U.S. to been raised about the long- approach a new era in energy. according to the Bureau term damage that increased the government,” said of Ocean Exploration and exploration could do to the Erik Milito, Upstream Di- Management – though area. The chief method of rector for the American those estimates are 30 exploration that has been Petroleum Institute. given the green light by years old.” BOEM uses sound waves (The Christian Science Monitor) (The Energy Collective) to measure the amount of resources that can be found in the data into high resolution, a given area. The technology three-dimensional images. what geology is available for sends out sonic waves which building wind farms.” reverberate beneath the sea While this method is already Currently, nine companies floor and bounce back to commonly used in the have applied for the right the surface, where they are western Gulf of Mexico, off to survey and, according to measured by hydrophones. Alaska and other offshore oil Straessle, if things go smoothly Computers then translate operations around the world, Stephen Nielsen is staff they may be exploring the it is agreed by the BOEM that journalist for Submarine area as early as late this it is disruptive to marine life. year or early next year. If “It could be years before Telecoms Forum. He For that reason, the BOEM they’re successful in finding is a graduate of the any oil is brought up due has suggested a few measures resources, large, untapped Virginia Commonweath to the lack of infrastruc- to reduce the effects. These areas may be opened. University School of ture, but Southern politi- include detection of marine Mass Communications “What we have encouraged cians and the oil industry mammals ahead of time and and was recognized as a them to do is allow exploration have been pushing for de- avoiding areas during known finalist for the Society of in new areas,” Straessle said. velopment as the White mammal mating cycles. Professional Journalism’s “What we would like to see House prepares the coun- Long term, this could be a Mark of Excellence in the next five year plan is try’s 2017-2022 ocean en- major step for the U.S. in oil Award. for BOEM to maintain areas and natural gas production. where exploration is allowed ergy exploration plan.” While it isn’t definite that and expand areas that allow (Huffington Post) allowing these explorations submarine telecoms INDUSTRY CALENDAR
2015
MORE INFORMATION Fibre Optic Cables Why They Are Increasingly Used For Offshore Oil And Gas Rigs In The GCC
Rusty O’Connor n the offshore oil and gas Wars are won based on who or head office, it is off vital types that you choose will business success depends has the best communication. importance. have a major impact on your on productivity and safety. communication success. I While a rig is not a military If you are working in the If a rig is located on a large operation, to be successful it offshore oil and gas industry, Increasingly, offshore rig oil or gas reserve, that has needs to act like one! and want to improve your operators are utilizing fibre proven capacity, then it is the optic cables rather than speed that you can extract microwave, satellite or the old the oil or gas, refine it if it’s school copper cables. Below oil, and send it downstream you will see the benefits of that determines success and fibre optic cables, as well as profits. This is productivity. some disadvantages, and why they are increasingly Safety is interrelated to becoming an essential part productivity. When a rig is of offshore oil and gas rigs safe and incident free it is success. productive. When incidents occur, work stops and profits Faster communication and diminish. Depending on the over longer distances incident it can have a major impact on a rigs overall Fast communication equals productivity and success. success on an offshore rig. Being able to communicate As such, safety is equally as instantly with workers on important as productivity. the rig, offices back on shore, and emergency personnel if To achieve both productivity required, ensures productivity and to ensure safety you and safety. need effective and efficient communication. In fact The question is: “why are communications is the fibre optic cables faster than backbone of any offshore other options?” The answer to activity or business. It is one this, without boring you with of the most important aspects. Whether it is local productivity, profits and the scientific details, is below! In the military the first thing communication on the rig that overall safety then the Fibre optic cables rely on that troops on the ground set ensures issues are dealt with communication systems pulses of light to send data up is effective communication. swiftly, or communication that you use, and the cable back to onshore activities and information through plastic or glass. Pulses are coaxial cables, which are a lot more efficient than the generally the alternative to electro magnetic signals that fibre optics for gas and oil rigs, copper cables worked by, and the difference in bandwidth is are also a lot more reliable dramatic: than satellite. • Coaxial: 2-4 MHz/km What’s more light travels very quickly. Combine this • Fibre Optics: 400 MHz/ with more bandwidth and km you have fast and effective When compared to satellite, it communication. While is the price of the bandwidth satellite can carry large which makes fibre optics the bandwidths the issue is more preferred option, reliability. If something happens, it is very easy It is important to note for governments to stop however that fibre optics do communication by satellites. have a maximum, and can be exceeded. However, as Fibre optics are also better over can bee seen from above, the longer distances. Offshore oil maximum is much greater and gas rigs are called offshore than standard cables. for a reason. They are often located 60 to 100km from the In short fibre optics are mainland. The faster you can fast. They are good for your communicate the better. communications and good for your business. In addition to speed, less repeaters also equals less Fibre optics work well when maintenance. Cables to rigs security is an issue are placed underwater. The Security and safety are of less you need to do to these paramount importance when cables the better once they are it comes to offshore oil and installed. gas rigs. In the GCC, and the Bandwidth is also important. Middle East more generally, When compared to standard safety is even more important. When it comes to fibre optic cables there is no radiated magnetic field. Rather all of the electromagnetic components are kept within the fibre. This makes it impossible to listen in on a signal. In fact, the only way is to cut into the fibre itself, which is then noticed, and warning alarms are sent. There have only been a handful of cases where military has been able to tap fibre optics successfully without been detected. This ensures that your data is secure and that more importantly you are safe. Its also piece of mind to know that you can send messages out securely should you ever need too. Fibre optic cables are easy to install
When you are working With fibre optics, your data conductors, and also allows Satellite and microwave offshore, installation becomes and the information that you for data on conductors to leak. communication systems can an important issue. You need send is almost 100 percent also be easily hacked and to reduce costs, protect your While it is possible to shied secure. monitored. As soon as you bottom line and provide the wires – and this is often done – rely on a wireless system, as highest level of service for With other types of cables, this only masks the problem and both of these are, security your businesses needs. Fibre you require magnetic fields leaking of signals still can occur. becomes an increasingly optics can help do this. and currents. This generates In most cases this leak is enough important issue. noise in the signal carrying for the wire to be tapped. Specifically, fibre optic cables Fibre optics is also easier to specific business whose sole and help machines dig are easy to install because: maintain job is to help maintain your trenches. Everything is done communication assets. automatically. • Size: The size of fibre If you haven’t heard of a optic cable compared to remote operating vehicle They use ROV vehicles which Fibre optics are cheaper to a traditional copper ca- (ROV) then you are in for a are cost effective, can dive maintain because all of the ble is significantly less – treat. They can help maintain to any depth, and perform key components are inside on average the cross sec- tion is 30 times smaller.
• Weight: The weight of a fibre optic cable is also much less because it is smaller and lighter than metal wires. As the material are smaller and lighter, and take up less space, they are easier to carry, move and install. You can carry more cables, dig trenches, and lay cable relatively quickly. When you are dealing with a heavier cable you need heavy machinery to move and lay cables. While on the surface satellite may seem like a cheaper option, there is still a necessity to have a dish on the rig, which may not be possible, and the cost of paying for bandwidth from a commercial satellite. your fibre optics cables on the a range of maintenance the cables, there are less As an added complication, cheap! functions on your cables. repeaters, and because they bandwidth may not always are a lot smaller. be available. In short, fibre With more and more This is much better than optics are a preferred solution. companies using fibre optics the good old days of divers One of the other maintenance offshore there are now having to do everything benefits is that fibre optics is much less likely to corrode. Companies need to do always the potential for a and unable to communicate Where other cables corrode whatever they can to ensure small spark. In most instances easily with the outside world. in saltwater, fibre optics their communication cables this isn’t an issue, however This had an impact on the because of their glass or are protected. when you are dealing with productivity and happiness plastic materials are much gas and oil, and are located of workers. less likely to. This adds to Again, while satellites or in a confined space, it can less maintenance costs and microwave communication become an issue. While satellite and other also less down time for your may seem to be cheaper to cable types can be good, business. set up, the on-going running If there is potential for any there is still a lot of downtime costs, and the risks of security flammable vapors then fibre and restrictions on personal This is especially important and communication make optic cables are a much more communication. for offshore oil and gas rigs them more expensive and practical solution. The key where cables are paced on more riskier options. difference is that fibre optics This has changed significantly the ocean floor, or in trenches don’t carry current and as with fibre optics. With the underneath the ocean floor. No spark risk – this is such do not produce electrical increase in bandwidth, Either way, they are exposed important for offshore sparks. workers can communicate to salt water. activities easily with family and loved Not only is it safer, it is ones. While on the surface It is also important to note that There is a range of scenarios also important for uptime this may not seem like a seawater in the Middle East, where transmitting signals and security of data and huge issue it has opened up especially the Arabian Gulf, and information electrically communication. Even a small offshore work to more people, is especially salty because can be dangerous. Because explosion can have huge especially people with of the high temperatures. of its electric nature there is impacts on your data and families. This helps to create productivity, not to mention a more diverse and often high health and safety. performing workforce. Even if there is only a small If you install fibre optic cables, risk, it is much better to play you will have a health and it safe. With all the other happy workforce. benefits of fibre optics, it is sound decision. What are the disadvantages of fibre optic cables? Above all – its good for workers As can be seen from above, there is a range of benefits to Back in the old days, working using fibre optic cables. These on a gas or oil rig really benefits are for all businesses, meant that you were isolated but have specific advantages for offshore gas and oil rigs. the protective layer to gain an understand- What’s more, as technology around the fibre optics. ing of how cost effec- changes it will become an Not withstanding these Most manufactures tive they are. even better technology – for benefits there are also produce covering that example new glass and plastic several actual and perceived • Repeating: Transmis- makes it almost im- developments. disadvantages to using sion of fibre optics does possible for fibre optics fibre optic cables. These are require repeating. This If you work in the offshore to break. Choose one detailed below: can be an added cost. gas or oil sector and are of these products and looking to upgrade your • Cost: On the surface your chance of having While there are disadvantages, communications, then the cost of fibre optics a break will be slim. as can be seen most of these fibre optics should be a key is significantly more ex- can be quite easily controlled • More protection: Fibre consideration. pensive other technol- and managed. optic cables require sig- ogies such as satellite, nificant more protec- In summary…should you microwave and cop- tion than other cable choose fibre optics? per. However, when types. However, this is you add in the added more of a manufactur- With a longer cable life, easy bandwidth, and also ing issue and is includ- maintenance and far superior the fact that fibre has ed in the development bandwidth fibre optics is the a long operational life, price. You need to look natural choice for businesses. the cost becomes much at the costs over the When compared to other less of an issue. In fact, whole life of the cables cables, satellite and microwave from a benefit cost ratio it is also a lot more secure. perspective fibre optics come out on top.
• Fibre optics can break: Rusty O’Connor is a freelance industries, specifically focusing Because fibre optics is Australian technical writer. on what new technologies made of glass or plas- While proudly an Aussie he has are available, and how they tic they are suscepti- worked as an expat in the Middle can support current industry. ble to breaking. When East and Asia for a variety of Outside of work he enjoys horse this occurs they can be companies and news agencies. riding, eventing and travel. costly to fix. However, His focuses are mainly on the the protection comes technology and new energy down to the cover and submarine cable ALMANAC
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MORE INFORMATION London Array Offshore Wind Farm
Erlend Andersen & Rannveig Bergerød Aase he London Array, sited in There were several project installation of the cable from the element of 52 fibres. Four of the outer Thames Estuary, challenges. The first challenge shore end, so maintaining the these were manufactured, each Twas the world’s largest being that when the contract was cable delivery schedule became approximately 55km long. The operational offshore wind farm signed, the actual cable route was a critical factor. fibre elements provide commu- when it was inaugurated by still under investigation. The nication and temperature moni- David Cameron, the UK Prime area contained a considerable Nexans Norway’s scope of work toring services. The project was Minister, in July 2013. The wind amount of wrecks and also was the design, manufacture based on field proven products, farm consists of 175 turbines unexploded bombs dropped and supply of the power export but tailor made to the specif- and two offshore substations during WW II. Moreover, fishing cables. The submarine compos- ic demands of the application, that are capable of generating activities in the area allowed ite cables contain one 3-phase such as the seabed conditions up to 630MW, enough energy only for a short time frame for power cable and one optical in which they were to be bur- to power nearly half a million UK homes. The desire to build wind farms was driven by the UK government’s policy to cut carbon emission and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. This article provides an overview of the project based on the experiences of Nexans Norway in supplying the high voltage subsea power export cables.
In 2009, Nexans Norway was awarded the contract for the high voltage subsea power export cables to connect the London Array wind farm to the UK grid. Delivery was scheduled for 2011-2012. The London Array wind farm was being constructed installed approximately 20km off the UK coast, and the entire wind farm field covers a 233 km2 site. ied. The four 150 kV subma- layer of semi-conducting com- rine power cables were manu- pound, an extruded insulation factured at Nexans’ factory in layer of cross-linked polyeth- Halden, while the fibre optic ylene, and extruded layer of elements were manufactured at semi-conducting compound. the Rognan factory. The factory carried out the ex- trusion of all three layers using The 150 kV submarine power a single triplex extrusion head, cable has three copper core con- thus minimising the risk of sur- ductors with a cross-section of face contaminants. The thermal 630 mm2 for the main length and properties of the cable permit a increasing to 800mm² at each ca- continuous maximum conduc- ble end as these are exposed to tor temperature of 90°C and a higher temperatures. The shore maximum short circuit tempera- end features a double cross laid ture of 250°C. This 150kV XLPE armour protection that allowed submarine power cable was the cable to be pulled across the the largest PEX (power export) mud flats and a further 800m up contract that Nexans had been to the land joint pit. The two lay- awarded, and it was especial- ers have opposite lay directions ly challenging in managing the of armouring for torsion balanc- transition in the armouring- and ing. The remainder of the cables conductor cross- section of the has single armouring. onshore end of the cable.
The cable insulation system is Each cable was delivered in a made of cross-linked polyeth- single continuous length from ylene (XLPE), a material with Halden, and the mere weight very good mechanical, thermal of the cable had its logistic chal- and electrical properties. This lenges as well as being close to material was introduced by Nex- the loading limit of the laying ans Norway AS in submarine vessel. The XLPE submarine cables more than 20 years ago power cables were laid in paral- and the design is used on sever- lel from the offshore substations al submarine cable projects. The to the shore. In order to protect insulation system is designed the cables from external damage, with three layers: an extruded they were buried in the seabed, while the rest are used guard the steady flow of power ment into the power cable and for communication on from the offshore wind farms via to ensure that the optical fibres operational monitoring the substations to the shore. were not damaged during man- of the wind farm array. ufacturing of the power cables. The main challenge with the The DTS is used for mea- DTS system on these four 150kV The London Array Wind farm suring the temperature XLPE submarine power cables, project proved to be a success and thus monitoring was the length. This was the first for Nexans Norway AS, and the entire power cable project for Nexans where we de- most importantly it challenged length. In order to use livered DTS on a cable over 50km us to improve our cable technol- the DTS, a set of refer- in length. The fibres were looped ogy and continue innovating. at water depths ranging from ence values are required from the at the offshore end in order to Wind farms are getting larger 0 to 25m. In addition, Nexans seabed where the cable is bur- amplify the signals so that the and further out to sea, making it Norway provided cable accesso- ied. Both an increase and a de- temperature could be monitored ever more challenging to deliv- ries such as repair joints and ter- crease in temperature will have over the whole cable length. It er the cable systems required to minations as well as performed an impact on the functioning of was also a challenge to incorpo- transport the power to the shore. the termination work at the land the power cables. If the DTS di- rate the delicate fibre optic ele- The London Array Wind farm and offshore ends of the cables. agram shows an increase in tem- project is an important stepping perature, it means that the power stone to what lies ahead. The fibre optic element consists transfer has become too high, and of 52 single mode fibres used it can become critical if the power for communication from shore transfer is not reduced, as the in- to the offshore substations. The sulation of the cables deteriorates London Array Wind farm proj- over time if exposed to high tem- ect was the first project where peratures. Moreover, if the tem- Nexans Norway used extruded perature is lower than the set of filling elements designed so that reference values, it can be a sign the fibre element would fit pre- that the submarine power cable is cisely into the voids in one of the exposed. This could be due to a filling elements. This is a method shift in seabed conditions caused of protecting the fibres which are by currents or other incidents. Erlend Andersen, Technical Manager, Submarine Fibre the most fragile piece of the sub- Precise measurements of where Solutions, is Lead Engineer Rannveig Bergerød Aase, marine power cable. Of the 52 the drop in temperature has tak- for the optical fibre elements Sales Manager for fibres, 4 fibres are designated for en place can be provided by the used for the London Array Submarine Fiber Solutions use in the direct distributed tem- DTS system. The main task of the Project. He has Been with at Nexans Norway. She has Nexans Norway AS for been with Nexans for close perature sensing system (DTS), monitoring systems is to safe- over 10 years. to 5 years. Submarine Cables of the World
S. B. Submarine Systems www.sbss.com
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MORE INFORMATION hirty years ago com- munications between How Do Offshore Toffshore facilities and onshore locations was limited Communications Work? to a two-way radio and dai- ly reports. Back then, oilfield workers stationed offshore were virtually cut off from the rest of the world. Addition- ally, the amount of staff re- quired on each rig and facility offshore was great because all the information to make de- cisions was gathered at these remote locations.
Offshore communications have come a long way since then. Now, real-time commu- nications networks not only allow for wi-fi connectivity and personal cell phone use, but also real-time transfer of offshore data to onshore of- fices. Allowing for remote unmanned and totally sub- sea developments, the way the offshore industry works has been transformed by im- proved communications sys- Article courtesy of Rigzone tems. Telecommunications microwave, fiber optics, and slight delay in data transmittal Although limited because ca- Technologies cellular services. and finite bandwidth. bles must be run from point to point, fiber is an optimal There are a number of com- The most widely chosen solu- Using microwave telecommu- communications solution for munications technologies that tion for offshore communica- nications technology, data is clustered facilities or offshore can work together in a sys- tions, satellite communications transported via wavelengths locations that are in high-traf- tem or singly to solve offshore requires a VSAT, or very small that measure less than one me- fic areas, such as the North Sea communications challenges. aperture terminal, at the off- ter in length. Microwave com- or US Gulf of Mexico. Also, Communications solutions are shore site; a broadband satel- munications solutions offer fiber cables are used to trans- chosen because of the distance lite connection in space; and more bandwidth for data, but at mit data between subsea trees, data must travel, the remote- a teleport onshore. Available shorter distances. Many times, manifolds, jumpers, sleds and ness of the installation, and anywhere in the world, sat- microwave telecommunica- controls via umbilicals. the amount of data that must ellite services are used many tions are chosen for locations be transmitted, as well as the times for vessels that may be that are within close proximity Even cellular services can be availability of the technolo- on the move, or extremely re- to each other, such as a cluster accessible at some locations gy. Different communications mote locations. The only draw- of facilities on a field. offshore. Specifically, the US technologies include satellite, backs to satellite services are a Gulf of Mexico has cellular offshore environments, not as many workers are required for rigs and developments located offshore. Advances in telecom- munications technologies have made immediate decisions to be made from shore. Now, offshore developments are trending toward unmanned and completely subsea instal- lations.
Furthermore, improvements in offshore communication tech- nologies have improved work- life balance environments for those workers who are re- quired to work at these remote locations. Now, offshore staff is able to use wi-fi, talk to family and friends on the phone and watch television during their towers installed offshore that Integrated Solutions nation of telecommunications off time. allow cellular communications technologies is integrated into from rigs and platforms near Sometimes, a telecommunica- each offshore situation, which the coast to onshore locations, tions solution for an offshore allows everything from re- allowing offshore workers to development might require al-time transfer of data from communicate through their satellite communications to a subsea wells to office-like envi- own private cell phones. main facility and microwave ronments at offshore facilities. or fiber between wells or facili- ties within the development. In Because real-time transmit- other words, a unique combi- tal of data is available now in .com
Telecoms consulting of submarine cable systems for regional and trans-oceanic applications Kurdish ISPs Enable Growth Of Iraqi Internet
Doug Madory The recent violence in Iraq and increased connectivity from the the government’s actions to block submarine cable landing at Al social media and other Internet Faw, as would be expected in services have put a spotlight a typical environment. Instead on the Iraqi Internet. However, the dominant players in the an overlooked but important Iraqi wholesale market are dynamic in understanding the two Kurdish ISPs that connect current Iraqi Internet is the to the global Internet through central role Kurdish ISPs play in Turkey and Iran: Newroz and connecting the entire country to IQ Networks. the global Internet. Help from the Kurds In the past five years, the Internet of Iraq has gone from about The Iraqi Kurdistan region 50 networks (routed prefixes) contains four main cities: to over 600. And what is most Erbil, Duhok, Zakho and noteworthy this that the growth Sulaymaniyah. Newroz has not occurred as a result of covers the first three, while IQ
Networks provides service in in northern Iraqi cities of Mosul the last. However, it would be and Kirkuk. incorrect to simply classify these providers as city-level retail Five years Iraqi Internet growth ISPs. They also carry significant amounts of traffic for the rest of The graph below illustrates the country. the overall growth of the Iraqi Internet over the last five and From the relative peace and a half years. The total count of stability of Kurdistan, Newroz Iraqi networks (routed prefixes) and IQ Networks sell transit to is depicted in purple and the Iraqi ISPs in the biggest markets networks transited by either — those in the middle and south Newroz (blue), IQ Networks of Iraq. Central Iraq ISPs, such (green) or both (yellow) are as Earthlink, ScopeSky, and overlaid as a stacked plot in FastIraq, attain transit from the the forefront. At last count, 73% Kurdish providers by connecting of Iraq networks are routed notably Earthlink lost its service Doug Madory is a from Newroz and Damamax in Director of Internet this incident. Analysis at Dyn, where he works on global Internet In 2012, Jim Cowie classified Iraq infrastructure analysis as “low risk of disconnection” in projects. He has a special his blog post Could it happen in interest in mapping the your country?. The conclusion logical Internet to the was that due to the diversity physical (submarine of external transit sources and terrestrial cables) (submarine cable, satellite, and and in 2013 identified terrestrial via Turkey, Iran and the activation of several Jordan), it would be difficult to significant cables: the completely disconnect the Iraq ALBA-1 submarine cable from the global Internet. It may serving Cuba, the Europe- be cold comfort for those Iraqis Persia Express Gateway who were (and still are) impacted (EPEG) terrestrial cable by the recent blackouts, but this connecting Europe to back-of-the-envelope analysis the Middle East, and the was proven correct by recent International Terrestrial events. Cable (ITC) connecting India and Bangladesh. In fact, it is the latest attempted Doug holds computer through these two providers. opening ceremony of ITC fiber shutdowns (including the failed engineering degrees from And if you count unique IP service during which he said, attempt last fall during a pricing the University of Virginia addresses, these two Kurdish “fiber optic cables have paved dispute) that prove, perhaps and Dartmouth College. providers transit 86% of all Iraqi the way in revolutionizing the surprising to some, how resilient IP address space. world of communications and the Internet of Iraq is. And that this will now be witnessed in resiliency is primarily due to The remaining networks are Iraq.” Kurdish transit. either routed through Jordan (e.g. Earthlink to Damamax), various The following graph is similar to satellite service providers, the previous one, but limited to smaller direct connections to just 2014 to more clearly illustrate Turkey or submarine cable recent changes. You can see a connectivity at the Al Faw discontinuity in June as militants Article courtesy of cable landing (most notably destroyed an interconnection ITC service to GTT). Below are point in Mosul, impacting recorded remarks by Prime Internet traffic transited by Minister Nouri al-Maliki at the Newroz from central Iraq. Most Back Reflection by Stewart Ash & Bill Burns
Technology Convergence British Government complete Union, international radio they wanted to use this on Part 1 control over both telegraphy telephony by AT&T and in- TAT-1. It was this desire to and telephony whether by ca- ternational telegraphy by the send telegraphy services over The Battle for Combined ble or radio. The one excep- Commercial Cable Company a telephone cable that began Telephony and Telegraphy tion to this monopoly was that (CCC) and Western Union. the battle for “Technology Services Across the Atlantic US international telegraph In 1945, when Western Union Convergence”. In 1950, the At the end of the Second companies were allowed to commenced its merger with FCC had, for the first time, World War, domestic telecom- operate their own collection the Postal Telegraph Compa- allowed telegraphy and tele- munications in the UK were points in the UK. ny, it was obliged to give up phony services to be provid- its international services, al- ed over an international coax- operated by the Government In the USA things were very through the General Post Of- though neither were achieved ial cable, Havana to Key West, different. Telecommunication until 1963 (See Issue 71). (See Issue 46). The services fice (GPO). Overseas tele- services were in the hands of communications were in the were provided by Internation- private companies with na- This was the shape of the al Telephone and Telegraph hands of Cable & Wireless tional and international as transatlantic telecommunica- (C&W), at that time a private (ITT) and AT&T respectively. well as the two technologies tions market at the beginning Now, with this breakthrough company. When Prime Min- of telegraph and telephone of the 1950s, when the plan- ister Winston Churchill (1874- British technology for trans- being separated by Federal ning of the first transatlantic oceanic distances, AT&T ap- 1965) was defeated in the 1945 Communications Commis- telephone cable, TAT-1, be- General Election the UK had peared to be in a position to sion (FCC) regulations. Do- gan. As part of its research threaten ITT’s (the holding a Labour government that mestic telephone was domi- program the GPO developed quickly set about nationaliz- company of CCC) dominant nated by American Telephone technology that would allow position in the international ing C&W. This was achieved and Telegraph (AT&T), do- telegraph signals to be sent on 1st January 1947, giving the telegraphy market. To count- mestic telegraph by Western through voice channels and er this perceived threat ITT set about promoting a new, Massachusetts, USA – New- and 5 voice channels and was the UK had expired and could repeatered transatlantic tele- foundland, Nova Scotia – planned to go into operation now be withdrawn. The GPO graph cable. Greenland – Iceland and Scot- in 1957. The project was es- believed that American com- land, far to the north of the timated to cost some US$25M panies being able to operate The first rumors that CCC planned TAT-1 route. It was of which US$17M would be telegraph cables in the UK planned to lay the world’s to use the new rigid housing spent in the UK, mainly with was an anomaly that should first transatlantic coaxial tele- repeater technology devel- STC. CCC intended to offer be corrected, especially as re- graph cable were heard in oped by Standard Telephones leased lines in the new cable ciprocal rights were not given Washington in 1953, at that & Cables (STC), a UK subsid- for US$200K operating @ 60 to British companies in the time the project was code- iary of ITT. It would be the words per minute (wpm); this USA. It was; therefore, GPO named “Project Eskimo”. By longest coaxial submarine ca- compared to the existing mar- policy that these historical the autumn of 1954, both the ble in the world including 65 ket rate across the Atlantic of rights should be revoked. If FCC and the British Foreign repeaters spaced every 55nm. US$270K and 42wpm. ITT CCC were to ask for and be Office had been approached The cable was to be manufac- had already secured US Pen- granted a 20 year license for for landing rights for this ca- tured at STC’s cable factory, tagon support for the project the new cable then it might ble. The project had evolved then being built in Southamp- and had a contact with the US request that this principle be significantly and was now ton (it opened in 1956). Deep Air Force for the purchase of applied to extensions of the known as “Deep Freeze”. The Freeze would be capable of 11% of the capacity plus as- recently lapsed licenses. This planned cable route was to carrying 120 telegraph circuits sistance in obtaining foreign could potentially open the be 3,500nm long connecting; landing licenses. door for Danish and French cable owners to do the same, However, the project did not which would be unaccept- convince the GPO manage- able. There was absolutely ment, who had no desire for no question that the British another American owned would ever allow AT&T to cable, especially one which operate the UK end of TAT- would provide more tele- 1 for either telegraphy or te- graph circuits than those lephony services. A further currently in operation. Deep concern for the GPO was that Freeze also raised at govern- the surplus capacity on the ca- ment level the emotive ques- ble could put back its embryo tion of US telegraph compa- plans for a Commonwealth nies being allowed to oper- cable (See Issue 76). The Brit- ate in the UK. At the time, ish Government was also con- although CCC and Western cerned that US Government Union operated transatlantic backing for the project was, telegraph cables from both in effect, financial support to ends, their landing licenses in TAT-1 Route a private company venture TAT-1 would delay the proj- telegraph services. A US State that the provision of a desig- that was in direct competition ect and refused to support the official then made it clear that nated telegraph cable rather with UK and Canadian Gov- GPO’s proposal. US Government policy would than telegraph circuits as a ernment owned telecommu- not allow the British to pro- by-product of a telephone ca- nications services. In February 1955, a message vide commercial telegraph ble was not making the best was sent to the US Govern- services in the USA. In light use of the available technolo- The British Government ment stating that Her Majes- of this disclosure the GPO gy. CCC challenged the GPO countered the US State De- ty’s Government would al- considered that further dis- view that government tele- partment’s first request for it low a landing license to Deep cussion with CCC would be graph circuits could be pro- to look favorably on CCC’s Freeze, only on condition that pointless. vided within TAT-1. CCC’s request for a landing license the cable was to be used for position was that, neither the by asking if the GPO could be defense purposes alone. The Then, in October 1955, ru- GPO nor its American part- allowed to operate telegraph Cold War was at its height mors began to circulate that ner (AT&T) could use TAT-1 circuits over TAT-1. The US and NATO use of any cable AT&T was planning a second for telegraph traffic within State Department response was a significant consider- telephone cable to the Conti- the United States. CCC also was that the use of TAT-1 for ation. In May, at a meeting nent of Europe (TAT-2) with drew attention to the fact that telegraph circuits would re- of foreign secretaries in Paris, even wider bandwidth than opposition to the use of TAT- quire prior agreement by US CCC enlisted the help of the TAT-1. The rumors suggest- 1 for telegraph was already Government. AT&T’s reac- US Secretary of State John Fos- ed an unheard of capacity of being expressed by the Amer- tion was that raising the ques- ter Dulles (1888-1959), who 250 telephone channels. If ican telegraph carriers and tion of telegraph circuits on spoke to the British Foreign this cable were to be built must be expected to continue. Secretary, Harold Macmillan with such a capacity then, a From CCC’s perspective the (1894-1986), stressing that the telegraph circuit could reduce GPO’s attitude was inconsis- defense requirements were of in price to around US$500 tent. CCC had originally of- ‘urgent necessity’ and urged and there would be pressure fered to go ahead on its own the British Government to on the US Government to al- with the project and now it have further talks with CCC. low telegraph services over was allowing the GPO to ‘buy Macmillan agreed to give the new cable. These rumors into’ it. It had also offered to things a push! Subsequent- prompted CCC to make an insert repeaters into its exist- ly the US State Department’s amended offer to the British ing cables so that they could official response stressed the Government, this time pre- meet any demands should need for improved transat- senting a proposal based on Deep Freeze fail. In CCC’s lantic communications but it Deep Freeze as a joint own- view the GPO could not lose. did not identify Deep Freeze ership project. However, the specifically. This enabled the GPO was still wary of CCC’s The GPO wanted to achieve a British to counter that TAT-1 estimates of military usage half share in a modern trans- could achieve this but for the and of future demand for atlantic communications sys- FCC restrictions on its use for leased circuits. It considered tem and wanted to cheapen Harold Macmillan with a consortium of Ameri- ish delegation was surprised portance of the project from can companies. By this time at the presence of represen- the defense point of view was three diplomatic notes had tatives of the US companies. now probably insufficient to been exchanged between the The Americans were obliged outweigh its commercial dis- British and US Governments to consult among themselves advantage that would arise concerning Deep Freeze. The before their spokesmen could from disrupting the compet- GPO asked the British Embas- give any considered state- itive balance among the US sy to make unofficial inquires ment. This led to there being overseas telegraph carriers. to establish the US Govern- a number of adjournments in ment’s reaction to the project. which the comments the Brit- The principles on which the The Embassy reported that ish had made were consid- British delegation approached the other three US telegraph ered in detail by all the gov- these meetings were that the cable companies were very ernment agencies and com- UK should have a half share concerned by any move that pany representatives. The in cable ownership, operating John Foster Dulles AT&T might make to expand FCC Commissioner, Edward the services at the UK end, and that services should be telegraphic communications its telegraph carriage. They M Webster, met informally provided by the use of mod- to the full extent possible by had filed objections with the with the British and gave a ern cables of large capacity in technical progress. Whereas FCC against AT&T offer- barely credible explanation which telephony and teleg- ITT’s two major interests were ing telegraph facilities over for the presence of the tele- raphy should be integrated. to acquire a commanding po- its radio link to the Canadi- communications companies. Their main objectives from sition in transatlantic com- an border for TAT-1 and in He indicated that the FCC the discussion were to get munications and to perpetu- its projected cable to Hawaii had been unprepared for the agreement that any new cable ate the high cost of telegraph (HAW-1, 1957). Since all three talks and so had to have rep- should be available for both techniques for the benefit of telegraph companies were resentatives from all agen- telephony and telegraphy, its existing investments. The operating profitably there cies, private companies and that TAT-1 should be open GPO believed that In pursuit was little incentive for amal- even the Senate Committee for Telex traffic and public of its first aim, CCC had of- gamation, which anti-trust present. The Commissioner telegraphy and that any new fered to share part of the cable laws might have prevented also explained that the FCC cable capacity should be laid with it in order to guarantee anyway. was embarrassed by the US as a joint venture by the GPO even greater benefits (security Government support of Deep In May 1956, informal discus- and a consortium of Amer- of tenure and a larger share of Freeze, since it would ad- sions took place in Washing- ican companies. The British the market). The GPO consid- versely affect the competitive ton DC to try and bring the also wanted clarification as to ered that this left it with three situation that currently exist- parties closer together. Pri- whether greater participation options; i) turn CCC down, ii) ed between the US telegraph or to the meeting, an agree- in transatlantic telegraphy go ahead with Deep Freeze companies. He stated that a ment had been reached that by the UK would involve the and give Western Union no- defense review had altered it should be government to purchase of a share of existing tice to quit, iii) try to negotiate its relevance so that the im- government only. So the Brit- facilities (which they were to reject). They were to avoid dio and cable should be given Bill Burns is an English any commitment on the pe- adequate opportunity to de- electronics engineer who riod and terms of the landing velop fully – in other words worked for the BBC in London before moving licenses needed to regularize to retain the status quo. The to New York in 1971. the position, in the UK, of FCC also wanted the carriers There he spent a number Western Union and CCC and, to be relieved of their existing of years in the high-end finally, to reject the proposal legal obligations in the UK audio industry, writing for Deep Freeze. However, it and, in return for greater UK equipment reviews and magazine articles on soon became clear to the UK participation in existing cable technical subjects. His delegation that there was no facilities, for the employees of research for these led to hope of achieving their objec- the US cable companies in the an interest in the history tives, particularly since AT&T UK to be adequately provided of communications, and in 1994 a chance find of a made it plain that it opposed for; in addition that provision Stewart Ash’s career in using TAT-1 for both telepho- should be made for the spe- section of the 1857 Atlantic cable inspired him to set the Submarine Cables ny and telegraphy. cial problems which would up the Atlantic Cable industry spans more confront Western Union in website. The site now has than 40 years, he has For its part, the FCC put for- connection with its obligation over a thousand pages on held senior management ward a proposal of principles all aspects of undersea positions with STC to divest itself of its interna- Submarine Cables (now on which further discussions tional telegraph operations. communications from 1850 until the present, and Bill’s Alcatel-Lucent Submarine between the UK Government Finally, the FCC would also Networks), Cable & and the US companies should research into cable history require a review by both Gov- has taken him to all of Wireless Marine and Global be based. They suggested that ernments before any agree- the surviving telegraph Marine Systems Limited. each party should bear a share ment with a US carrier could cable stations around the While with GMSL he was, for 5 years, Chairman of the total costs of installing be finalized. world, and to archives new facilities proportionate to and museums in North of the UJ Consortium. America and Europe. Since 2005 he has been the interest acquired by each With the two sides adopting a consultant, working party in such new facilities, such polarized positions it ap- independently and an in that the UK should be willing peared that discussions had association with leading “to make adequate provision for reached an impasse and that industry consultants just, equitable and non-discrimi- constructive progress would Pioneer Consulting, Red Penguin Associates, natory treatment of all American be impossible. For what hap- Walker Newman and carriers handling traffic between pened next you will have to WFN Strategies, providing the United States and the Unit- wait until the next issue! commercial and technical ed Kingdom with regard to both support to clients in the the share of the traffic to be al- Telecoms and Oil & Gas located to such carriers and the sectors. division of the tolls for handling such traffic” and that both ra- Coming in October, November, and December... Submarine Cable Almanac al system on its own page, along Issue #12 – 4th Quarter Edition with a system map, landing The end of the year is coming and here comes the sprint to finish! Overview: Quarterly publica- points, system capacity, length, Over the next three months, we will be releasing four of our most tion, detailed listing of interna- RFS year and other valuable anticipated products, including the Submarine Cable Almanac, tional cable systems data. 2015 Submarine Cables of the World Map, 2015 Industry Average Downloads: 480,000+ Calendar, and the ever popular SubTel Forum Magazine. Ad Spaces: The following products are in order of release: In this Issue: This digital doc- Two-Page Spread - ument serves as complement to 11” wide x 8.5” tall our Submarine Cable Map and Price: $5,000 SubTel Forum Magazine Ad Spaces: features each major internation- Issue #79 – System Upgrades Two-Page Spread - Overview: Bi-monthly publica- 11” wide x 8.5” tall tion, news and opinion based Price: $5,000 articles, roughly 100 pages an Single Page - issue. 5.5” wide x 8.5” tall Average Downloads: 78,000 Price: $3,500
In this Issue: This issue ad- Lower-Third - dresses everything from niche 11”wide x 3” tall domestic systems, to large Price: $2,500 multi-region systems and serves as specific update for the current state of affairs in the world of system upgrades. Articles will include an overview of region- al markets, regional outlooks, new technologies being utilized and an in depth analysis of the questionable momentum in the upgrade business. Cables of the World Wall Map Ad Spaces: 2015 Edition Available in Vertical and Hor- Overview: Annual publica- izontal tion, large format printed wall Price:Single $3,000 map Double $ 6,000 Average distribution: 4,500 As you’re looking ahead to In this Edition: The Subma- your marketing budgets and rine Cables of the World map monthly targets, I hope that will feature all current, planned this publication will prove use- and upgraded international ful for you. If you have any submarine fiber systems in the questions, or would like to be Industry Calendar world. The map itself is ringed featured in any of the SubTel Kristian Nielsen literally 2015 Edition by sponsors hailing from all Forum publications, please do grew up in the business Overview: Annual publication, corners of the submarine tele- not hesitate to get in touch. since his first ‘romp’ on a BTM cableship in large format printed calendar coms industry. The Map is a Average distribution: 3,000 Southampton at age 5. He regular feature in PTC handout has been with Submarine bag and is also mailed to a list Telecoms Forum for a In this Edition: Our annual of industry leaders. little over 6 years; he is Submarine Telecoms Industry the originator of many Calendar ships every Decem- products, such as the ber to our worldwide subscrib- Submarine Cable Map, er list. This beautiful, full-color STF Today Live Video calendar is customized with Stream, and the STF industry conferences notated Cable Database. In 2013, for easy reference, and is one Kristian was appointed Vice President and is of our most popular products. now responsible for the vision, sales, and over- Adverts should be provided in all direction and sales of Press Quality PDF format and SubTel Forum. should include crop marks.
+1 703.444.0845 Ad Spaces: Size: 11.5” W x 11.5” H [email protected] Price: $7,500 Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. 21495 Ridgetop Circle, Suite 201 Sterling, Virginia 20166, USA Conferences ISSN No. 1948-3031 State of Subsea PUBLISHER: Wayne Nielsen 2 October 2014 MANAGING EDITOR: Kevin G. Bangkok, Thailand Summers Website CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: January: Rannveig Bergerød Aase, Erlend Submarine Networks Andersen, Stewart Ash, Bill Burns, Global World Kieran Clark, Doug Madory, Stephen Nielsen, Rusty O’Connor Outlook 13-15 October 2014 Singapore Contributions are welcomed. Website Please forward to the Managing March: Editor at [email protected]. Finance & PTC 2015 Submarine Telecoms Forum Legal 18-21 January 2015 magazine is published bimonthly Honolulu, Hawaii USA by Submarine Telecoms Forum, Website Inc., and is an independent commercial publication, serving May: as a freely accessible forum Subsea for professionals in industries connected with submarine optical Capacity fiber technologies and techniques. Submarine Telecoms Forum may not be reproduced or transmitted July: in any form, in whole or in part, without the permission of the Regional publishers. Systems Liability: while every care is taken in preparation of this publication, the publishers cannot be held September: responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or Offshore any errors which may occur in advertising or editorial content, Energy or any consequence arising from any errors or omissions, and the editor reserves the right to edit any November: advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. System
Copyright © 2014 Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. Upgrades ouglas Adams, author of A few years back, I was working about the situation in front of me, difficult to do the work sometimes. the Hitchhiker’s Guide to on a short story for a Star Trek an- I just did the work. That’s how But you did it, and I thank you for Dthe Galaxy, famous said “I thology. The story was approved work gets done. that. Your efforts allowed the mag- love deadlines. I like the whoosh- by the editors at Pocket Books, azine to come out on time, and all ing sound they make as they fly and they told me to start writing. I want to say thank you to all of of our readers to enjoy your work. by.” The novelist George R. R. When I was done, Paramount, the contributors who have written And that’s what really matters. Martin said “I’ve never been good who owns the property, rejected for SubTel Forum over the years. I with deadlines,” and his fans are my outline and I had to complete- especially want to thank the ones seriously wondering if he is going ly redo the story. Unfortunately, that honored the deadlines that I to die before he ever finishes his we were up against the deadline gave them. I’ve been on your side Song of Ice and Fire series. On the and I was sick. But a deadline is of the desk, and I know that it’s other hand, Steve Jobs’ motto lead- a deadline, so I stayed up ing up to the release of the original all night drinking Macintosh was “Real artists ship.” hot tea and fin - Kevin G. Summers is the Editor of ished the damn Submarine Telecoms Forum and has been An entity like SubTel Forum lives story. And and dies on deadlines. Seriously, you know supporting the submarine fibre optic cable if you took a look at my calendar, what? The industry in various roles since 2007. Outside you would see that I schedule ev- second of the office, he is an author of fiction ery minute of my day. Actually, I version of whose works include ISOLATION WARD schedule in 15-minute blocks, but the story 4, LEGENDARIUM and THE MAN WHO you get the idea. I even schedule was sig- SHOT JOHN WILKES BOOTH. time for problems, because prob- nificantly lems happen pretty much every better than +1.703.468.0554 day on a farm. That’s just the way the first. it goes. It wouldn’t [email protected] have done me any good to cry Voice of the Industry