Oil & Gas Safety Awards
Photosynergy Ltd (PSL) received some fantastic news earlier this week as it was shortlisted for the Award for Innovation in Safety in the annual Offshore Safety Awards, organised by Oil and Gas UK. What makes our success even more exciting is the fact that the other finalists in our category are international oil giants Baker Hughes and Total E&P UK Ltd.
Our LIGHTPATH™ technology is essentially a side-emitting flexible fibre that projects a continuous line of light that carries no electrical power, making it very safe to use. It combines second-generation, high-performance light emitting diodes (LED) with a life expectancy of 50,000 hours/five years’ continuous operation.
It is incredibly simple, yet highly effective, and can be used for a wide range of applications, from guide path illumination through to the extremes of challenging, hazardous and submerged environments.
In recent years, we at PSL have been targeting primarily the subsea sector, using the LIGHTPATH™ technology to illuminate saturation diver umbilicals, enhancing safety and productivity for all parties, including the individual diver, colleagues in the water, the bell-man and giving confidence to the ROV pilot as to the location of diver umbilicals. This awareness for ROV pilots of the route of the umbilical minimises the risk of collision and can significantly reduce the incidence of umbilical snagging.
LIGHTPATH really is one of a kind and it has the potential to make a significant global impact. It has been shown to significantly contribute to the safety of divers and those operating around them in the challenging subsea environment, as shown in the feedback, endorsements and support received to-date from operators and service companies, a number of whom have supported PSL’s concept in development, operating from both Saturation and Wet Bell systems. Some have also expressed the view that it will become de-facto standard.
The support we have received from industry, both locally and internationally, has been invaluable to us. At the start of this year, LIGHTPATH™ was included for the first time in Shell’s Diving Operations and Management Guidance document, which aims to ensure compliance with latest legislation and industry best practice.
Shell’s recognition of our product followed a series of successful trials of LIGHTPATH™ over the last three years in the North Sea, with the support of major operators including Bibby Offshore, Boskalis Subsea, Helix Well Ops, and The Underwater Centre in Fort William. Without their feedback – and that of the companies with which we work in the Australias, Thailand and South Africa - we would not have been able to refine and improve the design of our suite of products.
We are all excited to have been shortlisted for the award, and we will keep you updated on our progress at the Awards Ceremony, which takes place at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Wednesday, 17 August.
In the meantime, we remain committed to developing and producing innovative, cost effective technology in line with industry requirements to improve safety across the sector.
Don Walker, Director
Winner of the Subsea UK Innovation for Safety Award 2014
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