News and Notices
349
OI 80---ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FOR OFFSHORE INDUSTRY "ADVANCEDtechnology" is a dominant theme for the next in the world series of Oceanology International (OI) offshore exhibitions which takes place at Brighton, England (March 3-7, 1980). Many of the exhibiting firms report that new developments in equipment, hardware, instruments and services will be featured--ranging from advanced platform design and subsea completion systems to the use of micro-electronics and computer based on-line data systems. The Ol offshore exhibition--fifth in this series--will embrace oil, gas and mineral engineering, marine engineering, deep diving systems, submersibles and services, communications and navigational aids, and offshore supply, support and rescue craft. The event will be staged at the Metropole Exhibition Halls and new Conference Centre in Brighton. Water-borne displays, including visits by operational ships from the offshore industry, will also be held in nearby harbours.
World Conference The exhibition and various outdoor displays are being organized concurrently with the 5-day OI World Conference at Brighton, with speakers from over 20 countries. As in previous years, the entire OI complex is supported by the British Government. It has an International Advisory Council from 12 nations. OI's chosen theme of "advanced technology" reflects important North Sea developments applicable to offshore industries world-wide. A significant aspect has been improved technology in communications and navigation techniques. Examples seen at OI 78 included position fixing systems operating from satellite fixes that permit all-weather, round the clock operation, and acoustic navigation systems that will lay a manned or unmanned submersible alongside a well-head with 1 m accuracy. Tailor-made audience While communications and navigation are, of course, one of the key features of OI, there is no facet of offshore work that is not represented. Applied oceanographics interests, for example, will find the OI audience tailor-made for a business where nearly every leading British manufacturer exports over 70% of production. Fundamental changes in diving, particularly with regard to gas mixtures and a wider physiological understanding, will he marketed in the 1980s to ensure that the service companies are equipped to cope with the demands of that decade. OI presents a complete range of equipment used in deep-diving operations--from saturation life support systems to hyperbaric welding equipment. The oil and gas industries, particularly, are well served for exploration, field development, production and structural maintenance. The range of services extends to offshore surveying and sampling, mining and prospactin~ underwater pipeline and cable routing, the design, engineering and operation of dredging systems, as well as oceanography and hydrography. Also on show wig be the latest developments in pollution control, anti-corrosion techniques, and firefighting and fire prevention. Commercial fishing technology will be represented by satellite navigation, sonars, and a range of equipment for fish detection. "A world first" OI has an unmatched international reputation and occupies a special place in the history of offshore development. It was a British "world first" in 1969 when there was virtually no offshore industry at all. Offshore oil and gas technology has since provided the impetus for the growth in status of the exhibition and its accompanying international confexem~. The OI seriesmnow held bienniallyRhas stood for international collaboration in offshore development. Its world-wide influence was marked in 1978 by a record attendance of over 25,000 key people from 144 countries. The conferences, sponsored by 13 leading U.K. institutions, attracted 1348 delegates from the oil, gas, minerals and marine industries. Papers were presented by 147 speakers. Further details about OI 80 and the OI World Conference can be obtained from the organizers, BPS Exhibitions Ltd., 4 Seaford Court, 220-222 Great Portland Street, London Wl N 5HH, England (Telephone: 01-388 2117; Telex 21237; Cables Beepex London Wl). WIRELESS MINIPHONE FOR DIVING BELLS A NEW Helle Wireless MiniPhone (Fig. 1), specifically designed to fit the confines of a diving bell, has been developed by Helle Engineering. The MiniPhone's small size, 6 in. (152.4 mm) by 6 in. (152.4 ram) by 4/r in. 006 ram), makes it particularly suitable for use in bells, submersibles, chambers or wherever communications are needed and a minimum amount of space is available. The compact unit weighs only 6 Ib (2.7 kg) and is built to function in a helium atmosphere to a depth of 1200 ft (366 m).