South West RDA invests £134K in deep sea engineering

07 December 2009

A new product to help recover oil and gas from water depths too deep for divers has received a boost from the South West RDA.

Developed by Viper Subsea Ltd, a specialist engineering design company based in Portishead, the product is used on the seabed to enable high pressure hydraulic and chemical hoses to be connected and disconnected with the aid of a remotely operated vehicle.

A team of four engineers has been working on the 'VIPERconnect' prototype for the past year and the RDA's grant of £134,000 means it can now be taken forward to make it ready for commercial application.

The Grant for Research and Development investment will ensure that the product is successfully taken through the prototype build and rigorous testing programme necessary before it is ready for the market place.

Neil Douglas, managing director of Viper Subsea, said: "The challenges of putting something on the sea bed in such vast waters depths can be likened to putting equipment in space - it costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to put it there and can cost even more to recover it if anything goes wrong. Product reliability is therefore a key design requirement, which needs to be proven through tests in a simulated subsea environment, so this investment is invaluable."

Ranber Maan, business innovation adviser at the South West RDA added: "Viper Subsea has developed a product with key technology and technical features that will provide a unique connection system on the seabed in deepwater. The VIPERconnect, which has been designed to operate for 25 years in water depths up to 4,000 metres, is a great example of engineering innovation and we are delighted to have awarded a development grant to a product that is destined to have far-reaching impact in future oil and gas production."

Viper Subsea aims to complete the project by the middle of 2010.

The company was established in 2007 and has its head office in Portishead, with a second office in Aberdeen. As well as providing engineering services and products into the oil and gas industry, the company is active in the offshore renewable energy sector.

The Grant for Research and Development, delivered regionally by the South West RDA, is part of a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Solutions for Business initiative. The scheme provides funding to help small and medium-sized businesses research and develop technologically innovative products and processes.

For more information on the Grant for Research and Development, go to www.southwestrda.org.uk/grd

Notes to editors

1. The South West RDA leads the development of a sustainable economy, investing to unlock the region's business potential. It is helping companies respond to the economic crisis and charts a course for recovery. The RDA is developing or expanding initiatives which include: establishing a Business Loan Fund; coordinating the response to large companies in difficulty; preparing for economic recovery. More information can be found at http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/ or contact our Press Office on 01392 229389.