The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Subsea operations supported by remotely-operated vehicles
Offshore renewables work is powering growth at a Fifebased remotely operated vehicle service provider.
Utility ROV Services designs, builds and operates its own bespoke UTROV systems and tooling to support subsea operations.
Patrick Crawford is founder and managing director of the business, set up at the end of 2013.
The Glenrothes firm started out with just four staff but by early 2018 the total had grown to 26 and now stands at 40.
Patrick said: “Overall, the past three years at Utility ROV Services have been very positive.
“We’ve bolstered our track record, adding some 30 projects to our tally. In that time, we have experienced sustained growth, all while expanding our offering with the development of new tooling and technologies.
“During those three years, we have further strengthened our position within the market, where the true value of our multitool approach has been realised as a result.”
Patrick said the team at Utility ROV knows that if it keeps working hard and delivering projects safely, on time and within budget, then growth will continue.
He added: “We completed 13 projects in 2020, most of which were in the renewables sector. Last year was our busiest when we had over twice the number of utilisation days as the previous year.”
Offshore renewables currently account for 90% of his firm’s business, while decommissioning makes up the remaining 10%.
Patrick added: “Offshore renewables has been the biggest growth sector for us to date. This is directly related to the huge investment into offshore wind farms in recent years.
“Decommissioning has been a slower burner than expected, but the sustained lower oil price and the green energy transition have greatly stimulated activity.
“From the inception of the company, we knew that we offered the most value to the decommissioning sector with our multi-tool system. It has been fantastic to have such good early engagement from the operators and tier one contractors that we work for. We already have a few decommissioning projects penned in for this year and expect more to firm up as the year goes on.”
Patrick expects decommissioning activity to account for 60% of Utility ROV’s business by 2024.
Most of the firm’s work is carried out in the North Sea but in recent years this has expanded to areas such as the Baltic Sea.
Patrick said: “Our work to date has been dictated purely by the location of offshore wind farm installations in northern Europe. However, we are starting to see increased activity in Taiwan and on the US East Coast. This will be a very exciting time for the company on the basis that where they go, we go.”
He said that continuous improvement is part of the core ethos at Utility ROV.
“We are constantly modifying and upgrading our UTROV systems and assets, based on feedback we receive from our offshore team and clients upon the completion of a project.
“Ultimately, our key focus is to provide our clients with a system that maximises productivity and functionality, all while minimising operational downtime.
“Besides, we’re pretty bad at sitting on our hands – there’s always work to be done and improvements to be made.”
In the past three years, Utility ROV has expanded its tooling range from four to 11 tools, catering for operations such as rock bag and mattress installation, dredging and pipe tracking surveys.
More recently, the firm has developed a utility tracked vehicle, allowing it to conduct operations in shallow and high-current waters or inaccessible areas where overhead access is restricted.
URS has also patented a guillotine shear, which will be used specifically to cut large diameter pipes and bundles.
It is expected this will reduce the cost of decommissioning bundles and large diameter pipes by up to 40%.
The managing director wished to mention the fantastic support from Scottish Enterprise.
He said: “As a growing business, every penny is a prisoner and the support from SE has allowed us to do things that we would not have been able to otherwise.
“For those of you who are
already on or embarking on a similar journey, I highly recommend that you utilise this service.”
Patrick said the firm is focused on personal development and investing in its team, which enables it to promote from within.
He added: “As part of our growth strategy, we have brought multiple graduate engineers on board.
“They are a fantastic asset to the company, filling it with enthusiasm and challenging the norm on a regular basis.
“The strength and depth of the team we have created ensures that we deliver to the highest possible standard, exceeding our clients’ expectations, resulting in repeat business.”
Looking to the future, Utility ROV is currently working through plans to double the size of its office space in Glenrothes.
The managing director added: “We’d like to get construction under way sooner rather than later.
“That way, we are ready to go when the opportunity arises for us to bring in more staff.
“Who knows, if we continue on the same trajectory, that may be in the not too distant future.”