Aberdeen Local Featured Topics
In addition to the standard range of Technical Topics covered at all OCEANS’ conferences, we wish to feature and highlight the following range of topics which are of special interest to the local Aberdeen scientific and engineering community. Local experts are looking forward to engaging with their world class peers on any aspect of the focussed topics below. We wish to encourage delegates to submit their recent work to any of the following special topics for MTS/IEEE OCEANS’17 Aberdeen.
ABD.1 Subsea Engineering and Subsea Operations
ABD.2 Subsea Optical Sensing, Imaging and Instrumentation
ABD.3 Deployment of subsea capabilities in other sectors
ABD.4 Emerging Technologies for Inspection, Repair and Maintenance (IRM)
ABD.5 Fisheries & Aquaculture
ABD.6 Decommissioning and Salvage
ABD.7 Marine Renewables (offshore wind, wave, and tidal)
ABD.8 Unmanned Underwater Vehicles in Defence Applications
ABD.1 - Subsea Engineering and Subsea Operations - Subsea technology is vital to offshore production, unlocking harder to reach, deeper reserves and improving the economics of marginal fields. Subsea design, manufacture, and operations are not just limited to the traditional hardware of flowlines, risers, umbilicals, and underwater vehicles. The subsea sector has developed a range of processes, systems, sophisticated tools, and materials, from specialist metals and high-tech underwater electronics, to cameras, sonars and sensors.
ABD.2 - Subsea Optical Sensing, Imaging and Instrumentation - The use of optical methodology, instrumentation and photonics devices for imaging, vision and sensing is of increasing importance in understanding our marine environment. Subsea imaging can make an important contribution to the protection and sustainable management of ocean resources and contribute to monitoring the response of marine systems to climate change. Areas of expertise that we are looking for include contributions in holography, Raman spectroscopy, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, fibre sensing, etc.
ABD.3 –Deployment of subsea capabilities in other sectors (e.g. subsea mining, defence etc.)- Our oceans are a source of health and wealth for millions of people around the world. In addition to producing nutritious food, and being sources of rare-earth minerals and those which are becoming depleted on the earth’s surface, exploitation of the oceans and coastal areas provide other socio-economic benefits such as employment and recreation. Our subsea technology skills which were developed for offshore oil and gas exploration is being transferred into areas such as deep-sea mining and defence and associated technologies. Papers which address these aspects are welcome.
ABD.4 - Emerging Technologies for IRM - There is now a complex array of subsea infrastructure criss-crossing sea beds across the globe. As new subsea pipelines and hardware increases, so too does operational spend and the need to repair and maintain equipment. It is therefore no surprise that inspection, repair and maintenance is now a rapidly growing niche within the subsea industry.
ABD.5 - Fisheries & Aquaculture - The world's natural fish stocks are seriously low; it is expected that fish supplied by aquaculture will increase to over 60 per cent of the total by 2030. The prospects for marine aquatic products are expected to come from sustainable sources in general and organic aquaculture. Growing algae shows significant long-term growth potential for a range of sectors including the health and cosmetic industry, the food and feed processing industry, and the green chemistry and energy industries.
ABD.6 - Decommissioning and Salvage - Covers all aspects of technology, marine science, regulation, and operation leading to the decommissioning or salvage of man-made objects from the marine environment safely and with due respect for the environment. We welcome papers from academics industrialist and policy makers/regulators on this important area.
ABD.7 - Marine Renewables (offshore wind, wave, and tidal) – The EU (and, in particular the UK) currently has the largest share of offshore wind expenditure and is a growing market presenting exciting new opportunities. The UK has a strong position in ocean renewable energy (wave and tidal), which is still in an early stage of development and has a strong focus on R&D. The key to the future success of ocean energy relies on the rapid development of technological advancements and the successful completion of demonstration projects.
ABD.8 - Unmanned Underwater Vehicles in Defence Applications – There is increased and growing development and exploitation of unmanned vehicles and associated technology in general subsea marine science and special operations: one such area worthy of special mention is the increased use of UUVs in defence applications and we specifically welcome technical papers which address this area of activity.
