IHC Offshore Technology Institute - Offshore R&D Services for Pipelay / Cablelay, Diving Support, Offshore Construction, Well Intervention and Renewables Technology

IHC Offshore Technology Institute (IHC OTI) was set up in 2008 to start an offshore-focused research programme for IHC Merwede. Presently, IHC OTI also concentrates on applied industrial research projects for third parties.

IHC OTI provides innovative solutions, development of concepts, high-level multidisciplinary simulations and in-depth market research. IHC OTI's main areas of expertise are pipelay, cablelay, diving support, offshore construction, well intervention and renewables.

IHC OTI operates in close cooperation with MTI Holland, IHC Merwede's dredging and mining research centre. IHC OTI has its offices in the heart of IHC Merwede's technology development centre at Kinderdijk and in the offshore product development centre and shipyard at Hardinxveld-Giessendam, both located in the Netherlands.

Combined with access to hundreds of engineers working in IHC Merwede's product development and production departments, IHC OTI is able to deliver high-quality and effective scientific results, ready to be put into practice.

Research on new well intervention technology

The continuous demand for economically profitable production of oil and gas increases pressure on subsea contractors for fast and efficient well intervention operations. IHC OTI assists IHC Merwede's business units in scientific research on new technologies for efficient well intervention and the development of multipurpose well intervention vessels and systems.

Research and development of pipelay / cablelay vessels

Offshore wind farms, subsea oilfields and communication networks require constant innovations in installation and maintenance technology. In the field of cable / pipelay and trenching, IHC OTI is involved in research and development of components and (sub) systems as well as state-of-the-art cable and pipelay vessels to provide an innovative solution for transportation, installation and protection by trenching. In addition, IHC OTI offers scientific support to associated IHC Merwede business units and third parties.

Trenching and burial equipment for offshore arctic pipelines

The rising demand for oil and gas combined with a decreasing amount of easily recoverable reserves drives the industry towards the boundaries of remote areas, like deep water, arctic regions, or even both simultaneously.

IHC Engineering Business is involved in the design and construction of trenching and burial equipment for offshore pipelines. Offshore arctic pipelines bring new challenges to trenching and burial. Beaufort Sea is subjected to ice gouging of ice ridges. Baffin Bay is has a high density of icebergs that are also able to gouge the soil. This implies that, instead of a regular trench depth of 1m - 3m, one has to increase this depth to 6m - 7m, among others taking into account the presence of all-year ice; a short summer season; the non-existence of nearby infrastructure; and the arctic's vulnerable nature and ecosystem.

In cooperation with IHC Deep Sea Dredging & Mining and IHC Engineering Business, IHC OTI is searching for ways to cope with the difficulties that an arctic environment brings and to come up with a valuable trenching and burial solution.

Analysis and development of offshore wind technology

Renewable energy has gained an important role in current energy supplies. Recently, IHC OTI has carried out a dynamic analysis of a wind turbine installation vessel, and is also involved in developments for new offshore wind farm installation jack-up barges and motion-compensated access systems.

R&D of diving support vessels

Since the early 70s, three different generations of diving support vessels (DSV) have been developed. However, over the past four decades, business concepts of diving operations have changed significantly. What used to be considered as record-breaking dives has become daily routine. Therefore, new technologies are required to reach new depths and to perform safer and more efficient operations.

In our opinion, the current developments in the exploration and production sector demand a new, fourth-generation DSV. The key factor in the development of a new-generation DSV lies with multi-functionality, optimal efficiency and worldwide usability of the vessels.

IHC OTI performs market research in order to make an inventory of the capabilities of current diving support vessels on the one hand and to explore the demands of operators and contractors on the other. For this purpose, IHC OTI uses in-house knowledge from previously built IHC Merwede DSVs and knowledge from IHC OTI's network within the diving industry.

Research and development services for the offshore industry

IHC OTI uses its analytical strength to identify, define and inventory acquired and required knowledge. Hence, creativity forms the drive for devising new knowledge and insight for innovation and new developments. Our access to the network of engineers working within IHC Merwede's product development and production departments enables us to deliver high-quality, multidisciplinary and practically-oriented R&D services.

For example, IHC OTI has in-house knowledge and software to perform simulations of complex system dynamics, interactively combined with vessel hydrodynamics. This combination is vital, as the vessel's motions can influence the handling systems and vice versa.

Consultancy services for multidisciplinary R&D projects

In addition to offices at IHC Merwede's technology development centre at Kinderdijk, IHC OTI has a field office at IHC Merwede's offshore product development centre at Hardinxveld-Giesendam. Our collaborative work method that has been developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) enables us to integrate many views in multidiscipline, multi-location companies.