11 July 2011

Costain Group company ClerkMaxwell* has developed an innovative subsea equipment protection system.

The system offers a new approach to protecting infrastructure from damage by dropped objects, by deploying a flexible membrane filled with seawater to act as a shield for pipelines and other apparatus.

The system was developed in conjunction with a University of Aberdeen student as part of his MSc in Subsea Engineering. Paul Killin, who has now completed his MSc and accepted a position in the Company, helped to demonstrate the feasibility of the system and take it on to the next stage of development. The system has been patented.

Speaking of his new role as a subsea engineer at ClerkMaxwell, Paul said: “Subsea is an exciting sector that is undergoing significant growth, both in the UK and internationally. It’s great to be part of it with such an ambitious, progressive company that encourages fresh thinking and new ideas.”

Guy Cook, Subsea and Pipelines Director at ClerkMaxwell, said: “Working with universities benefits the Company by identifying areas for development and also helps us recruit the most talented individuals.

“By creating this early relationship with Paul we’ve been able to present him with new opportunities, while at the same time bringing a talented young professional on board.”

Andrew Pennington, Strategy and Business Development Director at Costain Energy & Process, said: “Costain is committed to seeking innovation and ClerkMaxwell’s front-end skills and capabilities enable them to bring fresh thinking to solve challenges facing the industry.”

*ClerkMaxwell delivers front-end engineering and operations support services to blue-chip customers in the upstream oil and gas. The full breadth of services includes feasibility and conceptual engineering, front-end engineering, detailed engineering and operations support for projects in the upstream oil and gas sector including topsides, subsea and pipelines. ClerkMaxwell was acquired by Costain in April of this year. 

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