Topaz Marine and BHGE sign agreement

08/08/2019

Topaz Energy and Marine, an offshore marine logistics company, has signed a long-term agreement and placed an order with Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE), to collaborate on deploying BHGE’s lubricant condition monitoring system, VitalyX, enhancing the maintenance and upkeep of Topaz’s fleet of vessels and helping to significantly increase field time for each vessel. VitalyX is expected to be deployed on Topaz’s entire module-carrying vessel (MCV) fleet in late 2019 and is the largest single collaboration with the technology since it was first unveiled at BHGE’s annual meeting in January.

Utilising the Internet of Things (IoT) by combining the latest sensor hardware with condition monitoring software, the real-time data produced by VitalyX will provide Topaz with vital technical information on the condition of its vessels and the maintenance required to achieve optimal performance. Specifically, sensors will be deployed in key equipment on board, such as the engine, thrusters and genset, which will monitor the lubricant oil for contaminants, such as metal particles and soot.

The system also monitors for the presence of water, salt water, glycol, fuel dilution, total base number (TBN) and total acid number (TAN) index, assisting in predicting equipment failures and improving the lifecycle of the lube oil. VitalyX further improves on Topaz’s ability to predict and prevent breakdowns before they happen, helping to minimise costs and better plan condition-based maintenance for more efficient dry-docking. This is the first collaboration between the two companies and is a direct example of Topaz driving digitisation in the offshore vessel sector. The agreement aims to optimise Topaz’s collaboration with BHGE in other areas to drive value for its customers and stakeholders.

Recognised as a leader in the transformation of the offshore sector, Topaz received the Intelligence Data Innovation Award in November 2018 at the Lloyd’s List South Asia, Middle East & Africa Awards for Maritime Intelligence, recognising the company’s implementation of data analytics and digital technologies across the sector.

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