SONARDYNE INTERNATIONAL

THE SITUATION

Sonardyne International are world leaders in the design and manufacture of sub-sea acoustic navigation and positioning systems for the offshore oil and gas industry. Applications for Sonardyne's technology include precise positioning of pipelines, underwater vehicles and deepwater drilling rigs. The company's customers range from oil and gas corporations to vessel owners and operators. They demand that equipment is available worldwide, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to support projects with large-scale budgets. Prompt delivery is critical in avoiding huge daily downtime costs.

After one cable company proved unreliable, Sonardyne was prompted to look for a new supplier who could deliver the level of service and meet the kind of deadlines that Sonardyne itself has to work to. Elmeridge Cables was that company.

THE SOLUTION

Sonardyne's equipment is used in very harsh environments; oil rigs, vessels and in water depths up to 6,000 metres. Each system component is designed to exacting standards to ensure reliability under the toughest conditions. With rig day rates costing up to £500,000, operators cannot afford even a few hours of downtime.

Elmeridge supplies cables to specifications devised by Sonardyne for equipment that is mounted in the control room of a vessel or deployed on the seabed. One cable type is seven-core screened with a flame retardant polyurethane outer sheath. Another is a four-screened twisted-pair, overall screened with drain wire and polyurethane outer sheath.

THE RESULT

Since Elmeridge has been commissioned, Sonardyne has experienced no delays in cable supply. Also, cable to the correct specifications have been sourced and delivered within budget. Consequently, Elmeridge is now Sonardyne's preferred cable vendor. "They have the courtesy to keep me honestly informed of progress - a rare experience these days", comments Sonardyne's Production Engineer.