October Company Spotlight - Seanic

Houston is the epicenter for deepwater technology and today’s advanced ROVs and intervention hardware play a major role in making it all happen. Deepwater developments are often in some of the most challenging environments in the world. The high cost of offshore operations leaves little to chance, which is why subsea hardware will often undergo rigorous system integration testing (SIT) before deployment.

When it comes to world-class SIT testing, Seanic Ocean Systems (Seanic) is expanding the size and quality of the playing field. Seanic is already known for its ability to design innovative solutions to remote problems by creating custom subsea products that integrate seamlessly with ROV’s of all makes. Now they are building a wet test tank that will be available to the public with capabilities beyond anything else along the Gulf Coast.

In January 2016, Seanic will relocate to a state-of-the-art facility that features a 50’x50’x30’ in-ground, wet test tank built especially for enhanced ROV and system integration testing of subsea hardware. But being big isn’t all this tank offers. It is spatially designed for ROV testing and includes multiple cameras that transmit to an array of high-definition televisions casting real-time feeds to an air-conditioned viewing room. This convenience is designed so customers no longer have to peer through the porthole of an above ground tank or squeeze into an often-crowded ROV shack. This enormous test tank offers more insight into performance and reliability than any other commercial facility in the Houston area.

Located on 10.5 acres just west of Houston in Katy, Texas, in a 55,000 square foot building, the new facility will be home to Seanic’s creative design team with an expansive shop that includes overhead cranes and a dedicated welding facility. Meanwhile, a huge expansion of storage space accommodates clients who need to store and maintain equipment. Also part of the expansion, Seanic has reserved space for client-collaboration, including multiple conference rooms and meeting spaces.

Seanic’s rise has been rapid. President Tom Ayars explains, “When we drafted our initial business plan in 2006, there was a clear need for a company that would deliver intervention tooling products and services, but not compete by building or operating their own ROVs. These tools had to be smartly engineered, but not over engineered which is often the case. They needed to withstand the continuous abuse these tools see. And they had to be reliable to the point where clients were confident they would increase uptime which directly translates to reduced operational costs.”

By late 2008, the phrase “Simple, Rugged, and Reliable” became synonymous with the Seanic product line. As a result, clients began turning to Seanic to solve other bespoke intervention challenges and the company’s Engineering Solutions group gained a reputation for providing fast response, cost-effective solutions. Now, they are building the ultimate ROV/SIT wet test tank to support the testing of those advanced concepts.

“This expansive new facility will showcase our capabilities in a new way and give our customers a user friendly full service center to develop some of the subsea solutions of the future. Our industry is evolving, and Seanic intends to be a proactive participant in that evolution as we always have, by responding to our clients, and, of course, by continuing to build products that are Simple, Rugged, and Reliable.”

For more information, visit www.seanicusa.com/facility-expansion.