In the ever-evolving landscape of offshore energy, adaptability and integrated offerings are becoming the cornerstones of success. At the heart of this transformation is Oceaneering International’s Offshore Projects Group (OPG) and its Vice President, Dan Vela. With a career spanning from offshore technician to his current role, Vela shared insights with MTR about the operations of a multi-vessel, multi-mission fleet, highlighting the dynamic nature of the industry and the strategic approaches that keep Oceaneering ahead of the curve.
A typical day for Vela is far from routine. It involves a blend of planning future and current projects, risk management, and ensuring the flawless execution of operations. “It’s a lot of planning of future work, of current work, and a lot of risk and hazard identification and management,” Vela explained. “We spend a lot of time on quality and making sure that our teams are prepared. Then, it’s just the flawless execution of the projects and making sure that they’re going off the way that we planned, and that we can come back, reload and head out to the next one.”
The role demands dynamic flexibility. Unlike manufacturing, where processes flow predictably, offshore operations are subject to constant change. “Our job is to keep it as tight and as in line as we can with the plan and follow it all the way through execution,” Vela noted. “That’s evolved over time as we’ve learned how to do that the most effective way for both internal and external results. And we’re still learning. It’s always something new. It’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure.”
External factors such as weather and customer schedules add layers of complexity. “A lot of our day-to-day is reacting to those inputs as they come in and then reshuffling or replanning, repreparing, re-evaluating and then moving forward to the next step,” Vela said. This adaptability is crucial in an industry where conditions can change rapidly.
From a vessel activity standpoint, OPG America’s primary operations are in the Gulf of Mexico, with additional projects extending into the Caribbean and South America. The fleet underwent significant updates to enhance its capabilities. Oceaneering now operates a mix of owned and chartered vessels, ensuring a versatile and robust fleet. The two largest vessels, equipped with 250-ton heave cranes, specialize in subsea hardware installation and interventions. These vessels are crucial for projects requiring larger equipment and deeper water operations.
The medium-sized vessels, with 165-ton heave cranes, are versatile and can be deployed for smaller installations, interventions, and inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) tasks. The smallest vessel, primarily chartered, focuses on IMR work. What sets Oceaneering’s fleet apart is the integration of its own ROVs and survey services across all vessels. This holistic approach allows for seamless internal collaboration and coordination.
“We evaluate the needs of projects coming in and look at the vessel best available to suit that,” Vela explained. “We try to match the vessel to the scope the best we can, and if we don’t have it available then we’re able to move things around and shift work from vessel to vessel.”
A recent project exemplified Oceaneering’s comprehensive service capabilities. A pipeline company in the Gulf of Mexico sought to change production lines subsea without shutting down operations. Oceaneering’s engineering team designed and built complex skids with isolation valves, allowing operations to continue. “They built the system, tested it, and then we received the system and went offshore to do the installation,” Vela said. “It allowed us to bring the full weight of what Oceaneering can do to the table, from creating the engineered product, to building it, testing it, delivering it, and installing it.”
In a turbulent global business environment, Oceaneering is embracing adaptability to best serve its customers. “There are a lot of external impacts that affect our business and are the biggest drivers,” Vela noted. “A lot of that has to do with the market and where and how our customers are spending their money. That’s a key point for us to understand to help us react or be proactive to those trends.”
Regarding marine autonomy and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Oceaneering is exploring how these technologies can enhance efficiency. “When we think about AI on the vessels, there’s some opportunity there, but I think the biggest part is how we can use it to help us work more efficiently,” Vela said. “Tracking and planning can be streamlined using AI.”
Oceaneering’s fleet already features autonomous processes, such as dynamic positioning systems, subsea survey equipment, ROV systems, and cranes. “We also have a group whose sole focus is looking at autonomous vessels. We collaborate with them on what we use the vessels for and how can we integrate