Move reinforces Proserv’s proactive pivot towards innovating further disruptive technology solutions for offshore wind and the wider energy segment.

Global controls technology company Proserv has acquired a minority stake in Glasgow based power system monitoring expert, Synaptec, with whom it had initially formed a strategic alliance in October 2020 to drive forward the innovation of disruptive condition-monitoring technologies for the energy sector.

Synaptec developed as a spin out business from Strathclyde University in 2014 with its management team, Board of Directors and Advisory Board comprising former leaders from the power sector, academic professors and energy entrepreneurs.

A technology consortium led and driven by Proserv, including Synaptec and subsea power cable engineering and consultancy specialists BPP Cable Solutions, with initial support from the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC), has collaborated to innovate the pioneering holistic cable monitoring system, ECG™, for the offshore wind segment.

Proserv’s ECG utilises Synaptec’s passive electrical and mechanical instrumentation systems, integrating its unique distributed electromechanical sensors, or DES, as a key element. The potential capabilities of ECG, regarding real-time monitoring and predictive insights, saw it receive £1mn development funding from Innovate UK in 2021, alongside subsequent industrial sponsorship from ScottishPower Renewables and Equinor.

The technology has won a landmark contract on phases A and B of the vast Dogger Bank Wind Farm and it is to be demonstrated on Equinor’s floating Hywind Scotland Wind Farm later this year.

Synaptec is one of several technology disrupters and start-ups with whom Proserv has recently forged alliances, including data analytics firm Intelligent Plant in late 2020 and real-time optimisation innovators Ortomation just last month. These moves reflect Proserv’s collaborative philosophy towards innovation, as well as its strategic roadmap to pivot its business to the needs and priorities of the evolving energy transition.

This investment strengthens an already fruitful connection between Proserv and Synaptec, who will continue their work together to create and deliver instrumentation solutions to solve the many challenges faced by offshore renewables developers.

Proserv’s Vice President, Renewables, Paul Cook commented:

“We have formed a close working relationship with the Synaptec team over the past two years as we have combined our controls and integration expertise, and reputation, with its own unique power system monitoring capabilities, leading to the generation of disruptive new solutions to support the offshore wind space.

“We look forward to further collaboration as we seek to identify more opportunities where we can deploy our know-how right across the energy sector.”

Synaptec’s Chairman Dave Pratt remarked:

“Synaptec is delighted that Proserv has become one of our investors, joining our existing shareholders who also supported this funding round. As a well-established, experienced provider of control and instrumentation systems, Proserv brings fundamental technical and commercial expertise which will be vital to ‘business as usual’ implementation of Synaptec’s sensor technology.

“Our integrated systems are already being deployed on the world’s largest offshore wind farm and the world’s first floating wind farm. Proserv’s investment and support will help Synaptec scale up to meet increasing market demand.”

As part of the transaction, Proserv’s Chief Executive Officer Davis Larssen will take up a seat on Synaptec’s Board of Directors. Speaking after the agreement, he said:

“I am delighted to take up a seat on Synaptec’s Board. This is a team comprising both technical excellence and a pioneering, creative outlook, very much like our own.

“Our commitment to acquiring a stake in the business cements our relationship further and builds progressively on what has been an open and constructive alliance. At Proserv, we always seek to develop and nurture partnerships that will ultimately lead to genuine gains and benefits for the broader energy market.”

Laura Carrigan, a Graduate Applications Engineer at our Great Yarmouth Centre of Excellence and a key member of our renewables team, has been shortlisted by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) as a finalist in the category of Early Career Professional of the Year at its OEUK Awards 2022.

Laura joined Proserv in early 2021 following a brief three-month student internship in 2019, during which she contributed to a key FEED study and market report that would represent some of the first stepping stones to the development of our disruptive holistic cable monitoring system – ECG™.

At the start of this year, after barely 12 months with the business, Laura was the winner of a Proserv FRESH Award in the Help, Share and Communicate category.

Laura has a real passion for sustainability and she is a leading member of our Proserv Carbon Action Group, which plays a vital role in aiding our work to fulfil our mission of being a net zero emissions company by 2050 or sooner.

Earlier this month, Laura was the subject of a Proserv People Story and this reveals more about her interests, commitments and aspirations.

Only 24 finalists were shortlisted across eight categories and Acting OEUK CEO Mike Tholen remarked, “From an impressive list of submissions, these finalists are a real reflection of the great talent and expertise of our energy communities – those that personify the North Sea innovation this industry has become known for.”

The OEUK Awards ceremony will take place at the P&J Live in Aberdeen on Thursday, December 8th.

Proserv would like to send its sincere condolences to King Charles III, the Queen Consort and the whole British Royal Family following the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. For more than 70 years, Her Majesty served her country with tremendous dedication and energy.

Agreement sees Proserv invest seed capital in new technology start-up venture to accelerate route to market for RTO solution.

Global controls technology leader Proserv has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UK based start-up company Ortomation. The tie-up is intended to facilitate the development and commercialisation of unique real-time optimisation (RTO) software.

The agreement is the latest development in Proserv’s ambitious technology roadmap which is focused on delivering impactful, disruptive monitoring and optimisation solutions, harnessing the power of data analytics, to bring gains right across the broad energy sector.

By targeting production and yield increases, as well as a reduction in energy consumption and other operating costs, effective RTO software can increase performance by up to 5%. As businesses align themselves towards the needs of the energy transition and a net zero future, RTO can offer tangible upside around improved operational efficiencies and reduced emissions footprints.

Proserv and Ortomation will collaborate on deploying the latter’s innovative and novel model free, self-learning “autonomous agent” technology, enabling a simple, scalable and transparent solution, fundamentally distinct from the status quo method of providing “Asset Optimisation”.

Traditional optimisation software tends to be “OEM closed” packages that are expensive, demand long lead-in times before implementation and are resource intensive. Deployed schemes also require high levels of ongoing maintenance, as an asset’s behaviour evolves and changes over time.

Ortomation’s approach greatly simplifies RTO implementation, overcoming the hurdles that have habitually hindered its widespread application. As a result, return on investment is accelerated and improved.

The technology to be harnessed by Proserv and Ortomation has already gone through proof of concept with a major energy company and the portfolio of possible applications continues to grow.

Stuart Harvey, Vice President, Digital Innovation, Proserv stated:

“We are delighted to sign this MoU with Ortomation. Nurturing technology partnerships and collaboration are part of our Proserv identity as we continually seek to solve industry’s biggest challenges, particularly ones where others have failed.

“We very much understand the benefits RTO can bring and we believe Ortomation’s innovative and disruptive technology strongly aligns with our methodology around offering independent, OEM agnostic, scalable and transparent solutions.”

Proserv will utilise its in-house software application expertise to assist Ortomation in taking its technology from its existing, current prototype to a marketable industrial RTO product with universal applicability.

Paul Oram, Chief Executive Officer of Ortomation added, “We are extremely excited to be working with Proserv and truly believe our partnership will deliver a game-changing technology for all across the process industry.”

Today our senior management team, including David Currie, Davis Larssen and new member of our Board of Directors Hugh McNeal, the former CEO of RenewableUK, have provided an exclusive interview to Energy Voice regarding our on-going strategy in the renewables space and the background to Hugh’s recent appointment.

Please do read David, Davis and Hugh’s exclusive interview right here.

Move sees new roles for current Group CEO David Currie, Proserv Controls CEO Davis Larssen and arrival of former RenewableUK CEO Hugh McNeal.

Aberdeen, June 14, 2022: Global controls technology leader Proserv has announced a high-level senior management and corporate realignment as the business continues to evolve and pivot towards the future energy landscape.

Present Group Chief Executive Officer David Currie will become Chairman of the Board for both Proserv and sister business Gilmore Valves, the Houston based flow control specialists effective July 1st, 2022.

Currie, with 35 years’ energy industry experience, will leverage his new roles to focus on customer relationships, strategic alignment and energy transition.

Joining the Board of Proserv is Hugh McNeal. McNeal brings a highly impressive background and a range of contacts in the renewables space having worked in numerous senior posts within government, including the Department of Energy & Climate Change. McNeal was most recently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RenewableUK. The renewables segment represents a key growth target area for Proserv and McNeal’s addition to the Board provides further leadership in the sector.

As part of this corporate repositioning, Davis Larssen, currently CEO of Proserv Controls will now join the Board of Proserv, and David Nemetz will continue as CEO of Gilmore, both reporting independently to their respective Boards.

David Currie stated: “The strategic changes we are announcing today signify the latest step on our journey to shape our business, smartly and proactively, and future-proof our offerings and portfolio to reflect the vital needs of the transition.

“Our shareholders Oaktree Capital Management and KKR have consistently supported our strategic plans and roadmap, including our goal of pursuing new opportunities in the renewables segment. The appointment of Hugh McNeal to our Board will aid and accelerate our progress on these goals. We are excited to have him join us.”

Davis Larssen added: “I am delighted to be leading Proserv at such a critical time for the sector and during such a positive period for our own evolution. Over the past few years, our talented team has adjusted to this changing landscape, forging technology collaborations and innovating exciting new digital solutions and offerings, to effectively monitor and optimise the performance and efficiencies of critical assets right across the energy spectrum.

“I also very much look forward to working with Hugh McNeal, and leveraging his experience, as we drive on with Proserv’s firm commitment to further supporting sustainable energy generation.”

After his appointment, Hugh McNeal remarked: “Proserv’s management and Board have a clear vision of how the company will evolve and deploy its technology expertise as it pivots towards renewable energy. Its capabilities have the potential to add real value to the operation and integrity of offshore wind assets.

“Proserv represents a great example of a company directly attuned to the transition, developing and deploying disruptive technologies that will extend the life of wind farms, actively leading and nurturing innovation.”

Appointment will harness David’s decades-long experience in the energy sector to help boost the nation’s export activities.

Proserv Group Chief Executive Officer David Currie is one of eight new members that have been appointed to the advisory group, with the aim of growing Scotland’s exports and meeting the objectives of ‘A Trading Nation’ (ATN), an initiative launched in 2019. The new group comes together for the first time, today, Monday, June 13th.

The Trade Board’s mission is to help identify strategies and approaches so that Scotland can build on its current export base and return to a growth trajectory, by driving ATN forwards and ensuring it continues to contribute to the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, through the development and delivery of export plans focused on Technology, Life Sciences, Renewables and Hydrogen.

David will be part of an experienced and diverse panel enabling industry and businesses to have an opportunity to feedback to the Scottish Government on the progress of ATN as well as advise on long-term strategic, economic and environmental issues which may impact a target of exports making up 25% of GDP by 2029.

The new panel members were appointed by Trade Minister Ivan McKee and join four continuing individuals on the group. Ivan McKee welcomed the new members and, among his comments, said:

“As set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation we want Scotland to benefit from a strong, green and thriving economy. I look forward to working closely with the Board, their innovative ways of working will be vital in helping inform on the best ways to meet our aims.”

In addition to David’s specific international and senior management background in the energy sector, the new appointees boast a broad range of skill sets including knowledge of academia, biotechnology, data analytics and healthcare.

Speaking after his appointment, David Currie remarked:

“I am delighted to join this advisory group and to bring my own experience to such a dynamic and varied panel. From my particular perspective, the energy sector’s firm and committed transition offers tremendous opportunities for Scotland and indeed the rest of the world.

“We already have a great resource of talent in Scotland, with a heritage of technology development and innovation, and I look forward to supporting and advising on the continued rollout of new sustainable energy projects and activities to help drive the economy forwards.”

Predictive analytics modelling, via Proserv’s ECG™ holistic cable monitoring system, to be demonstrated on UK’s best performing offshore wind farm.

Global controls technology leader Proserv is to supply its pioneering holistic cable monitoring system (CMS), ECG™, to Norwegian international energy company Equinor’s Hywind Scotland, which in 2017 became the world’s first commercial floating offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire in north-east Scotland.

Proserv is to deliver its CMS to analyse the condition and integrity of export and inter-array cables across the wind farm utilising the fibre optic cores within the cables. The demonstration, focused on ECG’s data analytics abilities, is scheduled to extend until April 2024 with installation and commissioning set to take place in Q3 of this year.

ECG represents a step change in traditional monitoring methods, offering comprehensive visibility across cable assets as an integrated, scalable and multi-faceted single package.

The technology has been initiated and driven by Proserv with vital support from its consortium partners Synaptec, a power system monitoring expert, and BPP Cable Solutions, specialists in subsea power cable engineering and management. The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) has also given its support to the group during the development of the solution.

The CMS not only employs distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) but engages Synaptec’s unique distributed electromechanical sensors (DES), via its passive electrical and mechanical sensor systems. The hardware will be complemented by the intuitive human-machine interface, utilising Proserv’s TIACS software suite.

Critically, Proserv’s ECG can monitor the condition and performance of cable terminations, an aspect needing development in the offshore wind sector. Cable terminations are well-known for being a serious failure point and so this technology solution will scrutinise this specific key area of an asset.

During ECG’s demonstration on Hywind Scotland, BPP Cable Solutions will provide advanced real-time data processing and predictive analytics modelling, representing a major shift from traditional reactive cable performance monitoring approaches, whereby a cable fault or failure is analysed from stored data after an event takes place.

This will be achieved by BPP Cable Solutions applying its experience in processing data generated from DTS and DAS, as well as Synaptec’s DES and cable connection monitoring technologies. Specialist predictive data analysis tools will be combined with known cable power transmission performance physics to monitor cable arrays continuously and autonomously. This will give assurance of “as designed” cable health and will identify in advance any anomalies and potential longer-term faults that can be dealt with on a proactive basis.

Paul Cook, Business Development Director – Renewables, at Proserv remarked:

“We are most grateful to Equinor for enabling us to supply our ECG cable monitoring solution to the Hywind Scotland wind farm and to display the potential and power of this technology, including its data analytics capabilities. Owners and operators urgently need a cohesive O&M strategy around their cable assets and with its scrutiny of terminations, alongside its unique predictive insights, ECG offers unrivalled visibility of this key part of an offshore wind farm’s infrastructure.

“Equally, as floating wind scales up rapidly, this arrangement on Hywind Scotland represents perfect timing for us to show what ECG can do.”

Earlier this year, it was announced that Proserv had secured a contract for ECG to be implemented on the bottom-fixed Dogger Bank Wind Farm phases A and B to monitor the condition and integrity of the asset’s inter-array cables, representing the technology’s first commercial sale. Dogger Bank will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm once completed.

Hywind Scotland has a reputation for being the UK’s top performing offshore wind farm, holding the best rolling 12-month capacity factor across the nation for the past few years, and currently performing comfortably above 55%.

Davis Larssen, Chief Executive Officer, Proserv Controls added:

“The deployment of ECG to Hywind Scotland marks another important stepping stone towards this disruptive technology becoming the benchmark solution for cable asset management in offshore wind.

“In a few short months we have seen ECG selected to support the operation of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, due to the strength of its proposition, and now it will be supplied to a well-established floating asset, indicating its flexibility, versatility and relevance to the entire offshore wind sector.”

Deirdre Michie OBE speaks with Group CEO David Currie, Proserv Controls CEO Davis Larssen and key team members during Skene Facility tour in Aberdeen.

Last week Deirdre Michie OBE, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), visited Proserv’s Skene Facility in Aberdeen to mark the first anniversary of the publication of the North Sea Transition Deal (NSTD), a key strategic roadmap for the realignment of the UK energy sector as the drive to cleaner and more sustainable energy provision accelerates.

Last year, following the release of the NSTD, Group CEO David Currie spoke publicly about “bringing the present into the future” as a key requirement for the industry. During her visit, OEUK’s CEO heard about Proserv’s ability and strategy to harness its leading capabilities in subsea controls technology to extend the life of vital infrastructure, and improve performance reliability and efficiencies, thus reducing carbon intensive interventions to replace obsolete equipment, alleviating waste and reducing emissions.

Deirdre Michie was also informed about Proserv’s abilities across the energy value chain from deploying its intervention workover control system (IWOCS) expertise to support the decommissioning of mature offshore installations around the globe, through to its disruptive new holistic cable monitoring system for offshore wind, ECG™, and how the team has recently secured a major contract win on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

OEUK’s CEO was guided on her tour by several key members of the Skene Facility team including Billy Kenny, Senior QHSE Adviser, Neil Munro, Senior Project Manager and Bilal Goheer, Senior Project Engineer.

Deirdre Michie was shown a range of equipment including Proserv’s unique and cutting-edge Artemis 2G (A2G) subsea electronics module, the core component of its augmented controls technology (ACT) offering to extend asset life and avoid waste and replacement.

Speaking after the visit, Davis Larssen commented:

“It was a pleasure to host OEUK CEO Deirdre Michie at one of our Aberdeen sites and to see some of our talented team members demonstrating Proserv’s capabilities, expertise and our vision for the future to the leader of one of our industry’s leading trade bodies.

“As a controls technology company, the transition offers us a great opportunity not only for further innovation but to harness our decades worth of experience to make a difference to our customers’ carbon emissions and efficiencies, and to support sustainable energy generation through our solutions for offshore wind.”

David Currie stated:

“A year ago, on the rollout of the NSTD, I mentioned that the industry must bring the present into the future by adapting and re-imagining methodologies and by moving into new areas of the energy landscape.

“Proserv’s team has already embarked on that process. Digital technology and renewable energy are key components of our advancement as a business but, equally, oil and gas continue to play a central role in the global energy mix and in offering us energy security. We greatly appreciated an opportunity to share our insights and feedback with Deirdre Michie at such a pivotal time for our sector.”

Following her tour of Proserv’s Skene Facility, Deirdre Michie observed:

“As we mark the first anniversary of the publication of the NSTD, it was illuminating to see how one of our member companies, a technology driven business, is responding to the transition.

“In the UK, we have a long-standing heritage around subsea excellence in the North Sea, and we must safeguard that vast experience and know-how. It is inspiring to see Proserv using its current capabilities to play its part in enabling oil and gas to be an ever more efficient operation, while harnessing that skill set as a foundation to innovate new, exciting solutions for offshore wind, as our energy industry continues to evolve.”

The contract will see Proserv deploying its ECG™ holistic cable monitoring system for phases A and B of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

Global controls technology company Proserv Controls has secured a contract from DEME Offshore, subsidiary of the DEME Group, a leader in solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental and infra marine works, for the provision of the inter-array cable monitoring system, or CMS, for the first two phases, A and B, of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which when complete will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

Proserv will harness its new, disruptive ECG™ holistic cable monitoring system to deliver this project. ECG has been initiated and driven by Proserv with critical support from its partner Synaptec, a power system monitoring expert.

ECG represents a step-change in traditional monitoring methods, offering comprehensive visibility across cable assets. Adopting an integrated and scalable approach, it provides real-time analysis with insights through an intuitive user interface. By using intelligence from all data across an asset, the system is capable of enabling proactive and predictive decision-making, improved utilisation of resources and reduced operational expenditure (OPEX).

Proserv’s Great Yarmouth Centre of Excellence team will be executing the full scope of supply, with both Dogger Bank A and B systems scheduled to be ready for dispatch in Q3 2022.

The extent of the scope of supply will include a cable monitoring system solution for each phase, integrating applicable sensor interrogator technology. The hardware will be complemented by the intuitive human-machine interface, utilising Proserv’s TIACS software suite.

Paul Cook, Business Development Director – Renewables, Proserv Controls, stated:

“Dogger Bank represents one of the most important offshore wind projects under construction, so this success for our new ECG holistic cable monitoring system is a major endorsement of our market proposition, and a significant step forward in Proserv’s renewables strategy.

“We are delighted that DEME Offshore has chosen to work with us in the vital area of cable asset management and to utilise our exciting technology delivering synchronous, real-time monitoring. ECG aims to reduce cable faults and failures, optimise performance and enable more targeted OPEX via improved visibility of asset integrity. In line with our philosophy at Proserv, we will continue to enhance our ECG platform and seek to develop further disruptive and compelling offerings.”

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the north-east coast of England and is being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni. SSE Renewables is leading on construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. Due to its size and scale, Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.

Halfdan Brustad, Vice President Dogger Bank Operations, remarked:

“In another world first for the project, we’re looking forward to using this high-tech system to support us in optimising our assets during the operational phase.”

“With vast experience in the oil and gas sector, Proserv are now translating their subsea experience into solutions for offshore wind. We’re excited to be supporting them on this journey as their first ECG customer, and we look forward to working with them, alongside DEME, as we continue to build this innovative and world-class wind farm.”

Davis Larssen, Chief Executive Officer, Proserv Controls, commented:

“This award from DEME Offshore marks a very significant win for Proserv. We have clear, proactive plans to grow our business in the offshore wind segment, as the world gradually transitions to more sustainable forms of energy.”

“Our ECG technology is a combination of our subsea heritage and expertise being brought together with our renowned ability to innovate new solutions. It offers a real transformation in cable condition monitoring capabilities and it is hugely pleasing to see it being implemented at such a key offshore wind project as Dogger Bank.”