Transocean rig boosting staff safety with UK player’s zone monitoring tech

Salunda, a UK-headquartered firm specializing in red-zone safety monitoring technology, has secured the first installation of its patented zone monitoring technology in Australia and the wider Asia Pacific (APAC) region, thanks to a deal to deploy its zone monitoring solution on one of Transocean’s rigs working in Australian waters.

Salunda describes the contract to install its HaloGuard zone monitoring solution on the Transocean Endurance rig in Australia as “a significant milestone in its global expansion strategy,” since it represents the first deployment of the firm’s next-generation AI server, a combined sensor and machine vision fusion, and fully IECEx Zone 1 certified Orbs 3D ranging cameras.  

With a combination of sensor and vision technology, the UK player’s solution works with cameras that can be mounted closely to the drill floor, resulting in fast installation and ease of maintenance, optimizing operational performance. Designed to locate personnel on the drill floor during operations, the HaloGuard system incorporates Salunda’s patented CrewHawk real-time location technology, combining real-time location technology with a machine vision system. 

Alan Finlay, Salunda’s Chief Executive, commented: “This is an important contract for Salunda, and allows us to take a major step forward in our global growth strategy as we continue to enhance safety for staff while optimising performance in potentially high-risk environments. Our ultimate goal for HaloGuard is to enhance the safety of critical operations.” 

The technology notifies a crew member via an alarm through a wearable device when they come within a certain distance from working equipment. If the crew member remains near the equipment, the system can pause the equipment from moving until that worker returns to a safer, more distant position, according to Salunda.

As HaloGuard is also designed to send an alert directly to the area authority if unauthorized personnel enter the zone, the UK firm highlights that its solution provides an advanced layer of individual protection that can, if needed, warn personnel of hazards and pause operations, by enabling machines with the technology to sense and recognize the location of personnel on the drill floor.

Finlay added: “As the oil and gas industry continues to automate, the deployment of advanced technologies that can detect and notify personnel and equipment on the drill floor, and if needed, pause operations, can enhance the safety and improve the efficiency of operations. 

“We believe that Haloguard offers a unique solution for these types of integrated operations. We would like to extend a warm thanks to the Transocean team for their assistance as we install and deploy this solution on the Transocean Endurance.” 

The Transocean Endurance semi-submersible rig recently got its hands on a one-well option and a five-well extension with Woodside in Australia at a day rate of $390,000. The rig landed its multi-well plug and abandonment assignment last year.

The 2015-built Transocean Endurance is a semi-submersible CAT D rig of GVA 4000 NCS design and can accommodate 130 people. With a maximum drilling depth of 27,887 ft, the rig was constructed at Hanwha Ocean, former Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, in South Korea.

Salunda has secured multiple assignments over the past few months. Following a contract to install Crew Hawk on a jack-up rig in the Middle East, the firm also won a deal with BP to install its monitoring solution on the latter’s North Sea assets.