Yesterday, at the Pacific 2017 conference in Sydney, AMOG's Professor Andrew Potts was on hand to accept the prestigious 2017 Maritime Australia Civil Industry National Innovation Award for AMOG's LGS technology, presented by the Minister for Defence Industry, Hon Christopher Pyne MP.

Formally announced during the Pacific 2017 International Maritime Exposition at Sydney's International Convention Centre at Darling Harbour, this is the first time AMOG has submitted an entry, the inaugural awards having been presented in 2013.

Converting more than 20 years of specialisation in offshore engineering and with particular expertise in Vortex Induced Vibration (VIV), Drs Marcollo and Potts, of AMOG Technologies, took a 2002 wind tunnel study of the hurricane resistant saguaro cacti, and developed LGS technology. A new technology for the marine offshore oil and gas industry. It employs a novel surface geometry, reducing VIV response and therefore overall drag on slender structural elements in current flows, without sacrificing buoyancy. 

With the potential to save oil and gas operators an estimated USD$16M per annum through increased uptime due to ~30% reduction in drag forces on drilling risers, LGS is now being commercially manufactured and the first modules been deployed in the Gulf of Mexico.

In an earlier press release about the Innovation Awards, Pacific 2017 CEO Ian Honnery stated, “Innovation isn’t just about having good ideas – it’s about putting good ideas to use. Australians have a special relationship with the sea, and we’ve shortlisted 15 innovators from four States who have set out to be game-changers in the global markets they’re tackling. They illustrate the strengths of the companies operating in these sectors here in Australia.”

AMOG was certainly in good company, with fifteen Australian innovators from both the defence and civil sectors shortlisted for the awards, between them having submitted seventeen entries. The innovation awards shortlist also included:

  • Abyss Solutions (NSW) – End to End Condition Assessment of Underwater Assets
  • Advanced Navigation (NSW) – Subsonus subsea navigation system
  • Artis Group (NSW) – Artis Engineering Platform
  • Columbus Group (WA) – 3D Dynamic Fluid/Semi-solid pump
  • Defence Materials Technology Centre (VIC) – Microbiological Corrosion Control
  • Defence Materials Technology Centre and Partners (VIC) – High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) coatings for marine applications
  • Nauti-Craft Pty Limited (WA) – Nauti-Craft Marine Suspension System (NCMSS)
  • Ocius Technology Pty Limited (NSW) – Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel
  • Prism Defence Pty Limited (SA) – HeliSAFE shipborne helicopter operations management system
  • Rojone Pty Limited (NSW) – RADHAZ Isolation unit
  • Ron Allum Deepsea Services (NSW) – Energy Storage and Distribution System (ESDS)
  • Ron Allum Deepsea Services (NSW) – Pressure Tolerant Brushless DC Motors
  • Thales Australia (NSW) – Stingrae communications networking system for boarding parties
  • Woodside Energy Pty Limited (WA) – LNG-powered marine support vessel

Our congratulations are also extended to AMOG client, and fellow winner of the Defence Industry National Innovation Award 2017, Thales Australia.

 

Photo Credit: ADM David Jones