The Drilling and Production business of GE Oil & Gas further expanded its global subsea capabilities with today’s launch of its new SmartCenter in Nailsea, near Bristol in the UK. Located within GE’s VetcoGray subsea controls manufacturing site, the new state-of-the-art center is a remote-access data hub that connects to subsea control sites around the world to aid customers in monitoring subsea production systems.

GE Oil & Gas launched a new, state-of-the-art SmartCenter, which is a remote-access data hub linking subsea drilling equipment.
Mission control: The monitoring support provided for drilling customers is designed to help them manage subsea operations more efficiently — and boost profitability.

In the audio clip below, Dean Arnison, Nailsea Site Managing Director for GE Oil & Gas, describes the new center. He’s pictured at left in the ribbon-cutting photo at the bottom of the page.

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Officially called a “Subsea Monitoring and Remote Technology Center,” the facility offers services to deep sea drill sites at every stage of development — from installation to commissioning to start-up. The systems then provide operational support by helping customers monitor well conditions, perform diagnostics, and optimize oil production.

GE Oil & Gas is a major employer in the region with around 1,400 drilling and production employee across the UK at key sites including: Aberdeen, Nailsea, Cramlington and London. There are 538 employees in Nailsea, where the new SmartCenter is located.

At today's ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new SmartCenter were, from left to right: Dean Arnison, Ove Magne Kallestad of StatoilHydro, ExxonMobil's Dave Wilkinson, and GE's Manuel Terranova.
Final cut: At today’s ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new SmartCenter were, from left to right: Dean Arnison, Ove Magne Kallestad of StatoilHydro, ExxonMobil’s Dave Wilkinson, and GE’s Manuel Terranova.

* Learn more in today’s announcement
* Read about GE’s recent $70 million subsea contract with StatoilHydro.
* Read about GE’s recent award for its subsea technology
* Read “GE Oil & Gas makes a splash at ‘Offshore Europe” on GE Reports
* Read “GE Oil & Gas: Riding a Pacific wave of deals” on GE Reports
* Read “GE wins $250 million offshore drilling contract in Brazil” on GE Reports
* Read GE Reports’ story about our pipeline inspection technology
* Watch a video about how GE inspects “unpiggable” pipes