Succorfish, a North Tyneside-based tech firm, is transitioning from aiding the fishing industry into the global oil and gas sector.
- Their key device, MyGearTag, originally helped fishing boats locate lost gear over vast distances, using advanced acoustic modem technology.
- Collaborations with Eastern Seals and rigorous testing at IKM have led to MyGearTag being adapted for underwater use near oil and gas rigs.
- The device, made from recycled materials, offers a cost-effective and lightweight solution for subsea monitoring, unlike existing equipment.
- Succorfish is poised to revolutionise monitoring and tracking in the oil and gas sector, leveraging partnerships and innovative technology.
Succorfish, originally focused on addressing the environmental and financial impacts of lost fishing gear, is now pivoting to the oil and gas industry with its technology. The firm’s MyGearTag device, which uses acoustic location technology, was initially designed to aid in the retrieval of lost fishing nets, pots, and traps across a three-kilometre range. This device is now being repurposed for use in the demanding environment of underwater oil and gas operations.
The company has collaborated with sealing provider Eastern Seals and utilised the UKAS-accredited oil and gas testing facilities at IKM in Cramlington to adapt MyGearTag for the extreme pressures found underwater near oil and gas rigs. The casing of MyGearTag, crafted from recycled fishing nets and weighing 500 grams, has been enhanced to withstand these harsh conditions, expanding its potential use cases.
With this technological advancement, Succorfish is in discussions with various oil and gas service providers about the practical applications of MyGearTag, such as identifying seabed storage locations, monitoring rig anchor lines, and pinpointing lost equipment. CEO Chad Hooper highlights the device’s small size, cost-effectiveness, and low power consumption as advantages over traditional monitoring equipment.
Produced in partnership with Newcastle University’s Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and supported by the pan-European NETTAG+ project, MyGearTag benefits from UK and EU funding. The transition from an academic project to a commercial product underscores its innovative design and practical implications for industries reliant on underwater operations.
Having entered full production, MyGearTag demonstrates significant promise for increasing efficiencies and reducing losses in both fisheries and oil and gas sectors. Succorfish plans to finalise distribution and reseller agreements globally, confident that the oil and gas industry will respond as positively as the fisheries sector has.
Succorfish is set to innovate the oil and gas sector with its adapted MyGearTag technology, broadening its utility and impact.
