The Distribution Automation Systems market has become a top priority for smart grid utilities, across the board and around the world. In recent years, advanced metering infrastructure and demand response were the darlings of the industry, but now the utilities are turning their attention to improving efficiency and control in the distribution segment of the grid that lies between the substation and the meter.

“The Electric Power Distribution Automation System market is being driven by the world’s continued demand for more energy as utilities are faced with the challenges of realizing a good ROI while providing a higher level of service to their customers. These challenges drive the need to conserve energy (specifically the energy lost in the distribution network), defer the building of additional generation facilities, and improve customer service,” according to Steve Clouther, the author of ARC’s “Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Worldwide Outlook”.

For details please click 'Distribution Automation, the New ‘Darling’ of the Smart Grid, Reaches for $5 Billion'

Technip has been awarded a services contract for the Ichthys floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit. The FPSO unit will be located in the Browse Basin, Western Australia, at a water depth of 250 meters. Technip will provide these services to Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME).

This contract covers detailed engineering and procurement assistance for the topsides(1) facilities of the 1.2 million barrels storage capacity Ichthys FPSO.

The Ichthys LNG project is a joint venture between INPEX(2) (operator) and Total. Gas from the Ichthys Field, in the Browse Basin approximately 200 kilometers offshore Western Australia, will undergo preliminary processing offshore to remove water and extract condensate. The condensate will be pumped to the FPSO facility anchored nearby, from which it will be transferred to tankers for delivery to markets.

After the devastating recession in 2009, the market for proximity sensors recovered quickly in 2010 and marginally exceeded pre-crisis levels in 2011. In 2012, we see a slowdown in growth but positive momentum will continue to dominate the market developments from 2013 onwards. Overall ARC expects a CAGR of around 8 percent during the forecast horizon.

The market for proximity sensors is strongly connected to the business cycle and the overall performance of automation markets. During the last few years, most products have commoditized and reached a mature state, the only exception is ultrasonic sensors. The latter still offer the potential to technically differentiate from competitors, and markets are growing fast despite falling prices. For inductive and capacitive sensors, prices have nearly bottomed out.

For details please click Proximity Sensor Market Driven by Rising Demand and Competition

Technip was awarded by Marathon Oil Norge AS an engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning contract, worth above €300 million, for the Bøyla field development in the North Sea, located about 225 kilometers West of Stavanger, Norway, at a water depth of 120 meters. The contract includes all activities necessary to complete the construction of the subsea system for the Bøyla field development and connect it to the existing Alvheim subsea facilities, located 28 kilometers away.

The contract covers:

-fabrication and reeled installation of a pipe-in-pipe production flowline(1), a plastic lined water injection flowline and a gas lift flowline,

- fabrication and installation of rigid spools(2),

- manufacturing and installation of flexible jumpers(3) and umbilicals(4),

- tie-in by divers, trenching, rockdumping, and ready for operation activities.

Technip’s operating center in Oslo, Norway, will execute the contract. Offshore construction will take place in 2014 with several vessels from Technip’s fleet, including the Deep Energy and the Skandi Arctic.