General Electric opens Innovation Centre in Newcastle

GE Oil and Gas has recently announced the official opening of its new Innovation Centre in Newcastle, UK. The centre is designed to drive technology development for the subsea fields of the future. It houses GE’s full suite of testing equipment for flexible pipelines, mimicking the underwater conditions of some of the world’s harshest offshore environments.

Full suite of testing equipment for flexible pipelines

The centre is located close to GE Oil and Gas’s existing manufacturing facility for subsea flexibles in Newcastle, itself the recipient of significant levels of investment. Most recently, the business unveiled two new storage carousels, the result of a £15 million expansion. The new carousel equipment is helping the business to meet the demand for larger diameter pipelines for high pressure wells.

Global innovation centres

The Newcastle Innovation Centre joins a number of similar GE facilities located around the world, from the recently-opened Saudi GE Innovation Centre in the Dhahran Techno Valley, Saudi Arabia, to GE’s Global Innovation Centre in Calgary, Canada. GE also has nine Global Research Centres, including the latest to join its global innovation network in the Ilha do Bom Jesus peninsula, Brazil.

Nicholas Brown, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East, joined customers and suppliers of GE Oil and Gas for the official inauguration, hosted by Bruce Heppenstall, General Manager of GE Oil and Gas in Newcastle, where they acknowledged the business’ ongoing contribution to the local economy.

Newcastle as an important centre for the offshore oil and gas sector

Mr Brown said: “GE Oil and Gas are important corporate citizens and now a well-established part of our community in Newcastle. They run a world class business and have been a key player in the establishment of the Technology and Energy Parks on the north banks of the River Tyne. Their continued success is very important to the local community and reinforces Newcastle’s position as an important centre for the offshore oil and gas sector.”

Comment from GE Oil and Gas

Mr Heppenstall said: “At GE Oil and Gas, our customers’ needs are at the centre of everything we do and the Newcastle Innovation Centre not only represents our ongoing investment in this sector, but, more importantly, our commitment to ensuring we are at the forefront of technological advancement.

He continued: “The work we are doing here allows us to look ahead and anticipate the future challenges for the global oil and gas industry, ensuring that our customers are prepared for new projects in the best ways possible. The entire centre was designed around this focus on delivering to their future needs, while driving long-term sustainability in the subsea sector.”

Adapted from press release by Cecilia Rehn

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/24062015/general-electric-opens-innovation-centre-in-newcastle/