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PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Safety is paramount for American Marine Services Group Company provides certified underwater inspection, offshore pipeline and platform repair, and remediation services in both marine and land environments Alan Bailey Petroleum Directory Contributing Writer
For hazardous activities such as diving in the murky waters of Cook Inlet, or repairing a damaged fuel line, experience and training become vital to success. However, teamwork and attention to safety also underpin American Marine Services Group's specialist inspection, repair, and remediation services.
The American Marine Services Group consists of three interrelated companies: American Marine Corp., Pacific Environmental Corp. and the American Hyperbaric Center. Pacific Environmental Corp. is also known as Penco. The group operates, out of offices in Los Angeles, Calif., Honolulu, Hawaii, and Anchorage, Alaska. American Marine Corp. American Marine Corp. provides marine construction, underwater inspection and repair services, Steve Stuart, the company's senior project manager, told Petroleum News.
"We specialize in bridge and dock construction, as well as offshore platform maintenance, underwater inspection and pipeline construction," Stuart said.
In Alaska, American Marine Corp.'s team of divers has achieved an outstanding reputation for work done on varied assignments, such as underwater bridge repairs in Arctic rivers and inspecting welds on subsea pipelines. Diving in the Cook Inlet The Cook Inlet, where the company does more than 80 percent of its Alaska diving, presents one of the world's most challenging environments for divers. The silt in the inlet severely limits underwater visibility, while the 30-foot tides cause life-threatening currents.
"Work performed by our divers in the Cook Inlet is typically performed by feel, because the silt reduces the visibility to near zero," Stuart said.
Performing an inspection in the Cook Inlet typically starts with the so-called visual testing method. This method presents some real challenges in the turbid waters of the inlet. For example, filming with video or shooting still photographs requires a specialized camera housing and techniques. A topside technician in the diving support vessel watches the video images and guides the diver on where to go and what to focus on. Experience and training Performing safe and productive diving in an extreme environment such as the Cook Inlet requires years of experience and training.
“For the average new diver, breaking into the Cook Inlet market typically takes two or three years, which includes working in support positions before being considered as a full-time platform diver,” Stuart said.”... our top four or five divers have over 25 years’ experience.”
The recent addition of a diving tank at American Marine Corp.'s Anchorage facility will augment the company's training capabilities for its divers.
"We've just implemented our new wet diving facility ... where we will train and test our divers in various underwater welding procedures, non-destructive testing techniques and safety procedures, in accordance with Operator Qualifications Program 49 CFR 192-195." Stuart said. "Additionally, our clients can participate in developing procedures in a controlled environment before they are implemented in the field. Another advantage of this concept is that critical diver life support equipment can be tested for safety."
PENCO Pacific Environmental, also known as PENCO, was formed in Hawaii in 1985 as part of The American Marine Services Group. The corporation began by providing emergency marine oil spill response and related environmental services.
“Since then PENCO has grown to a full-service environmental response, prevention and remediation contractor, with projects throughout the Pacific basin,” said Rick Wilson, PENCO's marine operations and spill response manager.
In Alaska, PENCO maintains a core team of highly cross-trained personnel including hazmat spill technicians, divers and boat operators. The company maintains a vast warehouse of spill response equipment and tools, including pumps, compressors and containment boom, that can be mobilized and packaged for shipment to remote locations throughout the state.
PENCO pulls from these resources all the marine personnel and equipment to lighter off, repair and re-float grounded or sunken vessels. As a result, the client benefits from a one-stop shop for services when it comes to a marine salvage situation. PENCO has contracts with several spill response co-ops including Alaska Clean Seas in Prudhoe Bay, Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response Inc. in Cook Inlet, Alaska Chadux Corp., and Navy SUP-SALV, to supply management and labor in the event of an oil or other hazardous materials spill. Whether on water or land, a team will be ready at a moment's notice. Spill prevention “While PENCO has the response capabilities for a spill we also have a team of personnel trained in the prevention of oil spills,” Wilson said.
In the Port of Anchorage, PENCO is contracted to dock watch duties while tanker vessels are loading and discharging cargo at the two fuel docks at the port.
Bulk fuel storage facilities require meticulous maintenance and record keeping for compliance. PENCO has API 570 and API 653 inspectors on staff offering a full line of project management and quality control for tank construction, installation, elevation, relocation, cleaning and repair to facilities throughout the Pacific basin. PENCO has worked as a prime and subcontractor on a wide variety of projects that include installation and demolition of tanks and pipelines throughout the state.
American Hyperbaric Center The American Hyperbaric Center operates two hyperbaric chambers at its facility in Anchorage and one chamber at its Wasilla facility. The center also trains operators for the hyperbaric chambers that American Marine Corp. uses on-site during diving operations.
A hyperbaric chamber consists of a cigar-shaped device that looks a bit like a miniature submarine with large portholes and surrounded by tubes. A skilled operator can subject a patient lying inside the chamber to pressurized air or oxygen. Although hyperbaric chambers first came into use for recompressing divers who had ascended from a dive too quickly, the chambers have found a multitude of uses for medical treatment — American Hyperbaric Center established its facilities primarily for health care services.
"About 10 years ago we started getting into wound care. There was nowhere for some of these people to go for help," said Jim Thompson, supervisor of hyperbarics for American Hyperbaric Center.
The right cure Hyperbaric therapy forces the body to absorb much more oxygen than normal — the oxygen content in a patient's tissue can increase anywhere from 300 percent to 1,500 percent, Thompson said. The oxygen then helps the body fight infections or heal wounds.
This therapy has achieved spectacular success in treating conditions such as diabetic ulcers and severe wounds or burns. In the case of diabetes patients, the therapy has completely healed ulcers that would otherwise have resulted in the amputation of a limb.
Thompson said that hyperbaric therapy has proved to be the only effective treatment for people infected by flesh eating bacteria.
"A lot of those people would lose their lives if it wasn't for the chamber," Thompson said.
The hyperbaric chamber also provides effective treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation. Operating a hyperbaric chamber or determining the appropriate treatment protocol for a patient requires extensive training.
"It takes many hours of certification, training and hands on experiences in the classroom before you can work with the rest of the crew or patients," Thompson said.
American Hyperbaric Center has a crew of 20 certified hyperbaric operators, five hyperbaric supervisors and six hyperbaric technologist and technicians. Skill, teamwork and safety Whether they're diving in the Cook Inlet, responding to an oil spill or operating a hyperbaric chamber, American Marine Service Group's multi-skilled staff all share a common understanding of the importance of training, experience and teamwork. Dealing with hazardous situations and materials requires a team effort and presents too many dangers for a casual approach.
Safety is the group's top priority.
"The most important part of our operations is to be able to bring everybody back home safely with no injuries," Stuart said, "and no matter what it takes to achieve that, that's our goal here."
Editor's note: Alan Bailey owns Badger Productions in Anchorage, Alaska.
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