North Yorkshire-based Forum Energy Technologies has completed a three-month upgrade to its hyperbaric testing facility.

Located at the company’s Kirkbymoorside facility, the pressure test tank is rated to 241 bar and is one of the largest in Europe; it is used to test sub-sea equipment for companies working in the oil and gas, defence and sub-sea telecommunications industries.

The main improvements include enhanced pumps, which can reduce the tank-filling time by 45 min, and a new tank door fitted with the latest technology — allowing it to be opened and closed 1.5hr quicker.

An HMG300 Hydac system has also been installed to accurately and efficiently capture data, including pressure, temperature and flow.

Kevin Taylor, vice-president (sub-sea vehicles) at Forum (www.f-e-t.com), said: “Our hyperbaric test tank has been a vital asset for decades, supporting oil and gas operators, sub-sea service providers, navies and telecommunication companies from around the world.

"As exploration and production activity ramps back up in the North Sea, and new R&D projects are sanctioned, we are seeing increased demand for our hyperbaric test tank.

"The recent upgrades — coupled with a larger engineering team — mean that testing can now be more tailored to customer requirements, providing a bespoke and faster service.”

Forum’s facility at Kirkbymoorside employs more than 120 people.

It is also a manufacturing hub for the company’s range of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and associated tooling.