This technology has already been proven in successful repairs to lock gates at Darwin’s Cullen Bay marina development, said Neptune’s executive director Andrew Harrison. It will be assessed this month by major overseas oil and gas and shipping line interests and will promote its welding techniques during visits to the Middle East and Denmark.

“Petroleum drilling and production platforms, and the shipping service infrastructure supporting offshore oil and gas operations, are a natural avenue for future Neptune contracts,” Harrison said.

“Maritime safety and security threats to offshore installations have emerged as major public and sovereign risk issues in the past two years. This is generating down-the-line interest in those technologies which can provide a level of comfort about the integrity of an underwater structure needing upgrading or repairing.”

Neptune’s underwater welding methods do not suffer the limitations of conventional underwater welds but deliver the same structural integrity as achieved with dry-land welding techniques, according to Harrison.

He claimed the technology reduced the need to dry dock ships for some hull repairs and alleviated the long lead time and cost of conventional methods such as hyperbaric welding.

The American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyds have already approved the Neptune process for use.

The technology will be promoted at the 11th Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference. Neptune has been invited to attend as part of the West Australian Government trade mission.

Later this month Harrison will also meet senior executives from Danish shipping, oil and gas giant, Maersk, to promote his company’s technology.