ATV makes its living by an on-going design development activity as requested by our special Customers. As an example, looking at the offshore subsea world the outcome is that each project is different because are different the fields (water depth, distance from the shore), the geology of the reservoirs, the chemistry of the hydrocarbons (sour or sweet), their composition (liquid, gas, condensate, water, sand, etc.), their conditions of temperature and pressure and many other parameters. But are different as well the philosophies of the end users as result of their engineering background, their past experiences, their attitude to explore new avenues or rather maintaining a more conservative stand.

To provide such a strong commitment to the design development, ATV is relying on highly qualified engineering practices all made on the spot by a body of skilled engineers having a University master degree as Mechanical Engineers and Metallurgical Engineers. Of course the most advanced tools are made available to the Engineering Team to carry on structural analysis (FEA), flow dynamic analysis (CFA), fracture mechanic analysis, fatigue analysis, etc. To validate the design ATV is applying the guideline of the most updated Standards and Codes, even more important to date when we are in presence of material changes in the subsea Exploration & Production world (deeper water, HPHT field conditions, intensive use of subsea electric power to operate multiphase pumps, compressors and valves, the Subsea Factory). It is worthy to note ATV is engineering not only the valves, but their subsea operators in order to provide the complete system “valve + actuator” as an integrated unit designed and qualified for that specific Project.

The further steps, e.g. prototyping and testing in the actual service conditions on the base of International standards or Customer’s standards, are those giving the Engineering Team either the confidence they have developed a valid design or that there are some issues to be considered which may lead to design changes.

To give a feeling of the Engineering Team’s commitment, we can proudly say that ATV is developing some tens of new valve/operator designs per year that means same number on-going qualification activities all through the year: note the full qualification process of a heavy valve may last even two to three months. All the equipments and utilities needed to perform the qualification tests are available in the factory, including one of the largest hyperbaric chamber available to the private industry worldwide (rated up to 4500 mt or 15000 ft Water Depth).