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www.sea-technology.com September 2015 / st 57 to navigate and complete an obstacle course, with tasks such as "check the fux capacitor" and "travel through the time portal", without human or computer interaction by team mem- bers. Missions ranged from simple tasks, such as touching colored buoys, pass- ing over a PVC pipe without touch- ing it, and dropping markers into a bin, to complex tasks, such as fring mock torpedoes through a cutout in a piece of plywood, identifying sound from an acoustic pinger, grabbing and moving an object, and surfacing the AUV. San Diego State University took the top prize of $6,000. National Uni- versity of Singapore won the second prize of $4,000. Maritime State Uni- versity won the third prize of $3,000. Successful Field Testing Of PMM-PCP System Borets has successfully conducted a North American feld trial of its PMM-PCP system, the frst perma- nent magnet motor (PMM) running at a slow speed without a gear reducer to drive a progressing cavity pump. The PMM-PCP system ran success- fully for Crescent Point Energy in Canada from May 2014 until April 2015. The system increased the well uptime from 53.4 percent to 98.7 percent, saving Crescent Point sub- stantial workover costs and lost pro- duction time. PMM motors are equipped with an extremely high power density, which results in the motor being 40 percent shorter and lighter, with 18 percent better electrical effciency and a very fat power factor over a varying load. Ventana Gets Control System Upgrade Greensea completed its control sys- tem upgrade for Ventana, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's (MBARI) work-class ROV. The 1,850-m-rated vehicle received a new software plat- form that supports advanced automa- tion and control for the vehicle, includ- ing station-keeping. Ventana successfully completed midwater and benthic collections in the frst operational days after the up- grade. The plan is to follow up with a cable survey. MBARI has 60 total dives scheduled for Ventana this year. Underwater Centre Enhances Training Courses Students who are undertaking ROV Pilot Technician and Closed Bell training at The Underwater Centre are to beneft from newly revamped courses. Students on the three-week ROV Pilot Technician Course will now ben- eft from unique training elements, including time on the Centre's Loch Sunart ROV vessel and training in the ROV electrical and mechanical work- shops. The Centre has overhauled the sev- en-week Premium ROV Course to in- clude a condensed and more focused electronics module, as well as intro- ducing the courses: High Voltage and Electrical Safety Awareness; T4: Intro- duction to Titan 4 Manipulator Train- ing; Fibre Optics; Working at Height; and experience using the VMAX Tri- ton XL Simulator. The HSE Closed Bell Courses will include a new practical introduction to using a self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboat; practical introduction to bolt tensioning; Kirby Morgan Hat Users Course; and the IMCA Diver Medic ticket. ST