The FLX360 from GE Oil & Gas is aimed at creating a dramatic change in the reliability of connection technology for subsea production systems.

It is due to be deployed on a large offshore natural gas field production project in northwest Australia in the fourth quarter of 2014.

In subsea production systems hydraulic lines and other associated equipment have to be attached to each other.

Traditionall,y a MQC, or "stab plate" with screw threads - much like a household nut - is installed on subsea structures, and the cables and leads are then attached.

The integrity of these connections is vital to the overall reliability of the subsea system.

Over time the corrosive, high-pressure subsea environment can degrade the threads. This leads to the frequent connection failures experienced by installation contractors and operators over the life of the field.

When that happens a connector that was easy to attach when new often becomes very difficult to decouple after years of service.

It makes for longer staff hours for service, more effort, more downtime and higher costs.

After working closely with customers to identify issues posed by connector models with traditional stab plates, GE's UK-based subsea engineering team went back to the drawing board. They redesigned the technology and removed the screw threads entirely.

The resulting FLX360 adopts a mechanism comparable to that in a bayonet fitting on a light bulb.

In this type of threadless design, small pins are located on the side of the unit that is to be attached.

When a ROV mates the unit to the base the ROV then rotates it so the pins catch and lock.

Guidance features on both the tool and stab plates help to avoid any angular, rotational and lateral misalignments.

This, GE says, gives the operator the most "room for error" on the market.

GE Oil & Gas Subsea Systems director Paul White said the FLX360 was an example of common-sense engineering.

"Stab plates are a critical component, which, once engaged, are held together by a huge force," he said.

"They should remain in position regardless of external conditions for many years but should also be able to be ‘de-mated' on demand."

By removing the vulnerable moving parts typically sited within the subsea component and locating them within the installation tool itself, the connection system can be exercised without disconnecting hydraulics.

It also provides clear information to the operator during tool engagement and makes for ease of recovery for servicing purposes.