Hughes Provides Broadband Maritime Solution to Hercules Offshore U.S. Liftboat Fleet

GERMANTOWN, Md., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In the demanding and competitive liftboat market, Hercules Offshore continues to deliver greater value. Keeping with their tradition of providing superior, versatile, and reliable services to support construction and maintenance work on offshore development projects, Hercules Offshore has invested in a state-of-the-art satellite communications system that is delivering the ultimate in connectivity for Hercules Offshore customers.

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), the global leader in broadband satellite network solutions and services, and Environmental Safety Systems International Corporation (ESSI), a leader in innovative solutions for the Oil and Gas market, are equipping the entire Hercules Offshore fleet of Class 120 to Class 230 liftboats in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, with Hughes satellite-based broadband maritime services. These liftboats, commonly referred to as the "workhorse" of the offshore industry, are reliable, versatile, and self-contained. They provide a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional pipelay/derrick vessels. With their large, open deck areas, they are self-propelling and self-elevating. The fleet provides a work platform for a wide range of services from coiled tubing and wireline operations to well intervention.

The Hughes Broadband Maritime solution boasts the most technologically advanced system in the industry and supports simple voice, email, Wi-Fi, and Web browsing, as well as VPN, video, network management, and custom-built applications at very competitive prices.  

Hughes Broadband Maritime services also extends Hercules Offshore's office wide area network (WAN) to all liftboats by a private backhaul that connects Hercules Offshore headquarters to the Hughes Network Operations Center (NOC) in Maryland. This allows all Hercules Offshore employees on liftboats to access corporate email and other applications as if they were in the onshore office.  Hercules Offshore is also instituting "four digit dialing" to all liftboats from any office phone through the main phone switch.

"We take pride in providing a well-maintained and well-equipped fleet with the most technologically advanced systems possible, so that our customers can focus on the job at hand," said Byron Allemand, managing director, Liftboat Division at Hercules Offshore.

"Providing the best and most reliable satellite communications available in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico continues a long tradition of ensuring our customers have everything they need to complete jobs safely, on time and on budget."

"Hercules Offshore was extremely thorough in vetting various service providers in the Gulf of Mexico region and we are gratified that their investigations highlighted Hughes Broadband Maritime solution as the best in class, covering all aspects from high availability and flexibility, to control and security," said Vinod Shukla, senior vice president, International Division, Hughes. "The deployment was completed in record time, enabling a fully connected and safer environment on all their liftboats."

"ESSI takes great pride in the fact that we were chosen by one of the most respected companies that operates in the Gulf of Mexico," said Kim Adams, president of ESSI Corporation. "Once again, the combination of Hughes advanced technology and flexible service plans, and ESSI's reputation as a leading service company, have set new and higher expectations for satellite communications in the Gulf of Mexico."  

The broadband satellite services for Hercules Offshore are fully managed by Hughes in partnership with ESSI. In addition to supporting critical operational communications and data exchange, the solution is an important morale-boosting amenity for the crew, providing a vital ship-to-shore link for workers who often spend weeks offshore.

About Hercules Offshore

Headquartered in Houston, Hercules Offshore, Inc. operates a fleet of 30 jackup rigs, 17 barge rigs, 65 liftboats, three submersible rigs, one platform rig and a fleet of marine support vessels. The Company offers a range of services to oil and gas producers to meet their needs during drilling, well service, platform inspection, maintenance, and decommissioning operations in several key shallow water provinces around the world.

About ESSI

Environmental & Safety Systems International Incorporated (ESSI), founded in 1991, is a global leader in the manufacturing, integration and fulfillment of Aids to Navigation (AtoN), Telemetry (SCADA), Fire, Smoke and Gas Detection, and Communications systems for the Oil & Gas and Maritime Industries. ESSI's unique GPS-enabled smart buoys and patented FaradicWave Fog Horns are deployed for the largest energy companies around the world. ESSI is headquartered in Broussard, LA, in the heart of the Gulf of Mexico energy corridor. For additional information, please visit www.essicorp.com.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in providing broadband satellite networks and services for large enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. HughesNet® encompasses all broadband solutions and managed services from Hughes, bridging the best of satellite and terrestrial technologies. Its broadband satellite products are based on global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU standards organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A and GMR-1. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 2.2 million systems to customers in over 100 countries.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes maintains sales and support offices worldwide. Hughes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: HUGH). For additional information, please visit www.hughes.com.

©2010 Hughes Network Systems, LLC. Hughes and HughesNet are registered trademarks of Hughes Network Systems, LLC.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC