"This will be the longest and most comprehensive expedition to Loch Ness. We will be using the most advanced sonar and underwater videography equipment in the world." said Dr. Robert Rines, President of The Academy of Applied Science.

The Academy of Applied Science, headquartered in Concord, NH, is a private, non-profit organization chartered for the purpose of promoting creativity, invention and scientific achievement. Its president, Dr. Robert H. Rines, has been conducting research at Loch Ness since the 1970's with major expeditions in 1972, 1976 and 1997. During the earlier two of these, underwater pictures of what appear to be large aquatic animals, including the famous "flipper" picture, were captured.

The first members of the Academy expedition team arrived several weeks ago on the shores of Loch Ness. Dr. Rines, his granddaughter Lisa Rines-Toth, expedition logistics coordinator Elijah Ercolino and Rines’ son Justice prepared for the pending arrival of additional team members such as Mike Nicholson of Deep Sea Systems International (DSSI). Mike works with brother Chris on the development and deployment of deep-water ROV’s (remotely operated, unmanned submarines). He is one of the resident experts with regard to the operation of the ROV and will remain at the Loch for the month-long expedition.

In 1999 Rines and the Academy Underwater Research team installed a sonar-triggered, underwater video recording station in Urquhart Bay, Loch Ness. This part of the Loch is the site of many reported Nessie sightings over the years. The monitoring system, named the Charles W. Wyckoff station in memory of the late Academy team member, has been running for over two years. No large targets have been detected or photographed as of yet.

Deep Sea Systems International (DSSI) was founded by owner and President Chris Nicholson in January 1983 and is located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The company is lending its resources and has agreed to allow the Academy to utilize their Mini MAX Rover technology for this year’s expedition.

Benthos Inc., a company located in North Falmouth Massachusetts, is also a major contributor to the expedition. Benthos provides underwater products for oceanographic and offshore activities. Bill Charbonneau, a long time employee of Benthos, has assisted the Academy in past expeditions to Loch Ness. Although he is not at the expedition this year, he and Benthos have loaned the Academy Underwater Research Team what is known as a "chirp" sonar system. This sonar technology will enable the team to create a virtual sonar "net" that, in theory, will not allow any large mid-water targets to escape detection. In addition to this capability, this technology should allow the Academy to get detailed bathymetry of the Loch.

John Fish, Arnie Carr, Jim Archer and The American Underwater Search and Survey LTD. (AUSS) team are also assisting with the Expedition. Mr. Fish, Mr. Carr and Mr. Archer have assisted in recent Academy activities at Loch Ness. AUSS is best known for their marine salvage capabilities. Their services were utilized in the recovery of TWA flight 800 off of New York.

To get daily updates of their activities and achievments or to chat online with expedition members, log on to their web site by clicking here...

"The small charge was considered the safest and most controllable method to remove the mast," said Jon Yoshishige, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. "It is a technology that has been well researched and routinely used in the offshore oil industry for many years." The mast will be brought to the surface next month. The Ehime Maru sank after it was struck by the surfacing USS Greeneville (news - web sites) on Feb. 9, killing nine Japanese men and boys. The other 26 crew members, teachers and students on the high school training vessel from Uwajima, Japan, were rescued.

The Greeneville was demonstrating a rapid-surfacing drill off Hawaii for 16 civilian guests. Cmdr. Scott Waddle was reprimanded, effectively ending his 20-year career, and four other crewmen were disciplined. The 190-foot vessel rests on the ocean floor in 2,000 feet of water about nine miles from shore. The Navy plans to put straps under the sunken hull to lift the vessel for a move to 115-foot-deep waters, where recovery efforts can begin.

The Navy has never recovered a ship the size of the 830-ton Ehime Maru from such depths. Salvage experts say the operation will require cooperative sea conditions. Navy officials said by working around the clock, they hope to spend about a month rigging the ship, three to four days transporting it and about a month searching the interior. For the offical press release by Jaymes Song, click here...

The contract, which has been awarded to a consortium of Stolt Offshore and DSNL, a subsidiary of the Adamac group of companies in Nigeria, is valued at $135 million to Stolt Offshore. The construction of the Offshore Gas Gathering System (OGGS) involves the installation of 88km of 24-inch pipeline from Forcados/Yokri to the Bonga OGGS Riser Platform and 18km of 16-inch pipeline from South Forcados to the Bonga OGGS Riser Platform. A 264km 32-inch trunkline, including 8km onshore, to connect to the Bonny Island Liquid Natural Gas plant, will also be installed. This is the largest trunkline to be constructed offshore West Africa to date.

Pipelay operations will begin in the third quarter of 2002 following the landfall works. Adamac will construct the onshore receiving facilities as well as providing pipe coating, storage and loading services from their base in Port Harcourt. Bernard Vossier, Chief Executive Officer of Stolt Offshore said, "This important contract follows other recent awards from Shell in Nigeria to Stolt Offshore which include the Bonga flowlines, risers and export pipeline, the Offshore Gas Gathering System riser platform, and the EA field platforms and pipelines. This confirms our position as the largest offshore contractor in Nigeria with 31 years of local commitment in this increasingly important market." concluded Mr. Vossier.

Stolt Offshore is a leading offshore contractor to the oil and gas industry, specializing in technologically sophisticated offshore and subsea engineering, flowline and pipeline lay, construction, inspection and maintenance services. The Company operates in Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, Asia Pacific, and the Americas.

This news release contains forward looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual future results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various factors. Additional information concerning these factors is contained from time to time in the Company's U.S. SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's report on form 20F for the year ended November 30, 2000. Copies of these filings may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC. Contact Stolt Offshore by e-mailing Julian Thomson at julian.thomson@stoltoffshore.com US +1-877-603-0267 (toll free) UK +44-1224-718436 or visit their web site at http://www.stoltoffshore.com

A test line acquired by Veritas in the deepwater area last year revealed the extension of a thick sedimentary succession, outboard of the currently licensed acreage, containing large structures, slope channel packages and numerous amplitude anomalies. The recent Chinguetti-1 discovery well drilled by the Woodside group (Woodside/Agip/Hardman/Fusion/Elixir) has proven the existence of an active petroleum system along this margin. The acquisition of a first phase 2D program of 6,000 kilometres will commence prior to the end of September and will be aimed at evaluating the hydrocarbon potential of this promising section of the West African margin.

Veritas DGC Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a leading provider of integrated geophysical services and technologies to the petroleum industry worldwide. For the complete press release, click here... or contact Veritas DGC Inc., Mindy Ingle (IR), Matt Fitzgerald, or Rene VandenBrand +832-351-8821or visit their web site a http://www.veritasdgc.com

Pinehills Golf Club was created to rival the country's most prestigious golf clubs, bringing world class, daily fee golf to New England. An unparalleled range of comprehensive facilities, attentive service and a commitment to excellence are the hallmarks of Pinehills, which is dedicated to offering players of all levels a "total golf" experience in keeping with the rich traditions of the world's greatest game.

Over 300 acres of rolling hills punctuated by dramatic, glacially carved kettles and kames is the setting for two, new 18 hole championship courses designed by Rees Jones and Nicklaus Design. Pinehills Golf Club offers the most extensive practice facilities in New England and three golf schools providing quality PGA instruction.

Legendary golf architect Rees Jones designed Pinehills’ first course. In an impressive career spanning more than 35 years, the award winning Jones has gained widespread recognition for designing natural golf courses with a classic feel. His work at Pinehills continues this proud tradition.

The Jones course is set amidst the breathtaking canvas of the Pinehills and is characterized by his signature style - challenging to play, enjoyable for both experts and novices alike, and respectful of the land, with built in subtleties that offer a new playing experience every time. Four sets of tees allow the course to play from 5,388 yards to 7,175 yards. To register for the golf contact Maggie Merrill, e-mail: MarTRep@aol.com http://www.pinehillsgolf.com

The pipe lay effort will utilize the DLB-801, a 350-foot barge with a 230-person crew capable of laying approximately 1 mile of pipe per day. Another pipe barge is currently laying pipe in deep water off the coast of Alabama, working its way toward Florida. To date, it has laid approximately 25 of the 419 miles of offshore pipe.

Once complete, the $1.6 billion Gulfstream system will be the largest pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico, with capacity to transport approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. It is also the first new natural gas transportation system to serve Florida in more than 40 years.

Gulfstream Natural Gas System, L.L.C. is a joint interstate natural gas pipeline development of Williams (NYSE:WMB) and Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Feb. 22, 2001. Construction of the 753-mile pipeline project began June 1, 2001. The pipeline will extend from Mississippi and Alabama across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. It is designed primarily to serve Florida utilities and power-generation facilities that will use high-efficiency natural gas turbines to meet the increasing demand for electric energy.

Contact Gulfstream Natural Gas System, Houston, Chris Stockton, +713-215-2010 or for the complete press release, click here... or, for more information about the Gulfstream Natural Gas System is available by visiting the project Web site at http://www.gulfstreamgas.com.

Uzbekgeofizika intends to capitalise on this new processing capacity to apply full processing including imaging to a 3D survey it recently acquired over a 280 sq km area of the oilfield in the Central Fergana Basin. According to Tashpulat Babadjanov, Uzbekgeofizika General Director: "We believe that with the very latest processing technology delivered in this contract, we shall be able to fully process all Uzbekistan seismic data in the future".

For the complete press release, click here... or contact Alain Lebras +33 1 64 47 36 90 e-mail:alebras@cgg.com or visit their web site at http://www.cgg.com

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service has awarded a study, "Supply Logistics of OCS Oil and Gas Development in the Gulf of Mexico," to the National Ports and Waterways Institute of the University of New Orleans. The study will analyze the logistics of the offshore oil and gas industry's supply and fabrication system in the Gulf of Mexico to develop a method of measuring Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) related port activity. Ports and port-associated support facilities are critical staging areas for OCS oil and gas related activities. In recent years, the supply network supporting the offshore oil and gas industry has expanded greatly in size, complexity, and sophistication.

The National Ports and Waterways Institute, under the cooperative agreement, will examine the operations of three Louisiana ports: Port Fourchon, a service base port; Port of Iberia, a fabrication port; and Port of Morgan City, both a service base and a fabrication port. The Institute will define the transportation network that connects ports to inland supply and fabrication systems. This will provide knowledge of the backward linkages of the offshore industry from platforms to the suppliers, hence, insight into the spatial distribution of economic effects of the oil and gas industry on various sectors of the economy.

The Minerals Management Service is required by the National Environmental Policy Act to document onshore effects of the OCS program. The infrastructure of a port affects public and private facilities such as roads, water, utilities, schools, and local businesses. Ports also affect community income, wages and employment, income distribution, and labor demand. The assessment of ports Fourchon, New Iberia, and Morgan City will provide the basis for modeling other OCS ports and effects.

The National Ports and Waterways Institute has a long-term relationship with many Gulf of Mexico ports, including the ports in this study. The Institute contracts with ports to provide technical assistance in the development of master plans and market assessments. It also has a contract with the State of Louisiana to evaluate applications for monies from a transportation trust fund. The study will continue through December 31, 2002.

MMS is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the nation's oil, natural gas and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf in federal offshore waters. The agency also collects, accounts for and disburses mineral revenues from federal and Indian leases. These collections totaled nearly $8 billion last year and more than $110 billion since the agency was created in 1982. Annually, nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water Conservation Fund for the acquisition and development of state and Federal park and recreation lands.

For more information, contact one of the following at MMS: Barney Congdon +504-736-2595, Caryl Fagot +504-736-2590, or Debra Winbush +504-736-2597. You can also visit their web site at http://www.mms.gov

Using Eco-Script control language, the ESM-1 is the first of its type to enable users with no special training or additional equipment to design a bespoke system and logging regime. It features infinitely programmable sampling and system control. The systems sold to UEA will log mainly optical, temperature and pressure data to full ocean depth. The instrument may also be deployed within taut-line moorings, on surface buoys or on seabed-mounted packages.

The standard ESM-1 is supplied as a stand-alone device or as part of a suite of sensors such as fluorometers, turbidity sensors, CTD, dissolved oxygen and many others, as well as being used to control pumps, valves and other electromechanical devices. Sensor and data acquisition configurations may be changed between deployments and most proprietary oceanographic instruments may be plugged straight into the data logger.

W.S. Ocean Systems is a world leader in the design and manufacture of marine environmental data gathering systems. Based in Alton, Hampshire, UK, it supplies systems to oceanographic institutions, monitoring agencies, universities and environmental consultants. Products include the world-leading NAS-2E in-situ nutrient analyser; the new U-Tow Mk undulating towed vehicle, the "smart" Aqua Monitor water sampler and data loggers.

For more information contact Mark Rawlinson, W.S. Ocean Systems Ltd, Omni Business Centre, Omega Park, Alton, Hants GU34 2QD. Tel: +44 (0) 1420 541555. Fax: +44 (0) 1420 541499 email:info@wsocean.com web: http://www.wsocean.com

Italian scientists and survey organisations use RDI ADCPs worldwide for current profiling, navigation, discharge measurement, multi-directional wave measurement, water mass tracking and other applications. The meeting gave these users the opportunity to share experiences, with speakers and participants from: ICRAM (Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca scientifica e tecnologica Applicata al Mare); INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare); OGS (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale); Thetis; CEOM (Centro Oceanologico Mediterraneo); IUN (Istituto Universitario Navale di Napoli); Consorzio Venezia Nuova; Universita di Ferrara; Institute of Marine Geology, CNR; and SACLANT.

"Communication Technology fashioned this meeting on the same basis as our recent highly successful ADCPs in Action seminar held earlier this year in San Diego," said Harry Maxfield from RDI. "We laid the emphasis on networking so that we could get a true exchange of information between commercial and academic users." The next US-based ADCPs in Action seminar is March 10-11 2003, just before the IEEE Current Measurement Conference in San Diego.

RD Instruments invented the first commercial Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) in 1981 and has grown to a $20 million company selling a range of instruments to measure currents in ocean and coastal waters, rivers and lakes, ports and harbors. For more informaiton, contact Harry Maxfield, RD Instruments, 9855 Businesspark Avenue,San Diego, CA 92131-1101, USA Tel: +1(858)-693-1178 Fax: +1(858)-695-1459 or send e-mail to:news@rdinstruments.com or visit their web site at http://www.rdinstruments.com