Offshore operations have changed in the last 20 years - commercial manufacturers will only react to market demand (no demand, no change) - the oil companies have to play a bigger role in making sure manufacturers keep up as they go further and further offshore in hostile environments.
Madrock, well said, we need the oil companies to push this technology forward and get away from minimum certification standards. I have a few simple but effective design ideas such as dual-redundancy MRGB pressure sensors and lube oil temperature versus casing temperature condition-based monitoring to detect early deterioration of vespel spline pumps to name but a few, but will leave that to the experts who no doubt are re-designing the MRGB for the CH-148 and maybe will utilise some of that advanced design for the S-92b.
As for 2-hour flights using aux fuel tanks and lack of alternates in the Grand Banks, we may have to also work on improving from the current SS6 capability, or start placing tighter limits of helo ops over here e.g. we've already lost night-time flying to fixed platforms (of which there is currently only one) I believe due to tightening of visibility limits.
Safe Flying
Max