Page 30: of Marine Technology Magazine (May 2016)

Norway’s Subsea Valley “We’re rolling in this downturn,” beams Audun Martinsen, VP of analy- sis at Rystad Energy’s harbor-front Oslo headquarters. Rystad has just opened in Rio and says demand for oil? eld services stats from the Mid- dle East is intensifying. Much of that interest is in Europe, where it’ll be a while before the subsea segment fully recovers. Not sitting around, suppliers in Norway are designing smaller; targeting new markets and getting regulators to look at offshore rules changes that’ll spur growth.

By William Stoichevski

Blueye

One company trying new things and targeting the ocean space is Trondheim-based ROV start-up, Blueye Robotics.

Despite displaying a “mini-ROV” at the Subsea Valley oil and gas show, project manager Christine Spiten says they’re really marketing their ROV as an “underwater drone” for the mass consumer market.

“It’s for exploring and inspecting out-of-the-way, not easy- to-get-to locations,” she says. With one camera, a main thrust- er, two vertical thrusters and two GoPro cameras for quality, the Blueye is envisioned ? lming marine life; inspecting sub- sea infrastructure for gas leaks or surveying a ship’s hull or harbor for the unexpected. The potential for this throw-over- board technology as a diver’s companion is plain to see, as are its possible military applications.

Offshore, the Blueye could cheaply “supervise” the lowering of expensive subsea kit to the shallow-water seabed without calling on ROV expertise. At the sea bottom, LED lights could shine on suction piles or pipeline pigs or just illuminate organ- isms for the oceanographer, pro or amateur. Other markets, she con? rms, are ? shermen, harbors and biologists.

“We tested a lot of mini-ROVs,” Spiten says, belying an interest in converting them for the consumer market, “But it wasn’t fun (enough). Often there was just one screen and a lot of equipment to carry. We wanted ours to be as fun as ? ying a drone.” Shipboard control is by tablet, joystick or virtual reality goggles via ? ber-optic cable to the “drone” 100 meters down (max. depth). Projected price: $2,000.

Courtesy Blueye

Two Blueye “drones” investigate.

May 2016

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