Page 53: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2014)

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The blend of iCON technology and 11 thrusters in the small footprint Leopard, illustrates how intelligent architecture is advancing underwater vehicle design to bring greater operational benefts to the market at a lower real cost.

Photos: Saab Seaeye.

COMMITTED TO QUALITY...

maneuverable, a Hybrid can undertake a DELIVERING VALUE!

number of complex tasks. Asset integrity and environmental monitoring of oil and gas installations are some examples.

WCS Training Centers

This is well-illustrated by a project

Home • Office • Rig or Job Location developed by Eni Norge and Tecnomare, called Clean Sea (continuous long- term environmental and asset integrity monitoring at sea). The Clean Sea team -LEARNING sought to overcome the shortcomings of COURSES environmental monitoring and inspec- tion of oil and gas infrastructures, typi- cally restricted to an annual undertaking •

IADC Well Control and involves supply vessels and various

The Sabertooth AUV/ROV Hybrid ftted with the iCON intelligent control system, (Drilling, Workover/Completion, underwater systems.

with its behavior-based architecture, ofers decision-making and self-diagnostic Coiled Tubing, Snubbing, Wireline)

They recognized that the industry is capabilities for long-range programmable or operator-controlled missions. Future moving into more challenging develop- possibilities also suggest it can be left in operation at remote locations for a year.

• GAP Analysis Program ment areas–possibly in remote, hostile or environmentally-sensitive places–where and move towards the leak source and Through an intelligent control system,

Benefits conventional methods may be unsafe or flm it. the pilot also gets clear and enhanced unsustainable. Standard environmental sensors can be information while also independently •

Cost Effective

For the task they picked the Sabertooth ftted to include temperature, conductiv- managing each device on the vehicle, •

On-Demand Training

AUV/ROV Hybrid, not just for its 360° ity, dissolved oxygen, fuorescence for including auto redundancy, that will • 24/7 Tech Support maneuverability and hovering character- chlorophyll and organic matter, turbidity, keep the ROV working even after suffer- istics–necessary to operate in the prox- dissolved methane, PAH, pH and ORP. ing multiple equipment damages.

•

Globally Available imity of structures, while undertaking In future, the Clean Sea team see the The beneft of intelligent control is inspection and monitoring tasks–but that potential for locating E-Pods on the sea- that the continued evolution of smarter

Register today: its intelligent open-interface architec- bed alongside the Sabertooth at a remote vehicles incorporating innovative and www.wcsonlineuniversity.com ture meant the Clean Sea team could ft underwater docking station, where it will miniaturized technology is set to grow interchangeable modules, which they call remain resident for a year ready to be exponentially and will bring operators

E-PODs. deployed as needed. ever greater performance for less real

Each E-POD module is dedicated to a This will give year-round access to cost. particular task that can include automatic locations normally inaccessible due to water sampling, hydrocarbon leakage ice or exceptionally harsh weather, and Matt Bates is a detection, chemical analysis, visual offer safer monitoring in geographical director at Saab inspection and acoustic surveying. regions prone to insecurity. Seaeye, which he

The advantage of a modular concept is Such intelligent technology applied to joined in 1993. that a number of E-PODs can be readied ROVs, AUVs and Hybrids, and matched His primary for environmental monitoring during all with miniaturization of systems and com- responsibility is the phases of feld development. ponents, is opening up new opportuni- overall management

A selection of E-PODs can typically ties, and making life easier for operators. of the sales and include: baseline monitoring before activ- For instance the networked design of marketing and after-sales support ity takes place; along with environmental the iCON control system has refned the activities. impact monitoring during exploration main electronics pod into an intelligent He previously held the position of and production; post-incident monitor- power distribution and data hub, and re- engineering manager, during which time ing to record effects and environmental located the brains of the system into sen- his achievements included the develop- recovery; general spill and hydrocarbon sors and actuators. This provides greater ment of the Seaeye Tiger, Lynx, Panther leakage detection; also visual inspection information for the user and makes Plus and Seaeye Falcon.

FOLLOW US of structures, manifolds and associated maintenance far simpler and quicker. In 2002, he took over the position of equipment. This innovation also avoids the need Sales and Marketing Manager. In 2003,

TM

The hybrid’s intelligence can modify a to partially dismantle the ROV to reach he became Managing Director of Seaeye pre-programmed mission in real-time, so its electronic heart–and offers building- Marine and in 2008, took on the role of that in response to the detection of a leak block simplicity for equipment changes, Sales Director. +1.713.849.7400 it will autonomously pinpoint the leak by along with remote internet access for Matt has an Matt has an Honours Degree www.wellcontrol.com subsequent analysis of gas measurements upgrades and support. in Engineering Systems.

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