Page 42: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Dec/Jan 2014)

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EXCITING

Technologies

SubseaSubsea In with the new: In with the new: Subsea innovations with multiple, interchangeable rig

Claudio Paschoa compares foundation options. This ? exibility may two new compact ROV- help in optimizing core sample qual- ity. Rovdrill is capable of operating in operated systems for seabed water depths up to 4000m. The coring/ geotechnical drilling by Forum sampling depth is a standard 90m, but is

Energy Technologies and Helix expandable to 200m.

A different concept is proposed

Energy Solutions.

by Helix Energy Solutions, which fundamentally attaches the ROV to ew compact ROV-operated an extremely compact subsea coring machinery for seabed geo- and sampling rig. Helix’s system, the

N technical drilling, coring ROVdrill Mk. 2 actually places the ROV and sampling are being developed for and the rig inside a cage. Helix Energy deepwater operations. This new form Solutions Group, Inc.’s robotics subsid- of geotechnical drilling combines work iary, Canyon Offshore Ltd. (UK), which class ROV systems with compact drilling has an extensive ? eet of proven trench- systems. Two companies, Forum Energy ing equipment and ROVs, is responsible

Technologies and Helix Energy Solutions, for the ROVdrill Mk.2 systems and are leading the way in the development operations. of this technology. The ROVdrill Mk. 2 can be used for

An advantage of taking the coring and geotechnical site investigation recover- sampling rig to the seabed is to minimize ing samples down to 50m below the

Forum’s Rovdrill 3 system. Image by Forum deck operations and a decrease in deck seabed and carrying out cone penetration

Energy Technologies.

footprint. This dramatically reduces testing (CPT) to over 120m. The system the inherent risks associated with these also allows for a fully automated seabed types of activities, while at the same operated drilling module capable of car- time greatly reducing costs, by taking the rying out a range of coring, sampling and traditional drilling rigs with their high in situ tests. It is launched as a conven- dayrates from the picture. tional work-class ROV system from a DP2

The rig itself can be very compact, easy vessel, albeit the combined weight of to deploy, operate and recover without the ROV and drilling unit and its linear the need of specialized and expensive disposition may limit its maneuverabil- surface vessels or platforms, and once ity. However, this may be balanced by the deployed, they are free from the in? u- fact that currents won’t affect the ROV’s ences of sea state conditions and vessel/ operation. platform motions during sampling opera- The self-contained system is capable tions. However, the surface deployment of drilling and testing with full real-time of the systems, are still dependent on sea monitoring of the operation, via cameras and wind state. and subsea sensors. ROVDrill’s tool racks

Helix’s ROVdrill Mk 2. Photo by Helix Energy

Solutions.

Forum Energy Technologies has are con? gured to provide a total of 14 employed its Rovdrill 3 system world- tool slots, with each slot able to carry wide. This is Forum’s third generation Rovdrill provides many advantages 3 tools, for storing as many as 40, 3m

Rovdrill system, which is composed of a over standard drillship operations, as it long tools for various applications. The purpose-built drilling unit controlled by is compact, easy to deploy, operate and ROVdrill Mk. 2 system can be deployed a WCROV Rovdrill. Designed and built as recover. Forum’s Rovdrill can be operated from any suitable DP vessel. However, a collaborative effort between Perry and from a variety of ROV systems and ves- differing from Forum’s Rovdrill 3, it

GEMS (Geotechnical Engineering and sels of opportunity without the need of cannot use a ROV of opportunity as its

Marine Surveys) engineers, Rovdrill has a specialized and expensive surface vessels ROV and the subsea geotechnical drilling proven capability to perform applications or platforms. It also has the advantage, rigs are interconnected. Both the Forum for offshore geotechnical investigations according to Forum, of being capable Rovdrill and Helix’s ROVdrill MK. 2 are and mineral explorations. of operating in all seabed environments deepwater operations-capable.

December 2014 | OE oedigital.com 44 000_OE1214_Subsea3.indd 44 11/21/14 4:59 PM