UT THREE UNDERWATER TECHNOLOGY Issue Six 2018

SEABED MINING • UNDERWATER1 VEHICLES Capital-Efficient THREE Subsea Solutions UT UNDERWATER Society for Underwater TECHNOLOGY Production Tree Technology Unified Controls Lead time: 12 months 1 Fetter Lane Lead time: 12 months London EC4A 1BR Pump Lead time: 18 months Wellhead Lead time: 8 months Manifold Lead time: 18 months Connection System Lead time: 6 months

Seabed nodule collector Image: Krypton Ocean

ISSN: 1752-0592

Vol 12 No 6

+44 (0) 1480 370007

Editor: John Howes [email protected]

Editorial Assistant: Eddie Current

Production: Redefine economic viability with a new Sue Denham approach to subsea production. Advertising: Zinat Hassan The OneSubsea portfolio of standardized designs supports streamlined processes, documentation, [email protected] and manufacturing to deliver integrated production systems that enable achieving first oil as soon as 24 months after contract award. Customized to your field architecture, these capital-efficient solutions help you maximize recovery from new fields to transform deepwater economics across the life of the asset.

Find out more at Published by UT2 Publishing for and on behalf of the Society for Underwater Technology. Reproduction of UT2 in whole or in part, onesubsea.slb.com/standardization without permission, is prohibited. The publisher and the SUT assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material, nor responsibility for content of any advertisement, particularly infringement of copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property rights and patents, nor liability for misrepresentations, false or misleading statements and illustrations. These are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the SUT or the publishers. © 2018 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 18-OSS-372531 2 3 1 OFFSHORE NEWS

VIGDIS

Vigdis subsea installation. (Photo: André Osmundsen)

The subsea Vigdis field has produced This improved oil recovery project Thanks to the boosting station, the new boosting station with power 700 million. Engineering will start this fabricating the pump and Luster oil via Snorre field for more than includes a multiphase boosting station wellhead pressure can also be reduced from a new umbilical. month (December 2018) in Bergen, Mekaniske Industri fabricating 20 years. Recoverable reserves will that will increase production from which further increases production with the assembly taking place at piping. More contracts will be now be boosted by almost 11 million existing wells. The boosting station from the wells. In addition to the The contract for delivering the the company’s plant at Horsøy near awarded in the near future. barrels following Equinor's decision will be connected to the pipeline to subsea boosting station, the project boosting system, including subsea Bergen. to invest some NOK 1.4 billion on enhance the capacity between Vigdis will involve some modifications to template and trawling protection, has A total of 500 people will be boosting station, expected come and Snorre A, and will help bring the Snorre A, which receives oil from the been awarded to OneSubsea. The OneSubsea will use several sub- involved in delivering the Vigdis online in the first quarter of 2021. wellstream up to the platform. Vigdis field, and Snorre B, supplying contract value is estimated at NOK contractors, including Framo Flatøy boosting station.

4 5 OFFSHORE NEWS

[email protected] sound by design

Multibeam Imaging Sonars Single and Dual Frequency Operation HFG COMPLETES TULIP 300m and 4000m Depth Rated Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG) has completed the jacket construction for the Tulip Oil Q10-A unmanned offshore platform, to be installed offshore the Netherlands. The jacket sailed away from Heerema’s yard in Hartlepool.

Tulip Oil Netherlands Offshore (TONO) awarded Heerema the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for the topside and jacket of the Q10-A platform in January this year (2018).

The platform topsides will have a weight of approximately 500 t, while the jacket weights around 600t and Micro-USBL Tracking Beacons will stand in 21m of water. Bidirectional Acoustic Data Modems

The platform forms a part of the Q10 gas field, operated by TONO with 60% interest, with Energie Beheer Nederland holding the remaining interest.

The Q10 gas field development encompass the Q10-A unmanned offshore platform with a pipeline tie back to the TAQA operated P15d platform.

First gas is expected in 2019.

Tulip jacket

Portable Sidescan Sonars NEPTUNE PROGRESS ON CARA TORTUE OIL OFFLOADED Towed, OEM, Hull and Pole Mounted Neptune Energy a has submitted the platform for processing and Several studies will now be BW Offshore has announced that Decision to Continue (BoV) report for export. Gjøa will also provide completed before the final the first cargo of oil was success- the Cara project to the Norwegian gas lift to the field. A tieback investment decision and the plan fully offloaded from theBW Adolo Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. to existing infrastructure will for development and operation FPSO. A total of 550,000 bbls of oil The licence partnership will now ensure that maximum value (PDO) can be submitted to the were transferred from the FPSO to progress its technical and economic from the field is unlocked. Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in a tanker which will transport the plan before making a final investment the first quarter of 2019. crude oil to a refinery. decision early in 2019. The Cara field is located 6km northeast of the Gjøa field Cara was discovered in 2016 and is The BW Adolo achieved first oil Based on the proposed plan, and about 60km of mainland situated in PL636 in the Norwegian from the Tortue field offshore hydrocarbons from the Cara reservoir Florø. Cara is expected to North Sea. The discovery well, Gabon on 16 September after will be developed with a four-slot yield between 56-94 million 36/7-4, was drilled by Transocean completing hook up of mooring subsea template tied back to the barrels of oil equivalent, in Arctic and proved oil and gas in Agat systems and installation of risers Neptune Energy-operated Gjøa the range of 9-15 m3 formation. and umbilicals.

find out more 6 7 www.blueprintsubsea.com

BlueprintSubsea UT2 ThirdPage-Vert Advert 2018-05 (CMYK, 480dpi) 11 April 2018 11:00:04 OFFSHORE NEWS

CLAIR RIDGE

BP has achieved first oil production required capital investment in excess the potential to increase oil recovery 1 export pipeline. Oil from Clair is are 36 well slots, two of which are The start of production of Clair Ridge from the giant Clair Ridge project in of £4.5 billion, are designed for 40 from reservoirs by using reduced exported to the Sullom Voe Terminal being used for the tieback of pre- follows the start-up earlier in 2018 of the West of Shetland, offshore UK. years of production. salinity water in water injection. on Shetland. drilled wells. The drilling programme, five other Upstream major projects. which is likely to last more than Clair Ridge is the second phase of The project has been designed to This is expected to result in up to 40 A new 14.6km, 6in gas export pipeline 10 years, includes drilling and These include Atoll Phase One, development of the Clair field, 75km recover an estimated 640 million million additional barrels being cost- tying Clair Ridge into the West of completing development wells from offshore Egypt, Shah Deniz 2 gas West of Shetland. The field, which was barrels of oil with production effectively recovered over the lifetime Shetland Pipeline Systems (WOSPS) the remaining 34 well slots. development in Azerbaijan, TAAS discovered in 1977, has an estimated expected to ramp up to a peak at of the development. was also installed as part of the expansion project in Russia, Western seven billion barrels of hydrocarbons. plateau level of 120,000 barrels of oil project. The WOSPS transports gas The Clair Field has in excess of Flank B offshore Western Australia and per day. In addition to the platforms, the from West of Shetland to Sullom Voe. 7 billion barrels in place and is Thunderhorse Northwest Expansion Two new bridge-linked platforms and Clair Ridge project also included expected to sustain production in the Gulf of Mexico. It is key to oil and gas export pipelines have been Clair Ridge is the first offshore new pipeline infrastructure with the Clair Ridge also features an advanced for many decades to come, with delivering the 900,000 barrels of oil constructed as part of the Clair Ridge deployment of BP’s enhanced oil installation of a 5.5km, 22in oil export drill rig which will deliver a drilling significant scope for further phases equivalent new production from new project. The new facilities, which recovery technology, LoSal, which has pipeline tying into the Clair Phase programme over several years. There of development. upstream major projects by 2021.

8 9 OFFSHORENEWS NEWS

BP's Clair Ridge Platform 10 11 OFFSHORE NEWS

MCDERMOTT ON GREAT WHITE HFG TO DIVEST ASSETS NEXANS IRM Nexans has launched a dedicated Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) service. The new IMR team comprises experienced Nexans engineers that can support customers worldwide with emergency response, a 24/7 hotline and fast-track mobilisation.

The Nexans IMR agreement not only reduces the failure risk for cable systems through proactive inspection and maintenance, but also enables Transmission Service Operators (TSOs) to manage unexpected incidents more efficiently with the help of the expert team.

Over the last 40 years Nexans has successfully performed over 50 offshore repairs.

Great White Frio

McDermott to install a flexible system to an onshore location at flowline, one steel flying lead and Maricá City two electrical flying leads for the Shell-operated Great White Frio The contract covers the development in the Gulf of Mexico implementation of the ultra-shallow Nexans jetting vessels segment of the new Rota 3 gas export Heerema Fabrication Yard McDermott's scope of work pipeline. includes project management and engineering; installation of a flexible The scope of work includes design and IRM EXTENDED flowline from the well to a pipeline detailed engineering, procurement, Following a strategic review Heerema in Zwijndrecht (The Netherlands) and yard. In the coming period HFG also DOF Subsea Australia's existing end termination; installation of one construction and installation of six Fabrication Group (HFG) intends to divest Hartlepool (United Kingdom). The intends to seek a buyer for its activities Subsea Inspection, Maintenance 2000ft-long steel flying lead; and miles (10km) of a 24in rigid concrete a significant part of its activities in the field intended restructuring will see the at the yard in Hartlepool. The activities and Repair Contract with Chevron installation of two electrical flying coated pipeline from the already of design and fabrication of complex steel closure of HFG’s head office in The at the HFG yard in Vlissingen (The Australia has been extended. leads (EFLs) in a water depth of installed shallow water segment constructions for the offshore market. HFG Netherlands. It is anticipated that 60 Netherlands) and Opole (Poland) will 8000ft. Project management and of this new pipeline system to the has been struggling for some time with jobs at the company’s headquarters continue as they are. The company has successfully engineering are scheduled to be shore. This includes a horizontal insufficient project volume and marginal will be phased out. provided IMR vessel, ROV, AUV, performed in Houston, Texas, with directional drill, tie-in spools and pre- profitability. The current intended divestment Project Management, Engineering offshore installation by McDermott commissioning of the six mile (10km) HFG has signed a letter of intent follows a restructuring of HFG in services including on and offshore targeted for completion in mid-2019. pipeline. In addition, the risks associated with aiming to sell its activities at the November 2016 that took place professional personnel to execute building topsides are high and clients are yard in Zwijndrecht with the Italian against the background of the various work scopes supporting McDermott is also to install third Overall project management and not prepared to pay for this risk. engineering and construction company decreased oil price, the consequent construction and IMR activities on phase of Rota 3 rigid pipeline for engineering will be performed by Rosetti Marino S.p.A.. It is expected lack of investment in the oil and gas the Chevron-operated Gorgon and Petrobras safely connecting the McDermott’s team in Rio de Janeiro, As a result of the divestment HFG intends that the transfer of activities will not industry and unfavourable contractual Wheatstone Projects and other as- Brazilian offshore pre-salt pipeline with support from the Houston team. to dispose of its activities at the locations affect the workforce at the Zwijndrecht conditions in the wind energy market. sets since February 2015.

12 13 OFFSHORE

LEVIATHAN Jumbo has been awarded the transportation and Installation of a 410t subsea production manifold at a depth of 1643m off the coast of Israel for the Leviathan development.

Technip is preparing for a project including a subsea production system connecting high- rate subsea wells to a fixed platform located approximately 10km offshore Israel.

Technip awarded Jumbo's Offshore division with the contract to perform the task of lowering the manifold onto the seabed at a 1643m water depth and installing various other SSIV’s and valve skids at a water depth of approximately 86m. In addition to this, Jumbo will also transport various equipment from US Gulf Coast to Eastern Mediterranean.

The Jumbo team will also provide reliable project management and engineering services for this scope of work, including attendance of HIRAs and review of Technip procedures and analyses.

The Leviathan Field is located in the I/14 Leviathan North and I/14 Leviathan South leases, approximately 125km west of Haifa, Israel, and 35km west of the Tamar field in the eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin. Water depth ranges from 1,600m to 1750m.

14 15 2 SUT EVENING MEETING SUBSEA LEAK MONITORING At a recent SUT Evening Meeting, Dr Christopher Bridge from Schlumberger OneSubsea talked to John Howes about practical research into leak detection

would have seen evidence of a very slow, steady gradual seeping of water at the joint or seal. This slow 'seep' is very difficult to detect. The system might have to be under pressure before this leak manifests itself.

The second type is the small, simple leak from 0-10% of the pipe diameter. This is the archetypal leak of water, say, jetting out of garden hose.

The third type is the 'Gross Leak'.

This describes the product escaping from areas over 10% of the diameter of the pipe. What differentiates it form the second type is that its passage significantly disrupts the flow to the Schlumberger's research facility in Cambridge pipe.

"These three types are all leaks but Being able to continually collect programmes are often the first thing "Measuring at long distances can typify fundamentally different system pipeline integrity data in real that are cut, or at least, diluted. be advantageous. There have been physics," said Bridge. "In the weep time not only allows the operator incidents in certain countries where leak, you don't expect any vibration – to detect leakage, but also At its research facility in Cambridge, third parties have illegally inserted a you may get a very small temperature theoretically makes it possible to Schlumberger has been carrying out welded tee in an oil or gas product increase, but it is incredibly difficult to be pre-emptive and detect leaks work on the physics behind the leaks, line. observe. That's not to say that we can't before they occur and as such, measuring a wide range of parameters do it, but we really have to understand prevent them from happening. using extremely accurate sensors With fibre optical based monitoring, the signals. in order to better understanding it would not only be possible to However, leak detection is a the mechanisms and responses of measure the vibration of a car "The simple or small jet leak comes small part in a greater holistic controlled leakage in experimental moving up to the pipeline, but even out with a huge amount of noise and approach to whole asset integrity. pipelines. This knowledge can then be detect the difference between a car energy released. Fluid loss, however, it Energy released from pipe leakage To maximise its value, however, it transferred into the field. and a human as well as knowing might be just a few percent. erosion /corrosion may result shows a sudden burst of high energy has to be introduced early on in exactly were the intrusion occurred. in a gradual reduction in pipe such as the popping of a plug. The the project, even at manufacture Multiple measurement systems are "In the Gross leak, because of the hole wall thickness to result in a hole, third trace is evocative of erosion/ stage. being examined to achieve these goals, "When looking at sensors to measure in the pipe is so large, there is relatively although not a rupture. corrosion in which the leak which including distributed sensing using 'leakage', however, we realised at low noise. What we are looking for here increases over time. The last is the Doing so can deliver a greater optical fibres and point sensing using an early stage that it was not that is not so much the leak itself but the A further reason may be internal gross leak with a rupture event understanding of the subsea high precision strain gauges. simple and too easy to get wrapped impact of the leak on the flow within overpressure. As the flow passes followed by a slow reduction in system providing information to into one set of physics. There are lots the pipeline." thorough the hole, it increases the noise. other disciplines and possibly even "Fibre Optics-based systems are very of aspects. For simplicity, we decided aperture size. DVS extending asset life. It can prevent useful tools because as they are a to concentrate on three types of In practice, the leak is a progressive loss of product, reputation and distributed measurement, it is possible leakage," he said. "The first was a process. At some point, something A key method of leak detection is to The best way to measure vibration environmental damage. to monitor indicator parameters such 'weeping leak'." initiates a hole in the pipe wall. This measure vibration. is probably to employ fibre optics as temperature and vibration, along may be a sudden rupture, maybe from in a practice called heterodyne In practice, however, as budgets the entire length of the pipe," said Anyone that has seen rust marks by an external impact, which results in an In the diagram (above), the top distributed vibration sensing (DVS). are squeezed, measurement Chris Bridge. a radiator pipe or stains on a carpet explosive energy release. Alternatively, shows a simple leak. The next In the research, Bridge used optical

16 17 SUT EVENING MEETING

lines to track changes in strain at 2m problems from happening. intervals along a 40km fibre optic "Constant detection may result in a cable at 1 kHz. wide range of future applications. STRAIN MEASUREMENT "Rather than have some sort of For example, looking at a pipeline, The strain measurements are effectively taken by sensor electronics detecting sensory device attached to a pipeline vibration changes may relate to a a change and imparting pressure on a sensor. This is translated by software and connected by wire, it is actually build up of sand and it monitoring into a measurable value. There are many such devices on the market but the optical fibre that becomes the can specify where this is happening. Schlumberger realised that in order to make measurement of the required sensor," he said. The important thing is to involve sensitivity, they had to look for the most accurate on the market. people from all disciplines early in The system works by sending a pulse the operation to make sure has value. The system they use is based on a Sapphire blade (chosen because it has the of light from an optical box along a Monitoring needs to be part of the most elastic response). For accuracy, it is then etched using a laser and rather normal piece of fibre optic cable. system operating philosophy at project than gluing the strain gauge on, it is plasma-deposited. The fibre-optic itself is imperfect conception. and when put under external strain, "This not only shows the extremely high precision that it is possible to get out this changes the light reflected BUOYANCY of devices, but rather the lengths that we have to go through to get the sort What does a leak look like? On the left is the fibre optic line on a pipe. In back up the fibre-optic towards the One demonstrator project that of measurement we need," said Bridge. "To put it into perspective, the image the middle is the line on the ground 2cm awaw and on the right is another optical box source. This is known as Schlumberger is heavily involved with, (at the bottom of the page) goes up logarithmically to the size of a subsea 5cm away. On the right-hand side is the response from a burst disc rupture backscatter. is looking at leakage detection in production system at 2km away. The calibrated range is +500 microns. To put it It is also possible to see the pressure wave. buoyancy cans. In some deep water into context, a human hair is 100 microns. Furthermore, the resolution is less "By noting how the frequency and floating production systems, the riser than 0.05 microns – 20 times the width of a strand of DNA. Even more, the drift amplitude of the reflected light fibre. Repeating this with light pulses cycle of the asset. is so long and consequently, heavy, per year is less than 5 microns, so put it another way, we measured tension changes, it is possible correlate this and measuring the light that reflects "If the operator has a tight handle that it requires flotation to be added on this aircan – in a subsea environment – with a drift less than the width of 5 to changes in temperature, strain back at all those distances can tell if on how the field has behaved the to help support the weight of the bacteria per year," concluded Bridge. and vibration – vibration is, of course, there is any change or stretch within previous 10 years, they can make steel. a strain measurement. the fibre. The multiple pulses build up reasonable assumptions using that an image information on how it will behave for Large air-filled tanks are, therefore, "Light is sent down the pipe at another 10," said Bridge. incorporated into the top of the riser gigahertz frequency. Using time So what parts of the subsea industry to keep it taut. A small jumper cable domain reflectometry, (the sending is the continuous measurement of "In this view, the monitoring evolves links this upper section to the main out the pulse and measuring the strain applicable to? The answer is, of from being just about leak detection FPSO. reflection), this determines the course, right along the process from – it is how to produce information to signals at all distances down the drilling to pipelines and across the life predict many diverse issues and stop Leaks in the tank, however, can be caused by corrosion of the metal structure. If this buoyancy can leaks, its tension reduces and the riser starts to buckle. In such a case, a leak detection is difficult to design – a small hole can be observed by its air bubbles but a seeping leak would be near- impossible to detect directly.

"Any leakage, however, would manifest result in a drop in tension, which we can measure, " said Bridge "although it is important get enough background data to both recognise a trend and be able to ignore temperature and environmental loading.

The green line shows someone "The monitoring system must last walking along the fibre-optic line. for the life of the field, be highly There are also horizontal ghost accurate and have low drift. It has lines that result from cars moving to communicate accurate tension along the road next to Cambridge data at multiple locations to enable research centre. validation and cross checking. These are signature specifications of our measurement systems." 18 19 3 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

ISE AUV to COMRA SWIRE COMPLETES FIRST AUV SUBSEA SURVEY Swire Seabed has successfully completed the first autonomous inspection of offshore pipeline systems in October 2018 utilising Kongsberg Maritime’s Hugin AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) for Equinor.

The recent inspections by Swire Seabed were undertaken with the subsea vehicle in “autonomous” mode. A small surface vessel accompanied the AUV, however, the vessel’s role was limited to providing positional updates to the vehicle and acting as a communications relay between the AUV and the Control Centre at Swire Seabed’s office in Bergen.

The inspections were performed on three pipelines between Kollsnes and Troll A. In total, 180 km of pipeline were inspected over two AUV dives. The AUV, operated by Kongsberg, acquired Bathymetrical, Synthetic Aperture Sonar and visual data as part of an operation to verify the continued integrity of the subsea pipelines.

Acceptance criteria for data (quality, ISE Explorer coverage, density etc.) were identical to the criteria used for non-autonomous inspection International Submarine Engineering Ltd (ISE) announced the sale of the latest ISE methods. Explorer AUV to China Ocean Mineral Resource R&D Association (COMRA). This ISE Explorer AUV is the first rated for operations at 6000 m depth. SWARM ACCIONA is developing autonomous which ACCIONA is a member, is developing vehicles capable The modular design of the ISE Explorer enables it to carry multiple payloads in vehicles for underwater work within of performing complex tasks in underwater environments its spacious, swappable, and customisable payload section including Multibeam the SWARMs EUROPEAN R&D autonomously, i.e. without the need for human intervention, Echosounders, Sidescan Sonars, Sub-bottom Profilers, Synthetic Aperture Sonars, programme using Artificial Intelligence. High Definition Cameras and Laser Systems, CTDs and chemical sensors, or any combination of AUV payloads. These autonomous vehicles will be The use of this type of underwater autonomous vehicles will able to perform complex review and reduce the risks associated with the construction and repair of Additional battery sections can be added to extend the endurance from 24 hours repair operations on underwater offshore structures, work currently performed and monitored up to 72 hours. structures (ports, rigs, offshore by divers. They can be used for repairs in ports, offshore wind turbines, etc) without human platforms, offshore wind turbines, etc. intervention. They will contribute to minimising the environmental They can also be used to measure and monitor levels of impact of dredging operations suspended materials as a result of dredging operations and to and to early detection of high measure the concentration of suspended solids in water. concentrations of pollutants The first trials were conducted in These vehicles can work together in groups (or swarms, hence the Canary Islands, Norway and the project name), communicating via acoustic modems, Romania dispensing with the need for cables or human controllers. Image of pipeline on seabed acquired by AUV The SWARMs European project, of The project budget is €17 million multi beam echo sounder sensor ISE Explorer 20 21 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

MISSING SUBMARINE FOUND

With its unique capacity to search after two months of seabed search, Ocean Infinity’s permanently The AUVs are not tethered to their host Ocean Infinity is able to deploy two Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) which across the ocean floor, Ocean Infinity, Ocean Infinity located what has now mobilised ocean search capability vessel during operations, allowing them work class ROVs and heavy lifting they can fly backwards and forwards has confirmed that it has found been confirmed as the wreckage of is claimed to be the most to go deeper and collect higher quality equipment capable of retrieving in a grid pattern to turn a linear ARA San Juan, the Argentine Navy the ARA San Juan. The submarine technologically advanced in the data for the search. They are equipped objects weighing up to 45t from survey into an areal survey. submarine which was lost on 15 was found in a ravine in 920m of world. Their AUVs are capable of with a variety of tools including side 6000m. November 2017. water, approximately 600km east of operating in water depths from 5m scan sonar, a multi-beam echo-sounder The Ocean Infinity system however, Comodoro Rivadavia in the Atlantic to 6000m and covering vast areas of HD camera, and synthetic aperture It is relatively common for survey involve using a number of AUVs In the early hours of 17 November, Ocean. the seabed at unparalleled speed. sonar. In addition, from the host vessel, companies to employ Autonomous flying in formation each side of the

22 23 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

Contd boat, to essentially fly a linear survey with the width or swath of an areal survey.

While such an arrangement may be expensive, it is very effective. Running six AUVs at once is cheaper and more effective than running one AUV for six times the distance and coverage. The company says that this approach dramatically increases productivity and reduces downtime – 'saving clients time and money with our ’one stop shop’ multi-purpose vessel'.

The system has been used to try and locate Manalysian airlines MH370.

Ocean Infinity donated 120 000 km2 of data from the search for missing Malaysian airliner to The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project when it collected data from eight AUVs.

In Argentina, Ocean Infinity used five Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to carry out the search, which was conducted by a team of approximately 60 crew members on board Seabed Constructor. In addition, three officers of the Argentine Navy and four family members of the crew of the ARA San Juan joined Seabed Constructor to observe the search operation.

l Solstad Offshore has entered into a contract with Ocean Infinity for a fuel efficient 250 ton crane support vessel. The contract will commence in 3Q 2019 for 33 months.

l Ocean Infinity has awarded a contract for the provision of survey services for the MV Island Pride to Geophysical and Hydrographic survey provider Guardian Geomatics.

The MV Island Pride is currently being mobilised in Tampa, Florida as part of a seven year charter. Sea trials of the new capability in Q1 2019.

MV Island Pride

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EDGETECH 2205 SONAR AND THE ARA SAN JUAN

EdgeTech's high resolution sonar imaging systems were used to help find the missing Argentine submarine, ARA San Juan.

The deep water search, performed by Ocean Infinity and its advanced fleet of 6000m rated autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) were equipped with EdgeTech 2205 Side Scan Sonars. EdgeTech’s unique tri- frequency side scan sonar frequency combination of 75 / 230/ 410 kHz enables the host AUV to perform long range searches in deep water, with the middle and higher frequency providing added resolution for better target identification. The ARA San Juan was imaged by the EdgeTech sonar operating at a frequency of 230kHz and a 400 meter range scale.

EdgeTech side scan sonar systems provide operators the ability to image large areas of the sea floor during important deep-water searches when the whereabouts of sunken objects are largely unknown.

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OCEAN INFINITY ORDERS FIVE HUGIN AUVs Hydrographic and Geophysical latest generation Kongsberg Maritime driven business. The HUGIN AUV is at HISAS generates high resolution The first HUGIN AUV was launched Survey company Ocean Infinity has HISAS 1032 synthetic aperture sonar, the heart our strategy and this further range independent imagery and full in May 1993 and the range has since placed three separate orders for a giving Ocean Infinity a total of six order, which takes our fleet to 15 in swath bathymetry. Coupled with the gone on to become the de facto total of five Kongsberg Maritime HUGINs with the ability to deliver high total, reflects our clients’ appetite for other sensors on board, the HUGIN technology standard for advanced HUGIN Autonomous Underwater resolution imaging in its fleet. high quality, highly efficient and highly AUVs produce an unrivalled data underwater robotics. Vehicle (AUV) Systems, increasing its cost effective outcomes which legacy set including HISAS imagery and inventory to 15. “It has been extremely satisfying technologies simply cannot deliver,” bathymetry, EM2040 bathymetry, HUGINs are in operation around the to receive the markets’ continued said Oliver Plunkett, Chief Executive sub-bottom profiler data and colour world with commercial, scientific and The AUVs are supplied with the positive response to our technology Office of Ocean Infinity. photographs. defence operators.

28 29 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

GAPS USBL AUVS

TELEDYNE GAVIA recently carried out a series of tests using iXblue GAPS USBL system as a positioning solution for the tracking of their AUVs in shallow water (200m).

30 31 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

GAPS USBL system contd. These tests were run off the coast of topography and SVP were known, the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. a Side-Scan Sonar (SSS) was then The trials highlighted the very used to detect the target and accurate positioning together with other features on the seafloor in a great simplicity of integration and order to better estimate the USBL- operation of the Gaps system. aided navigation accuracy.

Installed on the hull of the After the mission, the SSS images mothership for these trials, iXblue were analysed and the target Gaps USBL system pinged the position estimated from the sonar transponder fitted onto the GAVIA records. The standard deviation AUV. The estimated position was and average positions of the target sent down to the AUV through were compared to the position acoustic modem and transferred to and standard deviation of the iXblue Rovins INS installed on the target position as calculated from AUV, recalibrating it. the box-in data.

To evaluate Gaps USBL performance, For the un-aided shallow water a beacon and a target were dives, navigation errors can easily deployed on the seabed. reach 20 m. While using the Gaps USBL aiding, the navigation A box-in was performed to accuracy was down to 1-2 m. This accurately determine the position shows the benefits of using Gaps of the beacon. The GAVIA AUV USBL aiding. then executed a short mission to the seafloor to collect information The combined Gavia and Gaps on the seabed topography and to USBL system successfully provided collect a Sound Velocity Profile (SVP) repeatable positioning of the AUV. in the operation area. The SVP was The position difference between then integrated into Gaps for better the USBL and sonar averages was results. within 1deg of the USBL position estimate and was at 1m from the Once the target location, seafloor real location, estimated by box-in.

Below figure represents the trajectory of the AUV. Left figure shows start of mission showing USBL fixes resulting in large corrections while vehicles does not have a water track. The right picture shows the path when the vehicle has reached the bottom and the DVL acquires bottom track. The blue dots are Gaps USBL fix and the red line is the real-time INS position

GAVIA AUV

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CONTROL SYSTEM TRIALS Aleron has concluded harbour trials with a client's ROV following a control system upgrade. The Gladiator control system was installed in an ageing 2005 Triton XL

"We removed the original control package and replaced it with our upgrade. We believe this gives operators a good option for life extension of their ageing assets without huge cost," said Gary McConnell Business Development Manager at Aleron.

"The ethos is that we utilise as much of their existing hardware such as valve packs, cameras, lights, sonars etc, along with our own electronics package and make the existing hardware operate.

"The biggest issue we have seen over years of buying, refurbishing and re- selling ROVs is supportability of the PCBs. The OEMs are busy engineering the next generation of their systems so re-engineering 10 year old boards isn’t a priority and stocking of the boards they can support tends to move to ‘made to order’.

"We have one master board which we use throughout our main POD, valve packs, and topside. We do as much of the processing through our topside PCB as we can and we have a couple of additional PCB’s for controlling older servo valve pack hardware but we try to keep PCB varieties and numbers to a minimum. This reduces the amount of spares an operator has to carries and simplifies the management of those spares.

The system utilises an industry recognised LINK multiplexor stack which allows us to operate all modern sensors and has modular upgrade options as well.

Standard auto functions are included such as auto heading, auto depth and auto altitude and we are intending on introducing auto positioning during next year’s development updates.

34 35 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

MODUS COMPLETES VASHISHTA TRENCHING Modus Seabed Intervention Limited deeper water sections and then transferring the has successfully trenched to trenching equipment to the Multicat Zwerver specification the ONGC Vashishta II for the shallow water operations. The project pipelines and umbilical offshore demonstrated the versatility of the CT-1 to provide CARRERA E EXCAVATION SPREAD CSIRO TRAINING India for McDermott International. on-specification burial and survey from a host of vessels; mobilising safely and swiftly, offering Following an extensive R&D prevents physical contact between the Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific The challenging scope included unrivalled flexibility. trajectory, Seatools has developed product and the excavator. The motion and Industrial Research Organisation the trenching and surveying of a motion-controlled precision flow control technologies – AHC and DP (CSIRO) has begun training students two 18km long pipelines with The CT-1’s ability to be configured to trench in water excavation spread called the Carrera – maximize the spread’s workability to operate their new Saab Seaeye outside diameters of up to 579mm, depths from 3.5m to 3,000m are claimed to be E 3D and extensively boost both production Falcon underwater robotic vehicle, the and a 24km long 284mm outside unrivalled in the industry. rates and dredging tolerances. most popular system of its class in the diameter umbilical, down to a The 680kW, all-electric deep- Even under adverse environmental world. This follows Falcon training for maximum trench depth 2m. water excavator features Seatools’ conditions, such as strong currents and CSIRO staff at the organisation’s facility advanced ROV DP technology and high-sea conditions. in Hobart, Tasmania, by BlueZone, The water depth for trenching sets the stage for unprecedented Saab Seaeye’s distributor in the region. operations ranged between 3.5m levels of accuracy, production, Seatools says that the Carrera E’s and 217m and involved mobilising and workability in the mass flow boosted production rates can be The course was adapted to give hands- the Modus CT-1 trenching vehicle excavation (MFE) market. attributed to a highly powerful and on practical training for CSIRO staff onto the Bourbon 807 for the efficient all-electric drive configuration. in a week-long training program that Seatools developed the Carrera With over 500 kW of installed includes theory and practical sessions, spread by leveraging its capabilities power dedicated to dredging, the set near dockside facilities in Hobart. in heave compensation and ROV spread takes on a wide range of soil control technologies. The patent- conditions. Despite its hefty power CSIRO staff are pleased that the pending spread features 3D motion rating, the MFE spread is compact in training focuses on ‘real world control, which enables precision size. The LARS, including tool, only practicalities’. excavation operations at a minimum requires a 20-foot container footprint of seabed disturbance. Thanks to the and a minimum of vessel interfaces. Widely adopted by the marine science Carrera E’s incorporated dynamic Combined with the fact that no tugger community for a variety of missions positioning (DP) capabilities, the wires are required, in the most challenging environments tool may follow a pre-programmed all this means the in the world, the Falcon’s advanced track (eg, a cable route) with high Carrera E can be iCON intelligent control architecture precision and in a highly automated deployed from makes for easy role change and ready manner. a wide range of customisation. vessels, including Seatools arrived at the design by smaller, low day Not only does iCON allow a variety of performing a holistic analysis on rate vessels. equipment to be installed on board subsea excavation operations. and in underslung skids, but the Falcon has the thruster power and control Johan Sol, responsible for business to offer extreme manoeuvrability development, explained: “Early on whilst also remaining stable when in the development process we undertaking precision filming analysed excavation operations and delicate tasks in strong as well as the direct and indirect crosscurrents. cost drivers from a client point of view. Especially in terms of indirect cost drivers – vessel day rates, environmental downtime, survey costs, and crew costs – we found significant room for improvement: in some cases, total project costs could be cut by 50% while realizing reduced environmental impact and safety improvements.”

The Carrera E is launched by means of a dedicated, actively heave- compensated LARS. The LARS minimises trench depth variation, and, under all circumstances,

36 37 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

AKOFS AWARDS IKM NOK 400 MILLION ROV CONTRACT Earlier this year AKOFS Offshore The contract with AKOFS includes company overall”, says Managing was awarded a five + three year building and mobilising two Merlin Director Ben Pollard at IKM Subsea. Wet-mate connectors light well intervention (LWI) UCVs onboard the AKOFS Seafarer and The ROVs will be built by IKM services contract on the Norwegian supplying ROV services with personnel Subsea’s sister company, IKM continental shelf (NCS) with and onshore support for the duration of Technology, at Bryne, Norway, where Equinor. AKOFS has selected IKM the contract. both companies are headquartered. Subsea to be their ROV partner for the contract. “IKM Subsea have worked proactively Delivery and mobilization of the ROVs together with AKOFS to create the best to the vessel will be mid-2019. The “We are pleased to award this possible synergies for both companies. state of the art technology, with all Recognised throughout important part of the delivery to Considering the challenging times the its features re efficiency, redundancy, the industry IKM Subsea. We see IKM Subsea as industry is going through it makes me conditioning monitoring and an innovative and solution oriented especially proud to be commissioning optimized performance, will together service provider with the backing the new build of two state of the art with IKM’s organization both onshore of a well-qualified and experienced ROV systems for this contract. Thus and offshore assist and be a key team”, says CEO Geir Sjøberg at securing work both for our land and contributor to the overall operational AKOFS. offshore staff and strengthening our performance of the LWI contract.

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FALCON HARBOUR WORK Norway’s Agder Dykk is extending its scope of operations in the region with a new Saab Seaeye Falcon, one of the most successful underwater robotic vehicles of its class in the world.

An early task for Agder Dykk’s Falcon has been a survey of Norway’s harbours to provide data for the authorities on the status of sediment built up over decades of environmentally polluting activities.

In addition to this task, Agder Dykk will extend their Falcon’s role across a wide scope of operations in the region to include multibeam survey, construction work support and inspection of cables, pipes and moorings, together with inspection of infrastructure for the Norwegian authorities.

In pursuit of its activities the Falcon will be sent on underwater tasks in seawater, inland lakes and also rivers in the lowlands and at higher altitudes.

The Falcon will also be deployed in support of deep tunnel operations by Agder Dykk’s subsidiary company, Norwegian Tunnel Inspection AS, who specialise in ultra-long tunnel inspection at hydroelectric power plants.

Here, the Falcon will undertake stand-alone inspections and support the company’s own specialist deep tunnel ROV system.

Agder Dykk’s operational manager Leif Brunvoll, said that they chose the Falcon for its trusted familiarity and because it is the right size vehicle for easy handling, with a flexible control architecture for fitting the wide range of tooling and sensors needed to undertake all the tasks envisaged. Europe’s largest annual The Falcon’s iCON intelligent control architecture provides each device on the Subsea Exhibition and Conference vehicle with its own microprocessor, thereby allowing tools and sensors to be easily Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) added or changed, and custom options to be Organised05-07 February 2019 integrated. The iCON control also offers high by manoeuvrability and precise positioning in strong currents.

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40 41

14744 Subsea Eo1-AD-lbe 20 76mm.indd 1 08112018 14:31 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

COST SAVING ROV DEPLOYMENT TECHNIQUE Fugro’s use of platform deployed ROV (PDROV) technology has demonstrated substantial reductions in the costs of subsea jacket inspections and significant operational improvements.

Recognised recently by an Engineering Excellence Award from Woodside Subsea Academy, Fugro’s novel PDROV for subsea jacket inspections at Australia’s largest oil and gas development reduced Woodside’s costs by around AUD 10 million per inspection cycle.

In March this year Fugro began a nine-month inspection campaign of Woodside’s offshore facilities on the Australian North West Shelf. “Very early in the project we identified an alternative to traditional vessel- launched ROV operations which would deliver cost-saving benefits for our client as well as operational improvements,” said Paul Mullins, IRM/Remote Operations Manager. “For a more effective approach to inspection and cleaning tasks we engineered a solution which involved a modified ROV and the design of an innovative launch and recovery system (LARS) enabling the PDROV to be deployed from SUBSEA ASSET TRACKING ROV operations supported by Sonardyne individual platforms.” USBL technology. Image: Beacon Offshore During the development of the new system the project team overcame a number of challenges including A number of international l Thai offshore inspection, repair and subsea riser and mooring systems limited space and structural organisations have acquired maintenance company Beacon Offshore offshore Brazil. capacity on the platforms, platform Sonardyne’s vessel-based Ranger 2 has acquired a Ranger 2 Survey crane weight and reach limitations, and Mini-Ranger 2 USBL underwater package, with a Dynamic Positioning The equipment will be installed and electrical supply and restrictions on positioning technology for tracking Transponder 6 (DPT 6) and transceiver operated from the dive support welding and drilling. a range of subsea assets, from small deployment system for its latest vessel, vessel Cidade Ouro Preto, which drones due to be deployed in Shell’s the subsea support vessel SC Sirapat. operates across the region under Fugro’s innovative technique Ocean Discovery Xprize to divers and The Ranger 2 system will be used on the a contract with Brazilian operator resulted in substantial cost ROVs working on oil and gas facilities. vessel for ROV and diver tracking as part Petrobras. savings as well as significant risk of inspection, repair and maintenance reduction, achieved through l XPRIZE finalists TeamTao, which (IRM) operations on mobile and fixed l Vietnamese offshore service reduced requirements for vessels, are supported by UK-based subsea offshore installations offshore SE Asia. company Greenstar Positioning has personnel and equipment. The new equipment manufacturer SMD and acquired two Mini-Ranger 2 USBL system delivers additional benefits Newcastle University, have acquired l Brazilian underwater engineering underwater positioning systems including access to previously a Ranger 2 GyroUSBL system with company Belov Engenharia has and a number of Wideband Sub- inaccessible areas of oil platform AvTrak 6 OEM Nanos for tracking acquired a Mini-Ranger 2 USBL system Mini 6 Plus (WSM 6+) beacons. The jackets and an improved operating and communicating between a to track its ROVs during IRM work equipment will be used to track ROVs window due to the absence of swarm of underwater drones and an on floating production, storage and and divers on Greenstar’s upcoming heave and drift-on restrictions unmanned surface vessel. offloading vessels and their associated projects associated with vessel-based ROVs. Work on the Woodside IRM project is planned to continue until 42 December 2018. 43 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

ROVCO LIVE 3D VISION PROJECT AWARDED SECOND PHASE OF FUNDING Leading ROV and hydrographic survey company, Rovco, has been awarded further funding to develop the next stage of its integrated live 3D vision and artificial intelligence (AI) survey technol- ogy. This brings the combined total in technology grants for the UK subsea services company to £1.46 million.

The funding has been awarded by In- novate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. The next stage, AUV3D Phase 2 contin- ues from the successful Phase 1 project and trials proving the technology at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s test centre.

In collaboration with ORE Catapult and ScottishPower Renewables, the funding will support additional research into the cutting-edge 3D vision technology by applying machine learning and AI based analysis to 3D survey and cable burial data.

During the 18-month project, Rovco aims to achieve live transmission of 3D subsea models to shore. As the project progresses Rovco will also commer- cialise its proven technology, bringing pioneering subsea survey technology to market in live 3D computer vision.

Rovco predicts the integrated technol- ogy, which utilises advanced computer vision and AI systems with ROV plat- forms, could transform the way offshore inspections are carried out and reduce costs by millions each year.

44 45 4 UNDERWATER MINING THE COBALT CRISIS UT2 Editor John Howes loooks at the subsea mining sector

SEABED EXPLOITATION Driven by concerns over global One principal advantage of fossil a ton, and this cost is not predicted to concerns over security of supply. to embrace electric technology. Volvo "The presence of seabed minerals warming, many countries have fuels, however, is that they can be fall any time soon. At present, 60% of has said that it will only make fully has been known since the 19th been actively looking to pursue stored to produce power on demand. global supply comes from the Democratic Many large cities have battled with electric cars from 2019 while even century, however, the issue was decarbonisation strategies. One Conversely, renewables-generated Republic of Congo which has been the exhaust output, especially from countries such as France plan to ban barely relevant at time when avenue they have taken has involved electricity can only be practically immersed in a semi-permanent civil war diesel vehicles. The automotive petrol and diesel cars by 2040. onshore mining was booming" turning to the renewables sector to consumed if sufficient storage, possibly for some time. This raises legitimate industry has been particularly keen said Kostiantyn Rovinskiy, Content help underpin their future energy in the form of fuel cells but more Forecasts have estimated the Strategist at Krypton Ocean. supply. This embraces solar, wind, typically in the form of batteries, number of electrical vehicles on tidal and hydrothermal energy as well are available. It is these batteries the roads by 2030 will be anywhere "It is only relatively recently, as various types of the energy-related that allow such electric power to be ELECTRIC VEHICLE FORECAST between 125 — 500 million. To meet however, that the rise in the prices biomass. consumed at periods of low generation this demand, the global battery of the raw materials has encouraged and especially in mobile applications. manufacturers it will require 0.5 — 1.5 the metals industry to reappraise Evidence of the success of this million tonnes of cobalt alone, not to the underwater sphere for material venture can be seen in the current Satisfying this demand for power mention the other metal-dependent resources. boom of offshore wind farms, both storage requires the availability of a industries. being installed and at the planning cocktail of so-called rare elements "There are a number of arguments stage. These installations produce that, for convenience, can be Analysts have termed this dilemma, for and against the exploitation of a stream of electric power, albeit of described under the general term the ‘cobalt crisis’. If the electric dream minerals of the seabed. Some see variable intensity depending on the “battery metals. is to transpire, it will either require the seabed as a pristine wilderness climactic conditions and even the new technology or accessing new that should be protected from time of day or season. In recent years, however, the heavy sources of Cobalt and other minerals. human exploitation on philosophical demand from the world’s battery But from where? One answer could reasons. They would argue that there Some proponents of renewable industry and the scarcity of the supply be under the water. With the area of is simply not enough knowledge at energy contend that the sector has fuelled a dramatic increase in costs the Earth's ocean being around 360 present to make a value judgement. should account for ALL the power of the already high-price materials. 000 000km2, it would be a surprise produced and that fossil fuels have no Cobalt, for example, has tripled in if this didn't contain some sort of "Proponents of seabed mining, place in the energy production mix. price over the past year to $80,000 mineral resources. however, point out that industry is

46 47 UNDERWATER MINING

POLYMETALLIC NODULES simply running out of raw materials. Because of their high manganese They are a finite resource and the content, these are often known shortage of supply and growing as manganese nodules. The demand has driven the price up to a blackish-brown irregularly rounded point where accessing the relatively concretions typically have diameters plentiful supply is irresistible. from 1cm–6 cm.

"While mineral ore mined from the The nodules form due to the earth can never be regenerated, precipitation of Manganese and Iron there have been arguments aired Oxides as well as numerous other that the bottom layers of the deep major and trace metals from the sea sea is a cauldron of complicated water column. The characteristic low geochemical processes that sedimentation rates mean that these continuously renew the resource. nodules grow at a rate of between 2mm–100mm per million years. "Most studies indicate the seabed mineral sediments accumulate Other economically relevant metals at a rate between 0.6mm to contained in the nodules include 1.3mm/1000 years, however, within copper, nickel and cobalt. Polymetallic nodules Image: Krypton Ocean this average, it is quite probable Crusts and polymetallic nodules Image: Krypton Ocean that in other places, the rate is Perhaps the site of the greatest The thickest and economically most is around 40 billion tons, although much faster. accumulation is the so-called interesting deposits are found in occur half of this is considered to be on for centuries. The practice of is normally recognised as 'Manganese Nodule Belt' between water depths between 800m–2500m. potentially minable. "It an be also be reasonably argued the inshore removal of phosphorite developing mineral resources the Clarion and Clipperton (CCZ) These crusts are an important that the practice of removing sand deposits has also been carried out for in much deeper waters. fracture zones in the NE Pacific potential source of Nickel, Titanium, HYDROTHERMAL POLYMETALLIC and gravel for land reclamation centuries so the idea is not new. The materials can be more Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico. Copper and Cerium, as well as trace SULPHIDES purposes can be construed as conveniently divided into three Around half of the sediment surface metals such as Platinum, Molybdenum, Spectacular ‘black smoker’ 2 mining, and as such, has been going The phrase 'seabed mining' however, basic types. in the 6.2 million km area is covered Tellurium and Tungsten. hydrothermal vents are a common by these nodules and this is thought feature of mid-oceanic ridges and to translate into hundreds of millions Around 60% of all known crust other sources of sea floor spreading. of tonnes of rare earth metals with deposits lie in the Pacific (especially They are formed when seawater a mineral content in places up to 10 in the western Central Pacific), filters down through permeable 2 kg/m . It has been estimated that nearly a quarter in the Atlantic and ocean crust into rocks pre-heated by this area alone contains 134 million the remainder in the Indian Ocean. the magma below. This heat tons of Cobalt, for example. Research has estimated that the catalyses reactions in which metals amount of dry ore on the ocean floor COBALT-RICH FERROMANGANESE are leached from the rocks into the CRUSTS In some locations, metallic crusts formed by layers of Manganese Oxide and Iron Oxide, sometimes several centimetres thick, can accumulate over rocky surfaces on the ridges, flanks and summits of submarine mountains (seamounts). These cannot be simply be picked up but have to be laboriously separated and removed from the underlying rocks.

Crusts grow 1 to 5 millimetres per million years which is even slower than nodules. On some seamounts they are only 2 centimetres thick while in the richest areas thicknesses can be up to 26 centimetres. Map of the Clarion Clipperton Zone Hydrothermal Sulphides Image: Nautilus

48 49 UNDERWATER MINING

ambient super- heated fluids 400oC the seabed extractive activity is to be of a deposit (selected in a chequered (750oF). conducted manner, for instance) giving benthic creatures an opportunity to repopulate REGULATIONS INSUFFICIENT TO MANAGE MINING As heated hydrothermal fluids mix "The collection of polymetallic as well as maintaining a natural balance According to a report from the based on high-quality environmental “We are operating in the dark,” with the cold surrounding sea water, nodules, for example, should be between all components of the International Union for the impact assessments and mitigation says Carl Gustaf Lundin, Director metal sulphides are precipitated onto provided without any impact on the environmental media of the developed Conservation of Nature (ICUN), the strategies. of IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar so-called chimneys and the nearby ocean floor since the effects of the area. current regulations to manage deep- Programme. seabed. These can generate local ore physical damage are irreversible. sea mining are insufficient to prevent These, in turn, must be based on deposits with a diameter of several This means that a specific extractive "It is all about a minimum possible irrevocable damage to marine comprehensive baseline studies “Our current understanding of hundreds of metres. technology has to be developed. influence on the ongoing natural ecosystems and a loss of unique to improve the understanding the deep sea does not allow us to processes that run at the seabed. Thus, species of the deep sea, which remains effectively protect marine life from High concentrations of base metals "The mining strategy in such a case at a given time, the miners will be able to understudied and poorly understood. mining operations, yet exploration (Copper, Lead and Zinc) and precious should take into consideration some return to the undeveloped spots of the The report, called Deep Seabed The mining code currently under contracts are being granted even for metals (Gold, Silver) as well as high- certain geochemical peculiarities of deposit to continue mining. Mining: A Rising Environmental development lacks sufficient those areas that host unique species. technology metals such as Indium, the mining area that provide mineral Challenge, provides a comprehensive knowledge of the deep sea Germanium, Bismuth and Selenium regeneration there. "For example, the mineralisation of overview of deep-sea mining and its and a thorough assessment of Exploitation of minerals using current make these deposits economically near-bottom layers of the ocean water potential environmental impacts. environmental impacts of mining technologies could potentially attractive. "Both the mining schedule and the significantly differs from the one of It says that an effective regulatory operations that are necessary to destroy the rich deep-sea life coverage of the certain selected near-surface layers. It means that any framework is needed to avoid lasting ensure effective protection of deep- forever, benefitting only a few, and should constitute a holistic mining technology which implies mixing of harm to the marine environment, sea life, according to IUCN experts. disregarding future generations.” “It is important not to end up with strategy developed on the basis of both layers will most probably affect the the same predatory mining that is all the individual exploration data of the biodiversity of the ocean area where too evident onshore," said Rovinskiy deposits," continued Rovinskiy mining runs. Needless to say that the "The seabed miners should take into systems that imply lifting of large masses consideration two basic aspects. The "This strategy should imply a partial of the bottom sludge up to a surface are first concerns the pace with which extraction of nodules from some spots hardly acceptable. ENVIRONMENTAL C0NSIDERATIONS "After a process of concentration sidestepping the problem instead of exploration and exploitation to when nodules are separated from solving it. Since we are at the very carry out their activities under a sludge, the latter should be either initial stage of the commercial seabed practically applicable regulation. used onshore or delivered back to the mining, nothing prevents us from seabed. It is impossible just to throw choosing the eco-friendly technology "Moreover, the mining code it overboard — the sludge can deposit which can meet both commercial and can indirectly help many people down over decades affecting the environmental requirements. change their mind regarding oceanic biosphere through numerous When someone starts mining those the renewability of mineral water layers. super-rich seabed deposits, the resources — the advanced eco- market price of cobalt will inevitably friendly mining principles can break "It is not practically possible to return go down. Will such a situation be the mental pattern suggesting the sludge exactly to the spot from advantageous for the world mining that any mineral resource is to be where it was extracted. Most probably, behemoths? inevitably depleted sooner or later. the sludge will be dispensed over If we learn to use properly what vast areas covering nodules at the "It is likely the abundance of the the oceans offer us, the permanent other seabed spots and, therefore, seaborne cobalt will make the market renewability of the seabed making them invisible and hardly less dependant on the current cobalt minerals can become a norm extractible. Hence, improper mining suppliers. Sooner or later some protecting the humanity from the technologies are inefficient from both seabed mining trailblazer will start resource depletion at least for the the environmental and commercial flooding the world mineral market foreseeable future. perspectives. with cheap cobalt — it’s just a matter of time. In tackling the business in earnest, "Environmental activists that oppose we should develop a consistent the seabed mining as a whole have "The recently approved seabed mining seabed mining policy. Nothing many legitimate fears regarding the regulation from the ISA is just the prevents us from making seabed harm that seabed mining can cause document we have been waiting for mining the most eco-friendly Cobalt Crusts Hydrothermal Vents to the ocean creature habitats. decades. At last, all participants of extractive activity in history since Nevertheless, a total ban on seabed the global seabed mining industry a well-developed innovative Manganese Nodules mining isn’t a solution at all — it’s just received a set of clear rules enabling technology of the autonomous a restriction which reflects rather all organisations involved in deep-sea seabed harvesters is available.

50 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 51 UNDERWATER MINING

KRYPTON OCEAN

AUV1 One particularly innovative approach The vehicle also has an autonomous Krypton Ocean has also designed an to subsea mining has been taken emergency system. For surfacing unmanned version called the AUV1. by Krypton Ocean with its remote quickly in the event of the high- As this does not require the spherical exploration and production vehicles. pressure pumps failing, it is possible chamber in the bow, it comes in to quickly transform the vehicle to slightly smaller at 10.6m long and For exploration, Krypton Ocean has positive buoyancy, by ejecting 200kg 3.9m wide. developed two types of vehicle – the of solid ballast. The nodules stored MU1 and the AUV1. These are very in the tank can also be discharged It weighs 25000kg in air but also has similar, the main difference that the quickly. a 1000t cargo capacity. former is manned while the AUV1 is autonomous. Both are designed The vehicle has an alarm buoy with a The unmanned Krypton Ocean for exploration and underwater 7000m - long cable. This alarm buoy AUV1 operations at the depth of 6000m. serves to indicate the location of the vehicle on the ground and, after surfacing, transmits MUV1 signals to the The vehicle has a lightweight carrier vessel and fibreglass body with a streamlined the GPS system. surface. The strength of the multi- layer structure is enhanced by stiffening ribs.

It has a length of 11m, a width of 4m and it stands 3m high. It can move at speeds or 0.5 – 2.3 m/sec. It is designed to stay underwater for up to up to 8hrs and can work in 6000m water depths. It consists of three main parts attached to a frame and surrounded by a skin. The internal view of 1. In its bow is a 2.1m pressure the Krypton Ocean sphere which can house a 2-3 crew. MUV The sphere has a high strength which gives it resistance to external pressure. Inside the body, there is The, Krypton Ocean MUV 1 can, The vehicle normally maintains an air regeneration and conditioning therefore, take samples of nodules and flotation at a distance of 2m above system and control equipment. carry them to the surface. the bottom by means of four thrusters located in the horizontal plane of the The 'strong body' can be constructed 3. Behind this sampling system, at the vehicle. The control is assisted with of Martensetic steel or Titanium alloy. rear, is the 110 kW power unit. This the help of 4 onboard echo sounders. The steel version has a thickness provides the required power to all of 45mm while the Titanium body systems, mechanisms and exploration At the front is a nodule-grabbing tool. alternative requires a larger, 80mm equipment of the vehicle. It is based Its performance is tracked by scanners. shell. The weight of the Titanium on a hydrogen fuel cell and charged body, however, comes out lighter at with hydrogen and oxygen for 1 hour. The vehicle operates at zero buoyancy 4.7t compared with 4.9t for the steel. however as the tank is loaded with The power unit is located in a separate, samples, the weight can change. 2. This 'Strong Body' sits in front of a strong housing and connected to all The zero buoyancy is, therefore, nodule collection chamber which can energy consumers through switchgear. reinstated by pumping the water out store up to 1000kg of samples. This of the ballast system. By doing so, the area also accommodates the shaft of In operation the, vehicle submerges to vehicle is capable of carrying 1 ton the mining tool (sampling tool) with the required depth at rate of 4.5 km/h of nodules. By pumping more water a vertical conveyor and the ballast using its ballast system. The depth of out, and changing this to positive system at the core of the sample a immersion) is tracked with a pressure buoyancy, allows the vehicle to rise to storage tank. sensor located onboard the vehicle. the surface. The Krypton Ocean MUV

52 53 UNDERWATERNEWS OCTOBER MINING 2018

UV300 While the AUV1 and MUV1 are used for exploration and sampling, Krypton Ocean has developed the UV300 to harvest the polymetallic nodules, sulphide ores, cobalt crusts, metalliferous sediments and brines.

At its centre is a novel conveyor belt scoop that grabs samples in its buckets and deposits them in tanks within the vehicle body.

The underwater vehicle transport platform is considerably larger than the exploration versions.

Measuring 20m in length and 19m in width, it stands 9m high. It has a 300- ton carrying capacity and is designed to harvest 1 million nodules/year.

54 55 UNDERWATER MINING

As the vehicle has to carry depth (5m above the bottom), a particularly large mass, the Vehicle can manoeuvre buoyancy becomes an while in its neutral buoyancy important issue. While the condition. body is coated in a syntactic Propulsion and shunting material giving it a density less water-jet engines ensure its than the surrounding water, it movement along a trajectory also requires a large variable of the planned pathway. ballast. Engaging the work tool drive, with its This comes from a multi-tier ladles, allows the vehicle to scoop up the flotation system containing a number Ballast sphere ferromanganese nodules, together with of inter-connected spherical ballast arrangement over the vehicle the silt layer. Because of the open frame, tanks able to withstand large pressure the silt immediately drops through lattice differentials. The ballast tanks have walls and through the bottom of the flanges and portholes in the walls. ladles, while ferromanganese nodules are The ports positioned at a 90deg angle conveyed into the vehicle's receiving tank 22 and connected together by hollow and storage tank. Let’s meet in threaded connecting bars. The vehicle is designed to surmount 01 This allows precise pumping of gas/ any protrusions up to 1.5–2m in height water for ballasting/deballasting, without having to suspend the nodules ‘19 Amsterdam allowing positive, negative and neutral collection process. Hollows and crevices buoyancy with precision as the weight of any size are not obstacles, even if the changes. topography is quite rugged, since the ladles are gimbal-mounted to the chain. At the start of the operation, the This allows the system to make a flexible vehicle commences with a controlled turn on contact with obstructions. It can dive to the sea floor. At the specified the return to the initial position. Ballast sphere in detail

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56 57 Bolted bend restrictor UNDERWATER MINING performance with boltless simplicity

NOC LOOKS AT MINING RISKS Balmoral boltless bend restrictor After the Vehicle collects a specified The power-generating unit The National Oceanography Centre amount of nodules, it starts its maintenance operations may be (NOC) is engaged in research into Balmoral has extended its bend restrictor surfacing in order to unload the carried out by means of replacement the potential risks and benefits range to include a genuinely boltless restrictor*. minerals to the base vessel. of such units and their subsequent of exploiting deep-sea mineral repair aboard the base vessel. resources as well as using ocean This innovation allows fitting times to be slashed, Against a possibility of failure of all robots to estimate the environmental offering huge savings in offshore installation costs. In power-generating units, the Vehicle Several Underwater Vehicles may impact of these potential deep-sea line with Balmoral’s acknowledged track record for product is equipped with an autonomous be used together to form an integral mining activities. improvement, value has been added by taking something away. ascent system, comprising a system mining and production subsea factory. of batteries capable of pumping Such mining and production complex The NOC has led an expedition on Some existing products claim to be boltless but, in reality, none of the water out of the ballast system may contain several ore carriers and the RRS James Cook that found them actually are. Balmoral’s boltless restrictor retains industry to ensure the Vehicle positive Underwater Vehicles operating as enough of the scarce element leading performance while offering significantly reduced buoyancy. autonomous mining apparatuses. Tellurium present in the crust of a installation times and costs. submerged volcano that, if it were all to be used in the production of solar ¢ Rapid assembly minimises installation times PV panels, could provide 2/3rds of ¢ Suitable for flying leads, umbilicals, risers and flowlines NODULE GATHERING TOOL TESTED the UK’s annual electricity supply. ¢ Endures long-term loading conditions and hot, wet conditions ¢ Manages large bending loads Krypton Ocean has carried out The seabed landscape, therefore, In addition, the NOC also led an laboratory testing of a chain-like remains untouched at the areas of international study demonstrating rotating tool to gather polymetallic Find out more at bit.ly/BalmoralBoltless www.balmoraloffshore.com contact between the ocean floor and deep-sea nodule mining will cause *Patents pending nodules. a nodule-collecting tool of Krypton’s long-lasting damage to deep-sea life, deepsea mining vehicles. The recently lasting at least for decades. A system of grippers have been tested design showed almost zero incorporated a specially-designed seabed mud appearing in bunkers of Professor Edward Hill, Executive shows mining for nodule resources clamping mesh to improve nodule- the mining vehicles. Director at the NOC commented, on the seafloor is likely to be highly collecting functionality. After grippers “By 2050 there will be nine billion destructive in the mined area, with take nodules from the ocean floor, this In addition to the present gripper-type people on earth and attention is long lasting impacts. We also think mesh reliably fixes nodules in the tool design, another chain-like version increasingly turning to the ocean, that these studies will underestimate without any significant re-suspension with buckets is also available for areas particularly the deep ocean, for food, the impacts of mining. Many would of the seabed mud. where the ocean floor is hard/rocky. clean supplies of energy and strategic not even represent one month’s work minerals. The NOC is undertaking for a full-scale commercial operation, research related to many aspects and which might last for twenty years. perspectives involved in exploiting This study helps provide the best ocean resources. available information on the potential impacts of mining disturbance. This This research is aimed at informing information is important to inform with sound scientific evidence the decisions on how these mining decisions that will need to be taken activities should be carried out.” in the future, as people increasingly turn to the oceans to address some The NOC led MarineETech expedition of society’s greatest challenges.” on board the RRS James Cook aimed to improve understanding Part of the NOC’s research into this of what controls the formation and area involves leading major research accumulation of cobalt-rich crusts programmes into the exploration of on seamounts. These crusts are rich potential resources. This includes: resources for scarce elements that seafloor massive sulphides, which with resources that may be the target Dr Daniel Jones from the NOC, the lead are critical to securing a low-carbon provide ores rich in copper, zinc and of future mining. This includes the author of the study, said, “the deep-sea future, through technologies such as gold, and iron-manganese crusts rich Clarion-Clipperton zone in the eastern is a remote, cold and dark environment solar photovoltaic, wind turbines and in cobalt, tellurium and rare-earth Pacific, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and kilometres below the surface of the electric vehicles. The results show the metals. Atlantic Seamounts. This research is ocean, yet it is home to a wide variety accumulation of the cobalt-rich crusts revealing extremely high diversities of of marine life, much of which is very on the sea-mount depends on; the NOC scientists have also carried out deep-sea life, as well as a surprising poorly understood. This research direction and strength of currents and multiple research expeditions to variation of subsea landscapes, each analysed all available studies on impacts deep-water tides, the depth of the study the environment around areas containing different lifeforms. to ecosystems in nodule areas and water, and biological activity. Nodule gathering tool 58 59 UNDERWATER MINING

ULTRA MARINE A new project has been announced to reduce the potential environmental impact of future mining by making exploration for deep-seafloor mineral deposits much more effective. ‘Project ULTRA’ has been funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), and will be led by Professor Bramley Murton at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC).

Deep-seafloor mineral deposits can provide vital new metals for emerging technologies, including those that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many deposits were formed by hot springs on the seafloor and the vast majority of these now lie under a blanket of marine sediment. The big question facing geologists is whether these buried mineral deposits still contain valuable metals - have the minerals dissolved since they formed thousands of years ago beneath the Earth’s crust, or become even more concentrated?

‘Project ULTRA’ will address these questions using a robotic drilling rig to drill the deposits - this will also generate the first three dimensional image of the deposits, using scientific instruments on the surrounding seafloor to listen to vibrations from the drill as it bores through the seafloor. The boreholes will then be sealed and returned to a year later, when fluids will be tapped-off from the plugs to test for reactions deep inside the deposit.

The rock core taken by the drill, and these fluid samples, will reveal the composition and structure of these types of mineral deposit, their sub-seafloor fluid pathways, alteration of the host rock, and the preservation processes of their ore minerals.

By using this information to identify where the most valuable metals are located in the deposit, Project ULTRA will help ensure any future exploitation would be able to minimise the disturbance to the seafloor and its surrounding environment. This project forms part of the NOC’s ongoing research into seafloor resources and is a collaboration with the British Geological Survey (BGS), the Universities of Southampton, Cardiff and Leeds, Memorial University in Canada, as well as Oxford Museum, GEOMAR, Nautilus Minerals, VNIIOkeangeologia from Russia and SMD.

IMAGE: Hydrothermally extinct seafloor massive Sulphides

60 61 UNDERWATER MINING

NAUTILUS EQUIPMENT

Nautilus Minerals has been working Nautilus has also been carrying out Elsewhere, Nautilus was the first The underwater mining industry is The system developed by Nautilus is The Auxiliary Cutter is designed towards developing massive deepwater commercial seafloor publicly owned private sector still in its relative infancy and this based on three seabed excavation/ to prepare the rugged sea bed for sulphide systems on the seabed. An mineral resources exploration organisation to be granted an has demanded the development of gathering tools feeding a surface the more powerful Bulk Cutter(BC). exploration programme has revealed programme in Tongan waters, exploration licence in the highly new technologies. While it has been vessel by means of a large marine These two machines gather the that this is a potentially very large spending 114 operational days prospective Clarion Clipperton able to modify and marinise proven riser through which the slurry is excavated material while the third source of high grade copper, gold, exploring, utilising five different vessels Fracture Zone (through its 100% technologies from the offshore oil pumped up to the surface. vehicle, the Collecting Machine will zinc and silver. back in 2008. Exploration to date has owned subsidiary Tonga Offshore and gas industries, dredging and collect the cut material by drawing been very successful and has resulted Mining. It has been granted 75,000 onshore mining industries, it has still These seafloor production tools were it in as seawater slurry with internal The immediate geographical target in the identification of 19 highly km2 of prospective exploration demanded a considerable amount of built and have since been delivered to pump. is Solwara 1, the copper-gold project prospective SMS sites. territory for a 15 year period. original engineering. the company. in the territorial waters of Papua This pushes the slurry through a New Guinea. Nautilus has been flexible pipe to the subsea pump granted the Environment Permit and and on to the production support Mining Lease required for resource vessel by means of a Riser and development at this site. This will Lifting System (RALS) form the launchpad to expand into other areas in and outside the Following de-watering of the Western Pacific. material on the vessel, a state- of-the-art cargo handling system " Solwara 1 Field was first identified will be used to load the material in 1996, while Solwara 4 was into four storage holds. It will then discovered in 1991. Over the next recover the material and transfer few years, we have carried out it directly to a handymax vessel for extensive research campaigns," said shipment of the material to China. XXXXXXX "For the design of this system, Located at a water depth of some Nautilus contracted many 1600m, the Solwara 1 deposit companies involved in the marine contains a copper grade of and mining industries to supply approximately 7%. That compares equipment," said XXXXXX with land-based copper mines, where the copper grade today "The tools were built by SMD averages 0.6%. While the average in Tyneside, using a locomotion grade of gold is 6g/tonne, values of system from Caterpillar based on a over 20g/tonne have been recorded. proven excavator track design. The cutting drum came from Sandvik. Nautilus was granted its first Mining The dredge pumps were supplied Lease in January 2011 for Solwara by Damen while the hydraulic 1, and the Environmental Permit for equipment was based on off- Solwara 1 was awarded in December the-shelf equipment from Bosch 2009. Rexroth. The flexible hoses were supplied by ContiTech.

GE Oil and Gas were involved in the development of the subsea slurry and lift pump and the riser has been designed by Nautilus' RALS main contractor, Technip USA, and built by subcontractor General Marine Contractors.

CSIRO, Cellula Robotics, Deltares, Istanbul Technical University, ContiTech Oil & Marine and Paterson & Cooke Consulting were all involved in the design.

62 63 SEABED MINING

SMART At the surface lies 227m long a moonpool through which the transportation vessel moored production support vessel. With Subsea Slurry and Lift Pump (SSLP), alongside the PSV about. Filtered a beam of 40m, it can not only as well as the riser system, can be seawater is pumped back to the SUBSEA provide accommodation for up deployed. The slurry passes up seafloor through the riser pipes to 180 people, but can generate the riser and is de-watered, after and this provides hydraulic power the 31MW required to power the which the solid material is stored to operate the SSLP. facilities. temporarily in the PSV's hull. SOLUTIONS Discharge of the return water At the centre of the vessel is It is periodically discharged to a at the seafloor from where it came eliminates mixing of the water column, and minimizes the environmental impact of the operation.

Nautilus originally entered into S2C TECHNOLOGY: COMMUNICATION AND TRACKING COMBINED an agreement for the charter of the PSV with Marine Assets - time, space and cost - saving solutions Corporation (MAC). Under the - low power consumption for autonomous operations agreement, MAC would own and - advanced data delivery algorithms, addressing and networking, remotely configurable settings provide the marine management of the PSV. - extendable platform with multiple configuration options: power-saving Wake Up module, acoustic releaser, additional sensors, custom solutions, OEM versions available MAC then contracted Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, to design and construct the PSV in USBL POSITIONING SYSTEMS LBL POSITIONING SYSTEMS accordance with Nautilus' specifications. Last year, however, with vessel construction over simultaneous positioning and communication - no need highly accurate, precise and stable performance, 70% complete, MAC failed to pay to switch between positioning mode and modem mode simultaneous positioning and data transmissions the third US$18M installment of the contract price. Under the - flexible SiNAPS positioning software - flexible SiNAPS positioning software contact, the shipyard rescinded - reliable data transmissions - reliable data transmissions the contract. - range: up to 8000 m - range: up to 8000 m There followed intense - accuracy: up to 0.04 degrees - accuracy: better than 0.01 m discussions with all parties. Meet us at Nautilus is currently negotiating UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC MODEMS the terms of an agreement that OCEANOLOGY would involve the creation of a INTERNATIONAL new joint venture company to be reliable data transmissions even in adverse conditions, owned by the third parties along customizable R-series modems, light and compact M-series AMERICAS 2019 with Nautilus’ subsidiary, Nautilus “mini” modems, new S2CM - HS high-speed modem, 25 - 27 February 2019 Minerals Niugini. special editions for developers, S2C communication and San Diego Convention Center, CA positioning emulator - remote access or standalone device Plans are that the joint venture Meet us at Stand D32 would fund the acquisition of the production support vessel. as - range: up to 8000 m OCEAN BUSINESS well as owning and operting it. It - depth: up to 6000 m 2019 woudlthen charter it as required. - data rate: up to 62.5 kbps 9 - 11 April 2019 Meanwhile, the Shipyard has National Oceanography Centre continued to install components with the latest being the Southampton, UK installation of an operating Stand E6 console. EvoLogics GmbH Ackerstrasse 76, tel.: +49 30 4679 862 - 0 [email protected] 13355 Berlin, Germany fax: +49 30 4679 862 - 01 evologics.de 64 65 “DELIVERING INDUSTRY-LEADING SEABED MINING SURVEY PERFORMANCE AND DATA RESOLUTION TO OUR CLIENTS.”

MINING IMPACT MMT.SE

JPI Oceans has launched the four- to impacts, and the integrated International Seabed Authority (ISA)”. year MiningImpact programme effects on ecosystem functions, In this context, key objectives of the looking at environmental impacts such as the benthic food-web and project are: and risks of Deep-Sea Mining. This biogeochemical processes. is a follow-on from the "Ecological l To develop and test monitoring Aspects of Deep-Sea Mining" project “Suspended sediment plume and its concepts and strategies for deep-sea l To explore how uncertainties It will further contribute to the that are requested by the ISA, and that terminated in late last year. redeposition can potentially cause mining operations in the knowledge of impacts can preparation of environmental to the Horizon2020 technology significant harm to the deep-sea be implemented into appropriate impact assessments (EIAs) for future development projects Blue Atlantis While the previous phase ecosystem” said project coordinator, l To develop standardisation regulatory frameworks European deep-sea pilot mining tests and Blue Nodules. investigated experimental and rather Dr Matthias Haeckel from GEOMAR. procedures for monitoring and small-scale disturbances of the definitions for indicators of a good In this way, MiningImpact will be able seafloor over decadal timescales, the “Studying the impacts of an environmental status to further close existing knowledge second part will independently study actual industrial mining test will gaps and reduce uncertainties on the and comprehensively monitor in real significantly advance our scientific l To investigate potential mitigation environmental impacts of deep-sea time the environmental impact of an knowledge in this field. Moreover, measures, such as spatial management mining of polymetallic nodules. industrial trial to mine manganese with all our data and knowledge plans of mining operations and means WHEN CABLES CROSS MINING AREAS nodules on the seafloor. gathered that will be made publicly to facilitate ecosystem recovery The project will specifically work At the recent Second Workshop members conducting activities in the available, the project will help towards policy recommendations and on Deep Seabed Mining and Area. The project will further study to deliver independent scientific l To develop sound methodologies has reached out to the International Submarine Cables in Bangkok, regional connectivity of species in input into the Exploitation Mining to assess the environmental risks and Seabed Authority to become a Representatives from the deep- According to the Adsmobserver the deep-sea and their resilience Code currently developed by the estimate benefits, costs and risks partner in the project. sea mining community noted that newsletter, this issue was raised in ocean-spanning, high-bandwidth the first workshop, held in 2015. It cables are being increasingly used was focused on information exchange by the global telecommunication and the more pragmatic aspects of market. how these two industries work.

Under the Law of the Sea, all states The second workshop dug deeper have the freedom to lay cables into the details regarding what in the high seas. This can cause specific steps need to be taken potential issues if the cables need to protect submerged cables, to be laid across across deep-sea particularly in the CCZ. mining leases. Discussions included notification The law of the sea also requires procedures as well as the specifics of that 'member states exercising things like how wide a buffer needs their freedom to use the high seas to be around a submerged cable in also act with due regard to other the area.

RV SONNE German research vessel which will be used in the MiningImpact project. Image:: Peter Linke, GEOMAR The Honotua Cable that crosses CCZ Block 1, based on ISA’s maps. Image: Business Wire. [email protected] 66 67 UNDERWATER MINING

¡VAMOS! ALMOST GONE

The ¡VAMOS! project, funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, recently completed field trials at the flooded Magcobar mine pit in Silvermines, Ireland. The project team is now analysing the results from the tests ready to present the findings to the EU by the end of January next year.

"Despite being economically viable, a number of inland mines have been discontinued because they have become flooded," said Jenny Rainbird, Project Coordinator from BMT Group. This prompted the launch of ¡VAMOS!

The aim of the project has been to explore new safe, clean and low visibility mining techniques that could potentially lead to the re-opening abandoned mines, dual stage slurry pump position, navigation and extending of opencut mines awareness system which are limited by stripping ratio, hydrological or geotechnical problems or even opening new ¡VAMOS! PARTNERSHIP mines using limited environmental impact. BMT Group Ltd United Kingdom "The project has a number of key aims," said Bakker, "including SMD United Kingdom the development of a prototype underwater, remotely controlled, Damen Dredging Equipment mining system with associated The Netherlands launch and recovery equipment. INESC TEC Portugal "It has not only demonstrated the excavator arm Fugro with submersiblapplicabilitye tool changing of system a remotely...... auger intake cutter head United Kingdom Zentrum für Telematik Germany Montanuniversitaet Leoben overburden Austria Mineralia Minas, Geotecnia e Construcoes water table Portugal Marine Minerals conventional mining mineralised zone requires removal of United Kingdom large waste volumes Sandvik Mining and Construction G.m.b.H. conventional mining submerged mining allows requires high dewatering for steeper side walls and Austria and treatment costs ultra low stripping ratio Geoloski Zavod Slovenije economic boundary submerged mining gives Slovenia for conventional access to remaining ore body; opencast mining material is pumped to surface as slurry La Palma Research Centre Spain

MINE EXTENSION POTENTIAL Fédération Européenne des Géologues Belgium VIABLE ALTERNATIVE MINE OPERATING SYSTEM Trelleborg Ridderkerk The Netherlands VIABLE ALTERNATIVE MINE OPERATING SYSTEM Federalni Zavod za Geologiju Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina 68 Fondacija za Obnovu i Razvoj Regije Vareš 69 ¡VAMOS! is developing a prototype underwater, Bosnia and Herzegovina A SAFE, CLEAN AND LOW IMPACT WAY TO ACCESS remotely controlled, mining vehicle with associated launch and recovery equipment. UNEXPLOITED EUROPEAN MINERAL RESOURCES

Start date 1 February 2015 Duration 42 months EC funding 9.2 million EUR Coordinator BMT Group Ltd Technical management SMD Quality and risk management Damen Dredging Equipment

For any additional information please visit us at WWW.VAMOS-PROJECT.EU

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research @ProjectVamos and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 642477 UNDERWATER MINING

..... operated mining machine for submerged inland applications but also led to the development and testing of various aspects of the system for offshore conditions and e.g. submerged civil projects . The project also included the development of new innovative systems for slurry transportation, better floating winch technology and the development of launch/recovery/hose and cable layout systems.

Knowing the position of everything in low visibility is an important part of underwater mining. The project, therefore, also included the development of underwater positioning technology to overcome current limitations of the use of acoustic underwater positioning systems.

Another aim was to investigate the possibility of using augmented reality to represent the mining environment and assist with pilot awareness.

An important part of the project was to develop a hybrid AUV/ROV to allow the understand the layout of occluded mine areas and assist with the observation and navigation of the mining machine and especially the supervision of tool changing.

70 71 5 UNMANNEDSUBSEA SURFACE EQUIPMENT VEHICLES

FUGRO L3 ASV AGREEMENT Fugro has signed a joint development agreement with L3 ASV, a leader in the field of unmanned and autonomous vessel technology, to create the next generation of autonomous vessels for the commercial survey market.

The partnership brings together the expertise of both companies for the joint development of a variety of fit-for- purpose unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Delivery of the first USV, designed for medium- to large-scale hydrographic survey applications, is scheduled for Q2 2019.

Example images captured by DriX 72 73 AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

OCEAN AUTONOMOUS Sonardyne leads ocean autonomous systemsSYSTEMS collaboration COLLABORATIONproject

UnderwaterUnderwater positioning positioning andand commucommunications- technology leader nicationsSonardyne technology International leader Ltd. Sonar has -initiated a collaborative project dyneto drive International a major step Ltd. change has initiated in ocean a system autonomy for long- collaborativeendurance autonomous project to driveunderwater a major vehicles (AUVs). step change in ocean system autono- myThe for ambition long-endurance of the Innovate autonomous UK-supported Precise Positioning underwaterfor Persistent vehicles AUVs (P3AUV)(AUVs). project is to enable AUVs to operate at high levels of navigation performance with less surface support Theand ambition for longer ofperiods. the Innovate UK- supported Precise Positioning for PersistentWith partners AUVs L3 (P3AUV) ASV and project the National is Oceanography Centre to(NOC), enable Sonardyne AUVs to operate will focus at onhigh longer-term navigational accuracy levelsfor AUVs of navigation in deep water, performance while reducing with power requirements and lessincreasing surface autonomy support and in marinefor longer operations. periods. The P3AUV project will involve trials using Sonardyne’s leading Withunderwater partners positioning L3 ASV and technology the Na- on the NOC’s Autosub Long tionalRange (ALR)Oceanography and L3 ASV’s Centre C-Worker (NOC), 7 autonomous surface vehicle Sonardyne(ASV). The willproject, focus which on longer-term will include trials in Loch Ness next navigationalmonth, is due accuracy to run until for AUVs late in2019. deep water, while reducing power re- quirementsThe project and will increasingfocus on three autonomy key areas. One will be increasing inlong-duration marine operations. navigational accuracy by integrating low- and high- power Inertial Navigation System (INS) sensors. “The accuracy of Thelow-power P3AUV projectsensors will degrades involve over trials time and AUVs consequently of- usingten have Sonardyne’s to surface leading to reinitialise underwater with a GPS fix,” said Geraint West, positioningGlobal Business technology Manager on -the Oceanographic. NOC’s “However, by including Autosubhigh-performance, Long Range high-power (ALR) and L3 navigation instruments, like our ASV’sSPRINT C-Worker INS, and 7 integratingautonomous them sur- with the low-power instruments faceto dramatically vehicle (ASV). reduce The project, power whichconsumption, vehicle operators will willget include the best trials of both in Loch worlds, Ness which next will enable longer-duration month,independent is due deployments.”to run until late 2019.

TheSecond, project we will will focus improve on three positioning key accuracy while underwater ve- areas.hicles Onedescend will be and increasing ascend through long- the water column, through the durationintegration navigational of Doppler accuracyVelocity Logby (DVL) current measurement integratingcapabilities low- and andINS technologieshigh-power with on board processing of data. Inertial“Our class-leading Navigation SPRINT-Nav System (INS) instrument, sen- which combines our sors.SPRINT “The INS accuracy sensor, Syrinxof low-power DVL and a high-accuracy pressure sensor sensorsin a single degrades housing, over can time measure and water current as well as velocity AUVsrelative consequently to the seabed,” often said have West.to “SPRINT-Nav will be able to use surfacethe water to reinitialisecurrent velocity with toa GPSreduce fix,” the dead reckoning mid-water saidnavigation Geraint West,error, important Global Business to improving accuracy during both the Managerdive and -surfacing Oceanographic. phases of“However, an operation.” by including high-performance, high- powerThe third navigation area will instruments, be enabling likeASV deployment of seafloor ourpositioning SPRINT INS, transponders. and integrating “Autonomous them low-cost deployment of withseabed the transponderslow-power instruments by an ASV tois attractive to the offshore energy dramaticallyindustry for AUVreduce operation, power consump as well -as a wide range of scenarios tion,throughout vehicle theoperators whole lifewill ofget a field,the including exploration,” added bestWest. of “Combiningboth worlds, all which of these will capabilitiesenable will bring about a step longer-durationchange in AUV operations, independent providing deploy- a disruptive capability in the ments.”subsea monitoring and inspection space.”

74 75 6 SUBSEA EQUIPMENT

11 JUNE Southampton TO PIPELINE DECOMMISSIONING TOOL TRIAXUS ROTV INTO THE CHINESE OCEAN SCIENCE MARKET 2019 United Kingdom Webtool is developing a Fast The Fast Intervention Tool (FIT) is a MacArtney Singapore has delivered a 13 Intervention Tool for subsea pipeline modular design which combines lifting, TRIAXUS ROTV with customised sensor decommissioning in conjunction crimping, injection and cutting in a payload to the Chinese Academy of with Chevron. The tool will crimp, single lifting and deployment frame Science for oceanographic research seal, and cut the pipe reducing the which also contains the hydraulic projects in the South China Sea. Seawork is open for business potential for contamination of the control system. marine environment, potentially The Chinese Academy of Science, Reserve your place today and make the removing the requirement for a Webtool has completed FIT conceptual via MacArtney agent Geo Marine most of free marketing support from Technology has purchased the first containment dome during pipeline design and in-house development and Seawork and Maritime Journal - in print, cutting, and minimising diver testing. It is now preparing a working TRIAXUS ROTV to be utilised aboard CAS intervention. prototype for hyperbaric and sea trials. research vessels in the South China Sea. online, eNews and social media. This milestone sale of the MacArtney TRIAXUS ROTV is the first of its kind to enter the Chinese Ocean Science market and forecasts a future need for ROTV Europe’s largest and only facilitated research in this region. on-water commercial marine Marine Observation Technology is and workboat exhibition. a developing market as research organisations seek out cutting-edge Over 70 vessels and floating plant. technology to facilitate their research. TRIAXUS E Vehicle In this case, the areas of the Marine European Commercial Marine Awards Observation Technology focus are inclusive of 3000 m of Electro-Optic Tow Cable with Subsea triple-fold as the TRIAXUS will be termination and a Focal combined electro-optical slip ring. (ECMAs) and Innovations Showcase. facilitating research into the South China Sea Circulation, Tropical Ocean- The TRIAXUS sensor payload consists of a Teledyne Show your latest innovations in Fast Intervention Tool Air Processes, Climate Effects and RDI Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, SeaBird 911 CTD vessels, equipment and services to Eco-environmental Consequences of including a Dissolved Oxygen sensor and a WETLabs ECO over 7,700 maritime professionals. Dynamical Processes in Tropical Oceans Fluorometer providing a full payload for oceanographic as outlined by the South China Sea research. Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO). C-KORE COMPLETES SHELL CONTRACT With the Sea Acceptance Test completed in September The TRIAXUS ROTV system for CAS 2018, the TRIAXUS is now in full operation. As an CC-Kore Systems has successfully of time performing testing prior to undulating 3D towfish, the TRIAXUS features flaps for completed a contract with Norske using C-Kore which hadn’t produced includes a TRIAXUS E Vehicle, TRIAXUS Topside Unit, a MERMAC S20 Winch, vertical as well as Shell where its C-Kore Subsea definitive answers. The C-Kore tools lateral control. Testing tools were used to assist were very easy to use and quickly with fault-finding in the Draugen confirmed where the fault was. Using Specifically developed field in Norway. Shell was able to the C-Kore tools was a positive for high-speed quickly locate the source of low IR experience.” oceanographic data on the field. acquisition work the Greg Smith, General Manager TRIAXUS can undulate C-Kore’s monitoring units are used for C-Kore Systems added, “Our between 1–400 on installation/commissioning design philosophy has always mensuring dense campaigns and fault-finding been to keep the tools really data acquisition applications to monitor the simple to use, yet versatile. throughout the water electrical lines of subsea equipment. It’s great to hear that our column. By testing directly onto subsea units are leading to positive Also returning in 2019 equipment, the need for platform outcomes for our customers l Elsewhere, led testing or down-lines is and reducing costs of subsea Speed@Seawork MacArtney has added Sea Trials & Conference eliminated, significantly decreasing testing by saving multiplexers to STR's 10JUNE Southampton the time required for subsea testing them vessel TO rental inventory. 2019 UK and saving costs. time.” 11

Børge Nedal, Shell’s Maintenance CKore's Discipline Engineer Subsea Controls monitoring For more information said, “We had already spent a lot unit MERMAC S20 Winch visit: seawork.com contact: +44 1329 825335 Organised by: or email: [email protected] Media partners:

BOATINGBUSINESS 76 77 BOATING BUSINESS & MARINE TRADE NEWS

SullPage10270.107.12.18.indd 1 07122018 14:3 SUBSEA EQUIPMENT

SAILWING SOLUTION for ION GEOPHYSICAL New technology developed by of ropes and deflectors. The SailWing system interfacing with the MacArtney and ION has been actuator is installed in each source head electronic control rack that launched to gather data for enhanced float and controls the SailWing angle of then communicates with exploration and production of oil attack, which stabilises the array with the actuator, signalling the and gas. The SailWing actuator and software controlled adjustable lift. mechanism to adjust the lift control system is designed to ensure provided by the correct positioning and stability of 3D surveys repeated over time (4D) the SailWing. seismic survey source arrays. provide critical information to allow the optimisation of fields over their lifetime. MacArtney has Earlier this year MacArtney provided Improved source stability means the designed and six customised SailWing actuators signature from the source is more manufactured the for use in a control system for ION repeatable, survey after survey, which SailWing actuators, control Geophysical. On the cutting edge of in turn delivers better 4D information. system topside rack, power technology, the SailWing actuator Additionally, the SailWing ensures supplies and a remote control box and its control panel are designed to costly downtime is avoided during allowing for manual control of each control sources towed from a seismic source maintenance and repair since SailWing actuator. vessel gathering data intended for 3D neighbouring sources can be navigated interpretation of the subsurface, in to a safe distance for trouble-free This customised solution has search of oil and gas. maintenance and quick redeployment. broader applications, enhancing the MacArtney portfolio of custom Traditionally, source arrays are Control of SailWing happens via designed and manufactured products stabilised by a complicated connection ION’s Orca or Gator navigation shaped to their customers’ needs.

78 79 UNDERWATER VEHICLES

JFD IN BLACK CARILLON EXERCISE

JFD has successfully completed the “Black Carillon” 2018 submarine rescue exercise with the Royal Aus- tralian Navy (RAN), further demon- strating its commitment to driving the highest standards in submarine rescue safety.

Black Carillon 2018 successfully tested every aspect of the RAN’s submarine rescue system, includ- ing the new hyperbaric escape and rescue capability, demonstrating a step-change in advanced submarine rescue operations.

It was also the first exercise to in- corporate the RAN’s new hyperbaric equipment suite (HES) which entered into service in July 2018, testing the fully integrated submarine rescue ca- pability. This means for the first time, the entire crew of a Collins Class submarine – up to 88 submariners - can be treated simultaneously.

The exercise was unequivocally suc- cessful in demonstrating an industry- leading step-change in advanced submarine rescue operations, further safeguarding the lives of submarin- ers. It encompassed the entire rescue operation which included mobilisa- tion and preparations, the deep dive mating exercise, aeromedical evacu- ation, transfer under pressure (TUP) and decompression, as well as the demobilisation of the entire system.

The RAN has commended JFD on a safe and highly successful Black Carillon:

“I was exceptionally impressed with what you achieved in the exercise and it was clearly evident that a strong sense of teamwork had been developed,” said Captain Geoff Wad- ley, RAN, Commander Submarine Force.

“Speaking to international observers, they were unanimous in their praise for the exercise and the value they all got out of it, a job exceptionally well done.”

80 81 CABLES

JFD IN BLACK CARILLON EXERCISE

Boskalis has been awarded an export cable installation contract for the Ostwind 2 offshore grid connection. The contract was awarded by 50Hertz and carries a value for Boskalis in excess of EUR 250 million making this the largest cable installation contract acquired by Boskalis ever.

The contract scope comprises design and installation of approximately 270km of export cable that will connect the planned Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle offshore wind farms to the onshore substation in Lubmin, Germany. The pro- ject is expected to commence in 2019 with a planned completion late 2022.

Boskalis will execute this contract in consortium with its partner NKT that will supply the high-voltage cable system. For this project Boskalis will deliver an integrated solution of in-house services including supporting UXO survey, geotechnical and geophysical surveys (through Boskalis subsidiary Gardline), seabed preparation works, pre-lay run, transport and installation of the 220kV export cables and seabed reinstatement.

82 83 FRIDAY PHOTOS FRIDAY PHOTOS

Every Friday, we publish archive photos on Linked-In. These are the images from the last two months. Also includes are reader's comments, unattributed. TROLL

PETROBRAS P34

In 2002, an incident happened on the P34, producing the Bar- Just below the water level is the riegel - a collar that ties the legs racuda/Caratinga field, where a together. There is nearly as much of the platform submerged as there is power failure caused the valves above the water line controlling the ballast system to shift some of the oil being stored. I remember that we celebrated the Norwegian Constitution Day, 17. May 1995, during tow out of the Troll-A platform. Fantastic day and The vessel began listing 32deg fantastic construction! to starboard. Petrobras began pumping seawater into two star- Don’t know if I’ll be around but It will be interesting when they come to board tanks, which eventually take it out - or try to? righted the FPSO Remember working on that project constructing top side module with 2 I was there on board AHTS Gen- crane pedestals on it. ova in contingency operation to clean and remove the offloading Bracing was to do with resonant frequencies of the concrete legs if I hose system to evitate environ- remember rightly? These shortened the frequency so they were nothing mental accident. The operation like the wave patterns in the north sea? was a success. There's a story to be told here about how a little family run company from Arbroath, Tecnomarine, was so critical to the successful installation of Troll A.

84 85 THE OCEAN BEN LANCER

The dynamically positioned drillship Spain in the Med. Clean and modern was built at the Scott' Shipbuilding then of course. Company in Greenock on the Clyde. The naming ceremony took place in Was on there back in 1977/8/9. Did 1976. The 136m long ship was capable my first Atlantic Crossing on here, of drilling in water depths of 1000m in nearly got sank after struck by mas- waves up to 5m. It was of a IHC Hol- sive waves on the Port side and tilted land Pelican design. over and never thought it was coming back, why they were attempting to turn It was contracted to work for Chevron. ship around to go back into weather She was renamed SC LANCER in 1990 as we were getting further away from intended destination. Buckled port side Good old BJ type V rackers sticking out deck, gratings, shaleshaker bulkhead the side of the Derrick which you can see in picture. Frighten- ing. However great times working and Been there a couple of times. Food travelling. was great, every day by 21:00 there was a pizza festival BY CONTRACT. But Keep shipbuilding on the great Clyde also experienced a total blackout due an engine room flood and drifted a few miles away causing the LMRP to disconect from the BOP, and creating a huge trench on the seabed.

Worked with it in Labrador in '80's.

Oldies but goldies.LoL

worked with this drillship as wellsite geologist in the mid 1970s offshore

86 87 AH001

The semi was converted at Charlton-Leslie's McNulty Quay and ready to start production on Amerada Hess' Ivanhoe and Rob Roy fields. The conversion took a million man hours.

30 years ago this was in McNultys

Fiscal metering system by Servelec of Eckington, North Derbyshire. My first O&G project

Those were the days Paul

Mark Ritson Big thank you to Alan Pearson

Ivanhoe and Rob Roy Manifold. Smit Semi 1 in background (See image overpage)

Now Petrofac FPF1 for Ithaca Energy on GSA Project; formerly Hess FPU AH001 after conver- sion from Sedco Phillips Semi Sub 700 series OSV. Worked on the reclassification upgrade completed in Gdansk in 2016 for Petrofac. Had to strengthen all the pontoon welds for class. Diver measured and installed 22 nr. x cofferdams, including 6 nr. x man-entry type weighing from 11 – 22Te enabling pontoon shell plating pre & post-heated welded machined crucifix inserts on hull plate intersec- tions for class requirement internal structural enhancements (Guinness Book of Records entry for longest installed man entry cofferdam; 300 days). They'd strengthened the superstructure for the extra 5kTe of production topsides and forgot about the bit they couldn't see!

How old was the semi when Hess converted it in the first place? This one, the two units used on Argyll and whatever the old Emerald Producer is called these days must be well into (maybe even over) their fatigue lives by now....

Hess first foray into floating production?

Comex had an air dive spread mobilised back in the 1990's, excellent food compared to some installations at that time

Did quite a few trips on that air system, good times.

Now the FPF1.

Was first involved in load testing the old Clyde crane (at Hi-Fab, Nigg) before it was removed and sold to a Far East buyer. Then part of the project team that completely upgraded and refurbished the two Bucyrus Erie MK100 cranes onboard dur- ing its conversion at Charlton Leslie / Macnulty’s -

88 89 AH001

Ivanhoe and Rob Roy Manifold. Smit Semi 1 in background

90 91 AH001 PETROJARL FOINAVEN 1996 what a great project to be involved in. Fond memories of my time, 3 months or so, spent in Sooth Shields.

Landed on there once after chopper had a slight engine mishap during a Saturday afternoon flight from ABZ to Brae Alpha many moons ago. Glad it was there with it's large welcoming helideck

I worked on it in mcnultys may years ago

I think it was also known as the mort- gage reduced

The FPSO in the Astano yard, North- ern Spain. It was the first vessel to be I worked for the company who installed to produce in the Atlantic designed and manufactured the frontier commissioning pigs for this project. My first introduction to FPSO's and I remember it well. I worked for Texaco flexible risers. Seems like yesterday. at the time. We took the Captain FPSO build in after this one started, and sailed Long may she earn her living but in away leaving the Petrojarl vessel in the calmer waters yard. The difference between a new build and a cut and shut brownfield job. My first FPSO project.

One of those "no-fuss" no-headlines projects with an interesting commercial framework.

92 93 SUNRISE PIPER

Piper had a mean flare. I took this from the Bredford Dolphin Owned by Cofelxip Stena Offshore, Saudades desta embarcação na Was home, stomping ground and Claymore was much the same the vessel undertook work in Brazil qual fui responsável pelas operações learning temple for many engineers I think. I remember that oil/ in 1995 after undergoing a $90 mil- administrativas, durante 10 anos. and managers gas seperation wasn’t working lion conversion from Mammoet's De toda tripulação brasileiros e all that well resulting in me M/S Sunrise bulk carrier carried out estrangeiros. Até meu desligamento I spent a year on the Sunrise between seeing a splash of oil being in South Korea. It had 4 individual do grupo.... 2002 and 2003. Unique vessel that's ejected via the flare, catching lay spreads that could deploy 3 for sure. fire and falling into the sea. It lines simultaneously and handle I worked on this vessel.. Excellent then drifted, alight, under the pipe up to 12in crew!! This ship broke several ultra This vassel was my first expirience platform between the legs.... deep water records in Brasil (Ronca- offshore. Very nice team. I was onboard many times to repair dor field) Real installation engineering, the Perry systems from 1990 thru Trabalhei quinze anos neste barco 2001 while working for Perry / breaking barriers in its day...... I worked 3 years on this vessel.... foi bom porque a aprendizagem foi likes of wind now, is all on the Cofelxip and met a lot of the guys proud boa mas também aí foi cruel muito who are posting comments on this back of frontier O&G T&I.... trabalho e pouco reconhecimento por post. Great memories for sure! Saudade desse barco parte da chefia Sunrise 2000 and Flex Service two "Pineapple Piller's" of Campos Basin Mobilizei os ROVs na Coreia junto Tive o privilégio de trabalhar nessa Field. First generation of PLSVs in com o Compadre Nelson Rivas e magnífica embarcação da Technip. Brazil waters. fui o Supt ROV de 1995 até 2000. Tenho grandes recordações desta Não cheguei a embarcar mas trabal- I had a great time working on one época. hei muito com ele! of her last docking projects at the AMRJ hard in Rio de Janeiro. She Key enabler for subsea wells’ flexible Navio escola, bom tempo que não was certainly showing her years lines connections in Campos Basin volta mais la fiz boas amizades e when I was last onboard in 2011 deepwater fields like Marlim com- aprendi muito com toda as dificul- but what a great ship and a first plex, Albacora, Barracuda-Caratinga, dades do navio quem passou por lá class project team Roncador, Whales Park, among sabe oque estou dizendo. others! Great journey in Brazilian This is the vessel I made my first waters! Lembro bem disso meu amigo trip offshore

94 95 WEST SOLE STANISLAV YUDIN

Stanislav Yudin I spent a few seasons working on the Worked on the Yudin southern north Yudin it was very interesting work but sea Stolt / Comex many years ago photos of the hyperbaric weld repairs The crane vessel is in its Stolt Comex As the market matures, technology sulted in a much firmer response as the cabins had the narrowest and hard- done on a couple of North Sea jackets Seaway livery. It is now operate by and behavioural understanding im- waves passed by est mattresses I have ever come across I mobilised the first ROVs onboard in the late 80s (I think one of them Subsea 7 under its Seaway Heavy proves this is especially true of first during the Seaway days. SCV2 and was one of the Braes but not sure). Lifting subsidiary generation systems. In 1976, it had Strongwork Diving - Lieutenant-Com- Hey, boats are not for sleeping! They Super Scorpio. If I recall, we worked mander Harry Wardle - what a great already been about 10 years since Holy moly, that thing is gigantic! are for working :) on the Z-Pipeline. the ideas for West Sole were first character he was. I worked with him in Great platform WSA. Thankyou Mr Wells for the link. What an extraordi- on the drawing board but BP had the early 80's. you obviously not see some of the Worked it in Venezuela a while back. Did they do the accommodation nary man he must of been.. accumulated a considerable amount https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ real heavy lift vessels now upgrade on her because she was in of data. The design wave height, for obituaries/1564286/Lt-Cdr-Harry- Used her for the Akal GC gas compres- dire need of it. He certainly was! example, had increased by 10%. Wardle.html Having the opportunity to be onboard sion platform in Mexico, around 2001 while hired by Petronas Carigali some- erry, Always wonder why WB and WC BP had seen fatigue cracking in its where in 2007-2008, most marine I was onboard her for this project, fol- Thanks for posting this obituary. Harry where different designs whilst carrying stressed jacket nodes, especially on crew were from Kaliningrad. lowed by the seaway hawk its WB and WC platforms.It decided certainly was a large than life charac- out work on them. ter. Hope all is well with you and the to install a 4-pile 'crutch' on either Decommissioned 5 platforms in 90’s Lee Palmer were you also with MSCL ( family. side of the platform facing the pre- using a Diajet 700 bar grit cutting I notice MEWI) in 96-97? We may have vailing NNW waves. These four-pile system,jackets were loaded onto the met during the Zafiro project ub Sea International later installed a crutches, were driven 20m into the Stanislav Udin and brought ashore for 24 inch riser on the WB batter pile sea and capped with a 2.4m diam- recycling.Jackets were located in the Fun was not quite my memory dur- 'crutch' from the Castoro Sei and Star eter tubular called a 'cluster can'. Southern Sector ing the eighties involved wirh a couple Hercules. Tricky job of jacket installs in gas field. Abiding The work was carried out by Wimpey I remember the jet cutting tool, we -of memory was the concord shock waves Quality photo guys.. and carried out by the Transocean 4 floaded a topside near Hartlepool and would literally rattle this massive ves- the jackets. sel and playing football in its massive Would be interested to see some of 14 of the 32 workforce were divers empty hanger from Strongwork Diving. This re- the old Comex guys post up some

96 97 SEA EXPLORER

MPSS is designed for West of Shetland, bought new cars knowing they would series, not too many stairs..... let's at least try to get it out there as an be made redundant and knowing the FPSO, somuch better than Sevan or a insurance would pay them off. Trans- YES, and the AHTS vessel was "TS shipshape with those laughable discon- ferred to Lithgows briefly with the 62 Power" or TS 61 Force. I don't necting turrets. www.swaei.com Balder FPSO in 1999. Useful huge dry remember. But both very strong dock. Offices looked like something and beautiful ships for this kind from the Victorian era. of time. I worked 1977 on this I agree it’s a sad loss. I often think of ships. from Aberdeen. (North sea, how with the knowledge I have today of Look at this weight and cost growth! Ekofisk and Beryl Alpha Field) TS how E&P companies work and deliver This drove the invention of Lang's stands for "Transport and Service." projects if I had the ability to go back MPSS. We have only got worse and it was a german company. in time and help ‘steer’ the decision since then. Gorgon is outrageously Named "Hapag Lloyd". It was a makers of the tine it would have been expensive. very nice time...... :-) Any- entirely possible to have a offshore con- body here was working on Power struction industry that would be world 707 was my first semi 1981 or Force? leading today as we lost the bit no one ever saw the smart bright people ( with- Our test facility for MPSS. Cost a Built on El’ Darado..... out degrees) who were at the coal face. fortune to demonstrate the MPSS! The bit that failed was a strata of senior The first model was half this size and Excellent rig and crews management that both did not really went in the sink! By about 1982 I had know the business they were in or how been waiting for years for someone to properly harness the value of their to prove that yards could build these best resource their people and facilities. out of flat plate, since 1978 when I was told by a shipbuilder in Newcas- Buy the way what is the unit you refer tle that mid bodies were 600 pound to? per ton we were at $30,000 per ton the Hutton TLP! Hard to believe that 700 Was the first one I worked on. Fol- this is the forerunner of BP Atlantis, lowed by 701.704, 706,707, 710 and BO Thunderhorse, Shell NA Kika, 711 at various times. The older ones Chevron Blind Faith, Shell Appomat- were better quality construction. 706 tox, BP Mad Dog 2, P-51,52,55,56, and 707 were upgraded to DP/MUX. Now the "conventional" semi!

We put a Derrick extension on this in My first rig when I joined the oil the late 80’s using the Shetlander barge industry, very good rig with excellent crane, due to the motion of the barge crews. the load was bouncing up and down 3-4 ft before we could pin it. Quite a reck- I was on there for 8 years, up until less operation when I look back, noth- about 5 weeks ago. Shame to see it ing short of a miracle that we didn’t get laid up in Invergorden. Great rig Back in 1985, BP's new £80 mil- Guardian. Sedco 713 is the rig model Shame we don’t seem able to do this wiped out! Really nice rig at the time. lion rig sailed away from the Scott but not it's name type of thing in UK anymore As I recall the build PM finished up as 714 was my first rig too in 2003 lol Lithgow yard on the Clyde for the landlord of the Alexandra pub in my Invergordon and on to the 15/18b I actually worked on this unit at Scott Dave, That is exactly te method we home town of Norwich, massive guy BP Thunderhorse. Coincidentally 'Golden Block'. The Sedco 700 series Lithgow. It was a really interesting build; advocated to Petrobras in 1988. They called Tiny! has same dimensions as MPSS that rig sailed back after a couple of wells the deck being built at inchgreen and sank the P-36 first before taking our hey dod not like years earlier. What to have 'blisters' fitted - additional the bulls and columns at cartsburn advice. Said the MPSS was too big I was on the rig in 85 for a company changed their minds? BMT buying buoyancy. It added sufficient deck yard this was done to have two parallel and too expensive. Prof Faulkner called Turmeric, we were doing a Der- GVA for 6 million from Petrobras and load to allow the vessel to work in workfonts. Both were ‘mated’ by sinking approved the MPSS at Glasgow Uni- rick Alignment, I was 18 and just started selling it for 12 million to KBR? See 460m of water. the pontoons and columns in the deep versity see Institution of Engineers my life in the Oilfield. Wikipedia. hole off the yard and the topsides were and Shipbuilders in Scotland techni- Its sad that most large scale con- floated over and welded to the column cal IESIS Paper. Sad that we throw They had to do the same mod on Ocean Back in the day and the Honey Bee struction projects for the UKCS are tops away all the expertise by letting Alliance, before it left Lithgow's. still to come. no longer fabricated in UK Scott Lithgow, ( Iolair, Ocean Alliance We even build the barges that were etc),Cammel Laird (GVA 4000 Sover- I remember watching men working on it My very first rig. Wow, flashback Started as Sea Explorer, then named used to float out the topsides. eign Explore), and Harland and Wolff on freezing winter mornings whilst go- I remember seeing it in Invergordon Ocean Gaarf2an before Ocean succumb to "market forces". The ing past on the train to Glasgow. Many when it arrived, I always liked the 700

98 99 DV_OB19_Advert_UT2_AW.pdf 1 14/11/2018 11:51

BUCHAN 9 – 11 April 2019 Southampton UK The hands-on ocean technology *FREE exhibition and training forum TO ATTEND

Join 5,000+ visitors from 60+ countries 360+ international exhibitors will showcase the latest in the industry, with an extensive programme of * The exhibition, training & demonstrations 180+ hours of live demonstrations. The Eagle was a great working ship Broco till further notice. welcome drinks and wine trail are free to attend. There is a fee to attend the for her time with some very talented conference. crew members. Enjoyed my time Arch designed by Dalriada Faber Ltd. there and was lucky enough to be a field engineer for a while Worked on Bucan Alpha upgrade between 1978-1980 in Stornoway. Let's not forget this from the same job. This is wonderful. That's why I love my job International Exhibition • Conference Featuring a two-day conference focused https://www.imca-int.com/ alert/116/oxy-arc-cutting/ I remem- Demonstrations • Co-located Meetings on the technology, operations and business ber this unfortunate incident as I issues in the global field of offshore surveying. was working on a DSV at the time. Ocean Careers • Networking We were instructed not to use the

In partnership with: Hosted by: oceanbusiness.com 100 101 PERTH EVENING TECHNICAL MEETING 20/11/2018 Reaching the future generation of engineers

On the 18th of October, the North of England Branch SUT+ hosted the 4th ‘Engineering under the Waves’ event with the support of NUSTEM (Northumbria University STEM team) at THE WIND & THE WAVES... RENEWABLE Northumbria University, with the goal of inspiring 16-18 year olds and give them the opportunity to get in face-to-face with ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH real engineers and learn what it is like to have a career in the LEARNINGS FROM OIL & GAS subsea industry. During the day students had a chance to talk to real engineers Wednesday, 10 October 2018 from a number of local companies and engage in practical By Sarah Elkhatib, Perth Branch Committee Member sessions ran by our event sponsors.

The Perth Branch of the SUT held wave energy converter in Torbay, who presented on design and an Evening Technical Meeting (ETM) Albany. installation aspects relating to in October 2018 at the Parmelia monopile and jacket foundations for Hilton. The research spans across wind turbine generators. geotechnical engineering, coastal The event was opened by the Perth engineering, oceanography and Andre provided some background Branch Manager, Jennifer Maninin, hydrodynamics. In the presentation, on the European offshore who welcomed the audience of Christophe highlighted the multi- wind market which has grown 126 professionals and provided an disciplinary scientific challenges considerably over the last few years overview of SUT's activities. faced by the development of with many installations taking place offshore renewable energy. He across various sectors of the North The SUT Perth Branch Chair, Chris also demonstrated how learnings Sea. Saunders, then introduced the between the Oil & Gas and Renewable Prior to a free lunch everybody learnt about subsea theme of the evening and thanked industries can be two-way. His presentation then guided the engineering and had the opportunity to see some of the the sponsors, The University of audience through the design, Comments from the event Western Australia (UWA), the Wave Next up was Laith Tapper of NGI logistical and installation aspects of products that were engineered by the visiting companies. Energy Research Centre (WERC) presenting on the use of suction monopile and jacket foundations. The second half concentrated on what it is like to be an Student: and Norwegian Energy Partners caisson foundations in offshore wind Specific projects from the European “I feel much better educated about the energy developments. The first part engineer. Students worked with engineers through practical (NORWEP). offshore wind market were industry and am seriously considering of Laith's presentation provided an presented as case studies, including sessions that involved 3D modelling, structural analysis, The baton was then passed to Sarah overview of the growth of the offshore Veja Mate (Germany), Wikinger production management, control systems, subsea valves and joining it now!” Elkhatib, who was the Chair for the wind market and its current expansion (Germany) and East Anglia (UK). evening. into the Asia Pacific region. pressure bodies. Still some of the visitors found the lab tours In particular, focus was given to around Northumbria University the most exciting. Student: The aim of the ETM was to The next part of the presentation the aspects of noise mitigation “The speakers gave valuable showcase the recent developments discussed how suction foundations, strategies to align with Every year ‘Engineering under the Waves’ gains in popularity. in renewable energy, including both which were first used in the Oil & environmental regulations and the insights into a field I was largely wind and wave energy projects. A Gas industry, are now being used as application of grouted and bolted The subsea industry is growing and happy to welcome new unaware of” key element requested from all the foundations for both fixed bottom and connections. engineers in its field. presenters was to link the technical floating wind turbines. challenges and learnings to projects The technical presentations were SUT+ would like to express its gratitude to the event sponsors: Baker Hughes GE, BEL Valves, Osbit, from the Oil & Gas sector, thereby An overview was provided of how followed by an extended period of demonstrating that skills and the suction foundation experience networking over finger food and Royal IHC, SMD and TechnipFMC. Our partner in this STEM event was Northumbria University knowledge are transferrable across from the Oil & Gas industry is being drinks where the audience members represented by Antonio Portas that kindly provided the venue and all staff involved with the tours and both industries. transferred for applications in had a chance to have one-on-one renewable energy. The Aberdeen discussions with the presenters and the general running of the event. Thanks would also like to be extended to the photographer Jonathan The first presentation was from Offshore Wind Farm (UK) and the fellow peers. It was great to see Sanderson. Finally, a special mention to the SUT+ members: Eugenie Warden, Elizabeth Waterman, Christophe Gaudin of the University Hywind Floating Wind Farm (UK) that the theme of the evening and of Western Australia (UWA) who projects were shown as examples the stellar line-up of presentations Thai Truong, Chris Convery, Shaun Burrows and Denis Vasiljev who helped to organise and make this talked about some of the work of knowledge transfer, but also to attracted new members from the event possible. being undertaken at the recently highlight that there are important Perth community. established Wave Energy Research differences that require particular Thank you to all the presenters for Article prepared by Denis Vasiljev. Centre in Albany. The focus of his consideration for renewable energy their enthusiasm about being part of SUT North East branch sponsors: talk was on research being carried projects. this event and making it a successful out to assist Carnegie Clean Energy evening. Thank you also to our (CCE) in the development and The final presentation of the evening sponsors whose support made this deployment of a novel 1.5 MW was by Andre Andringa of Boskalis event possible. 102 103 Join us on LinkedIn..... 13–15 MARCH 2019 UT2Subsea PERTH CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Old photos from the archive every Friday

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