ROV for pipeline survey

Paul Boughton

Romanian-based subsea services company, Shark SRL has purchased a Saab Seaeye Panther XT electric work ROV for use with their Reson SeaBat 7125 multi-beam sonar system.
 
They expect to see more accurate pipeline survey results using an electric ROV rather than the acoustically noisy hydraulic work vehicles commonly employed for multi-beam survey work.

Shark Subsea will also gain considerable cost savings in space and handling, by using the compact-sized, but powerful Panther XT work ROV, rather than a much bulkier hydraulic vehicle.

It comes as a complete compact survey ROV solution with a pair of three-function hydraulic camera booms fitted with Seaeye cameras and LED lights to provide high quality video images. Also fitted is an Ixsea Octans Gyro, a Doppler Velocity Log, Sound Velocity Probe and a Digiquartz Depth Sensor.

The accuracy of the SeaBat sonar, which can detect a target as small as a tennis ball, makes it ideal for high-resolution seafloor survey work. The demands of such accurate data acquisition is more than adequately met by the technological performance of the Panther XT, say top sonar manufacturer Reson.

"It’s more than just about sonar," says Reson’s product lifecycle manager, Rich Lear. ‘To get the best usable acoustic data needs an ROV that can do the job, with an easy bolt-on interface and the right payload.’

Working with Saab Seaeye engineers, he says, made the task of integrating the sonar system with the ROV straight-forward: ‘They understand what is needed to make it all work,’ he says.

For pipeline survey operations the Panther XT can operate either free-swimming with its auto altitude feature, or with a detachable wheeled skid.

For their work tasks, Shark has chosen to equip their Panther XT with a detachable five and six function heavy duty manipulator, along with an anvil cutter, rotary disc cutter, water jet and cleaning brush.

Like the SeaBat, fitting additional tooling is made straightforward by the simplicity of Saab Seaeye’s innovative plug-and-go interface concept.

The Panther XT comes complete with fibre optic video and data multiplexing, an automatic pilot for depth and heading, and is given fingertip control in all directions through six brushless thrusters, each with velocity feedback.

The powerful 1500 metre rated Panther XT has evolved from the proven Panther work ROV concept and is designed to take on the majority of the tasks previously undertaken by hydraulic work ROVs, such as drill support, salvage and IRM.

Cost of ownership is significantly less. The Panther XT, for example, weighs less than a quarter of the hydraulic equivalent, and the deck space needed is 63 sq meters compared with 150 sq metres for a typical hydraulic system. A smaller launch and recovery system means it can be installed on smaller vessels and requires a smaller number of crew, with a much faster mobilisation time, typically 12 hours compared with 40 hours for a large hydraulic ROV.

The Panther XT is one of a range of ROVs from Saab Seaeye, the world’s largest manufacturer of electrically operated ROVs. Its parent company, Saab Underwater Systems, is a world leader in sensor systems, precision engagement systems, and remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles. 

For more infrmation, visit www.seaeye.com

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