Underwater ultra-high pressure waterjet

Paul Boughton

Waterjet manufacturer Chukar Waterjet offers ultra-high pressure (UHP) waterjet equipment capable of operating in the deepwater subsea environment.

Operable at depths up to 3000 metres (10,000 feet), Chukar’s deepwater subsea waterjet system has numerous applications for deepwater emergency response operations, underwater salvage operations, and rapid de-mobilisation operations. It can cut steel up to 250mm (10 inches) thick and quickly blast away concrete weight coatings, corrosion and marine growth at pressures up to 3800bar (55,000 psi).

Waterjetting equipment also may be used to provide turbulence in a stream of methanol for hydrate remediation, an application Chukar developed in emergency response to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, when the company was asked to rapidly manufacture a system to clear a clogged containment system 1500 metres underwater.

Chukar’s subsea waterjet technology improves the safety and effectiveness of subsea operations, allowing operators to access new types of work and larger projects.

Unlike conventional tools, waterjet cuts without heat, reducing the hazard of igniting trapped pockets of gas during cutting. Waterjet system tools cannot bind in the cut, jeopardising asset integrity. Chukar’s subsea waterjet system can be operated by a diver or ROV, and its remote-controlled operational capabilities make it suitable for projects requiring diverless operations.

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