Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – Forum Energy Technologies has developed a new range of electric ROVs.
The XLe, designed and manufactured at the company’s Kirkbymoorside complex in northern England, is the first and smallest of the new range.
However, it is sufficiently powerful to undertake subsea maintenance and repairs using its optional electric or hydraulic five-function manipulator arm.
According to the company, the vehicle’s self-regulating power feature compensates for tether losses, ensuring a constant and stable power delivery to the vehicle regardless of the length of the tether.
It employs the same Forum Integrated Control Engine (ICE++) that features in the company’s larger work-class and trencher vehicles. This is said to provide a wide range of auto-pilot and pilot assist modes when appropriate sensors are fitted.
A control electronics pod fitted to all the XLe electric vehicles provides superior connectivity and expansion capabilities to other ROVs, Forum claimed, while ethernet interfacing is said to allow for seamless integration with other sensors.
03/14/2018
