Offshore staff
MILAN, Italy — DNV has issued qualification status for Saipem's Integrated Acoustic Unit (I.A.U.) development for monitoring subsea pipelines during laying operations.
The authorization is a statement of qualified technology for medium and large pipelines.
I.A.U., based on acoustic technology, is said to enable non-intrusive, remote offshore pipeline integrity monitoring during pipelay. The system is designed to locate obstructions, pipe deformations and water ingress up to several kilometers away, all in real time.
It can also classify and quantify detected anomalies and relay its findings to an operator.
Saipem plans to deploy an I.A.U. for installing the export trunkline for Woodside’s Scarborough gas-condensate development offshore Western Australia (subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals). The trunkline will connect the Scarborough gas field to the onshore reception plant.
Various I.A.U. prototypes have been operating onboard the company’s Castorone and Saipem 7000 vessels, with extensive field testing in recent years to validate performance.
These have demonstrated, the company claimed, that the technology delivers better accuracy in detecting anomalies than more routinely deployed mechanical detectors and also removes the risks associated with the latter such as cable breakage, loss of the device in the pipeline and potential damage to the inner lining during pulling operations.
Saipem said it now plans to implement the new systems permanently onboard its pipelay fleet.
05.30.2023
