SUBSEA SYSTEMS

Fitted to the aft of the Panther XT is the Reson SeaBat multi-beam sonar and fiber optic gyro.

Shark expects more accurate pipeline surveys with the electric ROV rather than the hydraulic work vehicles because of less acoustical interference.

It comes as a complete survey ROV, equipped with a pair of three-function hydraulic camera booms fitted with Seaeye cameras and LED lights to provide high-quality video images. Also fitted are 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, says Shark.

"It's more than just about sonar," says sonar manufacturer 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:

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

For other tasks, Shark has chosen to equip the 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 with fiber optic video and data multiplexing, an automatic pilot for depth and heading, and control in all directions through six brushless thrusters, each with velocity feedback.

The 1,500-m (4,921-ft) 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.

Saab says the Panther XT weighs less than a quarter of the hydraulic equivalent, and the deck space needed is 63 sq m (678 sq ft) compared with 150 sq m (1,615 sq ft) for a typical hydraulic system. A smaller launch and recovery system means it can be installed on smaller vessels and requires a smaller crew for faster mobilization.

Shark Subsea is a Romanian offshore survey, diving, and ROV services company and the only member of the Diving, ROV, and Survey Divisions of IMCA in the western Black Sea area.

PetroVietnam Technical Services Corp. has awarded a subsea infrastructure, umbilicals, risers, and flowlines (SURF) contract to McDermott International. The customer is PetroVietnam Exploration & Production.

This marks the first ever SURF award to the J. Ray McDermott SA subsidiary in the Asia-Pacific region.

The scope of work includes engineering, procurement, construction, and installation of new production and export lines, umbilical, and subsea cable. Also covered are tie-in, testing, and pre-commissioning of two 2.2 km (1.37 mi) flexible flowlines, replacement of 2.3 km (1.43 mi) of export flowlines and umbilical, installation of a subsea cable, and 4.8 km (3 mi) of insulated flexible flowlines.

Engineering and procurement are under way and offshore installation is expected in 3Q 2011.

Dai Hung oil field is in block 05-1A, approximately 250 km (155 mi) offshore Vietnam, in a water depth of about 110 m (360 ft).

A multi-phase flowmeter that combines downhole sensors and neural network capability for real-time flow rate estimate from wells on electrical submersible pump production is available from Baker Hughes.

The Neuraflow meter has an accuracy rate of more than 90% compared to actual flow rate measures, says Baker Hughes, when calibrated and maintained. The meter is installed in the ESP surface variable speed drive and uses existing standard downhole measurements plus system measurements and learning algorithms to infer a flow rate based on known reservoir and fluid properties.

Total Exploration and Production Angola has awarded FMC Technologies a $65-million project to manufacture and supply subsea production equipment for block 17 with deliveries to begin in 1Q 2011.

FMC will supply subsea trees, controls, and associated equipment from its Dunfermline, Scotland; Kongsberg, Norway; and Luanda, Angola, facilities.

In another project offshore Angola, this time in block 2, Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção has agreed to purchase Pos-Grip wellhead systems and services.

Sonangol will use the 15,000-psi, high-temperature/high-pressure, 18.75-in. (47.63-cm) wellhead system for gas exploration and well testing.

Statoil has contracted TDW Offshore Services (TDW) for pipeline pressure isolation services and equipment using remotely operated SmartPlug technology.

The operations on Statoil's Norwegian North Sea assets will support scheduled maintenance throughout the year. TDW has isolated designated sections of a pipeline attached to the Draupner platforms, a hub in Norway's submarine gas trunklines network, and gas transport system to continental Europe. Late this spring, TDW planned similar services on a gas pipeline attached to the Statfjord B production platform.

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