Reach Subsea prepares first uncrewed vessels for multi-field North Sea surveys

Reach Subsea has taken delivery of the Reach Remote 1 uncrewed service vessel (USV).

It follows completion of all technical installations, testing and documentation. A second USV, Reach Remote 2, should start sea trials soon.

The 24-m USVs are equipped with hull-mounted survey sensors and a work class electric ROV, and it will be supervised from a remote operations control center.

Multiple communication systems incorporated in the design include VSAT, 5G, Iridium, Ceragon Pointlink and Starlink. Kongsberg has supplied the hull-mounted dual EM2040 multi-beam echosounders and Topas PS120 sub-bottom profiler systems.

Reach Remote 1 will undergo outfitting with subsea equipment for a pilot project for Equinor, TotalEnergies and others. Tasks will include survey, ROV intervention, IMR and monitoring related work to demonstrate the full capacity of the vessel’s equipment spread.

This is also part of a full-scale operation to be conducted in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea on fields such as Troll, Gullfaks, Snorre and Åsgard.