Fjord fiesta - Scanorama

Special advertising supplement
Essential eyes
and robotics
- 3000 meters below sea surface
Oceaneering’s clients get a
powerful set of eyes, arms
and hands far below the sea
surface with Remotely
Operated Vehicles (ROV).
If you lose the ROV, you
can’t see, you can’t work,
and you can’t drill.
The “Oceaneeering Magnum Plus ROVsystem”
is a powerful cage deployed ROV,
fully equipped to operate at 3000 meters
under the sea surface. A tether providing
power and fiber optics connects the ROV
to the deployment cage. At worksite, the
ROV system is normally the first thing
into the sea. The ROV is first used to set
the rig’s anchors. Then the ROV-crew take
a seabed survey to make sure there are no
environmental issues or obstructions to
deal with before commencing work.
The ROVs “eyes” consist of several cameras
displaying digital video in high definition or
in 3D. The ROV performs different types
of work with the help of two hydraulically
powered robotic manipulator arms. The
arms provide movement and function fully
as human shoulders, elbows, wrists and
hands. This gives the ROV-pilot formidable
strength and precise detail coordination
during operation.
Every subsea activity, from site inspection to
subsea equipment installation to drilling,
is assisted by the Oceaneering crew. From
a control room or van on the asset, the
pilot flies the ROV from a complex control
chair with a joystick in each hand. Several
toggles, foot pedals, minor joysticks and a
touch screen add more functions. The pilot
simultaneously controls manipulator arms
and cameras, tether payout and retraction,
thruster down and up, forward and back
etc. Oceaneering ROV-personnel are vital
players in the functioning of the rig. They
are in constant communication with key
personnel on the rig during planning and
operations. The ROV is the eyes of the
operation and it can’t happen without the
ROV-crew.
“If you lose the
ROV, you can’t
see, you can’t
work, and you
can’t drill!”
Everything the ROV monitors subsea,
together with key operational data, is
displayed in the ROV control room. A live
video feed from the ROV can be transferred
to both on- and offshore, letting team
members follow the subsea operation in
real time.
This year Oceaneering is celebrating 40
years in Norway! We checked in with Erik
Sæstad, GM & VP for ROV Operations in
Norway to get his comments. “Our plan is to
still be here 40 years from now! As drilling
takes its first steps into arctic waters and
everincreasing depths, ROVs becomes indispensable
to the process. During the last
12 months Oceaneering AS has 114000
ROV diving hours and uptime is 99.84%
in the Norwegian sector! Who can beat
that number? To succeed with innovative
technology and operations, it is essential
to have a solid organisation with technical
expertise and support. In the future we will
continue to be best in class. Continuous
improve-ment is very important in our
industry and experience must be maintained
to strengthen new projects.”
Oceaneering is a world leader in the provision
of subsea products and services to the
oil & gas industry.
For more information visit
www.oceaneering.no