Rock Installation ROV Delivered to Van Oord
Subsea technology company Seatools said it has delivered a highly automated fall pipe remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on behalf of its client Van Oord.
The 450-kW rock installation ROV underwent extensive sea trials and is ready to be deployed for subsea rock installation (SRI) campaigns from Van Oord’s new SRI vessel Bravenes.
The ROV positions the fall pipe above the target (e.g., a pipeline) and with high accuracy facilitates rock installation in over 1,000 meters water depth. The ROV features an advanced dynamic positioning (DP) system enabling the vehicle to pursue a preprogrammed track with great precision. The ROV is equipped with the latest version of Seatools’ ROV DP technology, which accomplishes the highest possible levels of rock installation efficiency, the manufacturer said.
The ROV control system features an automated thruster tuning functionality, which enables automatic tuning of the hydraulic propulsion system required by wear over time or after component replacement (e.g., hydraulic motors or thruster valves). The automated tuning functionality, which is activated by the push of a button, yields considerable time savings when compared to periodic manual tuning, Seatools said.
From the outset, Seatools and Van Oord combined their respective technical and operational expertise. Complemented by a thorough FMEA analysis, their excellent teamwork resulted in an ROV system architecture that features unprecedented redundancy levels and comes with a solid backup strategy. As a result, the ROV remains capable of performing rock installation operations even if sub-systems like the HPU motor were to fail.
Jan Frumau, Seatools’ Managing Director, said, “Fruitful cooperation between the companies resulted in a cutting-edge piece of subsea equipment that features the latest innovations in the field of ROV technology. We rest assured that Van Oord will perform efficient rock installation campaigns thanks to our long-term collaboration and the delivery of this mission-critical device.”