Cathodic Protection Underwater Automatic Inspection Technology
(CP-UAIT)
BaltRobotics- 2014
“The lack of breakthroughs in wireless
underwater communication and battery capacity
is prolonging the wait for a fully autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV), one that will not need
a $ 100,000/day vessel and crew, a heavy tether
for power and control or hours to complete a
task that might take minutes onshore”
“Surveying the field in the search for fully autonomy”
by Bruce Nichols // Offshore Engineer, January, 2013
The Challenge
- Pressure capability and hence theoperational capacity of O&G pipelinesdeteriorates rapidly over their lifecycle.
- Increasing environmental awarenessfollowing BP Deep water Horizon spillnecessitates a more diligent approach tomaintenance
The Challenge
New regulatory and audit requirements:
- Safety and Environmental Management Systems(SEMS) by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,Regulation & Enforcement (“30 CFR Part 250”)
- American Petroleum Institute’s (API) RecommendedPractice 75 (RP 75)
The Challenge
The 13 elements of RP 75 that the Workplace
Safety Rule makes mandatory are as follows:
-…. Audits: rule strengthens RP 75 provisions byrequiring an audit every 4 years, to an initial 2–yearreevaluation
www.bsee.gov
The Challenge
Inspection methods:
- Visual inspection- Cathodic potential reading- UT (ultrasonic compression wave) - contact method- Flooded member detection (FMD) – unsafe method- EDDY Current- Sonar Leak Detection- Magnetic- etc.
All non-contact methods need underwater carrier
The Challenge
• Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is very slow
and costly
• High CAPEX and OPEX for ROV and mother
ship
• Associated CAPEX risk due to loss of or damage
to ROV
ROV Approach
ROV Approach
ROV Approach – Petronas
(Malaysia) example
• Visual control
• Inspection video recording
• Cathodic potential recording, CP-gram
formation
ROV Approach – Petronas
(Malaysia) example
• Cost of work – 75,000 -100,000 UDS/day
• Productivity – 6-8 km/day (depends on
weather conditions)
ROV Approach
Advantages:
• existing and proven technology
• the number of installed ROV: survey
equipment, and vessels
• the pool of trained staff
Disadvantages:
• high CAPEX & OPEX
• high risks (ROV loss)
• limited area of operations (shallow water
limitation)
The Solution
To create low CAPEX/OPEX system for CP
inspection and visual inspections using
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) as
carrier.
AUV Approach
AUV Approach
AUV Approach
• System allows pipeline operator to inspect
greater pipeline lengths more frequently.
• System allows multiple AUV operations from
single mother-ship
AUV Approach
Advantages:• low CAPEX & OPEX• low risks• unlimited area of operations (deep and shallow water)• proven worldwide tendency of the development• carrier for any inspection equipment
Disadvantages:• lack of underwater communications• lack of battery capacity• new technology • needs the investments• has to be implemented
AUV Approach
Advantages:• low CAPEX & OPEX• low risks• unlimited area of operations (deep and shallow water)• proven worldwide tendency of the development• carrier for any inspection equipment
Disadvantages:• lack of underwater communications• lack of battery capacity• new technology • needs the investments• has to be implemented
“yellow” – it had been resolved by BaltRobotics
Our project
“BaltRoboticsSp.z.o.o.” (BR) –
http://www.baltrobotics.com - has developed and
tested a proprietary system that has applications in
particularly for low cost underwater Cathodic
Protection (CP) inspection of Oil and Gas pipelines
using AUV as a carrier.
Our project
1 – Vessel; 2 – GPS; 3 – AUV; 4 – Remote Underwater Docking System; 5 –
Navigation Current Generator; 6 – Ultra-Sonic Distance Measurement and Data
Transmission System; 7 – Ultra-Sonic Data Modem; 8 – Current Navigation Unit; 9
– Video Cameras; 10 – 3-D Video Compression System; 11 – Wire Connection and
Transportation Unit; 12 – Contact-Measurement Wire; 13 – Engines; 14 – CP
Measurement Unit (Calomel Electrode); 15 – Embedded Computer; 16 - Beacon
Unit; 17 – Power Supply Unit;
Main advantages of our System:
• The System can be used with a Vessel muchsmaller than ones that follow ROV (RemotelyOperated Vehicle).
• The System delivers the possibility to inspectseveral sections of the pipeline with ONE Vesseloperating several AUVs. It decreases the totalcosts of the inspection.
• The System can be used with the higher waves(rough weather: rain, wind, etc.) in comparisonto ROV-based technology.
Main advantages of our System:
• The System delivers more effectiveness of theinspections in comparison to ROV-basedtechnology – one operator can inspect moredistance of the pipelines.
• The CP Protection Inspection Report will include3-D Video Images that are matched with themeasurements of CP Potentials measured.
• AUV could carry any underwater inspectionequipment
Independent development by
BaltRobotics® :
• Unique Autonomous Underwater Vehicle AUV[2] was developed
• Proprietary Underwater Wireless Acoustic
Communications [1] technology system was
developed as integral element.
• Proprietary Video Compression was
developed
All systems had been tested successfully
Independent development by
BaltRobotics® :
• BaltRobotics® sea laboratory was created on the
board of company owned Vessel “MAEKSA”
• High Data Rate Ultrasonic full duplex Modem
• Ultrasonic Doppler Velocity Log
• Underground Magneto Vision System for
pipelines (to search for buried pipelines)
• Navigation and Autopilot System for AUV
“The lack of breakthroughs in wireless
underwater communication and battery capacity
is prolonging the wait for a fully autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV), one that will not need
a $ 100,000/day vessel and crew, a heavy tether
for power and control or hours to complete a
task that might take minutes onshore”
“Surveying the field in the search for fully autonomy”
by Bruce Nichols // Offshore Engineer, January, 2013
• Distance – 300 m
• Depth – 300 m
Underwater wireless video data communication:
Underwater Video Processing Container
Independent development by
BaltRobotics® :
Underwater Ultrasonic Modem
Independent development by
BaltRobotics® :
Undersea Wireless Video
Independent development by
BaltRobotics® :
Proof of Concept
- Proprietary Technology was designed and
developed in-house
- Technology prototype was built and tested
successfully in the Black Sea
- Fully equipped, vessel based operational test
laboratory – aboard “MAEKSA” - vessel (66 tons)
is ready for operations
- Successful testing were carried out in Malaysia,
Ukraine, Bulgaria, Malta
AUV X-3A development finished.
Ready for testing
• Ultrasonic Video Transmission
Channel;
• Ultrasonic Modem – circuitry,
emitter, Doppler equalizer;
• Video-data compression processing
system;
• Acoustic Command Channel (low
data transmission rate/long range);
• Inertial Navigation System (INS) -
controls AUV in autonomy mode;
• Doppler 4-beams Log – combined
with INS for Auto-Pilot;
• “Magnetic Vision” system to search
for pipeline (incl. buried ones);
AUV X-3A development finished.
Ready for testing
• Depth –till 200 m.
• Distance in autonomic
mode – till 10 km
•Fully automatic inspection
mode
• Life cycle in sea bottom lying – till 2 months
Yacht “MAEKSA” - reconstruction project –had been constructed and tested
Yacht “MAEKSA” - completion of reconstruction
“CP-UAIT Complex” in the testing: Istanbul, Malta, 2013
Position to compete
Low OPEX of the technology proposed deliver
possibility of “flexible price”/”increased margin”
• Increased productivity of the new technology
proposed (per 1 vessel) – 3-4 times
• Longer “working year”: Increased from 80-100
days to 100-120 days.
Company Profile
“BaltRobotics Sp.z.o.o.” ® (BR®), Gdansk, POLAND (Code (REGON):
222049520), http://www.baltrobotics.com/ - is a scientific research,
design, development, and engineering business specializing in the
area of the competences that includes in particular: engineering in
robotics, telecommunications, navigation (GPS, land, underwater).
BR® key personnel have large experience gained whilst working in
former Soviet Union defense industry and state scientific research
institutes.
The leading specialists and management staff of the Company were
the project managers in many international projects, and they were
awarded with prestigious prizes, in particular: “Gold Medal” of
Brussels Exhibition “Eureka 2006” and the Medal of US Department of
Defense - DARPA - competition of robots - “Grand-Challenge 2005”.
Company Experience
Thank you for your attention!
Top Related