Equipment
SUBSEA
Equipment Deepwater CPT Schilling Robotics and Gregg Drilling and Testing have developed a new cone penetration testing (CPT) system for deep-water seabed soil testing. Schilling supplied the control system and hydraulics. This control system consists of electrical and communications components, subsea hydraulics, topside hardware, console components and advanced component monitoring and diagnostic software. Gregg’s CPT is based on a cylindrical penetrometer with a cone tip penetrating the seabed at a constant rate. The resulting measurement analysis reveals detailed soil conditions, including soil type, stratigraphy and shear strength parameters.
“The development of a flexible control system that can be scaled to meet Gregg’s needs provide a key additional capability to their CPT system,” said Mike Owens, programme manager for Schilling Robotics. “The inherent modularity of Schilling’s control system is an important benefit to customers in that it can be configured to meet various component system needs and constraints, providing one sub-system that is scalable to any size project,” Left: Gregg’s CPT system
Water Level Recorder
Marine Riser Connection
For many years, the Aanderaa (AADI) WLR-7 water level recorder (WLR), and its deep water counterpart, the WLR-8, were standard tools for oceanographic and hydrographic surveyors. Used to acquire precision sea level data sets to compensate for tidal variations as part of manifold surveying activities, the WLR was typically one of the first instruments to be pencilled in on manifests for survey projects.
Marine riser joints are conventionally connected by using bolts to secure the flanges together. These bolts are typically large – up to or over 3in in diameter. Numerous bolts have to be carried to the riser flange, inserted and tightened using a bolt tension tool or torque wrench. The operation is time consuming, the preloads generated using a torque wrench can be unreliable and there are safety concerns involved in handling bolts.
Now, RS Aqua, UK and Ireland distributors for AADI products, has announced the release of a specific variant of the multi-faceted Seaguard range to replace the WLR-7 and target the acquisition of water level data. The resultant Seaguard WLR is offered in 0-30m, 0-60m and 0-300m standard depth ranges and provides pressure measurement accuracy to +0.04%. In common with all Seaguard variants, a Windows-based datalogger with colour touch screen provides the user portal for instrument and sensor configuration. Likewise, the Seaguard WLR can also host extra AADI Smart Sensors for current, conductivity temperature depth (CTD), dissolved oxygen, etc, with data acquisition either through direct top plate fixings or via remote cable connections. Seaguard Studio software supports the product enabling fast and simple presentation of results. The AADI Seaguard from RS Aqua
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Typical uses of the submersible CPT unit may include pipelay, seabed foundations, cable routes, ports and harbours and environmental surveys.
UT2 AUGUST 2009
This prompted Acteon subsidiary Subsea Riser Products (SRP) to develop the Quick-Flange drilling riser connection system. This is broadly based on the ubiquitous standard flange but instead of the bolts, it uses a breached cone connector called a Tri-Pin. These Tri-Pins are positioned around the flange face similar to where the bolts are arranged. These innovative connectors allow the two flanges to be securely connected by a quick and simple 60 deg turn. “In the Quick-Flange, the connecting pin is held captive in the flange itself and can be very easily turned,” said Simon Luffrum of SRP. “It is therefore unnecessary to carry a considerable number of bolts around during the make up and break out, and indeed, find a place to store the bolts. “Because it is only necessary to turn the Tri-Pin 60deg, the make-up tool is very simple and easy to operate, reducing both operation time and risk. Sealing between joints is achieved in the same way with a Quick-Flange as a conventional flange, by way of a stab connection or bore gasket with elastomeric seals, hence the lower preload obtained with the Quick-Flange is not a concern.” The Quick-Flange connector can achieve extreme loads of