Subsea 7 Limited

James Andrew Jamieson

Lee Wilson

Wayne Sherry

Graham Gibbons

Hugh Cameron Ferguson

A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) docked to a tether management system (TMS) is lifted outboard into water beside a vessel while deploying an umbilical that effects communication with the ROV via a tether of the TMS. After undocking the ROV to swim away from the TMS while deploying the tether, the TMS is suspended over the water while the ROV performs a subsea mission. A mobile or transportable ROV support unit can be positioned on a deck of a vessel of opportunity to facilitate deployment of the ROV, the TMS and the umbilical and to control the ROV during the mission.

Deployment of unmanned underwater vehicles

A subsea garage for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) has a body having a receptacle for the UUV, an open top providing a transit path for the UUV into and out of the receptacle and a base opposed to the open top, the base being arranged to lie on the seabed. At least one post is movable, subsea, relative to the body into a deployed position extending upwardly from the body above the open top. A lid may also be movable relative to the body between a closed position that closes the open top and an open position that allows the UUV to move along the transit path through the open top. A fixed post may extend upwardly from the body above the open top, in which case the lid may enclose the post when in the closed position and expose the post when in the open position.

Subsea garages for unmanned underwater vehicles

An auxiliary control system, having a method for controlling same, controls subsea equipment such as a tree or manifold, for example, in the event of failure of a control umbilical. A power unit is installed subsea, and then a control tool is coupled to the subsea equipment. Control signals from topside source are transmitted to the power unit, which powers and controls the control tool in response to the control signals to operate a control element of the subsea equipment, such as a valve.

Controlling subsea apparatus

A method of adjusting buoyancy of an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) includes measuring buoyancy drift of the UUV when underwater. After docking the UUV with a subsea station, a quantity of a flowable buoyancy-adjustment material held onboard the UUV is changed by transferring that material from the station to the UUV or from the UUV to the station. A buoyancy adjustment system for a UUV includes: an onboard tank for holding a variable quantity of the buoyancy-adjustment material and upwardly-opening and downwardly-opening passageways communicating with the tank for transferring the buoyancy-adjustment material to or from the UUV. The subsea station includes: a dock for docking a UUV; a holding tank for holding the buoyancy-adjustment material; and at least one upwardly-opening or downwardly-opening passageway aligned with the dock and communicating with the holding tank for transferring the buoyancy-adjustment material to or from the docked UUV.

Adjusting the buoyancy of unmanned underwater vehicles

An inspection, monitoring, maintenance or construction task is performed on a subsea structure by using an underwater vehicle to carry a submersible package to the subsea structure. The package comprises a tool or sensor arranged to perform the required task on the subsea structure, and an on-board power unit and controller arranged to power and control the tool or sensor. The package is transferred from the underwater vehicle to be supported by the subsea structure. The underwater vehicle can then stand off from the package. While the package is supported by the subsea structure, the tool or sensor of the package performs the required task on the subsea structure, powered and controlled by the on-board power unit and controller of the package.

Tools and sensors deployed by unmanned underwater vehicles

A method provides power to a subsea equipment electrical system underwater, without a wet-mated electrical connection. The method includes temporarily coupling a rotary coupling element of a power source to the subsea equipment and turning that element to generate electric power on board the equipment. Subsea equipment that implements the method comprises: an on-board electric power generator connected to an electrical load such as a rechargeable battery to charge the battery when the generator is driven; and a rotary coupling element that is turned by an external drive to drive the generator. Alternative subsea equipment to implement the method comprises: a stator, but not a rotor, of an on-board electric power generator, which supplies current to the load when an externally-driven rotor is positioned adjacent to the stator and turned relative to the stator. A power source having a generator rotor is docked with the equipment for this purpose.

Transmission of power underwater

A method of hosting an autonomous underwater vehicle ('AUV') at a subsea location lowers at least one AUV basket to a subsea location adjacent at least one preinstalled subsea structure. The subsea structure has provision for electrical power to be provided to it. At the subsea location, the, or each, basket is connected to the, or each, subsea structure to receive electrical power from the subsea structure. Electrical power routed via the subsea structure may be used to charge batteries of an AUV docked with the basket. Provision may also be made to effect data communications with the AUV with data being communicated between the subsea structure and the basket.

Subsea hosting of unmanned underwater vehicles

A subsea payload such as an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) or an AUV garage is lifted from an underwater location by flying a latch unit through the water to the payload. The latch unit carries a lift line toward the payload. The latch unit is then attached to the payload and the payload is lifted using tension applied through the lift line via the latch unit. The latch unit can also be used on a lift line to lower a payload and then to release the payload at an underwater location. The lift line is supported by a heave-compensating winch on a surface vessel that effects z-axis movement of the latch unit. The winch maintains tension on the lift line to prevent the lift line falling on the payload. Movement of the latch unit on x- and y-axes is effected by on-board thrusters.

Launch and recovery techniques for submersible vehicles and other payloads

A method and apparatus of operating an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) may include receiving an AUV in a receptacle of a submersible station. The AUV and the submersible station may be launched to an underwater location. The AUV may engage with the submersible station before, after or during a mission, and may return to the same or a different submersible station after part, or all, of the mission has been completed.

Growing community of inventors

Balmedie, United Kingdom

James Andrew Jamieson