The Sonomatic Raptor II subsea scanner was developed to support Shell in 2017 with their subsea inspection campaigns. It was predominantly a topside scanner for fast inspection of large vessels. However, Shell required an inspection capability, to allow shallow water and fast inspection, with the capability to be deployed from the platform via an inspection class ROV such as a Cougar.
Raptor II Caisson Inspection
Process
Sonomatic conducted an internal development program to prepare the scanner for subsea deployment. This was conducted in a tight, 11 weeks window, prior to the first of three subsea planned inspections on three different assets.
Working closely with James Fisher Marine Services (ROV contractor) Sonomatic integrated the scanner into the ROV’s power and communication’s systems, to ensure both items of equipment would communicate well and provide the necessary services for the data collection. An onshore F.A.T. was conducted at Newburgh to ensure full compatibility of both systems in a wet environment prior to the first offshore campaign.
Outcome
During the three inspection campaign’s, Sonomatic inspected 11 caissons at key critical locations on the three different assets, enabling Shell to make some key integrity decisions to ensure continued safe operations of the assets. The scanner proved to be very beneficial for shallow water inspection requirements, and Sonomatic look forward to working further with Shell and other client’s in support of the integrity threats they are faced with in todays challenging environments.
