cc
08
THE CUSTOMER
MAGAZINE FROM
SONARDYNE
ISSUE 1
Technology
Now the industry standard,
Wideband’s ranging accuracy
signals the end of the tone age
13
Profile
Norwegian surveying company
Artec Subsea AS goes global
with Ranger USBL
20
Customer Support
How Sonardyne is building
a responsive and reliable
customer support team
26
Feature
Discover the proven operational
benefits of the new acoustic
technique of Inverted USBL
Baseline
Lodestar AHRS
Attitude and Heading Reference System
With a history of success in providing Trusted
Solutions for acoustic positioning, navigation and
communications you might be a little surprised at
where we are heading now.
Through investment in people, processes and
technology we’ve risen to the challenge of
developing a new standard of marine attitude
and heading reference system.
Lodestar combines all of the robust cutting edge
technology that’s been powering our Wideband™
systems with proven inertial technology developed
to overcome the problems associated with
conventional sensor platforms.
Sonardyne are committed to the development of
integrated marine technologies that deliver a
genuine competitive advantage to our customers.
We’re heading in the right direction, are you?
www.sonardyne.com/inertial
CONTENTS
BASELINE
ISSUE 1
04 News Products and People
08 Feature Wideband – End of Tone Age
12 Case Study Black Sea Air Crash
13 Profile Artec Subsea AS
14 Case Study Ormen Lange
18 Technology Tsunami Detection System
20 Feature Customer Support
24 Technology Carbon Fibre
26 Feature Inverted USBL
28 Technology Radian AHRS and AvTrak 2
30 International News Around the World
31 Help & Advice Ask Dave
12
18
14
31
B
ASELINE IS SONARDYNE’S new magazine aimed at bringing you
the stories, the issues and the ideas surrounding our latest
product developments.
With a track record of more than 30 years, Sonardyne has
always invested in the future. We are committed to research and
development and over the next few pages, Baseline reveals the
substantial capabilities of our company.
The launch of Wideband1 represented a ground breaking
moment for acoustic technology, technology that is now in service in many of the
world’s most demanding subsea environments. In our article on Page 08 we explain
in simple terms the fundamentals of Wideband and what it can do for you. Then turn
to Page 14 to see Wideband’s impact on the Ormen Lange gas field development.
Sonardyne is so much more. We are also hard at work developing the next
generation of hardware platforms that offer low power consumption, dependable
data processing and storage, and robust communications. The technology feature
on Page 18 reveals how Sonardyne’s tsunami detection system could soon be
helping save lives whilst on Page 29 there is a product feature on AvTrak 2.
We don’t stop there. Over the past 12 months we have invested heavily in
infrastructure, people and customer support systems in order to improve the
business, the quality of products and our service standards. Meet our new
Customer Services Manager on Page 20 and discover how training is the key
to unlocking the potential of your staff.
We hope you enjoy the first issue of Baseline and until Issue 2, all the best.
Editor
Su Kent
Marketing Manager
David Brown
Marketing Co-ordinator
Andrew Covey
Art Director
Michael Lindley at TruthStudio
www.truthstudio.co.uk
Photography
Astonleigh Studios, Alton,
Hampshire, UK
www.astonleighstudio.co.uk
(Pages 04, 07, 08, 10, 20, 23,
24, 25 and 31)
Cover Photo
Deployment of TOBI 2 during
iUSBL trials off Portugal.
This page: 2004 tsunami
© David Rydevik
Published by Sonardyne
International Ltd. Blackbushe
Business Park,Yateley,
Hampshire GU46 6GD.
United Kingdom.
© Sonardyne International
Ltd 2007.
www.sonardyne.com
No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without
permission of the publisher.
Colour repro by ProCo Print
Ltd. Printed by ProCo Print
Ltd. Every effort is made to
ensure that information is
correct at time of going
to press.
Sonardyne WidebandTM is
a Registered Trademark of
Sonardyne International
Limited.
1
Rob Balloch, Strategic Development Director
Baseline » Issue 1
04
NEWS
Raising the roof at Ocean House to
step up production, service and repair
Following a 600 hundred mile journey on the back of a low loader, our new acoustic tank is carefully lowered into position.
The 13,000 gallon, 4.1 metre diameter tank was so large that the only option available to the installation team was to
dismantle a large section of Ocean House’s roof and lift it in by crane. Luckily fine weather ensured that the carefully
orchestrated exercise went without a hitch.The new tank will sit alongside our existing three tanks and will be utilised
in all areas of the business from product development through to production, servicing and repair.
OUR PEOPLE
All change at the top
New vessel extends
sea trials centre’s
capabilities
Barry Clutton has been appointed as
Managing Director of Sonardyne
International, following nine years as the
company’s Finance Director. Barry says,
“I am delighted to have been appointed
to this key position in what promises to be
a very exciting time for Sonardyne.The
company is about to take its next major step
forward with new innovative products on the
way and the expansion of the business into
new market areas.”
He continues,“I intend to ensure that
the Sonardyne team will continue to build
upon the company’s enviable reputation for
product innovation, quality and customer
support.”
Barry succeeds Ian Polley who has
retired after 16 years with Sonardyne.
Work is nearing completion on our
newbuild twin hull trials and research
vessel.Shortly due for completion,the
vessel is 12 metres long and was
primarily chosen for its large back deck
operating area,stability in rough weather
and comfortable crew accommodation.
The vessel is additionally equipped with
a deployment machine and hydraulic
crane to enable equipment and ROVs
to be easily and safely deployed and
recovered.Propulsion comes from two
Volvo Penta 430bhp engines giving
a top speed of around 20 knots.This will
enable the vessel to reach deep water
quickly and then return to its Plymouth
base all in the same day. The next issue
of Baseline will contain a full report.
Barry Clutton has taken the helm as new
Managing Director of Sonardyne International
Baseline » Issue 1
05
World’s largest
pipelay vessel
upgrades to
Wideband
The Swiss-based Allseas Group S.A. has
recently upgraded the existing Sonardyne
USBL acoustic positioning system aboard
the ‘Solitaire’ pipelay vessel to use the latest
Fusion Wideband technology. At 360 metres
long, the Solitaire is the world’s largest
pipelay vessel and has the capacity to lay
pipes up to 60 inches in diameter. Equipped
with class three Dynamic Positioning (DP),
the vessel frequently operates in water
depths in excess of 2,000 metres and
depends upon its USBL for precise position
referencing.
A key factor in Allseas’ decision to
upgrade to Fusion Wideband were the
benefits offered by our unique ‘ping
stacking’ acoustic interrogation technique.
Originally developed for ultra deep water
“ At 360 metres long, the
Solitaire is the world’s
largest pipelay vessel”
drilling operations, ping stacking enables
the USBL system to transmit acoustic
interrogations to subsea transponders
before the last reply was received.This
provides a DP system with a position update
every second independent of water depth.
The installation of the Fusion hardware
had been scheduled to occur during a five
day stop-over in the Bahamas. However,
due to operational reasons this was reduced
to just one and a half days.This deadline
was achieved and allowed the Solitaire to
remain in service whilst making a smooth
transition to the new technology.
Solitaire has achieved a lay speed of over nine
kilometres per day and holds the deepwater
pipelay record at 2,775 metres
SOFTWARE UPDATE
Sonardyne offers Ranger
USBL with Fusion
Sonardyne’s Fusion USBL (Ultra-Short
BaseLine) acoustic positioning software has
been upgraded to include the company’s
new Ranger USBL technology.This upgrade
is for existing Fusion users and anyone
purchasing new systems in 2007.
Including Ranger software alongside
Fusion v1.09.03 reflects Sonardyne’s
commitment to make our systems straightforward to use whilst providing additional
benefits aimed at increasing performance
and operational capability. Operators can
now use the application that best suits their
needs: Ranger for simple survey and DP
reference, and Fusion for complex, deep
water positioning tasks.The new software
functions with existing equipment
inventories as Fusion and Ranger use the
same vessel-based hardware and together
support a wide range of analogue and new
Sonardyne Wideband transponders.
Ranger is ideal for operators with
limited experience or who are unlikely
to ever undertake advanced USBL tasks.
The intuitive user interface means that the
system is easy to learn, set-up and operate
ensuring immediate success.
With the introduction of Wideband
signal technology, Fusion has made a
significant impact upon the construction
survey market for subsea positioning
and long-range tracking operations that
require survey grade accuracy in all water
depths. Now, users can employ the same
topside equipment to perform a variety
of tasks.The upgraded software has been
released for use in both USBL and LBL
modes and offers big end-user improvements in performance and functionality.
An important new feature available
in both Fusion and Ranger is the ability to
undertake Inverted USBL (iUSBL) tracking
of towfish over super-long laybacks. Here,
the transceiver is not installed on the vessel
but on the towed body itself (see Page 26).
Mounting the transceiver in this way
eliminates repeated system calibration,
whilst the accuracy and repeatability of
the acoustic signals are improved, as the
transceiver is located in a low noise,
dynamically stable environment.
Sonardyne’s Ray Trace utility, included in
the upgrade, analyses the water column for
ray bending effects which are very important
during the planning stages of a construction
survey project. Customer input and feedback from Sonardyne’s field-engineering
staff has led to many of the upgrade
changes such as transceiver self diagnostic
tools and the addition of sensor interface
protocols that improve the handling of data
through the system’s Navigation Controller.
Baseline » Issue 1
06
NEWS
NEW PRODUCTS
Scout, Ranger and Fusion
Sonardyne’s new line-up of Ultra-Short Baseline products means that whatever
you are tracking and positioning, we have a system designed to perfectly meet
your needs
Scout, Scout Plus and Scout Pro
Ranger and Ranger Pro
Fusion
● Affordable and high accuracy
● Quick to set-up and deploy
● General target tracking
● Simple, intuitive user interface
● Up to 4,000 metre operating range
● Designed for survey and DP
● Sonardyne Wideband technology
● Full ocean depth capability
● Complex construction survey
Available in three versions Scout USBL is
a complete vessel based underwater
positioning system for divers, ROVs and
towfish. Scout and Scout Plus are entry level
systems that can track one surface vessel
and up to six subsea targets with a range of
up to 500 metres. Scout Pro provides greater
accuracy, additional tracking capabilities
and a 1,000 metre operating range.
Building upon Scout’s capabilities, Ranger
is the latest addition to the Sonardyne USBL
product family and has been designed for
survey and DP reference operations.
Ranger is easy to learn, set-up and operate
and in Pro version, offers simultaneous
tracking of up to 10 targets with a one
second position update rate. Ranger also
supports Inverted USBL (iUSBL) operations.
Fusion is the most advanced USBL tool
available for long range deep water tracking
with survey grade accuracy. It uses the
same vessel-based hardware as Ranger
providing users with an easy and cost
effective upgrade path. Fusion supports
multi-user, multi-vessel operations with
many independent operating channels
and integrated high speed data telemetry.
Baseline » Issue 1
07
SOFTWARE UPDATE
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Keeping your riser
angles in check
Don’t leave home
without yours
Excessive operating angles on drilling
risers can lead to critical wear on flex joints
and damage to BOP stacks.The outcome:
rig downtime and an expensive repair bill.
Providing operators with a dependable,
cable-free method for monitoring the riser
led to the introduction of Sonardyne’s first
MRAMS (Marine Riser Angle Monitoring
System) system around 10 years ago and
The MRAMS software is simple to learn, set-up
and operate and allows users to achieve
immediate success and get to work without delay
or additional stress
it has been reliably in service ever since.
With the developments in Wideband
signal technology, the next generation
MRAMS system is based on the integration
of Sonardyne’s USBL acoustic positioning
technology and riser/BOP mounted
transponders fitted with high resolution
inclinometers.This provides clear and
unambiguous data on the vessel’s position
and riser angle status. It also recommends
a bearing for the rig to steer to in order to
minimise riser inclination relative to the BOP.
One of the most notable improvements
with the new system is the greatly simplified
software and user interface which has been
influenced by users of the original system.
All critical information such as riser and
BOP angles, rig heading and course-tosteer is now presented on a large graphical
display that can be assessed at a glance.
Wideband MRAMS is now available for
new installations or as a replacement for
existing systems.
Our new customer support contact cards
have just arrived. On one side, this handy
credit card-sized item contains the details of
our 24-hour emergency telephone
helpline, product support email and
website. On the other side, there are the
telephone, fax and email details of all our
regional offices.
The contact cards are freely available
and can be found on the inside of every
product manual. Alternatively, simply email:
[email protected] and we will
send you one.
NEW PRODUCTS
Pocket our new USBL Product Guide
In order to help you decide
which Sonardyne USBL
system is right for you, we’ve
developed this handy pocket
guide. Simply peel it off,
pin it up in your office or
take it with you next time
you’re heading offshore.
You never know when it
might come in useful.
If you would like more
copies of the guide, email
[email protected]
08
Technology
Baseline » Issue 1
Baseline » Issue 1
09
Wideband
signals end
of tone age
Wideband acoustic technology is the first step change in
performance since acoustic positioning was introduced.
Mark Poole, Sonardyne’s Chief Surveyor, reports on its
benefits and examines how it is addressing the ever
changing demands of the offshore industry
O
VER THE PAST
20 years, the
search for ever
diminishing
hydrocarbon
reserves has
pushed the
offshore
construction survey industry into ever deeper
waters. Depths which were considered
beyond economical reach just a few years
ago are today familiar territory for both
operators and equipment manufacturers like
Sonardyne who are challenged to develop
innovative solutions.
Sonardyne Wideband technology is one
such innovation. It addresses the contemporary
requirements of the offshore survey, construction
and drilling industries for subsea acoustic
positioning, communications and control and
in only a few short years has become widely
adopted for LBL and USBL operations.
Mark Poole,
Sonardyne’s Chief
Surveyor talks to
Baseline about the
benefits of Wideband
technology
Now the industry standard
In an industry well known for its cautious
approach to adopting new technology, the
dramatic uptake of Sonardyne Wideband
draws many similarities with the way in
which GPS rapidly consigned radio-based
navigation systems to history following its
introduction offshore.
From off Norway’s continental shelf to
the ultra deep waters offshore West Africa,
Brasil and the Gulf of Mexico, Wideband
technology is at work providing multi-user
capability, high precision observations, robust
data telemetry and faster, more efficient USBL
and LBL operations.
Multi-User Capability
Positioning systems using Wideband
acoustics offer truly independent multi-user
capability through the availability of hundreds
of operating channels. This is similar in many
ways to terrestrial digital television which can
provide many more channels than ‘analogue’
systems using the same available bandwidth.
Wideband signals are generated through the
modulation of carrier frequencies using digital
codes. Separation of signals in both frequency
and code greatly extends the number of
unique signals that can be supported within
a defined bandwidth.
It is not until we look at the complex multi-
Baseline » Issue 1
10
Technology
The benefits of Sonardyne Wideband
user, multi-vessel LBL (Long BaseLine) scenarios
that the benefits of Wideband’s many operating
channels become apparent. This situation
frequently arises in contemporary deep water
field developments due to concurrent drilling
and installation activity.
Sonardyne has introduced the concept of
‘families’ to simplify the simultaneous operation
of acoustic systems within interference range.
Each seabed transponder array can be
configured to respond to only those interrogation
signals that have been transmitted by a mobile
Compatt 5 or transceiver that has been
programmed as the ‘parent’ of that family. The
current Wideband signal architecture supports
up to 14 non-interfering families which is 11
more than previous generations of equipment
and more than sufficient for most typical field
development scenarios.
Compatt 5 transponder commands
transmitted using Wideband telemetry offer far
greater security than the tone bursts used in
legacy systems as they are addressed directly
to an individual unit and do not use the
Common Command Frequency.
Ranging Accuracy
One of the most noticeable benefits offered
by Wideband is its superior ranging accuracy.
In a Wideband system, the code correlation
between devices transmitting a signal and
devices receiving a signal is such that only
information with matching codes attached is
accepted for processing. In simple terms this
is rather like a coded car key; unless the code
in the key matches the code in the car,
commands to lock and unlock the doors will
be ignored.
The increased ranging precision offered
by Wideband signals means that it is possible
to obtain positional accuracies at MF that
were previously obtainable only at EHF
frequency. This has the combined benefits
of extending the range of high accuracy
Wideband offers hundreds of unique channels providing greater flexibility for operational planning
positioning and rationalising equipment
inventories. The availability of high accuracy
positioning for subsea construction operations
allows the optimisation of engineering
solutions and reduces the risk of error when
operating diver-less connection systems.
A significant advantage of Wideband
signals over EHF lies in the ability to reliably
command and range to Compatts in water
depths in excess of 1,000 metres whilst
maintaining high ranging precision. This is
required when transferring surface control
to the seabed when conducting an array
calibration. The increased precision offered
by Wideband in conjunction with high
accuracy DGPS systems makes it possible to
co-ordinate Compatts with sub-metre accuracy
to support the installation of high accuracy
positional control on the seabed.
The increased precision offered by
Wideband LBL systems was instrumental in the
achievement of a key milestone in the final
Baseline » Issue 1
11
phase of the construction of subsea facilities in
the Ormen Lange field in 2006. This required
the installation of two 30 inch production
flowlines in a one metre target box at the end
of a very complicated lay route in sub-zero
temperatures and over 800 metres water
depth. After a couple of cut-to-length trials the
flowlines were installed and landed out within
a very impressive 90 centimetres and 60
centimetres of the target co-ordinates.
Wideband Data Telemetry
Data telemetry is a common element of many
subsea applications and one to which
Wideband technology is particularly suited.
In developing Wideband, Sonardyne has
created a robust high-speed telemetry scheme
that is specifically designed for the real-time
This is what some of
our customers are
saying about the
benefits of Wideband
❛❛ LBL tracking of a static target now
Compatt 5 transponders interfaced to a
subsea gyro
❛❛ Wideband USBL positioning in
Resolution
“Sonardyne’s Wideband
technology has broken
new ground in all aspects
of subsea operations”
transfer of the relatively short data packets
that are commonly associated with subsea
navigation. The robust Wideband link
incorporates forward error correction and
all of the benefits associated with correlation
signal processing in terms of immunity to noise
and multipath and does not require the
overhead of a training sequence which
reduces the latency associated with the data.
This makes it more appropriate to real-time
monitoring applications such as the acoustic
telemetry of gyrocompass and attitude data for
navigation. Wideband acoustic telemetry also
offers significant improvements in the efficiency
of deep water operations by greatly increasing
the update rate for the positioning of structures
as they are deployed to the seabed.
Addressing today’s demands
Sonardyne Wideband technology has
broken new ground in all aspects of subsea
operations. It offers a proven, low risk route
to a step change in performance and can be
applied to every stage of a multi-user, multivessel field development project, no matter
what the water depth. BL
requires two chart windows to be
open. One zoomed right in to 1cm to
convince you the ROV position is
actually updating.❜❜
1,600m was so accurate a Wellhead,
positioned by a competitor’s LBL
system,showed a jump in position and
nearly caused the USBL System
Acceptance Test to fail. When the
client revisited the job folder it turned
out the Well position was dubious
because the competitor’s LBL system
had exhibited large errors.❜❜
❛❛ Wideband is so fast collecting
baselines that we can no longer go
for a cup of tea during collection.❜❜
Timing resolution of a tone burst signal: Coarse
resolution of filter response to uncoded signal is
more susceptible to degradation by noise
Resolution
❛❛ Wideband accuracy and position
repeatability helped us diagnose a
faulty VRU exhibiting a 0.5 degree
drift.❜❜
❛❛ Our DP desk was regularly
rejecting the USBL position updates
because the 0.1m decimal place was
not varying and the desk assumed
that the system had frozen.❜❜
❛❛ The baseline spread is so small you
have to use the smallest bin sizes to
see any variation.❜❜
❛❛ The position of Wideband beacons
Timing resolution of a Wideband signal:
Code correlation function results in far greater
precision and resistance to noise
on a 300 metre subsea towed array
demonstrated that the streamer offsets
had been incorrectly measured with
the tape measure.❜❜
Baseline » Issue 1
12
Case Study
ROV-Homer target relocation system
Sonardyne joins race to recover
black boxes from Black Sea
The A320 crashed at about 0215 (2215 GMT) on
3 May 2006 as it made a second attempt to land
at an airport near Sochi, a Russian resort town
Armavia Airlines Flight No 967 from Yerevan to Sochi
SOCHI
RUSSIA
Crash
Site
ARMENIA
BLACK SEA
TURKEY
N 3 MAY 2006 an
O
Armavia Airbus 320
was lost with 113 lives
on a flight between
Yerevan and Sochi on
the Black Sea coast.
The plane crashed into water more than
1,600 feet deep where its ‘Black Box’ flight
data recorders became impossible to
locate visually. Strong currents and heavy
sediment quickly covered the wreckage
removing all traces of the flight recorders.
The only option left was to locate them
acoustically via the emergency distress
signal that activates on contact with water.
The Russian State Scientific Centre,
Yuzhmoregeologiya (YMG) contacted
Sonardyne for its help. Sonardyne
recommended ROV-Homer which is a
miniature range and direction guidance
system for ROVs. It enables underwater
vehicles to home into the signals
transmitted from beacons attached to
divers, seabed equipment or, as in this case,
flight data recorders.
As Barry Cairns of Sonardyne explains,
“It was important to get the equipment out
to Russia as quickly as possible as the
emergency locator pingers on black boxes
have a limited transmission life.” Within just
a few hours of the call from YMG asking for
assistance, a ROV-Homer was being hand
carried out to the Black Sea. At the site of
the crash, it was quickly fitted to the search
team’s own RT-1000 ROV.
The ROV-Homer system consists of an
ROV mounted range and direction unit and
PC control software.The pilot selects the
target to ‘home’ into and the ROV unit begins
interrogating the designated transponder
to determine its range and direction. Points
of interest can be easily marked so that an
ROV pilot can be guided straight back to
the target even in zero visibility.
Information is communicated back to
the surface, via the ROV’s umbilical, and is
displayed on the user’s PC. It indicates the
range to the target and in which direction to
turn in order to move the ROV directly
towards the selected beacon.
With the Sonardyne ROV-Homer the
first black box was found quickly on the first
day. The second was located soon after
despite being buried in silt without any traces
being visible on the seabed. Recovery took
place the day after, enabling the entire
The ‘black box’
had been lying in
a thick layer of silt
on the seabed,at
a depth of about
500m (1,640ft)
YEREVAN
IRAN
operation to be completed in four days. Dr
Arthur Pronkin, General Director of YMG
was very grateful to Sonardyne and says,
“We greatly appreciate the efforts of
Sonardyne’s staff who efficiently mobilised
the delivery of the ROV-Homer to Russia
helping our specialists successfully complete
the recovery operation in the shortest
possible time.They were extremely helpful
and understanding and we worked as one
international team.”
ROV-Homer
Facts & Figures
● Simple,low cost acoustic guidance
system for ROVs
● 4,000m or 12,000m versions available
● Reduces search time and ROV
operating costs
● Critical point marking – tools,valve
heads,field joints
● Emergency relocation – divers,
diving bells,ROVs
● Allows operation in zero visibility
● Works with AODC Emergency
Transponders
Baseline » Issue 1
13
Profile
Artec Subsea AS
Investment proves the key to success
Norwegian survey company goes global with Ranger USBL
I
N JUST A few short years, Artec
Subsea AS has earned an enviable
reputation within the subsea
inspection sector. Based in the
picturesque setting of Aurland on
Norway’s west coast, Artec Subsea
is well positioned to serve both local and
international markets with a wide range
of services from high quality ROV surveys
and construction-support through to
seabed mapping and cable route planning.
“The company was founded in 1997 and
currently our workforce is 15 strong,” Torre
Brekke the company’s founder and
managing director explains.“We expect to
expand the workforce during the next year
to up to 25 personnel." The company has
enjoyed a period of sustained growth and
amongst the assets now at the company’s
disposal are two deep rated inspection class
ROVs and an inshore survey catamaran that
can fold up and be transported in a standard
40ft container anywhere in the world.“The
systems in which we invest are specially
designed for high mobility and cover all
areas from offshore to mountain lakes.We
look for the best in the market with a view
to price, performance and product
support,” Torre points out.
Last summer Artec Subsea was the first
Norwegian company to purchase a Ranger
subsea positioning system; the latest addition
to Sonardyne’s USBL product range. Ranger
has been designed for survey and DP
reference operations.The UI is simple and
intuitive and in Pro version, supports industry
standard transponders to full ocean depth.
The motivation to purchase the system
was to monitor the position of an ROV on
a telecommunications cable route survey
over 1,000 kilometres between Narvik and
Trondheim at depths of up to 1,000 metres.
“We chose the system after being
impressed by its specifications and
performance during testing,” continues
Torre.
“The Ranger system is easy to use
and set-up and so we have not had to invest
a lot of time in training. Our operators find
it intuitive to use and results have been
immediate.We have also seen enormous
time and associated cost savings. For
example, a recent project in Azerbaijan
was only for eight weeks and we were able
to set-up both the system and operators in
just five days. Before, it would have taken
us the best part of a month to get the
equipment in place before we could even
start surveying,” Torre adds.
Since then, Ranger has been deployed
for a number of different projects. Currently
it is at work in northern Norway on a test
project for ROV repositioning and it is
planned shortly to use the system on a
project in Abu Dhabi.
Artec’s philosophy of continuous
investment in the latest technologies from
the leading suppliers is a big factor in the
company’s success and continued growth.
“This is what makes Artec unique,” Torre
enthusiastically remarks.
“Equipment like Ranger allows us to
solve problems for our customers quickly,
reliably and cost effectively. In the short
time we’ve had it we have seen an increase
in efficiencies for our clients and have
been able to generate more work.We have
future plans to update our acoustic systems
and we shall be investing further in
Sonardyne systems to complement the
capabilities that we can offer with Ranger,”
Torre concludes.
For more information on Artec Subsea AS,
visit www.artec-subsea.net
On board Artec’s containerised survey vessel which is designed for inshore and very shallow water operations
Baseline » Issue 1
14
Case Study
Ormen Lange – Norway’s largest ever industrial project
Wideband
proves its
worth for
Ormen
Lange
When the Ormen Lange
gas field comes on stream in
2007, exports of Norwegian
gas to Europe will increase
considerably.The world’s
longest subsea pipeline,
Langeled, establishes a new
and important gas
infrastructure between
Norway and the UK. Baseline
reports on how Sonardyne’s
Wideband acoustic positioning
played an important part in
the installation of the
production templates and their
connection from the field to
the onshore processing facility
at Nyhamna >>
The development of the giant gas field Ormen
Lange off the coast of Norway is the largest
industrial project ever carried out in Norway.
When production commences this Autumn,
gas from Ormen Lange will be able to meet up
to 20 percent of Britain’s gas demand for up to
40 years
Ormen Lange
Nyhamna
Langeled
Oslo
Easington
London
Photo: © Norsk Hydro
Sleipner
Baseline » Issue 1
15
The two eight-slot templates, each weighing
1,150 tonnes and measuring 25 by 17 metres
and 16 metres high were required to be
installed within ±2.5m of design location and
within ±2.5 degrees of design heading
Baseline » Issue 1
16
Case Study
Ormen Lange – Norway’s largest ever industrial project continued
HE ORMEN LANGE field
contains 400 billion cubic
metres of gas. It is one
of the largest ongoing
engineering projects
in the world and will
provide the United Kingdom with 20
percent of the nation’s gas supplies for
decades to come.
The field is located 100 kilometres
offshore at the foot of the Storegga Slide
and required the precise installation of
seabed templates, production lines and
wells at depths of between 800 and
1,100 metres.
The field lies in a convergence zone for
different water masses.This complicated
the challenge for subsea positioning due
to the Storegga Slide’s pronounced
gradients in temperature and salinity. The
subsea terrain along which the pipe route
from the field to Nyhamna was planned had
many pinnacles and hillocks of up to 50
metres high compounded with subsea
currents of up to two knots, making it one of
the most challenging subsea environments
in the world.
The six production and injection pipes,
the largest of which was 30 inches in
diameter have a finite bend radius.This
practical limitation means they would not
conform to the seabed profile at the
numerous points where the terrain was
particularly rugged. Extensive use of rock
dumping and dredging was made to create
a smoother route on which to lay the pipes.
Norsk Hydro needed the precision
offered by Long Baseline to ensure a highly
accurate and reliable subsea positioning
with a fast positional update rate during
the different stages of the field development.
Compatt 5 Wideband transponders in
seabed frames were placed along the
length of the predetermined route.The
positioning information from four subsea
transponders (a minimum of three is
required for accuracy and a fourth for
redundancy) enabled positioning with
a tolerance of just ten centimetres to be
achieved.
Known to occur in the area are
underwater waves known as ‘Solitons’
which can result in significant changes
T
Spider subsea trenching ROV
For the seafloor dredging and
excavation work along the Ormen
Lange pipeline route, a specially
developed ROV called ‘Spider’ was
deployed. Its position during
operations was determined using
a Sonardyne RovNav 5 LBL acoustic
transceiver.Transducers fitted on
either side of the Spider to allowed
the vehicle’s position and heading
relative to a seabed transponder
array to be precisely determined.
Baseline » Issue 1
17
(Left) Layout of the Ormen Lange field development
showing flowlines and export lines to the UK.
(Above) Lowering one of the massive 1,150 tonne
subsea templates into the water
Did You Know?
Ormen Lange was the name of tenth
century King Olaf’s most renown
longship.Its name means Long Serpent
and was considered to be the North
Sea’s most impressive ship
All images: © Norsk Hydro
Langeled translates to mean the long
and winding road
A million tonnes of steel were used for
the steel pipes
The seabed temperatures are -1 degree
Celsius,so to stop the gas from freezing,
Glycol (anti-freeze) is added
in sound speed over periods of just a few
minutes. As the determination of the speed
of sound in water is a key requirement for
accurate acoustic positioning the Compatt 5
transponders were supplied with sound
speed sensors.
The installation of the seabed templates
was the first commercial application of
Sonardyne Wideband technology for an
operation of this scale.The two eight-slot
templates were required to be installed
within ±2.5 metres of the design location
and also within ±2.5 degrees of design
heading. As the installation would be
completed from a dynamically positioned
vessel there were concerns that the
transmission of barge movement to the
structures could complicate installation
within these tolerances.This increased
reliance on the acoustic positioning system
to provide a real-time display of structure
position and heading.
The position of each template was
monitored as it was lowered to the seabed
using USBL to track the Sonardyne
transponders which were acoustically
commanded to operate in USBL mode.
At 50 metres above seabed they were
switched to Sonardyne LBL mode and the
LBL system initiated to provide the precise
positioning required for the final lower to
the seabed.Wideband telemetry provided
a positional update rate of better than four
seconds based on an average of ten ranges
out of a possible 14 being received by the
structure mounted transponders.This
update rate was three to four times faster
than would have been possible using the
best conventional LBL system. Postinstallation checks showed that the relative
positions of the structure-mounted
Compatts derived from LBL observations
agreed with dimensional control results
within less than ten millimetres, confirming
the accuracy of Wideband positioning.
With the first two templates and the
pipeline installed future plans are to install
and then link up a further two templates in
2008/9.These are situated in deeper water
and are located five kilometres from the
others. Sonardyne’s proven technology will
once again be deployed for its accuracy,
reliability and quality. BL
cc
18
Baseline » Issue 1
This IKONOS satellite
image was taken on Dec.
29, 2004 - just three days
after the devastating
tsunami hit.The image
shows destruction and
damage along the
coastline of this port city
of Nagappattinam, India.
“Sonardyne’s new tsunami
detection system is designed to
detect waves which can travel
at 1,000 kilometres per hour yet
can be only a few centimetres
high in deep water”
Baseline » Issue 1
19
Technology
Indian Ocean tsunami monitoring programme
Sonardyne launches tsunami
detection system
The devastating effects of the Boxing Day Tsunami two years ago has prompted
the authorities to invest in an early warning system based on subsea acoustics
R
ECENT EVENTS HAVE
demonstrated to the
world the immense
power, unpredictability
and destructive
capabilities of tsunami
waves. In response to
the Boxing Day 2004
Tsunami which killed 230,000 people, a
United Nations conference held soon after
in Kobe, Japan, decided that as an initial
step towards an international early warning
programme, an Indian Ocean Tsunami
Warning System should be established. The
heavy loss of life had been partially attributed
to the fact that, unlike in the Pacific Ocean,
there was no co-ordinated alert service covering
the Indian Ocean. The absence of any major
tsunami events in the region since1883 is
said to have been a contributing factor.
Working closely with the Indian
authorities, it quickly became apparent that
Sonardyne could provide a solution based on
standard products that have a proven track
record with the worldwide oceanographic
community.
A tsunami wave in deep water creates a
small but measurable change in pressure that
will be maintained for as long as twenty
minutes. By monitoring any such changes,
subsea detectors can be used to trigger an
alarm that sends a warning message to a
buoy-mounted receiver on the surface. The
buoy, in turn, relays the message via a satellite
data link to a control centre that can issue a
warning to vulnerable communities.
The Sonardyne system is based on a
Compatt 5 subsea transponder that uses
the latest Wideband acoustic signal
technology to provide robust through water
communications in difficult acoustic conditions.
The tsunami detection system continuously
monitors the pressure of the water above it
Compatt 5s are used extensively in the oil and
gas industry where their reliability is regularly
trusted for use on the most complex subsea
construction survey projects.
The Compatt 5 may be deployed in water
up to seven thousand metres (more than four
miles) deep and it is fitted with a sensor that
continuously monitors water pressure, saving
data every 15 seconds. Because a reliable
early warning of a tsunami can only be
obtained close to the sea floor, the Compatt
provides the essential means of sending these
readings up to the surface. Every hour the
Compatt converts the pressure readings into
signals which it transmits acoustically to the
buoy on the surface.
The satellite communications transceiver
on the buoy then automatically forwards the
pressure readings to the tsunami monitoring
agency ashore. The system can also receive
data from the central control so that revised
monitoring parameters can be downloaded
to the Compatt if required.
The Compatt is programmed to anticipate
continual changes in the pressure of the water
as these can be caused by influences such as
tides, weather conditions and temperature.
As these changes can be predicted, a
deviation of as little as three centimetres from
the expected pattern will switch the device
into alert mode. This will cause the Compatt
to immediately transmit any data that has been
saved during the past hour to the surface. It will
then take pressure readings every 15 seconds
which it will send up to the buoy once a minute
for transmission by satellite to the monitoring
organisation. As a result, the first warnings of
a tsunami occurring several thousand of miles
away can be issued within minutes.
The advantage in using Sonardyne’s
system over those of other suppliers is that the
system is small and self contained and thus
easy to deploy. Additionally, the heart of the
system, Compatt 5, is based on proprietary
technology and the firmware and software
can be easily updated and adjusted if
necessary. Following sucessful trials in early
2007, the first operational system will shortly
be deployed in the Bay of Bengal in 3,500
metres of water. This location was chosen as
it makes logical sense to place the detectors
as far away as possible from the Indian
coastline to allow for the greatest amount
of warning time for the mainland.
Modern battery technology and
Sonardyne’s experience of power
management techniques make it possible
for the tsunami detection unit to remain in
continuous monitoring mode on the seabed
for up to four years. At the end of that period,
a unique acoustic code is transmitted from
a surface ship to the tsunami transponder.
A mechanism is then activated which releases
the attached ballast weight enabling the
Compatt to float up to the surface. It can then
be quickly serviced and fitted with new batteries
so that it can be re-deployed to resume its
watch for the tsunamis that can cause such
devastation and loss of life. BL
20
Our People
Gary Male (Centre) supported by onsite
engineers Darren Taylor (left) and Darren
Murphy (right) at Sonardyne’s Blackbushe
headquarters
Baseline » Issue 1
Baseline » Issue 1
21
Global
commitment
raises the bar
for customer
support
Whether it is analysing system performance data or
flying off to a remote location at a moments notice, there
is nothing Sonardyne’s customer support team relish more
than helping customers. Baseline speaks to Gary Male,
Sonardyne’s new Customer Services Manager, about the
day-to-day challenges his worldwide team faces
L
EAD BY GARY, Sonardyne’s
Customer Support department
is now over a dozen members
strong with two co-ordinating
engineers on site at the
company’s Blackbushe headquarters managing the
activities of a team of field
engineers. Additional team members are
based in Macaé (Brasil), Houston, Singapore
and Aberdeen to ensure a fast, local and
dependable response.
Determined to provide customers with
professional and managed support, Gary
explains, “Sonardyne has always had a very
good reputation when it comes to supporting
its products and their users. As someone who
has recently joined the company from the
automotive industry, I hope to apply the
knowledge and techniques that I have gained
to further improve our service.”
Over the past year Sonardyne has invested
heavily in recruitment and training which has
seen the team grow significantly and the
already high levels of technical skills within the
close knit group expand.
“We are improving our levels of support
through faster turnaround and a greater
capacity to provide expert technical and
product knowledge to get to the bottom of any
Baseline » Issue 1
22
Our People
Customer Support
problems as and when they occur,” Gary reports.
Central to understanding and managing
Sonardyne’s clients needs and expectations
is a new Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) system that has been rolled out across
the company. Gary explains, “The CRM’s
ability to quickly and easily identify trends is
already allowing my team to respond more
proactively to issues from the field as they
arise. To improve communications with our
customers, the tools within CRM will also
allow us to deliver highly targeted product
and service announcements. ”In practice this
means that within a few clicks of a mouse we
could, for example, advise every user of a
Fusion USBL system that there is a new version
of software available," continues Gary.
Different companies have different
requirements so Sonardyne’s customer support
is designed to be flexible and offer various
levels of service. Every customer has access
to 24-7 support, 365 days a year. The first
level of non-emergency support is provided
by Sonardyne’s website where users have
unrestricted access to datasheets, technical
bulletins, software and firmware versions and
freeware utility programs. Requests for manuals
can now also be submitted online.
From here the next level up is based
around an established email system with
product engineers on hand to respond directly
to customers. The highest level of support is
a worldwide emergency helpline with an
engineer on the end of a telephone trained
to resolve urgent issues offshore.
Gary says: “Feedback from customers
on how we can do things better and improve
our products is hugely valuable. As such,
one of my first tasks has been to develop a
customer satisfaction survey that will initially
focus on customers who have had direct
contact with the customer support department
over the last couple of years. In the coming
months other user groups will be invited to
participate and have their say.
“Our continuous improvement philosophy
focuses on consistently improving customer
support as well continually seeking
improvements in our technical knowledge
and creating smoother, streamlined processes.
We thrive on our ability to provide proactive
solutions for the resolution of customer issues,”
concludes Gary. BL
(Above) Preparing to deploy a subsea acoustic
datalogger offshore West Africa. (Right) Close
co-operation leads to the successful installation
of a through hull deployment machine during a
vessel re-fit. (Below) Monitoring a Fusion system
during tracking
Baseline » Issue 1
23
Training:
The key to
unlocking the
full potential of
your staff and
our systems
(Left) Setting up and testing a Compatt 5
transponder using a Deck Test Unit
(Top) Overseeing a shallow water LBL job in
the Far East
(Above) Wideband accuracy trials underway in
a dockyard in Portsmouth, UK
(Above right) Training certificate: to ensure
consistently high standards of course material,
delivery and examination, Sonardyne is working
towards the independent validation of the Long
BaseLine training course
The surge in deep water E&P activity
has resulted in the increased utilisation
of acoustic positioning systems. Today’s
climate of tight margins and fast track
field developments means that the
deployment and operation of subsea
positioning systems can represent
significant risks that must be controlled to
ensure the ultimate success of a project.
In this context there is no substitute for
effective training of the personnel who
will operate these systems offshore.
“The benefits of investing in high
quality training for offshore personnel are
clear,” says Sonardyne’s Chief Surveyor
Mark Poole. “Operator focus on the
reliability and quality of offshore
operations combined with the scarcity of
experienced personnel make ‘on the job
training’ increasingly unacceptable.”
Our dedicated sea trials and training
centre in Plymouth, South-West England is
the venue for the majority of residential
training courses. Before students get their
hands on real hardware Sonardyne
operator training courses begin by
introducing participants to the basics of
acoustic theory. Students can take control
of real equipment from our training and
trials vessels with seabed equipment
permanently deployed in the estuary of
the River Tamar. Sonardyne courses are
largely practical with a high instructor-topupil ratio to ensure that all attendees get
the opportunity to individually practice
configuring and operating systems.
Mark explains, “The operating
environment in Plymouth is challenging
for acoustics which can be a great benefit
in the training context. Overcoming inwater problems requires an understanding
of the underlying measurement processes
and provides invaluable preparation for
work offshore.” The confidence gained
through successful use of in-water
equipment is a key step in the preparation
of personnel for the use of these systems
in the workplace.
Travelling to the UK for training is not
always an option. Courses can therefore
also be held in our regional offices or
a location specified by the customer
which could be an office or vessel.
Thanks to Sonardyne’s real time
network link to the trials vessels in
Plymouth, trainees can still command and
control real in-water hardware although
they could be thousands of miles away.
This recent innovation in remote learning
is thought to be an industry first. In
addition to training, the link is proving
an invaluable tool for experienced teams
during the planning stages of a project –
complex construction survey operations
can be rehearsed and procedures fine
tuned in the comfort of an office.
For more information on training courses
and their content, together with pricing
and availability, please email:
[email protected]
or visit www.sonardyne.com/support
Baseline » Issue 1
24
Technology
Hardware
Carbon fibre weav
First developed in the 1950s just a few miles from Sonardyne’s headquarters,
carbon fibre’s rigid, lightweight and corrosion-proof properties make it an ideal
material for use in demanding marine environments
O
NCE THE PRESERVE
of the aerospace
and motorsport
industries, carbon
fibre has been
adopted by
Sonardyne for
the housing of the SIPS2 XSRS product
range. At the forefront of its introduction
is Dr Graham Brown, Chief Mechanical
Engineer at Sonardyne.
Graham explains, “Seismic surveys are
now regularly taking place in locations with
warmer waters, such as in the South China
Sea, offshore West Africa, or in the Indian
Ocean. We also discovered that the
streamer-mounted XSRS acoustic
transceivers were in the water for longer
periods of time, both of these factors
increase the potential for corrosion.
So the decision was made to look for
an alternative to the exisiting stainless steel
XSRS housing that has been reliably in
service since the late 1980s.
“We evaluated a full range of new
materials for size, strength and durability.
Titanium at first glance would be an obvious
choice, however not only is it expensive and
difficult to source it is also more complicated
to machine. We wanted to find a material
that could replace the stainless steel housing
like-for-like, for example, the tubes must have
a very precisely controlled bore diameter
and surface roughness,” Graham says.
Having also discounted GRP (glass
reinforced plastic) due to weight
considerations it was decided to produce
the housing from carbon fibre composite
as it met our strict size and mechanical
requirements. Carbon fibre is also immune
to corrosion in sea water; is widely available
and is proven for use in subsea housings.
Baseline » Issue 1
25
es its way into SIPS
“We worked in partnership with leading
composite suppliers and subjected the tube
to an intensive programme of environmental
type testing including cyclic pressure tests for
a depth rating of 500 metres, EMC testing
and drop testing to Def Stan 00-35 (UK
MOD standards),” adds Graham.
The tubes need to be as light as possible,
but have sufficient axial and radial strength
to resist the pressure loads and also have
sufficient material to cope with all other
types of mechanical stresses.
The carbon fibre housing reduces the
weight in water of an XSRS 750 fitted
Image yet to be shot
Dr Graham Brown:“No other material offered a
superior match for our engineering requirements
for lightness, stiffness and strength”
with alkaline batteries by half thereby
greatly reducing the load on the streamer.
For greater visibility in water as well as
providing additional local impact protection,
units will have an orange PVC sleeve.
The first product to feature the composite
housing as a standard feature will be the
‘XSRS Carbon D’ which will replace both
the current XSRS and XSRS-750 models.
Customers will also be able to upgrade
their existing XSRS transceivers (Type 7885)
to carbon fibre housing. Both of these
exciting developments will be available
from mid 2007. BL
Baseline » Issue 1
26
Trials Report
Inverted USBL for deep tow surveys
Photo:NOC
(Left to Right) RRS James Cook can spend up to
50 days at sea. It replaces RRS Charles Darwin;
Deployment of TOBI 2, iUSBL positioning
technique, iUSBL transceiver and mounting
arrangement
iUSBL - Looking
U
SBL SYSTEMS ARE
routinely used to track
the position of a
geophysical towfish
relative to a surface
vessel. In deep water
however, the very
long slant ranges
involved together with poor signal to noise
ratio at the surface contribute to lowering the
overall positioning accuracy of the system.
Using a second vessel equipped with an
additional USBL system to sail above the
towfish is one approach many adopt and
whilst this is a well proven technique, there are
significant cost and logistical implications.
Photo:NOC
With water depths reaching 5,000 metres, the Nazare Canyon off the coast of
Portugal was the perfect location to assess the performance of a new acoustic technique
for long range towfish tracking. Baseline follows recent validation trials and reports on
how iUSBL is set to transform deep tow surveys
However, recent advances by Sonardyne
in transducer design have meant that
engineers have been able to quite literally turn
the problem on its head by swapping the
positions of the acoustic transceiver and
transponder. The technique referred to as
Inverted USBL (iUSBL) means that for the first
time a transceiver can be installed on the towed
body itself whilst the transponder that is normally
on the vehicle is deployed from the vessel.
Mounting the transceiver in this way offers
many operational benefits. Installation is simple
when compared with installing a conventional
USBL transceiver. Closely coupled attitude
sensors eliminate the need for repeated system
calibration, whilst the range, accuracy and
repeatability of the acoustic signals are
improved, as the transceiver is located in a
low noise, dynamically stable environment.
At the end of 2006, the inverted system
was installed on the deep-rated Towed Ocean
Bottom Instrument (TOBI 2) for a research
Baseline » Issue 1
27
1.A signal is
sent from the
standard USBL
to position the
beacons on
TOBI 2 and the
towfish
3.A comparison
between the USBL
(Green ranges) and
iUSBL (Orange ranges)
positions of TOBI 2 is
obtained
2.A signal is
sent from the
iUSBL on TOBI 2
to the Compatt
5 on the towfish
to position TOBI
2’s transceiver
upat theworld
cruise aboard the UK’s newly commissioned
flagship research vessel ‘RRS James Cook’.
Equipped to explore some of the planet’s most
inhospitable regions, the state-of-the-art,
5,300 tonne vessel is owned by the Natural
Environmental Research Council and is based
at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
in Southampton.
The surface transponder used for the iUSBL
positioning on TOBI 2 was a mini Compatt 5.
This was mounted on a towfish which would
be towed 20 metres below the vessel to further
minimise noise interference at the surface.
To obtain the real world position of TOBI 2, a
directional Super Sub-Mini (SSM) beacon was
also mounted to the towfish to allow accurate
positioning with the James Cook’s own Fusion
USBL system.
TOBI 2 and the towfish were deployed
and acoustic communication established as
soon as both units were submerged. An
interrogation signal was sent from the USBL
transceiver on the vessel to the SSM beacon to
position the towfish. Then a signal was sent
from the ship to the SSM beacon on TOBI
which was being towed at a slant range of
1,700 metres. Next, a signal was sent from
the iUSBL on TOBI to the Compatt 5 on the
towfish to position TOBI’s transceiver. This
process was repeated until a comprehensive
data set had been collected and a comparison
of the USBL and iUSBL positions of TOBI 2
could be made. Post processing of the results
showed that both systems were operating well
within expected accuracy levels.
Commenting on the trials, Pete Mason,
Head of the UK Deep ROV facility at the
NOC said, “We already have considerable
experience of Sonardyne USBL technology
and when we learned of what iUSBL could
offer, the benefits were immediately
recognisable. When we deploy TOBI 2
to full ocean depth, the slant range will be
more than 6,500 metres. iUSBL offers us the
high performance subsea positioning that we
need for this and based on these initial trials
results, I am convinced that this target is
utterly achievable.” BL
Baseline » Issue 1
28
Technology
Systems and Products
Radian AHRS
Heading, pitch, roll, rate of turn and acceleration. In high dynamic marine
environments, Radian is the miniature AHRS that provides the answer
Supplied within a 300 or 3,000 metre
rated underwater pressure housing and
accepting a wide range of input voltages,
Radian can be mounted anywhere on
vessels, ROVs, AUVs and other vehicles
or structures
Radian is a miniature marine Attitude
and Heading Reference System (AHRS)
using a triad of modern high quality solid
state MEMS inertial and earth magnetic
field sensors. Applications for Radian
include: inshore hydrographic survey,
compensation of vessel-mounted
echosounders and bathymetry systems,
and dead reckoning for AUVs.
The embedded processor allows the realtime output of high accuracy gyro
compensated magnetic heading, pitch, roll
and related information at high output rates
to provide the user with an optimum
orientation solution.
To correct any local disturbances to the
magnetic field caused by a vessel’s engines
for example, a full magnetic field calibration
can be carried out with easy-to-use
software supplied. A correction table is then
stored within the device.
The relative weighting between the
magnetic heading sensor data and gyro
data can be adjusted to enable absolute or
relative heading output, dependent on the
magnetic environment that it is installed in.
The filter response can be adjusted to suit
different vehicle dynamics.
Radian supports RS232, 485 with a range
or proprietary or marine industry standard
serial outputs.With the software supplied
you can view the heading, pitch and roll
data in real-time on a PC, or configure serial
outputs to other systems.
Radian is compatible with Sonardyne’s
family of Scout USBL tracking systems. For
more information on Scout turn to Page 06.
Radian AHRS
Facts & Figures
● Miniature affordable marine high
accuracy magnetic heading,pitch,
and roll sensor
● Surface or subsea versions
available
● Low power consumption <450mW
● High update rate of 100Hz
● Industry standard serial outputs
● Low latency
● Suitable for highly dynamic
conditions as gyro compensated
● Magnetic field calibration system
provided
● Supplied with advanced software
Baseline » Issue 1
29
Technology
Systems and Products
AvTrak 2
Developed to meet the needs of AUV designers and operators by combining
positioning and communications in a single low power unit
Sonardyne has extensively modelled
the performance of AvTrak 2 to achieve an
optimum design.This capability is available
to customers to assist in arriving at the best
possible configuration for their AUV
AvTrak 2 is a second generation acoustic
navigation and communications instrument
designed to form part of an integrated
AUV navigation system. It combines the
functions of transponder, transceiver and
telemetry link in one low power device that
has been designed to meet the
requirements of a variety of mission
scenarios and vehicle types.
The unit can operate in Wideband or tone
mode and with a variety of systems and
transponders. It is also fully compatible with
Sonardyne’s family of LBL and USBL
navigation systems.
AvTrak 2 has a comprehensive, yet easy-touse command language that allows the AUV
to undertake simultaneous LBL ranging,
USBL tracking via a surface vessel and
robust and high speed telemetry both for
AUV-to-vessel and AUV-to-AUV
communications.This capability provides
the AUV designer with good quality
absolute position reference data to constrain
the drift in the inertial navigation system.
The instrument is available in a variety of
configurations including: 600m, 3,000m
and 6,000m depth ratings; screened chassis
option for mounting within the main AUV
pressure vessel, omni or directional
transducers for shallow or deep operations,
and integral or remote transducer for easy
installation.
An internal ‘watchdog’ option monitors AUV
communications activity and can switch the
unit into transponder mode for emergency
relocation.This is supported by an internal
back-up battery and digital I/O for
emergency ballast jettison.
AvTrak 2
Facts & Figures
● Combined telemetry and
positioning
● Incorporates Sonardyne’s latest
Wideband Technology
● Compatible with Fusion USBL for
surface vessel combined telemetry
and positioning
● Supports AUV-to-AUV ranging
and telemetry
● Two telemetry modes:‘robust’and
‘high data rate’
● Pinger detection capability
● Designed for Doppler immunity
● Emergency relocation mode
● Extremely low power consumption
Baseline » Issue 1
30
International
News from around the world
SE Asia – Singapore
John Ramsden
VP Asia
USA – Houston
Spencer Collins
VP Americas
UK – Aberdeen
Derek Donaldson
VP Europe and Africa
Brasil – Macaé
Gavin Hunting
Regional Manager
Sonardyne Asia has had a
tremendous twelve months, with
the expansion of the technical
sales team to include Nick
Smedley (who relocated from
the UK) and Bob Coutts, both
have huge amounts of acoustics
experience to advise and
support clients on all of their
subsea positioning and
telemetry needs.
Wideband in the Gulf
Growing recognition of the
performance benefits of
Wideband has stimulated strong
demand in the Gulf of Mexico
from a number of rental and
survey companies who have
chosen to invest in this field
proven technology to stay
ahead.
We are pleased to announce
the appointment of Derek
Donaldson as Vice President
of Europe and Africa. Joining
Derek is Callum Magee who
joins us with a background in
the ROV sector.
During 2006 Wideband made
significant inroads into Brasil
both in terms of new sales and
vessel upgrades.
Into The Deep
The equipment supplied
throughout the region has
covered all of Sonardyne’s
products with a distinct shift
towards deeper water
operations with Wideband Long
BaseLine Systems being used
in all the deep water fields.
Nevertheless, shallow water
continues to be a busy market
and in particular transition zone
seismic operations in the
Middle East.
OSEA Foosball Competition
At the end of 2006 a table
foosball competition was held
in Singapore with clients from
all over the region coming to join
in the fun with the Sonardyne
global sales team.
Congratulations go to Sean
Fowler from Fugro who won
the competition.
High profile projects during
2006 such as Atlantis and
Independence Hub were
instrumental in demonstrating
and proving the performance
of Wideband LBL to users in
the Gulf.
Noble Drilling made significant
investment to equip the
dynamically positioned semisubmersible’s Dave Beard,
Danny Adkins and Bingo 4, with
Dual Wideband LUSBL and
acoustic backup BOP control
systems.
Transocean placed orders for
Dual Wideband L/USBL systems
to be commissioned on board
the conversions of the Sedco
702 and Sedco 706.
Personnel Changes
The Houston office welcomes
Julian Rickards, who has
relocated from our Head Office
as an Applications Engineer.
Ranger Upgrade
Great Yarmouth based Gardline
Survey, took delivery of their first
Ranger system as an upgrade
to its existing USBL equipment.
Ranger will give enhanced
performance through Wideband
signalling and its intuitive UI
which requires less training,
saving both time and money.
Elsewhere, one of the largest and
most advanced pipelay vessels
in the world, the Solitaire has
been upgraded full Wideband
capability. The key benefits that
drove Allseas to upgrade the
Solitaire was the ability to
provide the DP system with a
position update every second,
independent of water depth.
West Africa Heats Up
Aberdeen
In Angola, an extensive LBL
spread has been supplied to
Acergy for use on BP’s Greater
Plutonio development.The
system is being used in support
of pipelay operations on the
Seaway Polaris.
Marine Technologies bought
three Wideband USBL systems.
Two have been installed
onboard the Island Spirit and
Mr. Chafic, both off Brasil.
Petrobras’ own survey
department took delivery of
a Fusion Wideband LBL system
which will be used in a variety
of deep water projects. Other
products purchased by
Petrobras in 2006 included a
Scout system for shallow water
towfish tracking off the northeast
region of the country.
Additional LUSBL hardware
have been ordered by Frontier
Drilling and will allow their
FPSO Seillean to use one of
their existing systems in
Wideband mode.Transocean’s
Sedco 707 drilling semisub took
delivery of Dual Independent
Wideband LUSBL.
Support and Expansion
The increase of activity in the
region has led to high demand
for skilled operators. Sonardyne
has met this by expanding
training facilities and recruiting
additional support engineers.
Baseline » Issue 1
31
Help & Advice
Your questions answered
Ask Dave
With over 20 years’ experience here at Sonardyne, Dave Mould has all the answers
If there’s something you’ve always been
meaning to ask us,then I’m here to get
you the answer.Whether its a technical
query or a handy hint,email me your
questions at [email protected].
The top questions will appear in the next
issue of Baseline.
Q
Several of our equipment
mooring strings have been
recently recovered from off
East Africa.They had been in
the water for twelve months
and had evidence of heavy bio-fouling
around the release mechanism.We are
about to deploy some short moorings
using the Sonardyne Lightweight Release
Transponder – LRT. Do you use or
recommend any additional anti-foul
coating for additional protection of the
area around the release? Is there anything
else we need to do with the LRT before
deployment?
A
I would not coat any of the
active parts of the release
mechanism with anti-fouling
paint,nor the body of the
transponder or transducer as this could
affect acoustic performance.
The LRT has a unique screw-off release
that ensures a positive release action to
overcome biological growth.Grease the
stainless steel shaft of the release
mechanism and the release ‘nut’thread
with underwater grease prior to loading
the mechanism. Although the glass reenforced plastic is already impregnated
with lubricant,this significantly reduces
the friction. This in turn reduces the
starting torque on the motor.
Providing more buoyancy to the
instrument string will also help.The
increased up thrust will help act against
resistance caused by marine growth.
If your LRTs have not been used for
a while check the battery life – make sure
there is adequate capacity for the
intended length of deployment.Finally,
make of note of each unit’s acoustic
address before deployment as there are
more than 400 to choose from.
Q
One of our engineers is
onboard a vessel off
Trinidad attempting a USBL
system calibration using
a DIMONA and your
Sonardyne CASIUS software.Apparently
when he tries to load the CSV data into
the CASIUS application,a message
comes up saying there is no data.Can
you take a look at our job file and let me
know your thoughts? Thanks in advance.
A
It would appear that although
your USBL console has DGPS
physically going into it,DGPS
was not switched ‘On’in the
configuration page of the software itself.
This can be easily overlooked and
although you are using an older style
analogue USBL system,Fusion USBL
users also need to be aware of this issue.
Basically with DGPS switched off in
the software,instead of each DGPS data
fix being given a unique number to
identify it,each fix is given the number 0,
causing CASIUS to see the result as ‘No
Data Found’.To rectify this,go to the top
level menu in the software,then select
option 2 ‘Job Set-up’.Then select option 1
‘Navigation Set-up’.Scroll down and
along until you get to the DGPS box –
then simply change the status from ‘Off’to
‘On’.You’ll have to repeat your data
collection process but this will fix your
problem.
Q
We are currently offshore
mobilising for a project in
Angola.The LBL equipment
that we have received
onboard has been sourced
from several different hire companies in
addition to equipment from our own base
back in Aberdeen.Is there anything
we need to be aware of before we start
deploying the spread?
A
If your equipment has come
from a variety of sources,then
there is a very good likelihood
that the transponders and
transceivers will be loaded with different
versions of firmware.Ideally,everything
needs to be brought up to the latest
standard as you could run into operational
problems or delays further down the line.
To check that you are using the latest
recommended firmware versions,
regularly visit the support section of the
Sonardyne website.We update this as
soon as there is a new release of Fusion
software of firmware and for each
component of a system,we list the
recommended version that you should
be running.You can also review and
download the latest versions of
programming,diagnostic and test utilities.
www.sonardyne.com
Copyright Sonardyne International Limited. Specifications subject to change without notice. Printed 03/07
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