Pipeline Inspection Video Solution
NETmc Marine, UK- based provider of digital video solutions, has launched a video system for the pipeline inspection market: the DVCip. A derivative of the DVCi HD video over Ethernet camera, the DVCip is a fully integrated three camera pipeline inspection and recording system that transmits the three video images up a single 10/100 Ethernet link in an ROV's umbilical.
At the surface the cameras are connected to a topside unit that performs file management and generates three separate but associated video files. The topside also takes in serial data for video overlay purposes. The cameras themselves are 150mm long and 50mm in diameter at the widest point.
Historically, pipeline inspections have been performed using three standard definition (SD) cameras, the video content has then been encoded at the surface using digital video recorders. In recent times certain clients have looked at using high definition (HD) cameras for these operations, however the majority of such cameras on the market require a dedicated fibre per camera in the ROV umbilical, furthermore specialist cables and connectors are required which are not always transferrable from one ROV to another, even if those vehicles are identical. These requirements mean there are few HD pipeline-ready ROVs on the market, as such the mobilisation of such triple channel HD inspections have been fraught with difficulties and delays.
The DVCip solves many of the above problems. As the encoding is performed subsea the required bandwidth is vastly reduced, thus allowing the three video signals to be transmitted over a single Ethernet link. With such lo data rates the system does not require specialist cables and connectors, thus reducing the complexity and duration, and hence the cost, of mobilisations of such ROV spreads.
When controlled via a third party survey software e.g. EIVA NaviSuite, the result is a fully integrated data and video capture, eventing and review experience with much less hassle than that of previous video eventing packages.
The DVCip is one off three video over Ethernet camera systems in the DVCi range. The others are the DVCir, an ROV inspection camera with 10 times optical zoom and the third is the DVCid, a diver hat mountable camera with integrated lighting control.
