ROV Replaces Drop Cameras

FMC Technologies had a requirement to update and improve the visual inspection of subsea equipment within their test tank. Historically, a network of dropper cameras has been used to monitor the testing of equipment. The biggest problem that FMC testers had was differentiating between leaks and air pockets, because dropper cameras could not get in close enough and were extremely difficult to manipulate. An AC-ROV solves this dilemma.  

This and the fact that many areas could not be accessed with a dropper camera caused major testing delays. A solution was required to overcome these problems. FMC decided to go ahead with the purchase of the AC-ROV after a very successful trial at their Dunfermline site. It took approximately half an hour from vehicle deployment for the FMC chargehands to give a resounding thumb's up to the ACROV.

After witnessing the vehicles amazing mobility, picture quality and easy control they realised

how much ‘test time' would be saved, as a result of the AC-ROV's ability to ingress all but the smallest spaces in the fabric of the subsea tree used for the purposes of the trial. Two hours after deployment, three chargehands had enough piloting skill to fly the AC-ROV under the tree and up the bore (9.5" dia.) - an area previously out of reach to to dropper cameras and other underwater visual inspection tools. The connectors housed inside the bore were viewed with ease and the vehicle was piloted back out each time with out incident. Managers at FMC were impressed by the robustness of the vehicle, the small area the system required for deployment and the price of the system against potential and significant time and cost savings.