Subsea Deployment
Subsea Deployment
The Subsea Deployment System (SDS) is a method of installing large subsea structures without a heavy lift vessel (HLV). … It can also install larger structures in greater water depths in more environmentally hostile locations than is possible with current vessels.
The primary objective of protective subsea deployment systems is to safely deploy, position, and land subsea equipment while preserving personnel safety and protecting investments. There are several protective design concepts available to meet today’s deep-water operating needs. Future considerations are being examined to meet the demands of new challenges. This paper primarily addresses the deployment and recovery of work class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) systems and designs that can be applied to a wide variety of applications including the installation of subsea equipment.
As subsea field development and Subsea Deployment expands to include a wider range of applications in increasingly harsh environments, surface deployment systems continuously evolve to overcome the demanding design requirements. Subsea Deployment system configurations range from stationary to over boarding with installations being permanently built-in, modular with semi-permanent components, or entirely mobile. Protective deployment systems are used extensively in the launch and recovery of ROV’s. Other applications include tools, trees, connectors, pipeline jumpers, wire lines, manifolds, and umbilical termination assemblies, work over equipment, and other Subsea hardware. By incorporating protective methodology in current designs for deploying Subsea equipment, financial liability is reduced by minimizing the risk of equipment damage while increasing the window of environmental limits. The end results are protective deployment systems used for a wider range of applications with improved performance, less down time, and most importantly, fewer accidents.
There are several variables in the offshore environment that present challenges in Subsea deployment. These variables impose limitations on the system’s overall capabilities and performance. Variables with the largest impact are environmental conditions in which the installation will be operating. Mechanical designs and operational procedures provide the best solutions to the challenges of the ocean environment. These methods incorporate ways to safely control deployed loads due to varying sea states, high winds, high currents, and increasing water depths.