North-east Scottish company Aubin, which has been quietly developing a novel subsea precision lifting system based on low density gel filled bags, is scheduled to carry out an important qualification trial next month.
Aubin is to hold a lifting trial of two five-tonne clump weights at 100m using a workclass ROV at the Underwater Centre, Fort William.
The Ellon firm is working up the spread design and operational procedures with some drafting contribution from Fugro, which is supplying the ROV.
A successful trial could lead to a lifting operation with a major operator in the North Sea, with specifics to be identified closer to the time.
The aim of the trial is to prove how the lifting system handles in an operational environment, starting with mobilisation and set-up, then moving to deployment, operation, recovery and demob.
The test program has been designed to test many of the scenarios that will apply to the system in operation and to qualify Aubin Subsea’s system and methodology.
Simulation examples include:
o Tandem lifting of objects which will allow Aubin to simulate performing tie-ins
o Lifting of a dummy spool piece – This will allow Aubin to exhibit the use of the system to manoeuvre and position spool pieces on the sea bed.
o Placement of a load – More specifically placing a load within an enclosed space will simulate a method common to the installation/removal of many subsea hardware components (subsea manifolds, Xmas trees and so-forth)
o ROV trim – using an enclosed integrated system to trim an ROV will allow Aubin Subsea to simulate the methodology behind a package which can then be commercialised for remotely operated vehicle operators to assist with FLOT (flying lead orientation tool) operations.
Throughout the Fort William trial, Aubin’s managing director Paddy Collins anticipates the qualification trials to generate evidence needed to substantiate the claims of the concept, which is currently not available from anyone else in the subsea market.
Collins made a detailed presentation on the concept at last year’s Subsea Expo in Aberdeen.
Recommended for you
