Tools and sensors deployed by unmanned underwater vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315740-B2
Application number	US-201415033860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2014
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An inspection, monitoring, maintenance or construction task is performed on a subsea structure by using an underwater vehicle to carry a submersible package to the subsea structure. The package comprises a tool or sensor arranged to perform the required task on the subsea structure, and an on-board power unit and controller arranged to power and control the tool or sensor. The package is transferred from the underwater vehicle to be supported by the subsea structure. The underwater vehicle can then stand off from the package. While the package is supported by the subsea structure, the tool or sensor of the package performs the required task on the subsea structure, powered and controlled by the on-board power unit and controller of the package.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of performing a task, said task being inspecting, monitoring or maintaining a subsea structure or performing a construction task on a subsea structure, comprising:
moving an underwater vehicle to carry a submersible package comprising a tool or sensor to the subsea structure;
transferring the package from the underwater vehicle to be supported by the subsea structure by an attachment facility for attaching the package to the subsea structure, the subsea structure being equipment installed subsea, and/or an underwater vehicle, wherein the attachment facility comprises a formation to engage the subsea structure or the underwater vehicle; and
performing the task using the tool or sensor of the package powered from an on-board power unit of the package, the package being at least partially self-controlled to perform the task, while the package is supported by the subsea structure and the underwater vehicle stands off from the package to remain available underwater for communicating with the package, and for performing, supervising or controlling another subsea task.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the underwater vehicle stands off from the package to remain available underwater for providing power to the package.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising supplying, charging or replenishing the on-board power unit from an external energy source while the package is supported by the subsea structure.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising powering the tool or sensor from the on-board power unit while the package is not connected to the external energy source.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising running a program on board the package, or otherwise controlling the package, to perform the task autonomously or semi-autonomously of the underwater vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating data between the package and the underwater vehicle while the underwater vehicle stands off from the package.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the underwater vehicle relays data from the package to a receiving point.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data comprises control signals sent from the underwater vehicle to the package.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the underwater vehicle performs another task while it stands off from the package.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the package relative to the subsea structure while the package is supported by the subsea structure after being transferred from the underwater vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said movement of the package relative to the subsea structure is self-propelled.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the package from the subsea structure to the underwater vehicle once the task has been completed or interrupted.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising moving the underwater vehicle to carry the package to a location at which the package is stored or recharged or replenished or data is downloaded from the package.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising carrying a recharged or replenished package to a subsea structure to perform another task on that structure.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising attaching the package, upon its transfer from the underwater vehicle, to a mounting structure previously attached to the subsea structure.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the package along the mounting structure, relative to the subsea structure, after attaching the package to the mounting structure.

17. A submersible package that is attachable to a subsea structure and that is dependent upon an underwater vehicle for movement through water to the subsea structure, the package comprising:
a tool or sensor arranged to perform a task, said task being to inspect, monitor or maintain the subsea structure or to perform a construction task on the subsea structure while the underwater vehicle stands off from the package to remain available underwater for communicating with the package;
an on-board power unit arranged to power the tool or sensor to perform the task, the on-board power unit being reliant on the underwater vehicle for supply, charge or replenishment;
an on-board drive system arranged to act on the subsea structure to which the package is attached, to move the package relative to that structure when performing the task at different locations on the structure;
an on-board controller arranged to at least partially self-control the tool or sensor to perform the task; and
an attachment facility for attaching the package to the subsea structure, the subsea structure being equipment installed subsea, and/or to the underwater vehicle, wherein the attachment facility comprises a formation to engage the subsea structure or the underwater vehicle.

18. The package of claim 17 , further comprising an on-board attachment and release system arranged to drive the attachment facility of the package.

19. The package of claim 17 , wherein the controller is programmed to control the tool or sensor to perform the task autonomously or semi-autonomously of the underwater vehicle.

20. The package of claim 17 , further comprising an on-board input/output module arranged to transmit data to an external receiver and/or to receive command signals from an external controller.

21. A system for inspecting, monitoring or maintaining a subsea structure or performing a construction task on a subsea structure, the system comprising:
a submersible package as defined in claim 17 ;
an underwater vehicle movable to carry the package to the subsea structure; and

a transfer arrangement for transferring the package from the underwater vehicle to be supported by the subsea structure, whereby the underwater vehicle is movable while remaining underwater to stand off from the package while the package is supported by the subsea structure for the tool or sensor of the package to inspect, monitor or maintain the subsea structure or to perform the construction task on the subsea structure;
wherein the underwater vehicle is arranged and connectable to the package to supply, charge or replenish the on-board power unit of the package.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the package is carried to the subsea structure by a manipulator of the underwater vehicle.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the transfer arrangement includes a manipulator of the underwater vehicle.

24. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a deployment device for lowering the package separately from the underwater vehicle, from which device the underwater vehicle can fetch the package underwater to carry the package to the subsea structure.

25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the tool or sensor of the package is operable when the package is disconnected from the underwater vehicle.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the underwater vehicle is arranged to receive data from the package.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the underwater vehicle is arranged to relay data from the package to a receiving point.

28. The system of claim 21 , wherein the underwater vehicle is arranged to send control signals to the package.

Assignees

• Subsea 7 Ltd

Inventors

• Ferguson Hugh Cameron
• Jamieson James Andrew

Classifications

• B63G2008/004

  autonomously operating · CPC title

• B63G8/001 Primary

  Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42) · CPC title

• B63C11/42

  with independent propulsion or direction control · CPC title

• B63G8/00

  Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; {Equipment specially adapted therefor}(submarine hulls B63B3/13; diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base B63C11/34; divers' sleds B63C11/46; torpedoes F42B19/00) · CPC title

• B63C11/48

  Means for searching for underwater objects (means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S {; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006}) · CPC title