MMT, specialists in high-resolution marine surveys, has successfully completed offshore integration trials of their new high-speed remotely operated vehicle with Sonardyne International’s SPRINT inertial navigation system.
The 2,000 metre rated vehicle, named Surveyor Interceptor, has been developed by MMT to improve the speed and efficiency of seabed mapping and pipeline inspections surveys. Its revolutionary design features a hydrodynamic hull and powerful drivetrain enabling the vehicle to travel at up to six knots, around 50% faster than conventional Work-class ROVs. The accuracy of SPRINT complements the vehicle’s state-of-the-art imaging and mapping sensors, resulting in improved survey data quality and substantially reduced ‘cost per kilometre’ of surveys.
Travelling at high speed close to the seabed requires the vehicle’s automatic manoeuvring and propulsion systems to be supplied with highly precise and uninterrupted position updates. To meet this requirement, MMT selected Sonardyne’s acoustically aided inertial navigation system, SPRINT. Designed for subsea vehicles, SPRINT makes optimal use of acoustic aiding data including USBL, LBL and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and other sensors such as pressure sensors to improve accuracy, precision, reliability and integrity in any water depth.
Inertial navigation is inherently self-contained and robust with very good short term accuracy but can drift over time. SPRINT is therefore aided with complementary acoustic positioning data to provide long term accuracy and robustness and greater vehicle control. On the Survey Interceptor, a Sonardyne Inverted Ultra-Short BaseLine (iUSBL) transceiver has been interfaced directly to the SPRINT resulting in a highly optimised navigation solution that delivered position updates up to 100 times a second.
Besides its stand-out levels of precision and fast update rates, MMT also chose SPRINT as it is the most cost-effective and low risk technology on the market. The system architecture inside SPRINT has been developed with flexibility and expandability in mind. This means the same vehicle-mounted hardware can be used as a premium survey vehicle grade gyrocompass or an acoustically aided INS depending on operational requirements. Users are able to upgrade and switch capability on demand using remotely activated in-field upgrades, meaning they only pay for the features they need.
[blockquote author=” Alan Macdonald, Sales Manager, Sonardyne”] “We are obviously delighted with the outstanding results that MMT has achieved using SPRINT, both in testing and more recently, during its first commercial operation. At a time when the offshore industry is focussed on ways to reduce costs without compromising on quality, the combination of MMT’s ground-breaking ROV and our SPRINT INS represents a unique offering to the construction survey marketplace.”[/blockquote]
[blockquote author=” Jonas Andersson, R&D Manager, MMT”] “When testing the new MMT Survey Interceptor ROV, we were looking for an inertial navigation solution that would deliver real-time performance with high speed updates. By running Sonardyne’s SPRINT inertial navigation system we witnessed a marked difference in the accuracy of all ROV positioning activities during the period, which in turn made a marked difference to the quality of the survey data received.” He went on to say, “Now that Sonardyne has also released their new Syrinx DVL, we will be looking to run further tests in the future. This will be done with a view to achieving even more precise position accuracy using a tightly integrated Syrinx DVL, SPRINT and USBL acoustics.”[/blockquote]
For more information about SPRINT INS click here
Sonardyne Brasil Ltda., specialists in subsea navigation and positioning technology, has opened its second office in the country. Strategically located in the Energy Industries Council (EIC) building in downtown Rio de Janeiro, the new office will act as a commercial and technology training hub, supporting the company’s main operational headquarters in Rio Das Ostras, 180 kilometres to the north. The opening of the new satellite office not only reaffirms Sonardyne’s commitment to ongoing investment in this growing market, but also positions the organisation closer to the commercial centre of its key customer base.
Sonardyne’s acoustic and inertial navigation equipment is operational in every deep water field around Brazil and is used to navigate underwater vehicles, install seabed structures and position multiple surface vessels. The company’s product range is continually being expanded to meet the industry’s requirement for capable and versatile underwater technology and earlier this month, Sonardyne introduced its latest innovation – a high precision Doppler Velocity Log called Syrinx.
Operating from EIC’s Rio de Janeiro office will allow Sonardyne to have greater contact with its clients in order to identify and better understand their current and future requirements. The company will also be able to tap into the latest market reports and intelligence emerging from the region provided by the EIC to its members through the regular business presentations, workshops and corporate entertainment events it hosts.
[blockquote author=” Richard Binks, Offshore Business Development Director at Sonardyne Brasil Ltda”] “Brazil continues to be an important strategic business focus for our business. Our customers rely on us to deliver world-class subsea products that help reduce risk and deliver improved efficiencies in their offshore projects. Our new office in Rio will ensure that we are in the best place to meet customers’ expectations and demand for next-generation products, ongoing product training and an extremely responsive customer support service.”[/blockquote]
The telephone number and business address for Sonardyne’s new second office in Brazil is as follows:
Sonardyne Brasil
Av. Rio Branco, 89, 26º andar
Centro, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brasil
CEP 20040-004
Tel +55 21 3265 7425
For more information please contact Andre Moura, Sales and Applications Manager at Sonardyne Brasil Ltda. on +55 22 2123 4950 or [email protected].
Sonardyne International Ltd., UK, has announced that Subsea Technology and Rentals Ltd (STR), a multi-disciplinary technology expert specialising in the design, production and rental of innovative marine survey equipment, has become the first company to invest in their new ‘Syrinx’ Doppler Velocity Log (DVL). The order for two 4,000 metre depth rated units was placed at the recent Ocean Business exhibition in Southampton in response to demands from STR’s customers globally for a DVL that is capable of providing high integrity, high performance navigation over a wide range of altitudes and seabed types.
Sonardyne is well known for its market leading subsea acoustic and inertial navigation systems. The introduction of Syrinx, its first ever DVL, is a natural extension of the company’s existing 6G and SPRINT product lines and follows a major research and development program aimed at creating a new performance benchmark for 600 kHz DVLs.
Syrinx differs from other DVLs through its use of fully linear signal processing, low noise electronics and adaptive bottom lock. These features enable Syrinx to operate at altitudes over 50 percent higher than conventional 600 kHz DVLs with the high resolution performance of a 1200 kHz DVL, all whilst navigating over undulating and challenging terrain of any type.
Alongside its class-leading precision and accuracy, STR identified Syrinx’s concurrent Ethernet and serial output capability as a feature that will have considerable appeal to its customers. It means that Syrinx can be employed as a standalone DVL, as part of an integrated navigation system, or perform both functions at once, allowing both vehicle pilots and survey teams to simultaneously share the output from Syrinx. This will return both operational costs savings and savings in vehicle payload space.
Syrinx has been designed to be easy to install, set-up and use and can make use of existing DVL mounting arrangements on host vehicles. Available in depth ratings up to 6,000 metres, STR selected the 4,000 metre rated, corrosion resistant titanium model for their rental pool. This decision will ensure compatibility with the next generation of Work-class ROVs which are being designed, built and equipped for 4,000 metre operations.
When it comes to ownerships costs, STR will benefit from the fact that Syrinx has factory replaceable ‘capsule’ transducers that can be individually replaced should they become damaged during normal operations. With other DVLs, repairing damaged transducers typically involves replacing the entire transducer assembly; an expensive option if only one transducer actually needs replacing.
[blockquote author=” Barry Cairns, VP Sonardyne Europe and Africa”]“STR trust our solutions and our ability to deliver high performance underwater navigation technology that is always a step-ahead of its rivals. Although our Syrinx DVL was launched just a few weeks ago, STR has been quick to realise the technical and commercial advantages it offers.”[/blockquote]
[blockquote author=” Scott Johnstone, Managing Director for Subsea Technology and Rentals”]“We have been working with Sonardyne for around 20 years now. We consider their technology low risk and are excited about being the first company in the world to offer Syrinx DVLs to rent.” He added, “We’re now able to source even more of our subsea navigation technology from one company which equates to obvious service and support advantages for us. We anticipate great demand for our Syrinx DVLs in the subsea construction market once we take delivery of them later this year.”[/blockquote]
For more information about Syrinx DVL, click here.
The Swiss-based Allseas Group, a global leader in offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction, has selected Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Ultra-Short Baseline (USBL) acoustic positioning system for the world’s largest pipelay and platform installation/decommissioning vessel, Pioneering Spirit.
Built by Daewoo Heavy Industries in South Korea, at 382 metres long and 124 metres wide, Pioneering Spirit is almost as long as the Empire State Building and as wide as London’s Big Ben is tall.
When complete early next year, the vessel will be able to lift loads of 48,000 tonnes and has sufficient deck space to deliver or remove a complete topside module and jacket in one trip.
The Ranger 2 USBL system will be used as a high precision independent acoustic reference for the vessel’s Kongsberg dynamic positioning (DP) system during structure installation or pipelay operations when maintaining a steady position is a critical requirement.
The Sonardyne system measures the range and bearing from a vessel-mounted acoustic transceiver to a transponder deployed on the seabed or attached to a pipe as it is lowered from the surface. The vessel’s relative position to the transponder is continuously reported to the DP system in order that the vessel can be manoeuvred to remain in the required location.
A key factor in Allseas’ decision to select Sonardyne acoustics for their new record breaking vessel was Ranger 2’s ability to deliver fast, accurate and repeatable position updates in all water depths and operating conditions.
This performance comes as a result of the digital wideband signal technology and Sonardyne 6G hardware platform on which the system is built. As many field developments projects around the world now specify 6G-equipped vessels, Pioneering Spirit will be able to arrive at a location and begin working alongside other vessels without any delay or interruption to ongoing subsea operations.
Alan MacDonald, Sales Manager for Sonardyne in Aberdeen, says, “Allseas are a major user of Sonardyne technology and we are delighted that our Ranger 2 system has been chosen for their flagship vessel, Pioneering Spirit. This investment reaffirms the robustness, versatility and ease of use that 6G products such as Ranger 2 brings to Allseas’ offshore operations.”
For more information about Ranger 2 click here
Sonardyne International Ltd. has been formally presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire. Dame Mary Fagan presented the Award in the Innovation category for Sonardyne’s Sixth Generation (6G®) product platform during a visit to the company’s head office and manufacturing facilities in Yateley, Hampshire. As part of her visit, the Lord-Lieutenant was given a tour of Sonardyne’s campus, spread across three buildings on Blackbushe Business Park, including the company’s Engineering, Production and Machine Shop facilities.
Headquartered in the UK with regional offices in Aberdeen, Brazil, Houston, Plymouth and Singapore, Sonardyne is recognised as a pioneer in the design and manufacture of underwater acoustic positioning, inertial navigation, wireless communications and sonar imaging technology. Users for the company’s products are found in the offshore energy, ocean research and maritime security industries.
Launched in 2010, Sonardyne’s award winning 6G platform was judged by The Queen’s Award review panel to have addressed users’ needs for underwater technology that is low risk, versatile and easy to use. 6G products have made an impact on diverse subsea operations around the world and, in 2013/14, were exported to 55 different countries.
[blockquote author=” John Ramsden, Managing Director, Sonardyne”]“We are honoured to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan, to our Hampshire headquarters for the presentation of The Queen’s Award. This is the third occasion in 20 years she has visited us to present us with a Queen’s Award and we’re proud to show her how the company has progressed and grown from the small rented premises we occupied in 1994 to the prestigious multi-building manufacturing and production facility it is today.” [/blockquote]
The Queen’s Award is conferred by HM Queen Elizabeth II, on advice of the Prime Minister, and is the highest award a UK business can receive.
To find out more information on 6G, click here.
Maritime security company Sonardyne International Ltd. has successfully completed the installation of a Sentinel Intruder Detection System (IDS) onboard a drilling rig operating in an undisclosed offshore oil field in the Middle East. The system has been deployed to protect the platform against the threat of attack from underwater intruders.
Sentinel is the world’s most widely deployed intruder detection sonar, developed to meet the underwater security requirements of private, commercial, government and naval end users. The system reliably detects, tracks and classifies divers and small underwater vehicles approaching a protected asset from any direction and alerts security personnel to the potential threat. Whether it is protecting a critical infrastructure facility, offshore platform, sea port or superyacht at anchor, Sentinel’s autonomous monitoring capabilities, long range detection and proven low false alarm rates provide a rapidly deployable, 360° underwater security solution for any application.
[blockquote author=” Nick Swift, Sonardyne’s Business Manager for Maritime Security”]“Attacks on offshore oil and gas installations are becoming a significant threat and we’re seeing an increasing requirement for our diver detection technology to be deployed to protect these vulnerable facilities. Each one faces different security threats depending on the region in which they are operating, and we work closely with customers and users to ensure the systems we deliver fulfil their requirements for underwater surveillance. Our customer has been very impressed with the system and is expected to place further orders for additional systems for vessel operations in the same vicinity. These latest installations not only increase our presence in this significant market but also help maintain our position as the leading supplier of diver detection systems.”[/blockquote]
For more information about Sentinel, click here.
A new acoustic positioning technique to improve the quality and accuracy of pipeline touchdown monitoring has been successfully utilised by leading project management, engineering and construction company Technip. The company has installed a Sonardyne GyroUSBL transceiver on the stinger of its rigid pipe S-lay and heavy lift construction vessel, G1200. Used in conjunction with Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 USBL tracking system, the technology is used to acoustically track an ROV positioned at pipelay touchdown to ensure the pipe is being accurately laid in the permitted corridor.
Ranger 2 is a survey grade USBL acoustic positioning system designed for long range tracking of underwater targets and position referencing for dynamically positioned (DP) vessels. The system calculates the position of a subsea target by measuring the range and bearing from a vessel-mounted transceiver to an acoustic transponder fitted to the target. Typically the transceiver is deployed through the hull or over the side of the vessel; this enables targets to be tracked below, to the side and far behind. However on a large pipelay vessel, a transceiver cannot reliably ‘see’ through the thruster wash created at the rear. By fitting the transceiver on the end of the G1200’s pipelay stinger, it was positioned well away from thruster noise and in direct line of sight of the ROV behind it.
GyroUSBL combines a 6G high performance HPT transceiver with a Lodestar Attitude and Heading Reference/Inertial Navigation system in the same assembly. This combination eliminates alignment errors seen in conventional USBL systems and is proven to deliver unrivalled levels of accuracy and precision. It also means that users are now able to monitor the dynamic motion of the stinger’s tip.
[blockquote author=” Iain Miller, Subsea Intervention Manager for Technip USA.”]“We’ve been incredibly impressed with the accuracy, precision and repeatability provided by Ranger 2 GyroUSBL. The success with the stinger-mounted transceiver means that we’re now looking to adopt this novel technique for future pipelay projects here in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere.”[/blockquote]
[blockquote author=” Ralph Gall, Technical Sales Manager at Sonardyne Inc”]“Typically, touchdown monitoring operations are conducted using an ROV deployed from a survey vessel following on behind the pipelay barge. With this new technique, the pipelay barge can use its own ROV to carry out the touchdown survey, therefore removing the need for a survey vessel altogether or allowing the survey vessel to get on with another operation, increasing project flexibility. “Locating a transceiver on the stinger is a great solution for ensuring that vessel noise disruption is rejected. The time-saving features of the pre-calibrated GyroUSBL also result in reduced operational costs with the ability for users to move it from vessel to vessel with minimal downtime whilst maintaining the highest levels of positioning performance.”[/blockquote]
For more information about Lodestar GyroUSBL, click here.
For more information about Ranger 2, click here.
Survey Equipment Services (SES) Inc., Katy TX. has further strengthened its lease pool in the Gulf of Mexico by continuing its investment in Sonardyne 6G subsea positioning technology. This latest acquisition is for a Ranger 2 subsea tracking system, the fifth delivered to SES since the beginning of 2013, and made available for use with the Sonardyne GyroUSBL transceiver and Wideband Mini Transponders (WMTs) already owned by SES.
Ranger 2 is a survey grade USBL acoustic positioning system designed for deep water, long range tracking of underwater targets and position referencing for dynamically positioned vessels. The system calculates the position of a subsea target by measuring the range and bearing from a vessel-mounted transceiver to an acoustic transponder fitted to the target. Multiple subsea targets over a wide area and range of water depths can be simultaneously and precisely positioned. It builds on the simplicity and performance of the company’s original Ranger system but adds support for Wideband 2 digital signal architecture which speeds up subsea operations.
[blockquote author=” Kim Swords, Sales Application Engineer at Sonardyne Inc. “]Survey Equipment Services has been making a real investment in 6G, reinforcing its position as a leading supplier of the latest generation acoustic positioning technology. Ranger 2 with its advanced features will improve efficiency of subsea operations, reduce vessel time and generate savings for SES clients. Thanks to our recently introduced Ranger 2 deal, the company is also benefiting from complimentary WMTs.”[/blockquote]
[blockquote author=” Alan Craig, Vice President – Operations at SES”]“The addition of multiple Ranger 2 systems complements the existing 6G stock available for our clients to hire. We’re seeing a continuous demand for 6G across the industry so we’re investing to ensure that our clients have access to the very latest subsea positioning equipment when they need it.” [/blockquote]
For more information about Ranger 2, click here.
An investor in the future of engineering, Sonardyne International Ltd. has recently made a substantial donation to the Alton College Fundraising Appeal for a new Engineering and Design Technology Centre. The donation brings forward the Centre’s building completion date to Autumn 2013 and will enable the college to teach 310 students a year, inspiring young people to choose Engineering and Design Technology careers for years to come.
Located close to Sonardyne’s UK manufacturing headquarters, Alton College attracts aspiring engineers from across Southern England, providing them with the opportunities and support to achieve their full potential. With application numbers for Engineering and Design Technology courses doubling over recent years, the over-subscribed course has been restricted by its current facilities. To rectify this, the college launched a fundraising appeal, hoping to generate the required £2.46 million for the design and build of the new centre. Once complete, the centre will house two well-equipped workshops for wood, metals and plastics; facilities for turning, welding and casting; Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) facilities; two technology laboratories and a technician work station and secure tool store.
[blockquote author=” Jane Machell, Alton College Principal”]“The College is enormously grateful to Sonardyne International Ltd for its huge generosity which has enabled the building works to be completed. We are also extremely grateful to a range of other donors for their contributions. We are now confident that with the help of the public, other companies and individuals, we will reach our target of £500,000 to fully equip the new Centre.”[/blockquote]
For more information about the Alton College Fundraising Appeal, please contact Karen Betancourt-Jess on +44 (0)1420 592200.
Sonardyne International Ltd. has today announced the launch of its new Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance Sonar, NOAS, at NAVDEX 2013 in Abu Dhabi. Designed for use on submersible vehicles, NOAS enables faster, safer and more efficient navigation by detecting and classifying potentially hazardous underwater obstacles in its path.
Unveiled on the first day of the exhibition, NOAS provides a unique combination of very long range 2D navigation performance, 3D object detection and class leading intruder detection in a single compact sonar. In 2D mode NOAS provides the crucial long range navigation information enabling underwater vessels to steer a safe course. When combined with its 3D capability, the sonar scans the water column to enable more detailed detection and classification of obstacles, and the seabed, in front of the vessel.
The first in a family of products, NOAS has been specifically developed for installation on manned submersibles and swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs) where available space and power is often restricted. With this in mind, the compact subsea housing contains the 2D array, front-end electronics and processing whilst a separate projector is used if the optional 3D capability is required. NOAS feeds fully-processed sonar images to, and is controlled by, the host platform’s own control system, allowing the user to customise the operator displays to meet the specific needs of the platform and its operational requirements.
[blockquote author=” Rob Balloch, Strategic Development and Marketing Director at Sonardyne”]“Conventional obstacle avoidance sonars have an operating range of just a few hundred metres so their use is often limited to navigating an SDV or submersible during its final approach to the target. With a range of 1,500 metres and a wide field of view, NOAS redefines the capabilities of forward look sonar technology, allowing pilots to navigate their vehicles at speed with confidence and accuracy.”[/blockquote]
NOAS has been engineered by the same team that developed the company’s market leading Sentinel diver detection sonar and this capability has also been incorporated into the system. When the vessel is at a standstill or moving slowly, NOAS continuously monitors the surrounding area for underwater targets and the potential threat they present. The low false alarm detection capabilities of NOAS ensure that only genuine tracks with threatening intent are displayed.
[blockquote author=” Rob Balloch, Strategic Development and Marketing Director at Sonardyne”]“We’re excited to be bringing this new generation technology to the market and with NAVDEX being the premier maritime security event for the region, it is the perfect opportunity for introducing NOAS and its multi-platform applications,”[/blockquote]
If you are attending NAVDEX and would like more information and a first look at the new NOAS system, please visit Sonardyne on the UK Trade and Industry stand (B-009).
For more information about NOAS, click here.