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Observer

Wireless intelligent subsea asset integrity monitoring

Engineered for

Seabed Structure Pipeline Risers Moorings
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Overview

Intelligent monitoring for your subsea assets

Observer shows you how your subsea assets are really behaving, not how you hope they are. Monitor movement, vibration, load and structural behaviour to reduce risk, prevent unplanned shutdowns and extend asset life.

Onboard processing, extended deployment and wireless data access give you intelligence on demand, keeping operations efficient and assets protected. Subsea asset integrity intelligence delivered. Intervention and cost reduced.

Find out what's possible

We understand that no two subsea asset integrity monitoring challenges are the same

Your underwater infrastructure is subject to constant environmental and process problems, from vortex induced vibration to pressure or temperature cycling, leading to strain and fatigue accumulation. But left unseen, these can lead to unknown risks, downtime or even failure. 

Early detection prevents catastrophic failures and extends asset life. 

Observer delivers the insights you need, when you need them, preventing risk, reducing cost, extending field life. Built on decades of underwater monitoring expertise 

It’s been designed with flexibility of operation in mind; for use on all subsea assets, through the water column, including pipelines, risers, moorings, umbilicals, wellheads and associated infrastructure, helping integrity managers to reduce uncertainty and strengthen decision‑making.  

Enhanced clarity and control through real‑time intelligence

From high or low frequency motion monitoring to a wide range of other sensor data, Observer is designed for maximum flexibility and configurability, putting you in control.  

You can monitor locally or across wider areas, from short-duration campaigns to long-term integrity management. It’s non-intrusive, wireless communications make this possible. 

With standardised ROV‑deployment options, you can simplify installation and recovery, onboard analytics and wireless data, get you the intelligence you need, on-demand.  

0

m

depth rating

Up to

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years

life

0

DOF

as standard

Why choose it?

Powerful onboard analytics – you can make decisions based on real behaviour, not assumption 

Observer contains SmartCore, our advanced, modular central processing unit. It’s the system’s brain, delivering low power and high performance that supports deployments of up to 10 years, storing raw and analysed at source. 

Apply your own algorithms or use histograms to support fatigue and damage estimation, putting analysis in your control and powering your digital twin. An intuitive, secure, web-based interface streamlines flexible configuration, driving faster decision making and lower operational costs. 

Low and high frequency measurements in one device – no need for different systems 

In-built sensors capture high-frequency motion for vortex induced vibration (VIV), flow-induced vibration (FIV) and structural behaviour monitoring. This combination simplifies and expands your ability to truly understand the behaviour of your infrastructure. 

Observer can operate as a Long BaseLine (LBL) node for highly precise low-frequency motion monitoring such as pipeline creep and movement. It also supports Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) positioning, for measuring assets movements in the water column, like riser and umbilical movement. Also allowing data retrieval from a vessel or underwater vehicle. 

Always informed. Always in control – flexible data retrieval

Easily setup, check your configuration and QC your sensor data pre-deployment, and also adjust it acoustically post-deployment, using our intuitive web user interface.  

Set and modify data collection and offloading schedules at any time.  

Our trusted acoustic telemetry provides your seafloor-to-surface communications, in all water depths, even in challenging acoustic environments.  

Compatibility with our 6G ecosystem enables data transfer at up to 9,000 bps to topside transceivers and modems, including our HPT 5000, Modem 6+ and Dunker 6.  

An Ethernet communication link allows larger quantities of data to be harvested directly from subsea control systems or subsea vehicles. 

Observer at a glance

  • Up to 10-year endurance for fewer interventions  
  • ROV–deployable and recoverable for easy installation 
  • Rated to 3,000 m (7,000 m option) for global operations  
  • Onboard logging and analytics with acoustic offload on demand 
  • High and low-frequency motion monitoring in a single device 
  • Built on our low–power 6G hardware and Wideband 2 digital signal architecture for trusted subsea communications 
Put intelligence into your subsea asset monitoring

Asset monitoring case studies

Energy

Wellhead righting using a tethered BOP

Operations in deepwater are a significant challenge requiring the latest generation of subsea equipment and installation techniques. While the majority of operations do go to plan, there are occasions when they don’t and an innovative approach to deepwater intervention is required.

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Energy

Real-time wellhead fatigue monitoring and mitigation

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Energy

Monitoring slugging events and spool piece fatigue

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Energy

Keeping production flowing by understanding subsea asset movement – wirelessly

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Energy

Rising to the challenge: riser tower monitoring

When Petrobras’s Cascade and Chinook development went into production in 2010, it claimed two major milestones. It was the first floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility used to accept production from the fields in the Gulf of Mexico, at 2,600 m. It was also the world’s deepest operating FPSO.

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Sensing

• 6 DOF high-performance sensor fitted as standard
• Sampling rate: 5 Hz, 10 Hz, 25 Hz
• Data storage: 64 GB, dual redundant
• Processing capability: Fully programmable including analysis, statistical functions and bespoke options

Design

• 3,000 m depth rating; up to 7,000 m on request
• ROV-friendly design; option for ROV mounted clamps
• Aluminium standard housing material; options for different materials depending on deployment duration and environmental conditions

Acoustics

• Over 500 unique addresses, ideal for large array deployments
• Data transfer rates of 100 to 9,000 bps – user selectable
• Omni-directional transducer for wide area acoustic coverage
• Sonardyne Wideband 2 MF band (19 – 34 kHz); field proven in high-noise subsea environments

Expected battery life (typical/max life/max sampling)

• Up to 10 years (duty cycle logging pressure, temp and motion)
• 4+ years for a typical riser monitoring application (duty cycle logging USBL position, motion, depth, temp and SV)
• 2.5 years continuous logging (motion, depth and temp)

Specifications Table

Features Specification (Type 620-0762)
Acoustic operating frequency MF omni acoustic modem 20-34 kHz (alternative options available on request)
Expected operating range Up to 3000 m slant range
Sampling rates Sensor dependent, configurable decimation
Data storage 64 GB dual redundant
Data processing Min, max, mean, std deviation
Internal sensors Pressure sensor – standard 30 / 300 bar 0.01% FS, additional options available on request
Temperature sensor – standard ± 0.1 °C
IMU – standard 6 degrees of freedom – gyroscope (offsets ± 20 mg) and accelerometer (offsets ± 0.5 deg/sec)
High grade IMU – optional 6 degrees of freedom triple gyroscope (± 0.1 deg/sec) and tri-axis accelerometer (offsets ± 2 mg)
Connectivity 1x 8-way external sensor connector 4-20mA interface
12V external power output
0-12V voltage input
RS232/485 interface
2x 4-way external sensor connectors mV/V (wheatstone bridge type sensor)
1x 8-way connector for power and comms 24V external power input Ethernet
Electrical Standard battery specifications 1872 Wh primary lithium non-rechargeable battery pack (alternative capacities available on request)
Expected battery life (typical/max life/max sampling) Up to 10 years (duty cycle logging pressure, temp, & motion)
4+ years for a typical riser monitoring application (duty cycle logging USBL position, motion, depth, temp & SV)
2.5 years continuous logging (motion, depth, temp)
Mechanical Construction Aluminium (super duplex / titanium on request)
Dimensions (height x diameter) 927.5 x 132 mm
Approx weight in air/water 18 kg / 10.26 kg
Environmental Depth rating 300 / 3000 m (dependent on pressure sensor)
Operational / storage temperature -5 to 55°C / -20 to 55°C

Frequently asked questions

What is subsea integrity monitoring and why is it important?

What are high and low frequency motions?

What can I use Observer for?

Datasheets

Observer datasheets

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