BMT shows new subsea pipeline strain sensor at OTC
May 4, 2009
A new ROV-deployable subsea pipeline strain sensor assembly is a feature for BMT Scientific Marine Services Inc. at OTC .09 in Houston.
Offshore staff
HOUSTON --A new ROV-deployable subsea pipeline strain sensor assembly is a feature for BMT Scientific Marine Services Inc. at OTC .09 in Houston. The Subsea Strain Sensor Assembly (SSSA) measures static and dynamic tensile and bending strain and alerts if the measures indicate excessive strain or potential for future fatigue damage.
A key feature of the ROV deployable package is the stable support frame for the sensor package. Before installation starts, a support frame is clamped to the riser by the ROV to provide an anchor for the ROV, and to ensure that the sensors can be fitted or adjusted without causing any damage to them. The SSSA is suitable for pipelines or risers in up to 10,000 ft (3,048 m) water depths, according to BMT
"Until BMT's new development, strain sensors had to be installed prior to deployment of subsea pipes or possibly by divers. The new technology permits the SSSA to be retrofitted to already submerged pipes too deep for divers," says Rod Edwards VP of BMT.
