No strings, piloting a subsea resident Underwater Intervention Drone (UID) system.

Inspection, maintenance and repair of underwater installations within offshore energy such as wind farms, oil and gas installations are normally carried out by a diver or a remotely controlled underwater vehicle, ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). The ROV is remotely controlled, e.g. from a surface vessel. What these solutions have in common is that they take time to initiate (hours, often days) and personnel are needed to control and manage the operation. The need for surface vessels and ROVs makes underwater operations expensive. Day rates of NOK 1 million for a vessel with an ROV are not unusual. The use of autonomous, battery-powered, underwater robots controlled from shore can completely change how underwater operations are executed. An underwater robot can be installed and "live" (be subsea resident) on the seabed near the wind farm or oil and gas installation and perform missions without the support of a surface vessel. Using modern communication technology such as internet, radio- and satellite communication and underwater communication, a robot can be started up in seconds and controlled from anywhere. The robot operates on its own (autonomously) so that minimal control by an operator is required. Typical use and assignments are inspection and control of subsea infrastructure such as pipelines, production equipment of energy plants, cables, moorings, anchors and aqua culture installations. Mapping of possible leaks and measuring water quality within an area are also relevant use. Intervention such as opening or closing valves and cleaning moorings and chains will also eventually become possible. In this DEMO2000 project, together with the project partners, we have developed and implemented sensors and software so that Eelume's snake robot can navigate and carry out inspection tasks on its own (autonomously). The robot can be programmed with a mission plan. Currently we are executing sea tests in the Trondheimfjord. The robot is equipped with cameras, lights and sonars so that it can collect data for post processing and analysis.The project ended on 1 September 2022. Partners in the project have been Eelume, Equinor, Gassco, Kongsberg Maritime, Ocean Infinity, Norbit, EIVA and DNV GL. Equinor and Gassco have represented the customers in the project and have contributed with finance, valuable operational knowledge and experience. Kongsberg Maritime, Norbit, EIVA and Ocean Infinity have contributed with technology and software for robot navigation and collection and processing of acoustic and optical data. See also www.eelume.com

The project has been of key importance to Eelume and enabled Eelume to develop the robot from an advanced snake robotic ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) to a snake robot operating as an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). The Eelume AUV is now at a level where it can be tested and piloted as a robot suitable for executing inspection missions and collect relevant data of the seabed and subsea infrastructures. The robot is applicable for use among others within offshore energy, defence, coastal and harbour safety and general inspection and survey missions. The robot is designed to be subsea resident. The robot, like other AUVs, will enable operators of for example offshore energy installations (wind and oil and gas) and service providers to execute advanced subsea inspection missions without the use of costly, diesel consuming, polluting and personnel demanding surface vessels. This has a cost and efficiency effect, an environmental effect and HSE effect since personnel can be onshore rather than offshore. The project has provided significant knowledge to Eelume and the partners about the possibilities that lays in utilising autonomous underwater vehicles. It has also provided valuable knowledge of what is required to develop useful autonomous underwater robots which are capable to replace conventional surface vessels and ROVs.