OFFSHORE REELS & CABLING
CABLEFISH SET TO REVOLUTIONISE CABLE INSTALLATION
Installing submarine cables for offshore wind farms is notoriously difficult. In the five years leading up to 2012 the offshore wind industry racked up £80M in insurance claims for damaged submarine cables.
CHALLENGES
The cables have to be threaded around existing infrastructure and have to negotiate obstacles from boulders and gulleys to wrecks and UXO. Because they are installed relatively close to shore they are at risk from vessel anchors and fishing gear.
MITIGATING RISK
To mitigate the risk of the cable being fouled or suspended they must be positioned within narrow cable corridors. As a result there is an increasing need for accurate and continuous touchdown monitoring.
USE OF ROVS
ROVs are often used for touchdown monitoring, but on many sites strong tides and shallow water make it impractical to use these systems.
SOLUTION
North Sea Systems believes that it has the answer to touchdown monitoring for all sites. With support from The Carbon Trust and the Scottish Government they have developed CableFish®, a cost effective and versatile submarine cable touchdown monitoring tool. North Sea Systems successfully completed trials of the CableFish® in July.
The beacon can be used in responder mode and always remains pointed at the vessel which helps to improve its reliability. A custom Umbilical Management System is used to control the depth of CableFish® and the video and data can easily be integrated into a standard vessel survey spread.
SYSTEM DETAIL
The system is based on a carriage that rides the submarine cable. The carriage provides a platform for a variety of sensors and instruments. It is set up to accommodate three cameras, 2 lights, an altimeter, a USBL beacon and a motion sensor.
RESULTS
The survey tool performed trials on a simulated subsea cable in 20m water depths and 2.5 knot flows. The results have been impressive and prove the capability of the concept – set to revolutionise submarine cable installation for marine energy projects.
Later this summer CableFish® will be put through its paces in Orcadian Waters at the European Marine Energy Centre.
North Sea Systems
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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