Oceanscan continues focus on IRM
08/05/2015
As the subsea inspection industry continues to grow, Oceanscan continues to invest in the very latest and trusted inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) equipment. This sector has seen huge growth thanks to the sheer magnitude and age of offshore and subsea structures, strengthening the need to inspect, maintain and repair on a more regular basis. With recent investments in subsea ultrasonic flaw detection, flooded member detection (FMD), subsea thickness gauging and magnetic particle inspection (MPI), Oceanscan maintains its place as a forerunner in the subsea inspection equipment sector.Oceanscan has devised a unique, in-house developed, A-scan underwater UT system, said to be ideal for all subsea ultrasonic inspections, including full weld and corrosion mapping, complete with video overlay. Lightweight, portable and simple to operate, Oceanscan’s underwater UT system is built with the customers’ needs in mind. The system has full topside control, including DAC, echo-echo and data logging. The underwater UT set is very user friendly, enabling the changing of probes subsea. The topside control unit features an iScope display, which can be used to mirror the UT set image, or display a combination of images selected by the operator. The system receives up to three additional camera or video inputs, which are displayed on a split screen with the option to record direct to PC or USB. Rated to a depth of 250 m, the subsea head is connected to the topside unit by up to 250 m of cable with the topside unit contained in a 1500 Pelicase. The operator benefits from an ergonomically-designed and diver-held subsea head for thickness gauging, flaw detection and weld inspection.
FMD determines whether or not a component has any flooding. FMD can therefore identify which structures have defects, allowing a more in-depth inspection in specific areas leading to corrective action taking place. This method is reliable, rapid and more cost-effective than other conventional diver and ROV inspections. Oceanscan recognises the need for these qualities and has therefore made it a priority to have these products readily available to their clients, recently investing in the industry-recognised RSL Diver and ROV Ultrasonic FMD Systems.
Subsea corrosion monitoring is vital in order to ensure effective control of asset integrity. Monitoring the corrosion of subsea infrastructure gives an early warning signal when corrosion extenuation programmes are not working effectively, allowing sufficient time to take action and correct the issue.
The Cygnus DIVE MK2 diver-held thickness gauge offers an accurate and simple solution. The industry leader in subsea thickness gauging technology, Cygnus Instruments Ltd has recently built on the success of the MK1 DIVE by introducing the completely new feature of single-echo mode, where twin-crystal probes can be used. This feature is useful for specific conditions, including uncoated surfaces that have extreme front-face and back-wall corrosion, anchor chain links and weakening materials such as cast iron.
For ROV applications, Oceanscan offers the latest Cygnus MK5 ROV thickness gauge. The system is 2000 m depth rated, simple to operate and can be supplied, through Oceanscan, with the topside repeater (also compatible with Cygnus DIVE), which has the facility to display the thickness measurements to the topside inspection team. The Cygnus ROV thickness gauge is supplied with the G1 probe handler, suitable for light inspection work, or the W1 for work class ROV use, complete with probe.
For over ten years, Oceanscan has worked closely with Cygnus and continues to confidently invest in its latest technology offerings.
MPI is one of the most widely employed non-destructive testing methods. As a result of the high demand for this type of application, Oceanscan has increased the number of ASAMS System 3 and System 12 subsea MPI units. The System 3 offers the complete solution for diver MPI inspection and provides high performance results. For shallow water applications, Oceanscan can provide the ASAMS System 12. Again, this unit has been developed as the ideal diver-operated underwater MPI system. As it is a self-contained unit there is no need for an umbilical, meaning it is lightweight and portable whilst maintaining the reliability of the System 3. It can also sustain an inspection operation for up to 4 h duration.
Subsea MPI paint and accessories can also be purchased through Oceanscan’s stocked consumables range, offering a one-stop shop for IRM requirements.
www.oceanscan.co.uk
