Ocean services provider DeepOcean and NCS operator Aker BP have agreed to pioneer the use of an unmanned surface vessel (USV) for subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) and survey work.
The first USV is planned to be ready for offshore operations from 2025, when it will go on an eight-year charter agreement with DeepOcean from specialist provider USV AS.
Aker BP and DeepOcean already cooperate under a frame agreement for subsea IMR and survey work, and Aker BP has contributed to the development of the USV. The two companies share a long-term ambition to move 30 percent of IMR work from traditional vessels to USVs.
The USV will be 24 metres long and 7.5 metres wide. It will be remotely controlled from shore – but will have many autonomous features to ensure safety and integrity of the spread. It can operate in severe weather conditions. During operations, both the USV vessel crew and ROV operators will be co-located in the same remote operating centre.
The USV will be equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system and a battery package which allows the unmanned vessel to operate offshore for up to 30 days without charging or refuelling.
(Source and image: DeepOcean – DeepOcean USV)