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Implications of Damage

The implications of not detecting and measuring the damage to an offshore platform is significant. Themajor hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005 demonstrated the importance of a well designed mooring system. However, degradation of any system as a result of exposure to the elements will have an impact on even the best designs. In order to ensure the adequacy of the mooring systems while at the same time not performing unnecessary maintenance, a complete understanding of the status of these systems is required.

Novel Inspection Solution

To inspect offshore platform mooring lines, SeaTrepid has designed a novel vehicle that attaches to these lines and drives up and down the line. In addition to visual inspection with an array of video cameras, the vehicle has been designed to incorporate the 2G Robotics ULS-100. Integration of this sensor with the vehicle was successfully completed in advance of offshore trials. SeaTrepid selected the ULS-100 for integration with their specialized vehicle because of its high precision measurement capability. When defects such as abrasions and cuts in the rope are located, the ULS-100 is capable of very accurately measuring these defects. Given this data, a complete understanding of the rope is realized, allowing for a more optimal determination of the appropriate corrective action.