Page 50 - Danish Offshore Industry 2020

By Sune Falther
SUBC'S INNOVATIVE ROBOT

OPENS DOORS TO

NEW MARKETS

SubC’s robotic crawler has given the offshore industry
access to inaccessible areas for maintenance. For SubC,

this has resulted in innovation award, international
attention and access to new international markets

“Splash zone” sounds like a great part of a water park, Typically, the work is solved using rope access or divers.
but in the offshore industry, the splash zone is anything Some divers compare working in the splash zone to
but fun. working in a washing machine because, besides the task,
you also need to remain in place while avoiding getting
The splash zone is one of the most exposed areas on an trapped under the structure.
offshore installation. It is where the effects of wind, cur-
rent and waves meet in an intersectional pressure which For SubC Partner, the splash zone is an absolute core
tears and degrades the structure. competence, their home pitch and workplace. And it was
based on this experience that the company set out to
That’s why the splash zone is an area which needs to be develop an alternative and more safe solution:
inspected, as it is also exposed to large amounts of ma-
rine growth, corrosion and potential fatigue. “We wanted to improve access and reduce risks,” says
Tonny Klein, CEO of SubC Partner:
This task is difficult and risky.
THE CRAWLING ROBOT
The solution was a so-called robotic crawler.

The Robotic Crawler is SubC’s newly developed, compact,
sea-proof tool. A crawling robot that can do most of the
things you would have human personnel to do. It can
remove marine growth and carry out various inspection
tasks. It can also be used to remove structures for decom-
CONSIDERABLE SUMS missioning. The robotic crawler is operated by an operator
ARE SPENT ON THE who sits safely in a control room located on the platform.

MAINTENANCE AND “The crawler can be equipped with different equipment
INSPECTION OF OFF- depending on the task being solved. We can use high
pressure to remove marine growth, perform visual
SHORE STRUCTURES. inspections of welds using cameras, perform thickness
measurements using ultrasonic, or cut tubulars with our
WE CAN DO IT MORE specially designed diamond wire saw,” says Tonny Klein:

COST-EFFECTIVE AND “The Robotic Crawler system can solve almost all chal-
SAFER. THERE IS A lenges that currently are solved using rope access or
divers. Instead of having human personnel carrying out
MARKET FOR THAT, the job under difficult conditions, we can now do it from
a platform 50 to 100 metres away,” he says.
SAYS SUBC PARTNERS CEO,
TONNY KLEIN COURAGE TO INNOVATE
SubC developed the idea for the Robotic Crawler in close
collaboration with Total E&P Denmark, and the French

48 / SUBC’S INNOVATIVE ROBOT OPENS DOORS TO NEW MARKETS