CIE Visit to Subsea Innovation, Darlington

Subsea Innovation is a company based in Darlington who deliver state of the art engineering products to the offshore oil and gas, and energy industry across the world. They provide offshore equipment handling systems; pipeline repair/recovery systems; and subsea sealing systems. They occupy a 42 acre site on the northern fringes of Darlington where they employ 42 people. They design systems, have the components manufactured within a 50 mile radius, then assemble and test the products, sometimes under the scrutiny of DNV.

In January, Managing Director Martin Moon came to give a lecture to the CIE on some of the systems that Subsea Innovation provide. In February some CIE members went to visit the factory to see the systems for themselves.

Martin Moon explained the use of clamps, to seal damage to pipes, or used to insert a new piece of pipe for larger repairs. (some 38” diameter clamps were in the factory, photo right) The photograph below shows the equipment used to install these clamps in conjunction with a

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) controlled from the surface. This can be done in sea depths up to 3000m. A pair of clamps were undergoing hydraulic testing at the time of the visit.

The facility also accommodates a pit for testing lowering and raising equipment using A-frames, and it can be filled with water to test components underwater. An A-

frame was being assembled next to the pit, shown in the photograph right.

A J-tube seal, used to seal a bell mouth in a pipeline, was also under pressure test during the visit, see photograph below. These would also be installed remotely using an ROV.

Martin explained a great deal about the complexities of maintaining and repairing oil and gas pipelines. ROV’s are used mostly to repair damage and leaks. Any repair activities have to keep the pipe sealed at all times, and in most instances the pipe is not emptied prior to the repair. Damage and leaks are detected and located using a PIG (Pipeline Inspection Gauge), which is put into the pipe, and travels down it with the product, and can measure the thickness of the pipe ultrasonically and detect thin points, cracks or holes.

The visit and the lecture both provided a most interesting insight into the world of subsea operations, which for many members was a totally different area to their usual activities! The CIE would like to thank Subsea Innovation for their hospitality in hosting the visit, and Martin Moon for his lecture and time spent during the visit.