Another Cougar for wind power
Demand from the offshore wind industry has led Innovatum to add a second Saab Seaeye Cougar XT Compact to its ROV fleet. According to Innovatum this increasing demand comes as a result of their reputation growing in the offshore wind industry for cutting the cost of inshore survey work.
They have achieved this cost cutting by creating the world’s smallest system of compact and rapidly mobilised packages for the location, tracking and survey of inshore and coastal pipelines and cables.
For survey work close inshore in the strong currents and tidal flows of the southern North Sea, the Cougar’s six-strong thruster power is essential, said Innovatum’s managing director Terry Slater.
Designed especially for working in shallow waters and in tight situations, the low-profile Cougar XT Compact version minimises the effect of current with its reduced frame size, buoyancy and weight – and a thinner 17mm tether cable that reduces the effect of drag.
The Innovatum system creates comprehensive reports and charts showing accurate cable route and depth of burial along the route. This data is required by installation contractors, owners and regulatory authorities, to ensure that the cable is properly buried and not in danger of being exposed to damage.
The system can undertake submarine cable surveys in shallow water depths – the typical scenario for offshore wind farms – interconnector power cables and coastal communications cables.
By Jake Frith
