Hydro model extends Panther ROV range
ROV specialist Saab Seaeye of Hampshire UK has extended its range of Panther models with the introduction of a fully equipped hydrographic unit designed for pipeline surveys.
The company says the Panther XT Plus represents a major technological breakthrough which will bring significant savings when compared to deployment of noisier 150 hp hydraulic work-class vehicles for comparable tasks.
With ten thrusters producing 50% more power than any other ROV in its class, the new system is said to be capable of accommodating a much larger array of equipment for full pipeline survey operations while working in currents at which other vehicles would have to be withdrawn.
Survey equipment typically comprises a Teledyne TSS pipe-tracker for precise location of pipes, two Reson SeaBat 7125 multibeam sounders with dual frequency operation for acquisition of seamless high-resolution data, and a Sonardyne Lodestar inertial navigation system. Other items include a doppler velocity log, camera booms and a wheeled skid.
Among the first customers for Panther XT Plus is Aberdeen based Rovop Ltd with an order for two systems. Others include CCC Underwater Engineering of Abu Dhabi, which has reported considerable savings in costs and logistics with deployment of a system in the shallow waters of the upper Persian Gulf.
