Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: Robotics@seaway.demon.co.uk (Jan & Dave)
Path: brunix!cat.cis.Brown.EDU!noc.near.net!paperboy.wellfleet.com!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!emory!swrinde!pipex!demon!seaway.demon.co.uk!Robotics
Subject: Deepweld Project - A press release
Organization: Stolt Comex Seaway
Reply-To: Robotics@seaway.demon.co.uk
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Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 10:04:06 +0000
Message-ID: <776685846snz@seaway.demon.co.uk>
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DIVERLESS SUBSEA WELDING PROJECT STARTS AT THE NATIONAL
HYPERBARIC CENTRE


The National Hyperbaric Centre (NHC) has initiated a study on diverless subsea
welding.  The project is supported by Statoil, Stolt Comex Seaway, and The Oil and
Gas Projects Supplies Office (OSO).

Hyperbaric welding of oil and gas pipelines is performed underwater in a dry
habitat either manually or with mechanised orbital equipment.  The mechanised
systems are currently installed by divers who are also required to machine the pipe
ends, intervene during welding, and set up inspection equipment.  This project
will seek to establish the feasibility of performing all these tasks without the use of
divers.

Emphasis will be placed on the use of robots and remote control technology.  NHC
have previously modified and tested robot equipment for operating under hyperbaric 
conditions in their pressure chambers in Aberdeen.  This was done on a recent
project supported under the EC's THERMIE programme.

The equipment and procedures developed from this study would be used for
repairing pipelines at water depths well beyond the reach of manned intervention.
In addition, using diverless equipment for pipe connections would cut costs
significantly at more moderate depths where the work is currently done by divers.

This study forms part of DEEPWELD, a collaborative international project on
subsea welding under the Eureka scheme, involving participants from the United
Kingdom and Norway.

NHC is an independent company within the Stolt Comex Seaway Group offering
services to the Underwater Engineering Industry which include engineering and
design, research and development, training, and civil engineering (contracting)
services.

For further information contact:

OC Andersen or David Gibson
The National Hyperbaric Centre
123 Ashgrove West
Aberdeen
AB2 5FA
Scotland

Tel: 0224 698895  Fax: 692222

-- 
Jan & Dave at SCS
Reply to john@seaway.demon.co.uk
