Subsea NDT for Maritime and Shipping
In-service Inspection of Hulls and Bilge Keels Welds
Through close collaboration with operators worldwide, TSC Subsea has harnessed its expertise to deliver underwater robotic solutions. Our primary objective is to assist our clients in ensuring the safety and integrity of their vessels and FPSO platforms. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive in-service or underwater inspections instead of drydock (UWILD), enabling our clients to conduct accurate asset integrity assessments while keeping their floating vessels in production.
Hull Surveys and Inspection with Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART)
Wall Thickness Measurements and Corrosion Mapping
- Non-contact method requires less surface preparation.
- Exceptionally resilient to soft marine growth.
- Quantitative wall thickness measurement with highly accurate depth sizing of +/- 0.2 mm.
- Unmatched coating penetration, even when dealing with thick attenuative materials.
- Corrosion mapping of external and internal surfaces.
- Detect coating disbondment & degradation.
- Geometry measurements for assessing dents and other anomalies.
The HullScanner is deployed remotely using either work or inspection class ROVs. The ROV places the HullScanner onto the vessel, which is then securely held in place by strong magnets. Thanks to the integration of multiple sensors, the scanning time is significantly reduced, with a 1 m2 inspection taking only 30 minutes.
The HullScanner maintains direct communication with the top side, enabling data to be processed and accessed in real-time during the scanning operation, providing instant assessment capabilities.
By acquiring accurate data through direct wall thickness measurements while the floating vessel remains in-service. This capability facilitates the calculation of corrosion rates, allowing for more dependable asset integrity assessments without any disruption to production or service.
TSC Subsea’s proprietary Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART) has gained significant recognition within the subsea inspection field. Its exceptional capabilities for coating penetration and high accuracy in conducting through-wall inspections of ferrous materials make ART an excellent choice for conducting hull intregrity assessments.
At the heart of TSC Subsea’s ART lies its patented ultra-wideband acoustic inspection technology, surpassing existing inspection technologies in terms of penetration and measurement capabilities through coatings.
ART distinguishes itself from other NDT technologies due to its non-contact nature and remarkable tolerance to marine growth. When coupled with its coating penetration capability, it enables corrosion mapping of internal surfaces, even in regions with stiffening plates.
ART data detailing internal corrosion collected from the external surface
Lloyds Register Validation
Application of Acoustic Resonance Technology (ART) to perform quantitative Ultrasonic
Thickness Measurement (UTM) for both internal and external corrosion defects of ship hull carbon steel plate through coating.
Weld Inspection
Bilge Keels and Hull Welds
- Field proven Alternating Current Field Measurement (ACFM®) .
- DNV and ABS approved.
- Crack detection and sizing through coatings.
- Accurate and auditable inspection data.
- Deployed by ROV or via deck launch.
- High Probability of Detection (PoD).
- Array probe for greater coverage and efficiency.
The robotic MagCrawler™ is designed to perform diverless ACFM inspections of critical subsea welds, offering precise location and sizing data on surface-breaking cracks.
Equipped with array probes, the MagCrawler surpasses standard probes in speed and efficiency during weld inspections. Its rotating head enables seamless coverage of the entire weld and heat-affected zone (HAZ).
To navigate the subsea environment, the crawler employs two magnetic caterpillar tracks that adhere firmly to the hull. Onboard cameras play a crucial role by providing real-time visual feedback, ensuring comprehensive coverage and compliance with ACFM scan criteria.
Regular inspections of the structural hull and bilge welds are crucial to identify cracks and defects resulting from dynamic loading.
TSC Subsea’s ACFM electromagnetic inspection technology has been the method of choice for detecting and sizing subsea surface-breaking cracks in critical welds for over a decade.
Recognised and approved by many certification bodies, including DNV, ABS and Lloyds, the technique has been used successfully to supersede traditional non-computerised and more user-dependent methods, such as magnetic particle inspection (MPI) for subsea weld inspection.
NDT Technologies for In-Service Hull Inspections of FPSOs and Shipping Vessels
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Case Studies
Rapid Hydrate Plug Detection Solution for Subsea Pipelines.
Introduction In the deep waters off the coast of Angola, a major offshore operator faced a significant flow assurance issue with one of its 12-inch gas gathering flowlines. The suspected culprit? Hydrate plug. Hydrate formation is a major flow assurance concern for...
Rapid Hydrate Plug Detection Solution for Subsea Pipelines.
Introduction In the deep waters off the coast of Angola, a major offshore operator faced a significant flow assurance issue with one of its 12-inch gas gathering flowlines. The suspected culprit? Hydrate plug. Hydrate formation is a major flow assurance concern for...
Smooth Sailing with ACFM Crack Assessment on Cargo Ship Propellers.
The Archon Gabriel Bulk Carrier was navigating the cold waters of the Gulf of Finland. The harsh sea conditions, laden with sea ice, posed significant navigational challenges and resulted in the ship’s 6-meter diameter bronze propeller suffering ice damage. Given the...
Diverless ACFM Inspection Solution for FPSO Bilge Keel Weld Integrity Assessment.
FPSO operators are increasingly seeking ways to inspect their hulls below the waterline without resorting to drydocking, a costly process that entails significant production loss, rendering it inefficient and logistically challenging. Recognising the benefits of a...
Tethered ILI Robotic Solution for Internal Riser and Pipeline Inspection
The Challenge bp sought a comprehensive, circumferential 360-degree scan of the riser. TSC Subsea provided the solution - a robotic system that could both travel longitudinally along the riser and had the ability to precisely stop and stabilise itself, in order to...
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