QUALITY CONTROL OF POST LAY INSPECTION AND BURIAL OF FIBER OPTIC CABLE IN THE CHINA SEA AND WESTERN PACIFIC

摘要

During the height of the electronic data stampede which ushered in the 3rd milleniumA.D., fiber optic cable systems were installed in the China Sea and Western Pacific, to connect severalEast Asian countries via high speed data link, with North America. Conventional terrestrial cabletrenching in the heavily developed, mountainous and earthquake prone countries on the western PacificRim presents staggering logistical, economic and political challenges. Consequently, submarine cablesare laid far offshore, buried below average depths of anchor and trawl scars, and approach land only atterminal stations. Preliminary route surveys employing side scan, echo sounder and sub bottom profileridentified areas for core sampling and provided key data for planning of subsequent geotechnical andgeophysical surveys, main cable lay, and post lay inspection and burial using ROV mounted trenchingsystems. The writers were engaged as client's offshore quality control representatives on various vesselsinvolved in these operations.