Technical Software Consultants Ltd. have been producing Alternating Current Field Measurement (ACFM) weld inspection systems to be used with Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs)since 1993. The first ROV inspection tool was built for Norske Shell and this system was produced so that it could be applied by a range of manipulators and ROV combinations. The initial system had two compliant array probes but rigid probes were constructed so that they could be applied to the inspection of tight geometries and these were used for weld inspection in the North North Sea in 1995. The same array was used in various trials with a number of ROV and manipulator combinations. One thing that was common to all of this work was that the ROVs were all Work Class ROVs. In the Southern Basin of the North Sea there are about 300 structures, of which the majority are located in shallow water depths compared to the Northern Sector. Only recently have ROVs been used in their inspection programmes, mainly for visual inspection and for Flooded Member inspection. Weld inspection beings left to divers who are brought into the programme when required depending on the operating company's policy. TSC have a software programme which can model the access of ROV/ Manipulator combinations and this model illustrated that mid size ROVs would be able to inspect these structures. One ROV inspection company has had a front end system including manipulator and sticky feet produced which can be deployed by a mid size ROV. This ROV can also deploy an ACFM array weld inspection system. Thus a system has been produced that should be able to be used for the inspection of offshore structures located in shallow water depths and for structures which have proven difficult for access by large work class ROVs.
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