ABSTRACT
Pipeline inspection is a complex test requiring a variety of sensors, a typical array being illustrated in Fig. 1.
The trend in recent times has been to fit, simultaneously, all of the above sensors to a vehicle in order to maximise data collection from the pipeline in a single pass. This data is then processed in real time as the ROV travels the pipeline. Thus, a chart representing all the available data can be made available shortly after completion of a dive.
The current generation of ROVs uses umbilicals containing various combinations of power conductors, co-axia and twisted pairs to carry the sensor data. These umbilicals, however, have inherent disadvantages which become apparent as sensor data increase in quantity and complexity. This disadvantage is the incompatibility of required high quality-data being transmitted to the surface and the large amounts of electrical energy demanded by the vehicle. Another disadvantage is the incompatibility between sensor signals in terms of frequency and power. However, to eliminate these problems, and to provide for future developments in ROV technology, the new generation of ROVs utilise fibre-optic conductors, the advantages being that they are immune from electro-magnetic interference, they offer wider band-widths with lower power losses {typically 5 dB or less per km) than conventional copper conductors, and are easier to handle as umbilicals lengthen due to demand for vehicles to reach greater depths. Typically, these new umbilicals will be 1.5 km in length.
