Seaeye Cougar XT Archives - Global Diving & Salvage, Inc.

Cornell Lake Source Cooling Intake Cleaning

The project involved anchoring a sectional barge in 250′ of water on an inland lake,and recovering an intake screen weighing over 4 tons to the surface for cleaning and inspection. With the screen off,cleaning pigs (3) were sent through nearly 2 miles of 62″ diameter pipe to clean accumulated quagga and zebra mussels.

There was miscellaneous work at the inshore Heat Exchange Facility building removing and installing large blind flanges to allow the pigging operation to take place. These flanges weighed up to 5700 pounds,with work taking place in a wet well 35′ deep.

ROV Assisted Derelict Fishing Net Removal

Over 5,600 derelict fishing nets had been removed from Puget Sound water by volunteer divers from depths up to 105 feet. Yet there remains many more in deeper water. Global Diving,working with Natural Resources Consultants for the Northwest Straits Foundation developed custom tooling and a ‘plan’ to remove the nets using a SAAB Cougar and Falcon ROV. First the ROV’s surveyed the nets,then a plan was developed,utilizing the tooling to gather and cut the nets free from the obstacles they snagged on. Once gathered and free,they were connected to the line from a vessel mounted crane. The balls of net were raised to the surface for proper disposal.

This pilot program was developed to test the feasibility and develop the tools and methods required for this removal.

ROV Makes Deep Sea Pipe Repairs

Global’s Cougar and Falcon ROV systems were mobilized to Hawaii to facilitate repairs on the 40” coldwater pipeline transition section in 500 feet of water off of Keahole Point on the island of Hawaii for the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA).

The 40” pipeline is unique in the fact that it is installed with gravity anchors to a depth of 457 feet and from there to a depth of 2000 feet it takes the form of an inverted floating catenary. An installation error when the pipeline was originally installed in 1987 led to future failures of chain bridals and anchor chains. In addition growth on the pipeline was weighing it down.

The ROV crew,operating off of the Healy Tibbitts 544 crane barge,was tasked with restoring the pipeline to an as designed condition. The Cougar ROV cut loose and replaced two 500 foot 1-1/2” stud link restraining chain bridals. The pipe had to be cleaned and obstructions cut loose for the installation of new pipe clamps in three places. 1-1/2 tons of flotation was added at each clamp location. Two 1-1/2” stud link chain bridals were added at the bottoms of the clamps and secured to a 40 ton gravity anchor. A 1-5/8”stud link chain bridal was added to the offshore bridal. Special underwater tooling was designed and manufactured including a hydraulic chain tensioner,3-1/2 and 10 ton winches and 40 and 48 inch hydraulic actuated pipe clamps that were tested in Seattle before being deployed to Hawaii.

SS Montebello ROV Assessment

Global Diving and Salvage Inc. has been contracted by the United States Coast Guard to determine if oil is present aboard the sunken ship S.S. Montebello,which sits 900 feet below the ocean surface approximately 6.5 miles off the coast of Cambria,California.

The S.S. Montebello sank after a Japanese submarine torpedoed the large oil tanker on December 23,1941. The vessel broke apart landing upright with her bow separated from the majority of the wreckage. To date,no signs of leakage have been detected,and from previous visual inspections by submarine,the cargo section appears to be intact.

The possibility of future oil release has prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to contract Global to determine the integrity of the cargo section and its contents. Coast Guard Capt. Roger Laferrier,acting as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator,states,“The California coast is a vital national resource that we must protect.” Additionally,he explains,“Working in concert with our state and local partners,it is our duty to ensure we gain good information about the Montebello so we can do our best to protect the marine environment.”

Global’s Cougar XT ROV will be used as the platform which will support the inspection,both visual and sonar,thickness gauging,backscatter tooling operations,physical sampling of the tank contents,and sediment sampling from the general area. Global has teamed with T & T Bisso to provide engineering support and 3D modeling on the vessel. Additionally,Tracerco has been subcontracted to utilize their neutron backscatter tool,a non-invasive sensing device,which will be used to determine the presence of oil and oil/water interface.

“This sampling and observation operation will provide the answers needed to truly assess what threat,if any,the Montebello poses,” said Capt. Chris Graff from California Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response,who will be serving as the State On-Scene Coordinator.

“Global Diving & Salvage is pleased to work in collaboration with the United States Coast Guard,other federal and state agencies,and our teaming partners to assist in the assessment of the vessel in a safe and efficient manner” says Devon Grennan,President of Global Diving & Salvage,Inc. “The project provides a unique opportunity to take a proactive approach towards mitigating potential pollution threats,and Global is proud to be a part of it.”

J-Tube Pull Wire Replacement

In preparation of a new pipeline being brought to an oil platform in the Long Beach area,we were contracted to replace the existing 1″ pull wire with a new 1 1/4″ pull wire. Our Saab Seaeye Cougar XT ROV with LARS (Launch and Recovery System) was mobilized aboard the DP Ocean Pioneer from which all ROV operations were carried out.

Crews working on the platform mounted winches and rig-in pulleys to assist with the removal of the old wire and installation of the new. As part of this operation a pipe pig was sent down the existing j-tube to ensure that it was clear of growth and properly prepared to receive the new pipeline.

Bottom Survey for Prototype Energy Project

Our work class ROV,the SAAB Seaeye Cougar,will be performing a video and acoustic survey of Admiralty Bay in preparation for a prototype kinetic hydro-power energy project. The survey goals include scouting an acceptable location for the turbine and a cable route to shore.

Robson Bight Salvage

Global Diving & Salvage,Inc. and Mammoet Salvage of Holland performed a highly technical deep-water recovery of a fuel-laden tanker trunk in the sensitive waters of the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve at the northern end of Vancouver Island,British Columbia. The reserve is considered critical habitat for the resident Orca (Killer Whale) populations along Canada’s west coast. The work was performed directly for the Ministry of Environment,British Columbia.

Working at a depth of 1,165ft using Global’s Cougar Work Class ROV,divers,and a specially engineered Deep Water Recovery Casing (DWRC),the team carefully and successfully recovered the sunken tanker truck laden with diesel fuel as well as a container containing assorted oils and hazardous materials from the sea floor. The operation was completed safely and with no additional impact to the environment. How it happened.

Hood Canal Bridge Replacement

We were contracted by Kiewit to provide diving and ROV services to route the 3-inch galvanized steel anchor wires through the new concrete anchor blocks that support the new east half of the bridge. The anchors are located in 60 to 380 feet of water. The new anchor wire was pulled through an anchor and connected to the bridge where the proper tension was achieved. Each leg of the two wires that attach to the anchor block has a tensile strength of over 1 million pounds. The anchors themselves weigh over 2 million pounds each. The project required the placement and connection of 20 anchors to secure the bridge in place.

Our divers connected the new anchor lines to the messenger lines that were in place and observed that the new wire,as it was pulled through,did not kink or get bound up. On the deeper anchors,the Cougar XT ROV was used. This vehicle,equipped with two five-function manipulators,was able to make the required connections and had enough power to stay on station during all but the heaviest currents.

Project Tag: Seaeye Cougar XT