The Advent of the Autonomous Submarine Work Base

Author

Muirhead, Michael J A

Author_Institution

Horton Maritime Explorations Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada

fYear

1980

fDate

8-10 Sept. 1980

Firstpage

297

Lastpage

303

Abstract

Reasons leading up to the introduction of the commercial submarine into the offshore market place; difference between the autonomous submarine and surface supported submersibles; platform stability and power requirements; life support and payload capability. Description of the 28.5m, 168 tonne submarine AUGUSTE PICCARD with reference to geophysical investigations off the coasts of B.C. and Southern California; utilization of high resolution subbottom profiling; side scan sonar; precision echo sounding; long baseline acoustic navigation; and computer interface. Description of the second generation autonomous submarine ARGYRONETE; the subsea work base concept; manned subsea intervention to 1,000 feet; pipeline re pair, wellhead, and subsea completion activity. Future developments in autonomous submarine technology during the 1980´s; the BEN FRANKLIN; interface with wellhead cellars; ocean mining exploration.

Keywords

autonomous underwater vehicles; oceanographic techniques; underwater sound; acoustic navigation; autonomous submarine work base; computer interface; echo sounding; high resolution subbottom profiling; manned subsea intervention; ocean mining exploration; offshore market place; payload capability; pipeline repair; side scan sonar; subsea completion activity; subsea work base concept; Atmosphere; Batteries; Gravity; History; Oceans; Petroleum industry; Power system reliability; Production; Sea surface; Underwater vehicles;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

OCEANS '80

Conference_Location

Seattle, WA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/OCEANS.1980.1151424

Filename

1151424