The first ever deployment of a SunStation CP critical monitoring system pre-installed onto a subsea tree was successfully interrogated last month by an Oceaneering Millennium ROV. The unit displays the cathodic protection potentials from permanent reference electrodes installed at two critical locations on a wet tree deployed to 4,300 FSW in the Gulf of Mexico (1,300 meters).
The SunStation performed well in its first real test on a new deep water structure. The patented technology uses integrated solar panels to power the system from the lights on the ROV. This allows a direct readout of the cathodic protection levels on critical components in the tree without having to have an ROV interfaced probe.
The SunStation system has been used on several other projects but this is the deepest deployment.
Chief executive Jim Britton : “This is a critical milestone in the development of this technology which will eventually allow AUV surveillance of subsea CP systems. We have valuable field lessons learned to move this project forward another step. Watch this space.”
[mappress] Source: , August 11, 2011; Image: