MMT has conducted seabed surveys for BKK Nett AS, Norway. This was the first time MMT used its Mohican ROV fully equipped for geophysical survey.
BKK Nett AS contracted MMT for seabed surveys that were conducted in October and November 2012. The 420 kV link between Modalen and Kollsnes is planned to be in operation within a few years with new subsea cables and overhead lines.
MMT´s part in this project is to produce a detailed design for the submarine cable-route between Modalen and Kollsnes via Mongstad. The result from these surveys will assist BKK´s development of the final route planning. The seabed survey was conducted in three Western Fjords in Norway: Hjeltefjorden, Lurefjord and Fensfjorden.
MMT used its 40 meter long state of the art survey vessel IceBeam for this operation. An extremely detailed 200 meter wide corridor for the cable was mapped. The steep fjords and high trafficked area presented no complications for MMT´s experienced and skilled crew and survey team.
This was the first time that MMT used its fully equipped Mohican ROV for detailed geophysical mapping and investigation. The Mohican ROV, a remote-controlled underwater vehicle, was equipped with multibeam, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiles and video cameras. In addition, MMT took geotechnical samples along the route with a vibrocorer, which is a type of drilling method. Based on the collected data MMT presented charts with seabed features and topography. The charts are used for planning and laying of the submarine cable.
The fully equipped Mohican ROV that was used for this survey was a success. The result was the same as using the equipment on a large work class ROV, but this is a much more cost effective solution for the client.
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December 3, 2012