2G Robotics laser systems used to create deep ocean surveys

2G Robotics has delivered two deep-rated ULS-500 subsea laser systems to Oceaneering International Inc.’s business unit, Oceaneering Survey Services, a provider of deepwater seafloor mapping and subsea surveys.

Including these two ULS-500 systems, Oceaneering now uses six of the ULS-500 systems with its autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) as part of its advanced survey and inspection services for assessing pipeline and flowline integrity for the oil and gas industry.

The ULS-500 deep-rated system. (Photo: 2G Robotics)

Oceaneering has been using the ULS-500 since 2013 to perform dynamic flowline and pipeline inspections with its AUVs, and most recently used the 2G Robotics ULS-500 system to inspect 2,500 kilometers of pipeline and flowline.

The ULS-500 can be used to perform high-quality stationary scans, but the system delivers greater operational value when integrated with subsea vehicles to perform dynamic scanning, 2G Robotics said. The ULS-500 is designed for dynamic scanning with development focused on subsea vehicle integration, high sample rates, and timing synchronization for efficient and accurate data acquisition.

The ULS-500 uses PPS (pulse per second) time synchronization because it provides better timing accuracy than a standard NTP (network time protocol) time synchronization approach, ensuring better data accuracy.

The 3D point cloud models generated by the ULS-500 provide Oceaneering with the detail needed to accurately assess pipelines and flowlines, and measure displacements and deformations.

(Center) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) used the ULS-500 to explore the Monohansett shipwreck site at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The ULS 500 captured detailed 3D models of the Monohansett at a range of approximately 3m to 5m. (Credit: 2G Robotics)