Bottom Survey

Again, we launched our ROV and are busy with bottom surveys of the intended location where the moorings (16 pieces of almost 4000 m long) of the future platform will touch bottom. It means that our ROV dives to the bottom (2180 m deep) and follow a predefined track over the seafloor watching closely for debris or other obstacles. We have monitors on the bridge where we also can see what the ROV sees with her camera's. The ROV has a transmitting transponder on her back and that signal is received by our acoustic sensor. The signal is translated to a distance and bearing from our vessel on the surface. The only thing our DP computer has to do is to keep this bearing and distance the same at all times. This results in a prefect "follow sub mode". It means that wherever the ROV is swimming, the Bylgia will follow her.
ROV pilot is not an easy job, they have tons and tons of equipment and monitors to take care of. Flying underwater with an ROV is not easy, I'll make a picture of these guys in action tomorrow. The picture you see here shows our aft bridge up and running in the DP mode with our DP Operator taking care of the whole process.