Overview of Procedures and Capabilities of Offshore Subsea Engineering

The subsea engineering is a wide and exciting industry whose possibilities are continuing to increase alongside the advancement of underwater technology. Subsea engineering ranges in scope and complexity depending on the needs of the client or research team, but encompasses projects in the marine monitoring, oceanography, subsea mining, gas and oil, telecommunications and underwater robotics fields, to name a few. For those unfamiliar with offshore subsea engineering (such as myself), getting a full handle on how this engineering works can be daunting. How exactly does one develop a complex undersea technology system and maintain that system through subsea developmental testing and evaluation? This quick guide will hopefully bring some of the basics of subsea engineering processes and capabilities to light.

As a multidisciplinary field, subsea engineering often refers to the installation and maintenance of undersea cables and the recovery of oil and gases from deepsea marine wells. Within the category of both onshore and offshore subsea engineering is the procurement of all subsea technological hardware. These hardware include control panels, pipelines, umbilicals (referring to cords), and feedback device feedback to undersea monitoring facilities. Subsea engineering presents the challenge of overseeing countless moving human and technological parts expected to perform consistently over the course of many years.

Professional subsea engineers have a number of advanced technological responsibilities. They must design, assemble and install subsea customized hardware. To do so, engineers create detailed models of these systems’ parts which take into account inclement weather and tides. Offshore environments can be particularly harsh on subsea hardware, and teams must make sure technological systems can perform while being remotely handled and monitored from great distances away. On the human side, subsea engineers must also manage subsea projects alongside other engineering and maintenance professionals, executing coordinated project proposals and adapting to the needs of the team during the process.

The Developmental Process of Subsea Offshore Engineering Projects

Depending on his or her role within a team, subsea engineers must begin a project from its development phase. Once a concept has been established by a client or engineer, an engineer must produce workshop drawings and implement the project’s fabrication through verification tests at the factory level to the completion of the commission.

So what falls within the exhaustive umbrella of subsea engineering? Some projects include deepwater subsea tie-back and flowline installation, the production of I- and J-tube clamp systems, the remediation of flawed pipelines, steel catenary riser (SCR) tie-in installation,

manned diving, plug and abandonment of subsea trees and infrastructure (P&A) and monitoring of deepsea pipeline hot taps.

A key responsibility which falls to engineers of deepsea offshore projects is also subsea developmental testing and evaluation.

What are Subsea Developmental Testing and Evaluation Processes?

Long-term feasibility represents an enormous challenge and responsibility of subsea-engineered hardware and the engineers involved. Engineers must handle the inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) as well as the cleaning of subsea systems. Engineers must handle integrity management and subsea inspection, processes with technical protocols, as well as flowlining testing and an associated process called "pigging."

Subsea developmental testing and evaluation often follows the protocol of Test & Evaluation (T&E) Management. These tests include ASTM, non-metallic material, hydrostatic pressure, offshore product, pipeline integrity, marine services, structural testing and evaluation, and finally ocean simulation tests.

Whether you are completely new to the field or technically versed, you can always seek guidance by partnering with a company in the offshore subsea engineering field.

Karen Page a Blogger and Writer with more than 7 year experience in multiple business industries.