Renewable Energy Project Complete
Renewable Energy Project Complete
Shearwater have completed their most recent renewable energy project.
Having installed four 2km marine cables at The Marine Energy Test Centre, Orkney,in 2003, Shearwater return to the site in July 2006 to recover and carry out maintenance work. Due to the heavy seas and wave conditions encountered on this site, the cable markers had come adrift and a replacement system was required to be installed as well as new cable ends to three of the cables. The fourth cable is currently being utilised by a wave energy company
The tried and tested team of Shearwater Marine and Winder Subsea once again assembled a reliable crew of divers, riggers, surveyors, ROV operators, cable jointers and workboats on July 24th. With and eight day window available; due to contractual commitments and weather windows, the operation had to be carried out efficiently, co-ordinated by the experienced Capt Paul Winder of Winder Subsea.
The operation was completed successfully and within the time schedule, with the team demobilising on Monday 31st July.
For each cable, the ROV and surveyors first located the cable ends, with co-ordinates available the workboat installed a four point mooring system and aligned the vessel over the cable ends. As the team were working at the end of the air range, a full recompression unit was secured on deck, the dive team lowered the diver in a basket, to the cable end (each time he was successfully lowered right on top of the cable in 48 to 50m of water ) the cable and clump weight were then winched to the surface and secured on deck.
Finally the cable was cut ,capped and a new recovery system secured before returning it to its seabed location.