Sonomatic launches versatile subsea ultrasonic scanner

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Sonomatic, the market leader in the provision of advanced automated ultrasonic inspection services has developed the first remotely steerable ultrasonic scanner capable of deepwater operations.

Designed and developed by the company, the MAG-Rover is unique in its capability to carry out inspection for topsides, splash zones and subsea. The product has the ability to perform inspection in areas with restricted access both offshore and onshore, including structures, pipelines, caissons, pipe work, pressure vessels, columns and storage tanks. It can be remotely operated to great height onshore, without the need for scaffolding, and to great depth offshore, without relying on divers. Once deployed, the MAG-Rover can be remotely manoeuvred to the exact location where inspection will take place.

 Subsea Manager Ryan Phipps said, “The MAG-Rover’s greatest achievement is its versatility.  Our goal, when we designed the MAG-Rover, was that it would address the health and safety issues surrounding high risk inspection in difficult to access areas and could be used to inspect areas which are currently out of reach, such as in deepwater subsea fields and Splash Zone Inspections.” 

Sonomatic has been developing versatile ROV-operated technology for the past four years.  The company has a strong in-house design and development team whose expertise includes mechanical design, mechanical engineering analysis, electrical and electronic engineering, ultrasonic systems, software and ultrasonic modelling.

Ryan Phipps adds, “We work closely with many of the world’s major operators and the focus of our product development is always on approaches that add value to client operations through, for example, unique solutions to challenging inspection requirements, improved cost-benefit or providing more accurate and reliable information from the inspection.”

“The MAG-Rover addresses all of these issues and incorporates our latest developments in ultrasonic performance and signal processing algorithms. This provides exceptional accuracy and reliability of inspection information, allowing operators to make integrity management decisions that are more closely aligned to the actual condition of the equipment inspected.”

Sonomatic will complete its first contracts with the MAG-Rover in 2012.The scanner’s subsea capability will also be further strengthened this year, as it undergoes an upgrade to accommodate a 3000m depth rating, an advance on the current depth rating of 2000m.