Deployment of a High-speed Wireless Underwater Communication System Reduces Risk and Improves Speed in Subsea Manifold Installations

April 23, 2020 Hydromea

Hydromea’s LUMA, a wireless high-speed underwater communication system, was successfully deployed by a leading subsea operator, during a subsea manifold installation project in the North Sea in November 2018. LUMA was integrated with Ashtead Technology’s AMS+ (Autonomous Monitoring System) to deliver fast and reliable remote communication of heading, pitch, roll and other essential data in real-time via a work class ROV to the construction vessel.

Typically, wideband acoustics can provide a 5-second data update. With the LUMA optical modem, the client obtained reliable data updates every 0.5 seconds without delay in what was deemed poor visibility by the ROV operators. Under these conditions, reliable data throughput was achieved with the WROV monitoring from a distance of 3.5 meters from the AMS+ sensor package

''Conventionally underwater displays and/or acoustic modems are used to acquire the data from the AMS+. With the integration of the Hydromea LUMA wireless optical modem, the data rate, immediate response and reliability of communication were significantly improved over acoustics.
This project has proven that Hydromea’s LUMA wireless optical modems integrated with Ashtead’s data management systems can reduce risk and add value on many subsea monitoring applications where real time data access is critical across subsea construction and life of asset support operation.'' - Ross McLeod, Technical Director, Ashtead Technology

Founded in 2014, Hydromea is a Swiss-based technology company delivering solutions that allow customers to have near real-time high-speed and high-volume data access in the subsea environment. Hydromea’s unique expertise lies in three complimentary underwater technology areas: wireless communication networking, robotics and navigation.