{"id":22147,"date":"2026-04-27T08:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T06:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.h2o-drones.com\/?p=22147"},"modified":"2026-04-07T11:47:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T09:47:50","slug":"offshore-riser-inspections-with-an-underwater-rov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.h2o-drones.com\/en\/nieuws-en\/the-work-field\/offshore-riser-inspections-with-an-underwater-rov\/","title":{"rendered":"Offshore Riser Inspections with an Underwater ROV"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are becoming indispensable tools in offshore operations, providing vital capabilities for underwater inspections, surveys, and maintenance. These underwater robots are particularly valuable for common offshore jobs such as riser inspections, where operational conditions often present significant challenges.<\/p>\n

In this case study, we examine how Deep Trekker’s PIVOT underwater ROV was successfully and effectively utilized by\u00a0Orion Inspection and Consulting Services<\/a>\u00a0for riser inspections in offshore environments, offering insights into the advantages of using advanced underwater robotics for such critical tasks.<\/p>\n

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Riser Inspections in Offshore Environments: Challenges and Requirements<\/h2>\n

Flexible risers are crucial components in offshore platforms, used for transporting oil and gas from subsea wells to the surface, as well as re-injecting water and gas. These structures are subjected to harsh conditions such as extreme weather, corrosion, and the presence of strong currents.<\/p>\n

Conducting thorough and accurate inspections of risers and accessories such as bell mouth, bend stiffener, and others, is essential for ensuring their integrity and minimizing operational downtime. However, riser inspections are often complicated by environmental factors, such as wave swells and underwater currents, which can hinder traditional inspection methods, and make diver-based approaches difficult or impossible.<\/p>\n

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The PIVOT ROV: A Solution to Challenging Offshore Conditions<\/h2>\n

Deep Trekker’s PIVOT ROV was chosen for a riser inspection operation on a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit in October \/ November 2022. This operation required the vehicle to navigate the challenging “splash zone” – the area where waves and swells create turbulence. Unlike other smaller ROVs that had previously struggled to pass through these waves, or the larger work class models that cannot operate within that zone, the PIVOT was able to break through the surface swell and reach the production risers without difficulty.<\/p>\n