Autonomous Submersible Vehicles In Canadian Offshore Exploration
Authors: Muirhead M.J. 
Published: March 2010

The National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) is at present reviewing requirements for the development of advanced remote controlled submersible vehicle (RCSV) technology for resource extraction from the Canadian offshore.

This paper reviews the findings of Phase 1 of this study, outlines anticipated user needs of the oil, gas and mining industries, and discusses problems unique to Canadian offshore development.

Study participants during Phase I have been Petro-Canada Inc., International Submarine Engineering Ltd., Spar Aerospace, and Vadeko International. Mr. Muirhead who represented Petro-Canada on this study is now President of Western Subsea Technology Ltd. (Sidney, B. C.)

Introduction

During the past few years, both the petroleum and the mining industries in Canada have been in a survival mode. What may have worked in the past will probably not generate sufficient economic return in the future in light of both leaner economic times and the need for application of new technologies to meet old problems. New technologies are being driven by recent advances in computers, robotics, micro-electronics, etc. To this extent, the key watchword for the future will be "smarter" not "harder". And nowhere will this be more significant than in the methods by which the large resource base is to be extracted from the Canadian offshore.

Is industry and government prepared to (a) consolidate Canada's position as a leader in worldwide subsea technology or to (b) let other countries develop what they perceive will meet our demanding offshore requirements. Hopefully, the answer in both cases will be "yes". It would be naive to think that worldwide offshore technologies will not be significant in Canadian development. However, the challenge remains for Canada to develop its unique needs from innovative advances.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) and the Canada Oil and Gas Lands Administration (COGLA) have recently funded the first phase of a study to identify long-term needs for resource extraction technologies for the Canadian offshore. The time frame for technology development is from 1990 on. This study will focus on the development of untethered autonomous remote controlled submersible vehicles (RCSV).

Study Mandate

The mandate of Phase 1 of the RCSV study was to determine the long-term user needs of offshore oil, gas and mining industries in Canada as to what new autonomous vehicle technologies will meet the unique demands for future resource extraction from the Canadian offshore. It is essential that both Canadian and international technologies be identified well in advance to meet the specific requirements. Otherwise, certain field development scenarios will be considered to be beyond the state-of-the- art once economic thresholds have been established. Emphasis during this study has been upon the synergism of existing technologies.

The small but highly competent Canadian sector of the worldwide offshore service market is well positioned to focus on the needs for development of new RCSV technologies. This grouping of technologies, as shown in Figure I, includes Canadian companies and organizations with international expertise in the areas of remote-operated vehicles, manipulators and robotics, subsea wellheads, submarine transportation, subsea power, artificial intelligence, etc.