Patent ID: 8154296

Claim:
A method of monitoring cathodic protection of an item receiving cathodic protection located underwater at an underwater hydrocarbon extraction facility from a topside facility located onshore on a vessel or rig, the facility further including a subsea electronics control module, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pair of first and second electrodes; electrically connecting the first electrode to an item requiring cathodic potection located underwater at an underwater hydrocarbon extraction facility; positioning the second electrode being in contact with water proximate the item; producing an electrical signal indicative of a cathodic protection level of the item; converting the signal into a communications format compatible with the subsea electronics control module; passing the converted signal to the subsea electronics module; transmitting the converted signal from the subsea electronics module to a surface location along a line within an umbilical cable; and determining the cathodic protection level of the item responsive to the converted siginal.