Developments in Acoustic Subsea Control and
Monitoring for the Drilling Industry
Lindsay MacDonald
Director of Technology
NAUTRONIX
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Presentation Overview
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Advances in Acoustic Technology
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Signalling
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Hardware
Applications of Digital Acoustics
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Current
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Emerging
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Future
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System Performance and Field Data
•
Summary
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Industry Perceptions
• Hydro-acoustic Systems:
•
NOT Reliable
•
NOT Secure
•
SHORT Range communications
•
NOT for Critical Systems
– Drilling
– Production
– Intervention
•
NOT a System Solution
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Signalling
Basic Tonal Systems (Analogue)
- Limited processing power required
- Susceptible to noise and multipath
Digital Techniques (FSK, CHIRP)
- Greater processing power required
- Better performance & accuracy
Advanced Digital Techniques (Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum)
- Even more processing power required
- Considerable improvement in
performance & accuracy
- Nautronix variant known as Acoustic
Digital Spread Spectrum (ADS2)
Tonal
Pulse Signal
Carrier
CHIRP
Pulse Signal
Spread
Spectrum
Signal
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Signalling
• Carrier Frequency is modulated with
a pseudo random noise sequence
• Modulation employs a combination of
techniques
• More data is transmitted than
traditional signalling techniques
• Spreading code – send 10101011 /
11100010 instead of 1 / 0
• Match received signal with the two
possible sequences to find the best
match
Data
Signal
Carrier
(e.g. 10
kHz sine
wave)
Pseudorandom
Noise
Spread
Spectrum
Signal
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Signalling
Spreading code phonetic analogy:
•
NATO phonetic alphabet
–
–
–
–
–
–
‘Bravo’ instead of ‘B’, ‘Foxtrot’ instead of ‘F’
Symbols chosen to ‘sound maximally different’
High noise tolerance from inherent error correction
Human ‘receiver’ trained to listen for one of 26 words
‘foxtrot’ is only likely correlation for ‘oxtro’
Can operate successfully with signal buried in noise
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Signalling
ADS2 Signalling Techniques
ADS2 Benefits Over Traditional Signalling
Techniques
• Quadrature modulation/correlation
• Improved Accuracy for positioning systems
• Unique M-sequence spreading codes for
signal integrity
• Improved robustness of telemetry for control
and monitoring
• Matched filter output energy is concentrated • Ideal for both shallow and deep water
in a interval much smaller than pulse duration applications
(pulse compression)
• Highly robust in multipath environments
• Low frequency (centred around 10 kHz)
enables maximum range to be achieved
• Reduced interference
• Payload data rates are kept low, as majority
of data rate is used to ensure integrity.
• Improved range capability
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Hardware
•
ADS2 provides a reliable and robust through water signalling capability. To
apply this to critical applications requires significantly robust system hardware
General Changes to Traditional Acoustic
Hardware
Statuary and Standards Requirements
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Corrosion resistant housings
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Testable dual O-Rings on all housing seals •
& cable connections (API16D)
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PBOF cable between all subsea
components (API17E)
•
Petrobras, Drilling Rig Unities GTD
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Dual redundant components, throughout the •
acoustic system (surface and subsea)
•
Each subsea acoustic device has a unique
ID
RP53 (S53) Standard for Blowout Prevention
Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells, Digital
acoustics are being stated as a backup
option
•
•
•
NORSOK, D-001 Drilling Facilities
API16D and 17E Specification for Control
Systems for Drilling Well Control Equipment
Type testing approval of systems
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Advances in Acoustic Technology: Hardware
• Critical acoustic systems have evolved from a basic construction, with
various single point failures, to robust dual redundant hardware
designed to meet the demands of the most challenging applications:
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Current Applications of Digital
Acoustics
Robust ADS2 signalling and hardware currently in use for positioning, control and monitoring
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Current Applications of Digital Acoustics
Industry Need
Primary method of positioning
Vessels/ROVs/Risers/Subsea Assets
Application Shown
Positioning of ROV
Acoustic Solution
Broadcast Long Base Line
Technology Advantages •
•
•
•
•
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Long Range
High Accuracy
Multiuser
High Signal Integrity
High Position Update Rate (1Hz)
Positioning capability throughout the entire water
column
Technology Acceptance Acoustics has been used for many years as the
standard method of positioning vessels, vehicles
and equipment underwater
Other widely used acoustic configurations include
Long Base Line (LBL), Short Base Line (SBL) and
Ultra Short Base Line (USBL)
The exact configuration required is dependant on
accuracy and redundancy requirements
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Current Applications of Digital Acoustics
Industry Need
Secondary control of BOP Emergency Functions in
conjunction with standard MUX
Application
Shown
• Secondary Communications to AVP
• To perform ‘Close’ functions and EDS
• Sensor integration i.e. Accumulator pressure
Technology
Advantages
•
•
•
•
Technology
Acceptance
Widely used as emergency/secondary BOP control:
Enables alternative/backup BOP control method
Enables remote BOP control
Long Range
High Signal Integrity
Rowan Companies – HHI 2559, 2560, 2563
Noble Drilling – HHI 2505, 2506, 2507, 2508
Ensco – ENSCO 7500, 8504, 8506
Odfjell Drilling – Deepsea Metro I and II
Diamond Offshore – Ocean Clipper, Brazil
* The above examples all utilise the Nautronix
NASBOP/NASeBOP system – other BOP control
solutions are available
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Current Applications of Digital Acoustics
Industry Need
Primary or Secondary Control of a ESG Device
Application Shown • Primary or Secondary Communications to ESG
• To perform ‘Close’ functions and EDS
• Sensor Integration i.e. Accumulator Pressure
Technology
Advantages
• Provides primary control of an Environmental Safe
Guard Device (ESG)
• No requirement for a control umbilical
• Enables control from multiple locations via integrated
and portable control equipment
• Long Range
• High Signal Integrity
Technology
Acceptance
Applied to various drilling operations:
Murphy – Azurite FDPSO, Congo (Primary System)
Shell – Stena Tay, Brazil and Egypt (Primary System)
Ophir – Deep Venture, West Africa
* The above examples all utilise the Nautronix
NASBOP/NASeBOP system – other BOP control
solutions are available
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System Performance and Field
Data of Digital Acoustics
Robust ADS2 signalling and hardware systems now being supplied to industry
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NASeBOP Performance During Use (Brazil)
•
Operated successfully in Brazil in 2,926 msw (9,600 feet)
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Downlink Source Level
182 dB
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Uplink Source Level
187 dB
•
Operated with existing Kongsberg HiPAP 500 (at 203 dB, i.e. 40 times
louder than the NASBOP uplink and 128 times louder than the
NASBOP downlink) without compatibility or interference issues
15
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NASBOP Acoustic Analyses During Drilling
•
The following slides show analyses data recorded during drilling of four
wells by one of the platforms on the previous slide
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Wells 1, 2 and 3 were drilled using both acoustic and auxiliary modem
(umbilical)
•
For well 4, the customer opted to run using acoustic primary
communications only, without deploying the umbilical for auxiliary modem
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NASBOP Analyses of Wells A, B, C & D
TRANSMISSIONS USING NAUTRONIX ACOUSTIC NASBOP SYSTEM
Well
Depth Duration
(metres) (days)
Transmissions (%)
Acoustic
Rx OK
Retry Retry Retry Retry
1
2
3
4
Total
Transmissions
Failed
Overall
Success
A
1,434
7
97.5
2.06
0.21
0.16
0
0.05
1,895
99.93%
B
1,691
10
98
1.8
0.1
0.03
0.06
0
3,134
100%
C
1,715
13
94.28
2.74
0.64
0.46
0.21
1.66
3,902
98.33%
D
1,545
5
96.12
2.38
0.13
0.16
0.16
1.04
3,070
98.95%
TRANSMISSIONS USING CUSTOMER PROVIDED UMBILICAL (Hard Wired) SYSTEM
Transmissions (%)
Depth
(metres)
Duration
(days)
A
1,434
7
95.7
4.27
0.02
0.02
0
0
12,931
100%
B
1,691
10
96.56
3.42
0
0.02
0
0
20,702
100%
C
1,715
13
96.74
3.23
0.02
0.01
0
0.01
25,133
99.99%
Well
D
Modem
Rx OK
Retry Retry Retry Retry
1
2
3
4
Failed
Total
Overall Success
Transmissions
The hard wired modem could not used during this well (umbilical failure)
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0%
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NASBOP Analyses of Wells A, B, C & D
•
During the 4 well campaign the Acoustic System had an average
success rate of 99.3% over 12,001 transmissions
•
During the 3 of 4 well campaign the “Hard Wired System” had an
average success rate of 100% over 58,766 transmissions
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During the 4th well the umbilical failed
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The customer opted to continue with the fourth well following an
umbilical failure (Acoustics as the primary / only available system)
•
Proof acoustic systems offer a reliable back-up to standard MUX
cables.
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Emerging/Future Applications of
Digital Acoustics
Robust ADS2 signalling and hardware systems now being supplied to industry
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Emerging Applications of Digital Acoustics
Industry Need
Primary Control of a Capping Stack
Application Shown
• Open and Close Functions
• Multiple sensor integration, i.e. Pressure
and Temperature
Technology
Advantages
• Provides primary control of a Capping
Stack
• No requirement for a control umbilical
• Enables control from multiple locations
via portable control equipment
• Long Range
• High Signal Integrity
Technology
Acceptance
Being specified for various capping stack
solutions – installed acoustic systems on
capping stacks likely in the next 12
months.
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Future Applications of Digital Acoustics
Stand alone systems will continue to increase in
capability…
Industry Need
Primary control of complete BOP
Application Shown
•
•
•
•
•
Technology
Advantages
• Elimination of downtime caused by umbilical
damage
• In an emergency situation, backup is preinstalled
• Reduction of umbilical's and reels (cost &
handling)
• Reduction in deck space requirement
• Redundant control and monitoring path to
BOP
Technology
Acceptance
Development will follow DNV-RP-A203,
Qualification of New Technology
NASMUX – Acoustic Primary Control of BOP
128 Functions and digital status signals
60 analogue readings
Augment the traditional control umbilical
Retain the existing surface and subsea units
– purely provide a surface to subsea link
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Industry Collaboration
SWiG: Technology Providers, Service Companies and Operators Working Together
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Industry Working Group - SWiG
Subsea Wireless Group (SWiG)
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•
•
•
•
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Covers underwater wireless technologies (Acoustics, Radio & Free Space
Optics)
To raise industry awareness and acceptance of through water communications
Encourage the integration of through water communication technologies
Promote best practices across industry
Promote knowledge transfer across industry
http://www.subseawirelessgroup.com/
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Summary
•
Continued development of acoustic systems has dramatically improved
the performance and reliability – both in terms of the signalling and
available hardware
•
Acoustic systems are proven and relied upon for critical applications
•
Advanced digital acoustic systems offer a real alternative/supporting
technology to standard MUX cables.
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The development of robust acoustic networks will open new possibilities
for wireless control, monitoring and positioning systems
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Industry collaborating through working groups, to develop, prove and
promote wireless solutions for now and the future
Thank you for your time
Questions?
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