Ecosse IP Demos Its Subsea Lifting Tech

Ecosse IP (EIP) recently held an industry showcase to demonstrate the capability of its Ambient Lifter subsea and decommissioning solution, in a two-day event held in Fraserburgh.

EIP, a subsea tools and technology developer based in Aberdeenshire, welcomed representatives from across the industry, including the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) which is jointly funding the field trial in order to develop new solutions that will reduce subsea installation and decommissioning costs.

Ambient Lifter was designed for the offshore sector, providing a cost-effective and viable solution for lifting subsea assets.  The field trial demonstrated the technology’s buoyancy capability in partnership with Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), which allows the technology to lift 200 times its current capability.

This could potentially replace the need for heavy-lift vessels and improve safety by removing the need for subsea divers.  Furthermore, it could reduce costly offshore waiting times as the system can operate in challenging sea conditions.

Mike Wilson, Ecosse IP, said: “The 10Te Ambient Lifter, using either an ROV or an AUV, will free swim with over 200 times the weight of a conventional ROV, which is limited to about 50kg.  The ability of lifting 10,000kg opens up the scope of subsea construction, subsea salvage and applications that no one has even thought about yet.

“We’re grateful to our project partners, including Oceaneering and the OGTC, who have supported us in delivering this project so far, including our field trials this week.”

Susi Wiseman, project manager for the OGTC, added: “This project has the potential to reduce subsea decommissioning costs by up to 40%, worth nearly £35 million over the next decade. We’re delighted to support EIP in delivering this technology solution that will reduce costs, particularly in decommissioning, which remains a major focus for Operators in maturing North Sea basin.”

The Ambient Lifter is both configurable and scalable to support a range of lifts from 10Te to over 24,000Te.

EIP said it is currently in discussion with several operators on many upcoming decommissioning and subsea projects which require engineering expertise to resolve subsea lift challenges.