UTEC Wraps Up Positioning Project in Alaska’s Cook Inlet

UTEC Survey, an Acteon company, has provided a positioning solution for the installation of a monopod liquid natural gas platform and 30km 10” LNG pipeline located in Alaska’s Cook Inlet.  

A total of 24 field personnel were mobilized and engaged with Coda Octopus for use of their Echoscope technology to provide positioning and survey services for five vessels.

According to UTEC, the project was the first monopod installation in the Cook Inlet for 25 years and was the first time that four Echoscope systems operated simultaneously. UTEC chose to use multiple Echoscopes in combination with measurements for completion of the installation.

Three Echoscopes were installed on the pipelay barge (one on the bow, one on the aft and one on the end of the stinger). This combination allowed monitoring of touchdown and pipe position in the stinger as well as identification of potential hazards on the route, UTEC explained.

Utilizing four Echoscopes simultaneously allowed the monopod to be seen as it was lowered to accurately position it onto a kingpile.

Commenting on the completion of the project, UTEC VP Sales and Commercial Doug Catenaci said: “Given the environmental challenges of this project, we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Being able to provide first-class, customer-driven solutions which maximize and stretch the potential of our technology for installation and construction challenges are what motivates UTEC and is the core of who we are.”

Blair Cunningham, Coda Octopus President of Technology, stated: “This was an exciting project. Working with UTEC to deploy four Echoscopes for concurrent operations in this harsh and complex environment not only allowed real time visualization and measurement in low visibility conditions, but also enabled the task to be done safely and within record time. The Echoscope technology allows service providers such as UTEC to deliver viable and efficient solutions to customers giving them an edge in these challenging times for the oil and gas industry.”