The Application of Underwater TV and Video Tape Recording in Supervising and Documenting Offshore Operations

ABSTRACT This paper deals principally with the application of underwater television and video recordings applied to the underwater operations of drilling and inspecting. The approach to workover operations is also touched upon. The emphasis of the paper is centered around the value of documenting underwater operations. The method of applying the documentary techniques in conjunction with the use of floating drilling rigs, divers, and submersibles is discussed. Factors to consider in the selection and utilization of underwater television and photographic equipment are briefly discussed. UNDERWATER DRILLING Underwater drilling has been going on for almost a decade now. Such a drilling operation can be performed from almost any type offshore rig especially if the water depth remains less than 150'. At present underwater drilling in water depths of 300' or more requires the use of very large floaters. The semi-submersible rigs are one type that have proved quite effective. The available number of such rigs is relatively small at present, numbering less than one hundred. This factor has contributed to the scarcity of deep water drilling. In addition to this, the need versus expense of very deep water drilling has made such drilling far from routine. However, improvements in technology and logistics should make deep water drilling a more common occurrence in the near future. This, or course, will be dictated by market needs and field potentials. At any rate, the consensus seems to indicate that drilling in 300' or more of water will eventually become routine practice. An invaluable tool for this type of drilling is underwater TV. The placement of the wellhead assembly, the running of the casing, the positioning of the casing hanger, the connecting of the BOP stack, the running of the kill-lines and many other facets of the drilling operation canall be aided by the use of underwater TV. At present, most of these procedures are done by guide lines and "feel". The use of underwater TV adds the element of sight. The added feature of Its "sight" means increased efficiency. Efficiency means savings in rig time and this means money saved. Semi-submersible rigs range in price from $500/hour to $700/hour. At this rate, if the use of underwater TV can save 2 hours per month then the TV has more than paid its way on a month-to-month rental. When you consider that there are 720 hours in a 30-day month, this means that 2 of these hours is about one-fourth of one percent of the total time. From an economic investment point of view it is reasonable to assume that the proper USE of UTV will always save more than this amount of operating time. Many people are aware of the economic value of utilizing UTV in drilling operations and are in fact taking advantage of the technique. However, one vital aspect of using UTV in drilling operations has been greatly neg1ected. This is the aspect of documenting the operation by use of video type.