Rov deployed power buoy system

<u>BACKGROUND</u>

0001An example of a known power buoy system is disclosed in <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="US2017271911A1"><text>US 2017/271911 A1</text></patcit>.

0002Buoys, which may house power and/or communications, and remotely operated vehicles (ROV) are typically deployed as two different operations and the systems connected subsea by a separate ROV. There is often a need for one or more additional ROVs to assist during installation and retrieval. This can lead to time consuming and costly installation and retrieval.

<u>FIGURES</u>

0003Various figures are included herein which illustrate aspects of embodiments of the disclosed inventions. <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system once deployed;</li><li><figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1A</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary surface buoy with dual receivers;</li><li><figref idref="f0002"><b>Fig. 2</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system being deployed but still above the water;</li><li><figref idref="f0002"><b>Fig. 3</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system being deployed partially into the sea;</li><li><figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 4</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system being deployed proximate a seabed;</li><li><figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 5</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system being deployed with its ROV exiting from its cage;</li><li><figref idref="f0004"><b>Fig. 6</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system with floats being attached;</li><li><figref idref="f0004"><b>Fig. 7</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system with floats attached;</li><li><figref idref="f0005"><b>Fig. 8</b></figref> is a schematic view of an exemplary system with floats attached and umbilical positioned; and</li><li><figref idref="f0005 f0006 f0007"><b>Figs. 9-13</b></figref> are schematic views of a deployed exemplary system being retrieved back to a vessel.</li></ul>

<u>DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS</u>

0004In a first embodiment, referring generally to <figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref>, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) deployed power buoy system 1 comprises remotely operated vehicle (ROV) cage 10; buoy container 12 connected to ROV cage 10; one or more surface buoys 20 selectively releasably disposed at least partially within one or more buoy containers 12, each surface buoy 20 typically comprising electrical power generator 30 disposed at least partially within surface buoy 20; and umbilical 40 operatively disposed intermediate surface buoy 20 and ROV cage 10.

0005Surface buoys 20 typically comprise an internal winch or hoist 23 operative to aid in deploying umbilical 40, e.g. allowing umbilical 40 to be played out, tensioned, and/or retrieved.

0006In certain embodiments, one or more buoy sensors 22 may be present. Buoy sensor 22 may comprise one or more buoy position sensors adapted to create monitoring information about surface buoy 20 such as buoy position and behavior.

0007Electrical power generator 30 may comprise battery 31 and battery management system 32 operatively in communication with battery 31. Electrical power may be provided to electrical power 30 via electrical power source 33 which may comprise solar panels, wind turbines, fueled generators, wave power generators, or the like, or a combination thereof.

0008Typically, umbilical 40, which may comprise a power conduit and/or a data pathway which can be metal and/or fiber optics as will be familiar to those of ordinary skill in subsea umbilical arts, comprises first connector 41 operatively in communication with electrical power generator 30 and second connector 42 adapted to be connected and to provide electrical power to ROV 100 from electrical power generator 30 such as via second umbilical 45. As used herein ROV 100 may comprise a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a hybrid system, a docking station, vehicle and non-vehicle system, or the like, or a combination thereof.

0009In embodiments, ROV deployed power buoy system 1 further comprises one or more data communicators 50 disposed at least partially within surface buoy 20 and operatively connected to umbilical 40 and its associated electrical power generator 30. Data communicator 50 main comprise a receiver, transmitter, or a transceiver.

0010In embodiments where data communicator 50 comprises a plurality of transceivers and referring additionally to <figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1A</b></figref><b>,</b> data communicator 50 can comprise first transceiver 51; first antenna 52 disposed at least partially within surface buoy 20 and operatively in communication with first transceiver 51; second transceiver 53; and second antenna 54 operatively in communication with second transceiver 53 and disposed at least partially externally to surface buoy 20. Second antenna 54 may be a selectively extendable antenna. In addition, data logger 55 may be present and in communication with at least one of first transceiver 51 or second transceiver 53. If buoy sensor 22 is present, data logger 55 may be adapted to receive monitoring information about surface buoy 20 from buoy sensor 22 and communicate the monitoring information to an external data receiver.

0011Data logger 55 may further comprise controller 56 which may be adapted to communicate with battery management system 32 to switch ROV deployed power buoy system 1 power on or off or otherwise manage electrical power, e.g. condition the power such as for surges and/or convert or otherwise transform the power from one form into another such as from AC to DC or DC to AC. Controller 56 is typically operatively in communication with ROV 100, if ROV 100 is present, via the data pathway of umbilical 40 and/or second umbilical 45 (<figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 5</b></figref>)<b>.</b>

0012In certain embodiments, surface buoy 20 comprises buoy presence indicator 21, which can be a solidly lit light, a flashing light, a radar reflective surface, or the like, or a combination thereof.

0013ROV deployed power buoy system 1 may further comprise one or more video devices 80 disposed on a portion of surface buoy 20 where at least a portion of video device 80 is exposed to air above a surface of the water. One or more such video devices 80 are typically operatively in communication with data communicator 50.

0014Referring to <figref idref="f0002"><b>Fig. 2</b></figref>, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) power system 2 comprises vessel 200; winch 201 disposed at a predetermined portion of vessel 200; and ROV deployed power buoy system 1 connected to winch 201, where ROV deployed power buoy system 1 is as described above. ROV deployed power buoy system 1 and ROV 100, if present, may be transported and deployed as one unit.

0015<b>In the operation of exemplary methods,</b> installation of ROV deployed power buoy system 1 typically requires less resources and is less time consuming than current methods and can be resident or long deployment installations. Referring to <figref idref="f0002 f0003 f0004 f0005 f0006 f0007"><b>Figs. 2-12</b></figref><b>,</b> ROV power system 2, which is as described above, may be deployed by deploying its associated ROV deployed power buoy system 1 into a body of water from vessel 200 and allowing buoy container 12 and its associated surface buoy 20 to pivot from an initial position to a predetermined position relative to the body of water and/or buoy container 12. In embodiments, buoy container 12 is disposed initially in a substantially horizontal position relative to an upper portion of ROV cage 10 and pivots to a substantially vertical position relative to the upper portion of ROV cage 10 upon deployment into the body of water.

0016ROV cage 10 is lowered to a predetermined depth in the body of water while allowing surface buoy 20 to remain at the surface of the body of water and remain attached to ROV cage 20 via umbilical 40. To do so, remotely operated vehicle power system 2 is typically connected to winch 201 which is used to lower ROV deployed power buoy system 1 to the predetermined depth in the body of water.

0017Once lowered to the predetermined depth, ROV cage 10 is typically disconnected from vessel 100 and ROV deployed power buoy system 1 released from vessel 100. Electrical power may be then provided by electrical power source 33 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref>) through, e.g., battery 31 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig.</b> 1</figref>) and/or battery management system 32 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref>), via umbilical 40 and, if present, second umbilical 45 (<figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 5</b></figref>).

0018In embodiments, surface buoy 20 is released from its associated buoy container 12 after ROV deployed power buoy system 1 has been deployed to the predetermined depth in the body of water.

0019In certain embodiments, ROV 100 is positioned, e.g. parked, in ROV cage 10 prior to deployment of ROV deployed power buoy system 1 and deployed from ROV cage 10 when the ROV deployed power buoy system 1 has been lowered to the predetermined depth in the body of water. Electrical power may be supplied to ROV 100 from electrical power generator 30 via umbilical 40 and, if present, second umbilical 45 (<figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 5</b></figref>).

0020In embodiments where remotely operated vehicle power system 2 further comprises buoy sensor 22 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref>) and data logger 55 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1A</b></figref>) as described above, buoy sensor 22 may be used to receive monitoring information about surface buoy 20 from buoy sensor 21 and that information communicated to an external data receiver. Via the monitoring information, equipment integrity and functionality can be queried and verified.

0021Where umbilical 40 further comprises a data pathway, data logger 55 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1A</b></figref>) may further comprise controller 56 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1A</b></figref>) operatively in communication with ROV 100 via the data pathway and, if present, a similar data pathway in umbilical 41 (<figref idref="f0003"><b>Fig. 5</b></figref>). In these embodiments, one or more commands may be received to effect an ROV function from a location remote to ROV 100 via data communicator 50 (<figref idref="f0001"><b>Fig. 1</b></figref>) and passed on to controller 56 which can then perform one or more actions, or cause the actions to occur, which effect the ROV function using the received command, e.g. navigate or perform a subsea function.

0022ROV deployed power buoy system 1 may be retrieved, e.g. back to vessel 1, when so desired. When retrieved, ROV cage 10 is typically connected to vessel 200, such as using winch 201, and retrieved to the surface of the body of water. Buoy container 12 may be allowed to return to its initial position, e.g. a substantially horizontal position relative to the upper portion of ROV cage 10, upon retrieval of ROV deployed power buoy system 1 to vessel 200.

0023In certain embodiments, one or more floats 110 (<figref idref="f0004"><b>Fig. 6</b></figref>) may be attached to umbilical 40, such as by using ROV 100, which may then be positioned into a predetermined shape using attached floats 110 (<figref idref="f0005"><b>Fig. 8</b></figref>). Where floats 110 are attached, floats 110 may be removed when ROV deployed power buoy system 1 is to be retrieved, again such as by ROV 100.

0024The foregoing disclosure and description of the inventions are illustrative and explanatory. Various changes in the size, shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrative construction and/or an illustrative method may be made without departing from the invention as disclosed by the claims.