Press Releases
SeaView Systems performs Australia's longest tunnel penetration
June 2009
Queensland, Australia.SeaView Systems, on subcontract to ROV Downunder have successfully completed as-built investigations of the intake and outlet tunnels at the Gold Coast desalination plant in Queensland, Australia. The plant was constructed by the Gold Coast Desalination Alliance (GCDA) for WaterSecure, the Queensland Government authority responsible for the supply of desalinated water to the South East Queensland Water Grid. GCDA comprises John Holland, Veolia Water, Sinclair Knight Merz and Cardno. While John Holland was principal contractor for the construction, Veolia Water Australia will take primary responsibility for the operation of the plant.
Based in Michigan, USA, SeaView Systems air freighted their modified Falcon DR, an umbilical winch and peripheral equipment to Australia to investigate the 2.2 kilometre intake tunnel and the 2 kilometre outlet tunnel. While it is believed that these were the longest ROV tunnel penetrations that have been undertaken in Australia, SeaView Systems have performed tunnel penetrations at distances in excess of three kilometres in the USA and Canada . Initially the investigations were performed from onshore, with GCDA requesting an additional investigation of the offshore structures. GCDA chose SeaView Systems' 3D Pipewalk report to complement the supplied written report.
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January 30, 2007 SeaView Systems co-presents paper at Underwater Intervention 2007: "Remotely Operated Vehicles for Restricted Access Hydro-graphic Surveys"
This is a long article which is best downloaded
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February 18, 2004 SeaView Systems presents paper at Underwater Intervention 2004: "Technical and Operational Considerations for Long Distance Pipeline Inspection"
This is a long article which is best downloaded - PDF Download
SeaView Systems supports NOAA Cruise
March 20th - April 2nd 2006
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands: It didn't take SeaView Systems long to find a reason to justify their recent purchase of a 1000 meter rated Seaeye Falcon DR . Before the vehicle was even delivered they had subcontracted with SeaVision Marine Services to support a NOAA Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Cruise to characterize the coral reef ecosystems off of Buck Island, St. Croix and South West Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.
Deployed aboard the NOAA research vessel Nancy Foster, the project required that SeaVision Marine Services, supported by SeaView Systems, position the ROV at locations along the seabed as specified by onboard marine biologists. From there they were to record video and other images of habitat to depths exceeding 800m(2624ft).
By teaming together and mounting SeaVision Marine’s Tracklink USBL system aboard SeaView Systems’ Falcon DR we were able to meet this goal. With its fiber optic data/video transmission and 19kg payload capability the Falcon was able to accommodate the USBL and a range of other sensors and cameras.
This has been one of the highlights of my 13 years of working with ROV’s said SeaView Systems president Matthew Cook. "With the 100ft plus visibility it is not unlike flying about a flooded Grand Canyon".
The project presented a perfect opportunity for the two companies to work together. Mr. Jeff Snyder of SeaVison Marine Services said " "
For more information on this cruise and other NOAA activity visit their website: NOAA Cruise
January 25 2007 ROV Pipeline Investigations Pushing 10 000ft
Squamish, British Columbia, January 2007: A milestone in tunnel inspection services was set in January when CAN-DIVE Construction Ltd of North Vancouver, B.C., hired Michigan based ROV services company SeaView Systems, Inc. to perform a 9000 ft internal inspection of the Mamquam Hydro Electric generating facility tunnel for the Canadian company EPCOR Power LP.
The Mamquam hydro intake tunnel located in a mountainous area near the world renowned Whistler/Blackhome ski area required that the ROV be operated through two long horizontal sections connected by a vertical shaft with a minimum diameter of 10 feet. The project required a compact but powerful vehicle with both long distance pulling capacity and the ability to work at depths in excess of 250m. SeaView Systems 1000 meter rated Seaeye Falcon DR was upgraded to suit the needed custom built 10,000 ft fiber optic umbilical with winch. This system proved able to carry out this inspection to the satisfaction of the owner.
Despite having a 520 ft vertical shaft with two hard 90 degree bends, the inspection almost doubled the previous maximum penetration distance record for a Seaeye Falcon.
November 2008 SeaView Systems assists uranium mine rehabilitation
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA – November 2008
Michigan-based ROV operator SeaView Systems is using a Seaeye Falcon DR ROV, a small robot fitted with a very dense suite of survey equipment, to assist with the rehabilitation of the world’s largest undeveloped uranium mine deposit.
Toronto-based Cameco Corporation operates the Cigar Lake mine in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, which was first identified as a major source of high-grade uranium nearly 20 years ago and was due to start production in 2007.
In April 2006, a shaft intended to provide ventilation to the main mine head hit a high-volume ground water layer and a valve on a 2" grout line leading to this water zone failed, resulting in the flooding of the mineshaft.
Canadian engineering firm Nuytco Research of British Columbia was contracted by Cameco to assist in locating and plugging the broken grout line to allow the shaft to be dewatered and rehabilitated.
In October 2006, a plugging operation was underway with both Nuytco and SeaView personnel on site when the main mine suffered a roof cave-in resulting in one of the mineshafts flooding. Canadian engineering firm Nuytco Research selected and contracted Michigan-based SeaView Systems Inc to help investigate the source of the inflow.
Personnel from SeaView Systems are using a submersible Seaeye FaIcon DR to provide visual and sonar imaging of the mine workings and measure parameters like water flow and temperature.
Meanwhile, Cameco is pumping water from the mine to create water flow to assist in identification of the inflow source.
Matthew Cook says that while the work is time consuming it is progressing steadily and providing good information to the investigation team.
Once the source of the inflow is identified, a remediation plan will be developed to enable mining to get underway.
SeaView Systems is a remotely operated vehicle services company based in Michigan, US. SeaView specializes in performing long distance pipeline and tunnel investigations.
For further information contact:
SeaView Systems
Matthew Cook
mcook@seaviewsystems.com
Tel 734-4268978 (m)
November 1, 2008 New data imaging system for SeaView Systems
ANN ARBOR, MI – November 1, 2008
Michigan-based ROV operator SeaView Systems now has additional capabilities thanks to VisualWorks, a leading data recording, editing and storage system specially designed for the subsea survey industry.
VisualWorks is designed for any type of video inspection where large volumes of video must be recorded from one or more cameras and synchronized with other data sources.
The software enables digital video capture of subsea inspection survey data. A comprehensive set of system tools enables simultaneous real-time encoding of multiple analog or digital ROV video cameras. The encoded video data can be viewed and edited digitally, significantly reducing the time and effort required to edit and review pipeline events.
The digital video archive of the complete pipeline inspection survey allows ‘Smart’ reports and event databases to be produced directly, linking feature listings and descriptions to video clips of each event.
Playback of video no longer requires a dedicated VCR video review suite but can be done from a PC and shared on CD/DVD/Digital tape or across a local network.
SeaView Systems Inc is a leading provider of underwater inspection services for scientific, commercial and government applications. SeaVision Marine specializes in collecting, processing, and interpreting underwater information from a variety of remote sensing, sampling, and video investigation techniques.
For further information:
SeaView Systems Inc
Matthew Cook, President
Tel 734-4179362
mcook@seaviewsystems.com
Visual Soft Limited
www.visualsoft.ltd.uk
October 14 2008 SeaView Systems joins NOAA on shipwreck exploration mission
DEXTER, MI – October 14, 2008
Michigan-based ROV operator SeaView Systems and Rhode Island-based SeaVision Marine Services today completed a six-week long mission assisting a team from NOAA which included two weeks spent investigating shipwreck sites in the Gulf of Mexico.
The NOAA archaeologists and biologists, aboard the research vessel Nancy Foster, were investigating eight shipwreck sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The primary goal was to assess the archaeological and biological potential of each shipwreck site.
Using a Sea Eye Falcon DR (ROV), the technicians from SeaView examined shipwrecks in the deep, dark waters of the Gulf, far beyond the realm of scuba diving. The Falcon was equipped with high-resolution still and video cameras and powerful lights to provide a continuous, live color view and the ability to record each site in detail.
One of the highlights of the mission was the discovery of a shipwreck that appeared to have sunk about 200 years ago. It contained the scientists’ first glimpse of Lophilia pertusa, a deepwater coral of most interest on this expedition.
According to Matthew Cook, President of SeaView Systems, “Our Sea Eye Falcon DR ROV was the star of the show, performing exceptionally well despite unexpected underwater snares and interruptions by two hurricanes.”
NOAA is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. See http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/08lophelia/logs/leg1/leg1.html
SeaView Systems Inc is a leading provider of underwater inspection services for scientific, commercial and government applications. SeaVision Marine specializes in collecting, processing, and interpreting underwater information from a variety of remote sensing, sampling, and video investigation techniques