Aker Solutions came to DeRegt with an unusual request. Aker is responsible for the maintenance of a floating concrete tension-leg platform, installed over a subsea template with 56 well slots. The rig is named Heidrun, and produces oil and gas from a depth of 2,300 metres. It is located about 200 km off the middle of the Norwegian coast. The unusual question was: can you reverse-engineer the same cables from 25 years ago, as a replacement for the next 50? We spoke to Roger Sand at Aker Solutions to find out more about this unique project.

The EU aims to reduce dependency on imports of raw materials. Large quantities of raw materials can be found in deep sea Polymetallic Nodules. Polymetallic Nodules contain relatively high concentrations of Nickel, Copper and Cobalt. Cobalt is especially valuable to harvest since it is used in batteries for electric cars. Nodules occur at any depth, but the highest abundance has been found between 4,000 and 6,000m. How do you harvest these nodules at such a large depth?DeRegt was asked to join an EU funded consortium of 14 companies. Industry, research institutes and service companies across seven different countries joined hands to solve the question on how to harvest them, avoiding serious harm and minimizing the environmental risks.

Cables are one of the most important parts of a system in different industrial applications. It’s essential that work-class ROV operators purchase these cables from a high-quality cable manufacturer. While purchasing them from a renowned manufacturer is the first step towards extending the lifetime of your cables, it’s not enough on its own.

Right now, 1,100 work-class ROVs worldwide are doing their work underwater. They’re used for various tasks, such as repairs and maintenance, trench digging, drilling and building constructions such as subsea trees near drilling wells. Because these activities are taking place at increasingly great depths, ROV manufacturers face the challenge of coming up with innovative solutions. Replacing existing cables is a compelling option.

Interview about ROV Challenges with Peter Brussee, ROV Sales Manager, De Regt Cables

Better performance and cutting the cost of deploying work-class ROVs – two key priorities for manufacturers and operators of remotely-operate

d vehicles, both of which DeRegt is addressing with its new cable solutions.