Rob Munier, Tyco Telecommunication's Managing Director for Global Solutions.
via microwave, explained Offshore assets are 'linked' in a daisy chain fashion, as the technology is dependent upon line-of-sight connection. In the event of a major storm event such as the hurricane's of 2005, the system's weaknesses are exposed, as once the chain is broken -- ie. a rig breaks free or sinks -- the entire system is compromised. The 800-mile system to be installed by Tyco Telecommunication will use long haul undersea telecommunications technologies adapted for the unique requirements of offshore applications, Munier said. Each platform will be served by a branch off of a deepwater trunk. Using optical multiplexing in undersea branching units, each platform will have direct optical connectivity to both landing stations, ensuring continued operations, independent of any other platform in the system during hurricane events. "This is groundbreaking, and hopefully it will set a new standard for the offshore industry." Using optical multiplexing in undersea branching units, each platform will have direct optical connectivity to both landing stations, ensuring continued operations, independent of any other platform in the system during hurricane events. "Every platform on that trunk can go offline, but if yours does not, you still have the connectivity. There are no interdependencies." Munier said. "Multiplexing allows the incorporation of many more branches."
forms have existing risers installed for another application. Instead of installing new risers, Tyco Telecommunication will tie into the existing risers, using wet mate connectors, which are standard in offshore but not in the subsea telecommunication business. In addition to the technical challenges is a volume of paperwork, specifically arranging all of the permissions required to install the system in the Gulf of Mexico; a process magnified in complexity due to existing pipelines and oil lease blocks being crossed. Tyco Telecommunications will manufacture the key elements of the fiber optic system at its plants in Newington, New Hampshire and Lowell, Massachusetts. The Tyco Decisive, a 140-m cable laying vessel based at Tyco Telecommunications' depot in Baltimore, Maryland, will deploy the undersea plant and make the connections to the offshore platforms. The vessel has an American Bureau of Shipping dynamic positioning system 2 classification (DPS-2), enabling a variety of complex offshore operations anywhere in the world. Tyco Telecommunications expects to deliver the system to BP in Fall 2007.
Using optical multiplexing in undersea branching units, each platform will have direct optical connectivity to both landing stations, ensuring continued operations, independent of any other platform in the system during hurricane events.
Challenges
According to Munier, while the project is a first for the offshore industry and does present some challenges, it is technology already well-known and used by Tyco Telecommunications; "this is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, as we have taken existing technology and reapplied it." He noted that the melding of the two -- offshore and subsea communication -- technologies has provided some interesting situations. For example, some of the plat30 MTR May 2007
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