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Oil & Gas Australia

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EM&I’s Diverless ‘LIMPET™’ Seachest Blanking Plate Technology

Feb 27, 2022

EM&I has proven a diverless method for blanking sea chests without the use of divers using an ‘intelligent’ motorised wire guided blanking plate.

This ingenious device and technology is called LIMPET™ and has been used successfully for a major lease company offshore in Equatorial Guinea.

The JIP (Joint Industry Project) for HITS (Hull Inspection Techniques & Strategy) has encouraged industry to find safer and more efficient methods for subsea activities associated with Floating Assets.

The LIMPET Sea chest isolation system can be deployed from the asset. The LIMPET blank locates itself onto the sea chest inlet using the ODIN© Sea Chest Locating system. This is controlled from the main deck and an ROV is used to attach the locating system and to provide a ‘set of eyes’ to assist with guiding the LIMPET blank into position on the sea chest inlet.

LIMPET  does not require any diving support, eliminating the inherent risks of diving operations and reducing POB (Persons on Board), operational downtime and cost.

“LIMPET is an extension of our ODIN service line which ranges from UWILDs to valve and side shell repairs. The next few months will see further applications including much lower cost deep water mooring and seabed surveys” said Danny Constantinis (Executive Chairman & CEO) of the EM&I Group – the international asset integrity management specialists.