Metocean Services International (MSI) has recently completed the first annual service of McDermott Australia Pty Ltd’s (MAPL) AXYS WatchMate™ current and wave buoy. The buoy was sold to MAPL in 2014 accompanied by an installation and service contract for an initial 3 years.
The buoy is installed in 270m of water in the ICHTHYS field. The INPEX operated ICHTHYS LNG Project in the Browse Basin offshore Western Australia is ranked amongst the most significant oil and gas projects in the world. In field, construction is well underway with the first production targeted at third quarter 2017.
Weight on deck: Photo courtesy: McDermott
Real-time meteorological, current and directional spectral wave data is telemetered back to MSI via Inmarsat satellite and posted onto a client specific website. Data is also posted to an FTP site to allow MAPL personnel to use it to support the ongoing infield construction where accurate, reliable and timely data is essential to ensure safe operations.
The WatchMate™ buoy is a solar powered precision instrument incorporating advanced technologies that make it an easy to use, reliable and rugged buoy for accurate measurement of directional waves. The wave sensor unit comprises three accelerometers, three rate gyros, a fluxgate compass, and the proprietary TRIAXYS™ Processor. Current data is provided via a fully integrated Nortek 600KHz profiler whilst meteorological data can be measured using a variety of sensors.
The WatchMate™ was specifically proposed to MAPL at the tendering stage due to the extreme local metocean conditions at site meaning a standard wave buoy was unlikely to survive. The WatchMate’s™ additional flotation combined with a site specific mooring designed by AXYS make it an ideal solution for these trying conditions proved by the exceptional data return provided over the last 12 months.
The project is expected to last 3 years before the buoy is recovered by MAPL following completion of their offshore work.
A spokesperson for MAPL commented “Reliable and accurate data from the WRB was essential for our offshore operations, as limiting sea states were critical for a number of the structure and spool installations. The WRB provided by Metocean Services International has been very reliable, provided the accurate data required, and the support provided from Metocean Services International for maintenance and any troubleshooting has been very professional and punctual.”
MSI owns and operates a number of similar systems so was confident in its recommendation of the Watchmate. Having been AXYS’s exclusive representative for marine environmental monitoring systems in Australia since 2009, MSI has extensive 'hands on' experience, as both an owner and user, with the AXYS product line and is therefore well qualified to fully support the end user. MSI systems are available on either a purchase or a rental basis and all measurement equipment can be deployed individually or integrated as part of a larger metocean system.
