This paper describes concepts being developed in subsea monitoring and inspection through the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America's (RPSEA) Ultra-Deepwater Program technologies development program. It is meant to provide an overview of the organization and several projects to be presented in the OTC technical session, under the Subsea Production and Processing Systems proposal category.rnRPSEA manages a Federal research program for the United States Department of Energy, under guidance from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The program was conceived in the 2005 Energy Policy Act under Section 999, Subtitle J. One of the RPSEA programs is geared toward ultra-deepwater research and technologies development to increase production and reserves in a safe and environmentally sound manner in the ultra-deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The projects and results to be presented in this session encompass subsea monitoring and inspection from different perspectives.rnThe results of the projects to follow will allow the oil and gas deepwater industry to improve its ability to monitor and detect problems earlier, at lower costs, and more reliably than currently available methods. The projects include improved riser sensors for corrosion, leak or plume detection; magnetic-flux leakage and vibration-based technologies for risers; development of a reliable AUV for inspections; the ability to use 3D high-resolution laser imaging and/or tuned acoustics for subsea equipment; as well as novel pipeline sensor development schemes.rnThe development of these technologies into commercially applicable tools will enhance monitoring and inspection of all below-waterline equipment. Their adoption will provide the offshore oil and gas industry the opportunity to foresee and forestall problematic or catastrophic events and result in safer and more environmentally benign operations.
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