The invention provides a trenching apparatus and a method of using a trenching apparatus. The trenching apparatus (100) may include a main body portion (10), trench cutting equipment (50) depending from the main body portion, at least two ground contacting units (16) arranged on opposed sides of the main body portion and on which the main body portion is supported, each of the ground contacting units being connected to the main body portion by a respective independently operable suspension assembly (20), the respective suspension assemblies being configured to compensate for unevenness of the ground thereby to maintain the trench cutting equipment in a desired angular orientation with respect to the vertical.

The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.

The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.

An automated backslope cutting system which, based on a survey of an area, automatically adjusts a scraper blade during the cutting of a ditch backslope. The automated backslope cutting system generally includes a scraper which is automatically adjusted by a computing device to effectuate cutting of backslopes for a ditch based on a desired cut profile. The desired cut profile may be manually entered by the operator and automatically processed by the computing device. The area is surveyed with a positioning sensor to determine an optimal desired cut profile requiring a minimum number of cuts. A proximity sensor may be provided to accommodate for rotational movement of the cutting blade as the scraper performs cuts. A control software is provided for execution by the computing device to provide functionality including the automatic adjustment of hydraulic actuators controlling movement of the cutting blade as the scraper cuts the ditch and backslopes.

The present invention discloses an extended-type subsoiling smash-ridging machine, comprising a machine body, a smash-ridging device, a connection device, a ditching device, a flattening device and a straw returning device, wherein the smash-ridging device comprises a smash-ridging box comprising a bottom plate, side plates and a top plate, lower bearing seats are mounted in the bottom plate, rib plates are welded between the lower bearing seats, lubricating oil passages are formed between rib plates and the bottom plate, an upper bearing seats are mounted on the top plate and the length of each lower bearing seat is larger than that of each upper bearing seat. By adopting the structure of the present invention, the strength of the lower bearing seats can be improved so as to facilitate the mounting of more bearing where the stress is large and less bearings where the stress is small, thereby both improving the rigidity and transmission stability of a transmission shaft and reducing the cost; the welding of the rib plates is facilitated, it is ensured that lubricating oil smoothly flows within the smash-ridging box and the lubricating effect is improved.

The present invention relates to a machine arranged for sawing micro trenches and placing ducts/cables in micro trenches, said machine comprising a saw blade arranged for sawing a micro trench in an area; said machine further comprising: a stabilizing device arranged for stabilizing the walls of said micro trench when placing ducts/cables into said micro trench, said stabilizing device being positioned immediately behind said saw blade in said micro trench, and said stabilizing device comprising guiding means for guiding at least one duct/cable when placed into said micro trench; said saw blade and said stabilizing device are arranged to be lowered and elevated independently of each other.

The present invention relates to a machine arranged for sawing micro trenches and placing ducts/cables in micro trenches, said machine comprising a saw blade arranged for sawing a micro trench in an area; said machine further comprising: a stabilizing device arranged for stabilizing the walls of said micro trench when placing ducts/cables into said micro trench, said stabilizing device being positioned immediately behind said saw blade in said micro trench, and said stabilizing device comprising guiding means for guiding at least one duct/cable when placed into said micro trench; said saw blade and said stabilizing device are arranged to be lowered and elevated independently of each other.

An automated backslope cutting system which, based on a survey of an area, automatically adjusts a scraper blade during the cutting of a ditch backslope. The automated backslope cutting system generally includes a scraper which is automatically adjusted by a computing device to effectuate cutting of backslopes for a ditch based on a desired cut profile. The desired cut profile may be manually entered by the operator and automatically processed by the computing device. The area is surveyed with a positioning sensor to determine an optimal desired cut profile requiring a minimum number of cuts. A proximity sensor may be provided to accommodate for rotational movement of the cutting blade as the scraper performs cuts. A control software is provided for execution by the computing device to provide functionality including the automatic adjustment of hydraulic actuators controlling movement of the cutting blade as the scraper cuts the ditch and backslopes.

A subsea plough includes a plough share coupled to a chassis, boulder clearance and spoil clearance members, and front and rear support surfaces. In a first configuration, a maximum span of the boulder clearance member in an extended position is greater than a span of the spoil clearance member. The plough may be reconfigurable to include a backfill member. A method of use of the plough is provided in a boulder clearing only mode, and optional modes of simultaneous boulder clearing and trenching, second pass trenching, and backfilling a trench to bury a flexible elongate member in a seabed.

A seabed trenching plow has a chassis, a sled and a towing assembly. The towing assembly has a pair of wings extending laterally from each side of the chassis. The wings are aligned on an axis transverse to the chassis and adapted for connection to a towing line. The transverse axis is forward of the center of gravity of the plow and rearward of the sled, affording an over the stern releasable and retrievable trenching plow of sufficient weight and strength to excavate a three meter trench in a single pass. To assess the protective capabilities of the trench, a threshold signal indicative of a desired composition of seabed-trench soil is compared with a real-time data signal indicative of the actual to produce an alarm signal when the real-time data signal is not protective-capability compliant with the threshold signal.