A main body structure of a submarine stratum space cable laying robot includes one telescopic electric linear actuator unit including two dustproof sleeves with one sleeved on the other, and four single supporting arm units for forward motion and supporting. Two ends of each single supporting arm unit are sequentially provided with rotating supporting plates, reducers, motors and connecting flanges from inside to outside, and an outside of each single supporting arm unit is provided with a rotating plate structure. The single supporting arm units in each group are movably connected by the adjacent ends and movably connected to connectors of the telescopic electric linear actuator unit by respective outer ends thereof. The two groups of single supporting arm units connected in series are symmetrically arranged, such that a whole main body structure of the robot is diamond-shaped.

A main body structure of a submarine stratum space cable laying robot includes one telescopic electric linear actuator unit including two dustproof sleeves with one sleeved on the other, and four single supporting arm units for forward motion and supporting. Two ends of each single supporting arm unit are sequentially provided with rotating supporting plates, reducers, motors and connecting flanges from inside to outside, and an outside of each single supporting arm unit is provided with a rotating plate structure. The single supporting arm units in each group are movably connected by the adjacent ends and movably connected to connectors of the telescopic electric linear actuator unit by respective outer ends thereof. The two groups of single supporting arm units connected in series are symmetrically arranged, such that a whole main body structure of the robot is diamond-shaped.

A method is for placing an object on a seabed. The method includes connecting the object to at least two vessels by use of a work wire; attaching one or more buoyancy devices to the work wire, to achieve a distributed buoyancy of the work wire that forms a double curvature which disassociates at least some vessel movement from the object, to allow for controlled movement of the object; and co-operating the vessels to move the object into a position in a sea distant from the vessels, to lower the object to the seabed and to place the object on the seabed. Also described is a system for transporting an object to a position in a sea where the water comprises gas bubbles significantly lowering the load-carrying capacity of the water and for lowering the object to an area having a wellbore from which the gas bubbles enter the sea.

A vessel-supportable flexible-elongate-element spooling system (100) for spooling a flexible elongate element (12). The system comprises a container (14) having an internal volume defined by a radially inner barrier (22), a radially outer barrier (24), and a base (26). A flexible-elongate-element feeder (18) feeds the flexible elongate element (12) towards the base (26) of the container (14). A flexible-elongate-element force applicator (20) applies a force to the flexible elongate element (12) to retain a curvature imparted to the flexible elongate element (12) on discharge from the flexible-elongate-element feeder (18). The curvature is at least in part defined by the inner barrier (22) and/or the outer barrier (24).

A device for paying out an elongated flexible article from a vessel is described. The device comprises a storage unit for the article, overboarding guide means for the article, article support means defining a cable path between the storage unit and the overboarding guide means, and pulling means for advancing the elongated article along the path. The article support means comprise an overboarding support element that is translatable in a first direction, and a buffering support system comprising a support element that is translatable in a second direction, whereby a translation of the support element has the effect of varying the length of the cable path. A vessel equipped with the device is also described. The device and method allow paying out an elongated flexible article from a vessel in a more efficient way.

A device for paying out an elongated flexible article from a vessel is described. The device comprises a storage unit for the article, overboarding guide means for the article, article support means defining a cable path between the storage unit and the overboarding guide means, and pulling means for advancing the elongated article along the path. The article support means comprise an overboarding support element that is translatable in a first direction, and a buffering support system comprising a support element that is translatable in a second direction, whereby a translation of the support element has the effect of varying the length of the cable path. A vessel equipped with the device is also described. The device and method allow paying out an elongated flexible article from a vessel in a more efficient way.

Systems and methods of deploying seismic data acquisition units from a marine vessel are disclosed. The system can include a spindle coupled to a tether. A robotic arm can couple the spindle to a tether via one or more tumblers. The tether can connect to a seismic data acquisition unit via a connection block having a mechanical force device. The assembled spindle, tether and seismic data acquisition unit can be deployed from the deck via a deployment block.

An underwater cable route planning technology is provided for automatically generating underwater cable routes using a model. In this regard, one or more processors may receive bathymetry data, and may also receive existing route data for a plurality of existing underwater cable routes. Based on the bathymetry data and the existing route data, a model for determining underwater cable routes may be generated. As such, when a request for an underwater cable route connecting a first location and a second location is received, the model may be used to generate one or more potential underwater cable routes based on the first location, the second location, and the bathymetry data.

An underwater cable route planning technology is provided for automatically generating underwater cable routes using a model. In this regard, one or more processors may receive bathymetry data, and may also receive existing route data for a plurality of existing underwater cable routes. Based on the bathymetry data and the existing route data, a model for determining underwater cable routes may be generated. As such, when a request for an underwater cable route connecting a first location and a second location is received, the model may be used to generate one or more potential underwater cable routes based on the first location, the second location, and the bathymetry data.

An assembly for installing a subsea cable, the assembly comprising a submersible apparatus and a submersible cable holder comprising the subsea cable, the subsea cable being connectable to the submersible apparatus through the connector for transmission of electric power and/or data to the submersible apparatus; wherein the assembly is configured to install the subsea cable while the submersible apparatus is electrically powered through said subsea cable. And a method for installing a subsea cable with a submersible apparatus, the method comprising: supplying electric power and/or transmitting data through the subsea cable to the submersible apparatus; and laying the subsea cable in a sea with the submersible apparatus.