# US 10,370,074 B2 · Underwater vehicle for inspection of a subsea structure in a body of water and related method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,074 B2 - Document ID: US10370074B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/570,913 - Filed: 2015-05-05 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-05 - Assignees: Total SA - Applicants: Total SA - Inventors: Daniel Byrd; Amin Nasr; Jean Vittonato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370074B2 ## CPC - B63C 11/52: Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for - B63G 8/001: {Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42)} - C23F 13/22: Monitoring arrangements therefor - B63G 2008/004: {autonomously operating} - B63G 2008/005: {remotely controlled} - B63G 2008/007: {by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical} - C23F 2213/31: Immersed structures, e.g. submarine structures - B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52) - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25 ## Abstract The vehicle includes a support body, able to move along the subsea structure in a body of water, a lower proximity sensor, deployable from the support body towards the subsea structure, the lower proximity sensor comprising a lower cathodic protection probe, the lower proximity sensor being deployable between a retracted position and a deployed position. It also comprises an upper remote sensor deployable from the support body, comprising an upper cathodic protection probe. The lower proximity sensor is located below the support body in the retracted position and in the deployed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An underwater vehicle inspecting a subsea structure, comprising: a support body, configured to move along the subsea structure in a body of water; a lower proximity sensor, deployable from the support body towards the subsea structure, the lower proximity sensor comprising a lower cathodic protection probe, the lower proximity sensor being deployable between a retracted position and a deployed position; and an upper remote sensor deployable from the support body, comprising an upper cathodic protection probe; wherein the lower proximity sensor being located below the support body in the retracted position and in the deployed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support body defines a longitudinal moving axis, the lower proximity sensor extending below the support body along the longitudinal moving axis in the retracted position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lower proximity sensor comprises a lower arm pivotable with regard to the support body around a horizontal axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the lower arm is a rigid rod. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the lower arm has a profiled shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the lower arm has a length comprised between 1 m and 2.5 m. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The vehicle according to claim 3, comprising a control unit configured to control the movement of the lower arm between the retracted position and the deployed position to maintain the lower cathodic protection probe at a fixed altitude above the subsea structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the upper remote sensor comprises a fish carrying the upper cathodic protection probe, a flexible line connecting the fish to the support body and a winch, attached to the support body to wind up/unwind the flexible line. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the upper remote sensor comprises a release/capture mechanism of the fish. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the length of the flexible line is greater than 1 m. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle according to claim 8, comprising a position probe for measuring the position of the upper cathodic protection probe relative to the support body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the position probe comprises a sensor for measuring the inclination of the flexible line, and a sensor for measuring the length of flexible line deployed from the support body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the position probe comprises a pressure sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support body is configured to autonomously cruise along the subsea structure, without contact with the subsea structure, the vehicle being an autonomous underwater vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method for inspecting a subsea structure, comprising: moving an underwater vehicle according to claim 1 immersed in a body of water above the subsea structure; deploying the lower proximity sensor below the support body towards the subsea structure; measuring a potential difference between the upper cathodic protection probe and the lower cathodic protection probe while cruising along the subsea structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the cruising speed of the support body is greater than 0.9 km/h. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous underwater vehicle, the moving of the underwater vehicle comprising autonomously cruising the support body above the subsea structure without contacting the subsea structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the lower arm has a length comprised between 1.5 m and 2 m. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the length of the flexible line is comprised between 3 m and 10 m. ### Claim 20 An underwater vehicle inspecting a subsea structure, comprising: a support body, configured to move along the subsea structure in a body of water; a lower proximity sensor, deployable from the support body towards the subsea structure, the lower proximity sensor comprising a lower cathodic protection probe, the lower proximity sensor being deployable between a retracted position and a deployed position; and an upper remote sensor deployable from the support body, comprising an upper cathodic protection probe; wherein the lower proximity sensor being located below the support body in the retracted position and in the deployed position, wherein the lower proximity sensor comprises a lower arm pivotable with regard to the support body around a horizontal axis, and wherein the lower arm has a profiled shape. ### Claim 21 An underwater vehicle inspecting a subsea structure, comprising: a support body, configured to move along the subsea structure in a body of water; a lower proximity sensor, deployable from the support body towards the subsea structure, the lower proximity sensor comprising a lower cathodic protection probe, the lower proximity sensor being deployable between a retracted position and a deployed position; and an upper remote sensor deployable from the support body, comprising an upper cathodic protection probe; wherein the lower proximity sensor being located below the support body in the retracted position and in the deployed position, wherein the lower proximity sensor comprises a lower arm pivotable with regard to the support body around a horizontal axis, and wherein the lower arm has a length comprised between 1 m and 2.5 m.