Control/monitoring of initial construction of subsea wells

A system, comprising:

• a conductor pipe running tool;
• and
• a conductor pipe string configured to be lowered with the conductor pipe running tool from a surface location toward a sea floor location, the conductor pipe string comprising:
• one or more sensors disposed on the conductor pipe string for measuring one or more properties associated with the conductor pipe string, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one or more proximity sensors disposed along an inner diameter of the conductor pipe string;
• and
• a communication system disposed on the conductor pipe string and coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein the communication system is configured to communicate data indicative of the one or more measured properties to:
• a second communication system on the conductor pipe running tool, a remote operated vehicle (ROV), or both.

A method, comprising:

• lowering a conductor pipe string from a surface location toward a sea floor location via a conductor pipe running tool;
• detecting, via one or more sensors, sensor data indicative of at least one of location or orientation of the conductor pipe string;
• communicating the sensor data from the one or more sensors to a monitoring system proximate the surface location or to a remote operated vehicle, during lowering of the conductor pipe string;
• measuring first pressure values at a lower end of the conductor pipe string using a first pressure sensor;
• measuring second pressure values at an upper end of the conductor pipe string using a second pressure sensor;
• and
• controlling movement of the conductor pipe running tool based on the sensor data.