利用C-Kore公司的紧凑型海底检测装置，开发商可及时发现海底电缆问题，保障作业完整性。

编译 | 惊蛰

在北海Greater Guillemot油田，C-Kore公司成功进行了水下测试作业。在发现故障后的24小时内，对海底网络中的故障元件进行了诊断与更换。GGA油田由Dana石油公司与合作伙伴Tailwind公司共同运营。

C-Kore公司紧凑型电缆监控装置可用于故障排查与设备安装作业，通过测量绝缘电阻与电气连接，来监测电缆的运行状况。使用该公司的海底时域反射（TDR）装置，可以精确定位电缆中的故障，误差仅为10厘米。C-Kore公司最近推出了新型传感器监控器，可在没有控制模块或数据链路的情况下，直接读取水下井口仪表以及其他海底传感器。

C-Kore公司总经理Greg Smith说：“我们投入了大量时间，设计出这款功能多样、易于操作的设备。甚至在作业之前，我们就与客户紧密合作，针对他们的作业范围，确保工具与测试方法处于最佳状态，目的是使测试尽可能的高效。”

C-Kore海底TDR是一款用于测试海底电气设备的小型自动化工具。它可以由C-Kore系统公司预先组装，终端用户也可以在现场轻松设置。它易于使用，可自动执行以前复杂的TDR作业。

TDR通常与电缆监控器配合使用以查找故障。一旦电缆监控器将故障的位置缩小到单个组件（例如油田脐带电缆），TDR则能够精确识别故障在电缆中的位置。这些信息可用于指导修复与更换策略。通过直接测量海底，避免了阻抗不匹配、偏移误差、下行链路故障、难以正确驱动TDR等常见问题。

对于新设备的安装，时域反射器可用于描述电缆的特征，以供将来参考，并能够发现阻抗中未影响绝缘电阻的不连续点。由于该测试是自动化的，因此可以减少作业时间与人员需求，从而实现成本节约。一旦安装完成，该装置可以部署在海底，直接获取TDR读数。

该装置由高容量可充电的电池供电，并可独立运行。通过即插即用的USB连接，可以进行简单的用户配置，以选择要测试的设备以及测试时间。每个测试结果都以数据形式记录，并且该装置还具有用于结果分析的内置软件。

主要优点

1. 准确定位电缆内的故障和不连续点；
2. 通过快速自动化测试，节省船只与人员成本；
3. 直接在海底进行测量，以获得可重复、可靠的测试结果；
4. 潜水员与水下控制模块更安全，不需要高压作业许可证。

该工具可准确定位电缆内部的故障与不连续点，并在施工过程中对新组件进行表征，相较于其它技术，其优势体现在以下几个方面。

• 定位故障：检测电缆短路，断裂与断开的位置。可识别的故障类型包括：短路/断路、进水、接头故障。
• 长距离应用：可以进行20公里以上的测量（取决于电缆的性能）。自动脉冲与步进模式可分别用于长距离和短距离测试。
• 高分辨率：内置软件分析出的故障位置，其精度达到10厘米。可程序化的阻抗、传播速度与增益。
• 抗物理冲击：可测量冲击、加速度与方向的变化。可在三轴方向上记录高达200G的冲击。
• 温度：监控储存与运输过程中的环境状况。在温度范围内可进行精确测量。
• 电压测量：检测电流电压与剩余电量。自动标记电压读数。

C-Kore Systems has completed a successful subsea testing deployment in the North Sea, on the Greater Guillemot Area field. Faulty elements in the subsea network were diagnosed and replaced within 24 hours of the start of the fault-finding campaign. The GGA area is operated by Dana Petroleum with partner Tailwind.?

C-Kore’s compact Cable Monitor Units are used on fault-finding operations and installation campaigns to test the health of electrical lines by measuring the insulation resistance and electrical continuity. With their Subsea TDR units, faults can be localised with an accuracy of 10 cm in the cables. C-Kore has recently brought out their new Sensor Monitor that can read subsea wellhead gauges and other subsea sensors directly without a control module or datalink present.?

Greg Smith, general manager of C-Kore Systems added, “We have invested considerable time designing our units to be versatile, while remaining very easy to operate. Before work even begins, we work closely with our customers to ensure the tools and testing methodology are optimized for their work scope, with the aim of ensuring testing is as efficient and effective as possible.”

The C-Kore Subsea TDR is a compact automated tool for testing subsea electrical assets. It can be configured in advance by C-Kore System Ltd or set up in the field easily by the end-user. It is simple to use, automating the previously complex work of driving a TDR.

The TDR is normally used in tandem with the Cable Monitor for fault-finding. Once the Cable Monitor has narrowed the location of a fault to a single component (for example an in-field umbilical) the TDR is used to precisely identify where in the cable the fault resides. This knowledge can be used to inform repair versus replacement strategies. By measuring directly subsea, the problems of deck-based downline testing are eliminated, including impedance mismatches, offset errors, faulty downlines and the difficulty of driving the TDR correctly.

For new asset installation the TDR can be used to characterise cables for future reference and find discontinuities in impedance that have not effected the insulation resistance. As this testing is automated, vessel time and personnel requirements can be reduced to achieve cost savings. The unit can be deployed subsea to take TDR readings directly once installation is complete.

The unit is powered by a high-capacity rechargeable battery for stand-alone operation. Simple user configuration is possible with a plug-and-play USB connection to choose what the unit will test and when. Every result is data-logged and the unit has built-in software for result analysis.

Main Benefits

• Precisely locate faults and discontinuities within electrical cables
• Save vessel and personnel costs with fast automated testing
• Measure directly subsea for repeatable, reliable test results
• Safe for divers and SCMs, high-voltage permits not required

Precisely locate faults and discontinuities within electrical cables during fault-finding and characterise new components during construction campaigns.

Localise Faults

Detect the location of cable shorts, breaks and discontinuities. Identify fault types – short/open circuits, water ingress, splices.

Long Range

Measurement 20km+ possible (dependent on cable properties). Automated pulse and? step-modes for long and short-range testing.

High Resolution

Locate faults with 10cm resolution, analyse with built-in software. Programmable impedance, velocity of propagation and gain.

Physical Shock

Measures impacts, acceleration and orientation changes. Logs shocks up to 200G in all 3 axis.

Temperature

Monitor environmental conditions during storage and transit. Accurate measurement over complete temperature range.

Voltage

Detect galvanic voltages and residual charge. Automatic flagging of voltage readings.