State of the art Flowdredger technology launched at Oil and Gas show

Rotech, the Aberdeen-based company behind the ground-breaking equipment, is demonstrating the technology in a purpose-built tank erected at the show.

Rotech's Flowdredger mass flow excavation uses the acceleration of a column of water to sufficient velocity, and importantly low pressure, to displace and fluidise seabed material.

"This can be used to safely de-bury pipelines, to trench pre-laid pipelines, for freespan correction and even rock dump removal or berth deepening," said Rotech Director, Kennie Mackie.

Rotech has appointed Unique System of Sharjah as its Gulf agent.

"This equipment has been successfully contracted over the last three years in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, South America, Australia, Indonesia and Egypt and its potential in the Gulf is extensive," said Paddy Saunders, Commercial Manager, Unique System.

Using counter rotating intake propellers, the 'T'-shaped flowdredger is gyroscopically stable in water and easily deployed from a small barge or vessel. The hydraulically-driven system gives a huge range of power settings, making the tool sensitive and easy-to-control, with absolutely no contact with the seabed or adjacent pipelines. An attached Seabat Reson Sonar provides, on a screen in the control room, a real time profile of both excavation and pipeline position.