A subsea clearance apparatus 1 featuring a chassis 2, fore 3 and aft 4 supports spaced along a principal axis P of the apparatus and one or more engaging elements 5 depending from the chassis and arranged transversely with respect to the principal axis. The chassis is spaced, in use, from the seabed by the supports as the apparatus is propelled therealong such that the engaging elements engage and deflect away from the principle axis obstructions which are larger than a predetermined size and/or which protrude by a predetermined amount from the seabed. The engaging elements can be plurality of tines which depend from flanks 22a, 22b. In an alternative embodiment, there is provided method for clearing a seabed, by lowering a subsea clearance apparatus from a vessel to a seabed and propelling the apparatus along the seabed. Then, one or more engaging elements engage and deflect away from a principal propelling axis obstructions which are larger than a predetermined size and/or protrude by a predetermined extent from the seabed.
Subsea clearing apparatus
2018-06-20
Patent
Electronic Resource
English