IMCA publishes cable burial guidance for offshore renewables and O&G industries

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has issued guidance looking at different methods of measuring the depth of burial of subsea cables and pipelines together with factors influencing the depth of burial.

Named ‘Guidelines for the Measurement of Depth of Burial’, the guidance is aimed at both the offshore renewables and offshore oil and gas industries.

It also includes measuring the thickness of an embankment of crushed rock on top of a pipeline or cable and provides guidance on the measurement of the depth of lowering, including an explanation of the difference between lowering and burial or cover.

“Like all IMCA guidance, this new document has been produced by a specially convened working group from members of the Offshore Survey Division – all experts in the field”, said Stephen Peet, IMCA’s technical director.

“They have created this 67-page document which looks at the different methods of measuring the depth of burial of subsea cables and pipelines together with factors influencing the depth of burial and is relevant for both offshore renewables and offshore oil and gas.”

The document includes sections on the methods for defining the depth of burial or cover; selection of survey sensors; tone injection for active cable trackers; accuracy of DOB measurements; depth of burial measurement in different types of survey; reporting depth of burial; possible disputes in depth of burial measurement as well as developments in pipe and cable tracking.

It also comes with appendices focussing on Teledyne TSS 440 and PanGeo Sub-Bottom imager.

Follow Offshore Energy’s Subsea on social media: