Underwater positioning technology from Sonardyne Inc. has been chosen by leading integrated subsea and offshore solutions provider, Unique Group, to enhance the company’s offering for its energy sector customers working in the US Gulf of Mexico.

Two Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) positioning systems, complete with HPT 5000 transceivers and survey-room hardware and software, will be added to Unique Group’s Houston equipment rental pool. The technology was chosen specifically for its ability to be quickly mobilised on vessels of opportunity and to surpass the stringent positioning specifications geophysical and geotechnical customers in the region need for their projects.

Built on Sonardyne’s Wideband 2 acoustic signal technology and 6G (sixth generation) hardware platform, Ranger 2 accurately tracks multiple underwater targets, such as deep towed sonar platforms and seabed coring equipment over extreme laybacks, in coastal or full ocean depths and with position updates every second.

HPT, the system’s vessel-mounted transceiver, is also a highly effective acoustic modem supporting communication with underwater targets equipped with a compatible 6G transponder, so it can track and gather data, as well as send command updates, for example to change logging regimes. Furthermore, Ranger 2 can interface with vessel dynamic positioning (DP) system of any manufacturer, to provide an independent position reference input, all while tracking mobile targets.

This latest acquisition by Unique Group further adds to the company’s global rental pool of Sonardyne Long BaseLine (LBL), Doppler and inertial underwater navigation and  positioning technologies. 

[blockquote author=” Syed Taqvi, Regional Vice President – Americas, at Unique Group”]”Our capital equipment investment decisions are driven by market demand, and our customers in the Gulf of Mexico are certainly demanding Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 time and time again. It offers excellent positioning from shallow to deep water, it is quick to install on vessels-of-opportunity, and there’s a huge base of trained operators in the Gulf of Mexico who know how to use it to its potential”[/blockquote] 

Char Franey, Sales Manager for Sonardyne in Houston said, “Every underwater tracking project is different; different water depths, different vessels to operate from and different targets to position. That’s why we’ve engineered Ranger 2 to be versatile with an impressive features list that come as standard. We’re confident Unique Group will see high utilisation rates for their new Sonardyne hardware this season and beyond.”