Argus Remote Systems and its sister company, Argus Survey, are together one of the world’s leading subsea solution providers. Argus designs and manufactures its own range of ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and owns its own ROV fleet to carry out a wide variety of subsea missions that include surveys, repairs, maintenance, cable laying and pollution control.
Currently its range offers depth ratings to a maximum 6,000 meters (19,685 ft.). Although the company has five models in its current line-up, in reality each ROV can be individually customised with a variety of add-on modules to suit customers’ requirements whether it will see service in Argus’ own ROV fleet or operated by a third party. These add-on modules can include a variety of subsea monitoring instruments, manipulators and tools.
All Argus ROVs use electric motors for propulsion, positioning and to manipulate cameras and lights. Argus maintains that this provides them with a number of operational advantages over ‘traditional’ hydraulic systems. Without reducing performance electrical ROVs are smaller in size, lighter in weight and more adaptable to new operational scenarios than their hydraulic rivals. Furthermore, the fact that separate power and control systems are used for the thrusters increases redundancy. Another benefit in environmentally sensitive areas is that the risk of a hydraulic oil spill is reduced to a minimum.
Since Argus was established in 1991, Diab has been its sole supplier of buoyancy materials. Both Divinycell HCP PVC foam and Syntactic Foams are used in Argus ROV’s. Divinycell HCP can be used from sea level to 700 meters (2,300 ft.) and offers very low buoyancy loss and water absorption under long-term loading conditions. Syntactic Foams can be supplied in various depth ratings down to10,000 meters (32,800 ft.). This means they can be operationally deployed in the deepest parts of any of the world’s oceans.
Argus normally delivers complete integrated operational systems. These can, in addition to the ROV, include control and workshop containers, winches, launch and recovery systems (LARS) and tether management systems (TMS). Argus can even provide specially designed ‘dive’ support vessels for ocean, coastal and inshore operations.
