A specialized ROV for inspection of salt dome caverns

An underwater remotely operated vehicle was designed to enter a solution-mined cavern in the Clovelly salt dome in southern Louisiana to survey the condition of its interior, take core samples, and restore its structural integrity using a new gel technology. Preliminary experiments were conducted to determine the operating environment inside the cavern. The resulting vehicle system was deployed inside the cavern, and completed the first phase of operations, including survey, sample collection, and distribution of gel.