Subsea oil and gas production systems are finding increasing application as the depths and environments from which production will take place become more demanding. Some of these environments, specifically the arctic, will not permit utilization of conventional underwater intervention techniques owing to the ice cover. To assure safe and pollution-free operation of these structures will require designing an inspection program that takes into account the capabilities which are available, while being aware of the limitations. To reach this point a document is necessary that details the types of spss proposed, the nature of the inspection programs formulated now and in the future, the tools and intervention requirements that are available and not available for arctic inspection, and an appreciation for the r&d needed to reach a fully-arctic applicable inspection program.
