Apparatus and method for mitigation of scour around seabed installations.

Abstract

A scour protection apparatus (1, 20) adapted for immersion in a body of water is provided along with a method of preventing scour around the foundations of a substantially tubular shaped subsea installation (5). The scour protection apparatus has an inner throughbore (2) which in use is located around the outer circumference of the subsea installation (5) and a lower most substantially planer shaped surface (9) adapted in use to rest upon the seabed surface. The apparatus also has an outermost perimeter (19) and an upper most surface (22) substantially impervious to water, wherein at least a portion of the upper surface (22) comprises at least two flow diversion means (15, 44, 46, 48) provided thereon and each flow diversion means (15, 44, 46, 48) being separated from each adjacent flow diversion means (15, 44, 46, 48) by a groove arrangement (21). The scour protection apparatus (1, 20) in use reduces seabed scour occurring around a junction of the substantially tubular shaped subsea installation (5) and the seabed.