What are saturation diving techniques primarily used for?

Saturation diving techniques are primarily used for maintaining divers at depth for extended periods. This method allows divers to stay underwater for days or even weeks at a time without needing to decompress between dives, which is essential for deep-sea operations where time at depth is critical for the work being performed, such as underwater welding, inspection, or construction.

In saturation diving, divers live in a pressurized habitat and use a mixture of gases that prevents nitrogen narcosis and allows them to work effectively at significant depths. Once the divers complete their work shift, they return to the habitat rather than surfacing, which eliminates the need for frequent trips to the surface and minimizes the risk of experiencing decompression sickness.

This technique maximizes operational efficiency and safety for deep-sea projects, making it a vital aspect of underwater commercial work. Methods that focus on quick ascents or reduce the number of dives are secondary considerations in saturation diving, while training for shallow-water diving does not adequately reflect the purpose of saturation diving techniques.