Largest AUV-survey completed
Posted: 27 March 2006
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Fugro was contracted by BP Exploration ( Egypt) Ltd. to undertake a regional site investigation at Raven, located in the West Nile Delta using Fugro's Hugin 3000 Echo Surveyor AUV.
The survey took place during the latter half of 2005.
The company provided the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), its payload and support vessel to carry out much of the geophysical survey work. A total area of under 1000 square kilometres was surveyed. This is the largest AUV survey carried out anywhere so far, Fugro said.
AUV survey was used to obtain seabed and sub-seabed hydrographic and geophysical data to aid in the design of sub-sea facilities, route selection for flow lines, pipelines and umbilicals and to detect and delineate all geo-hazards that may have an impact on facilities installation or well drilling.
Having completed another project in Indonesia, the survey spread is en route for other projects in South America and West Africa.
Why AUV
An AUV was chosen as the platform from which to operate the geophysical systems because it provides several advantages:
- The smooth track, constant speed and optimum height above sea bed provide data of the highest qu ality that it is possible to obtain, particularly in deep water
- The tightly coupled Inertial Navigation System adds rigor to the positioning of hazards and features
- The tight turning circle - ''Echo Surveyor'' can turn almost in its own length - enormously reduces the time to change between survey lines.
- Improved data qu ality and positioning accuracy enables a confident interpretation of seabed and sub-seabed conditions
- Confident interpretation permits assured engineering that reduces risk and reduces cost.
- Faster data acquisition combined with tried and tested onboard reporting routines with high-speed satellite data link deliver faster results to the asset team.
- Faster results delivery can reduce development time and bring forward oil field revenue
Posted by Editor Pipeline Magazine
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