Geo-data specialist company Fugro has completed the Middle East’s first fully autonomous geophysical shallow-water route survey in response to increasing demand for remote offshore services
Controlled from its remote operations centre in Abu Dhabi, an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) captured a full range of geophysical data across a survey area some 40 km out from the coast of Abu Dhabi.
The results of the survey included conductivity, temperature, depth and salinity (CTDS) profiles, bathymetry data, seabed imaging, sub-bottom profiles, and ferrous object detection such as pipes.
The efficiency gains and material reductions from using Fugro’s remote and autonomous solution, rather than a conventionally mobilised and crewed survey, included reduced HSSE exposure and significant client cost savings.
Fugro’s USVs also have a much lower carbon footprint than a regular survey vessel, the company said in a statement.
Gerard Ferreira, Fugro’s service line director for marine geophysics in the Middle East, said, “Witnessing this ambitious concept transformed into reality is a landmark moment in the Middle East that has resulted in the successful delivery of a critical seabed characterisation report based solely on our autonomously acquired geo-data.”
