Offshore staff
LEIDSCHENDAM, the Netherlands — Fugro has performed its first deployment of an unmanned survey vehicle (USV) in the Middle East.
The company dispatched its Fugro Pegasus vehicle for a subsea survey and inspection of the UAQ3 platform on the Umm Al Quwain gas field offshore the UAE for Chinese operator Atlantis. The program was controlled by mariners and surveyors at an onshore remote operations center in Dubai using Fugro’s Blue Essence technology, without the need to send personnel offshore.
Fugro Pegasus was equipped with a Blue Volta electric ROV that inspected the integrity of the platform’s structure and generated a map of the surrounding seabed features. The data were streamed to the team in Dubai, allowing Atlantis to review it in real time during the campaign.
The team was then able to identify and investigate areas of further interest to develop a risk assessment for the client’s upcoming decommissioning program.
According to Fugro, the design and optimized fuel system of its USVs leads to 95% reductions in carbon emissions compared with conventional vessels; the vehicles can operate for up to two weeks at sea without refueling.
Patrick Boyce, drilling manager at Atlantis (UAQ) Ltd., said, “The Fugro Pegasus was able to mobilize on time and despite difficult sea conditions, it completed the full scope of work in 40% of the allotted time frame…Communications with the USV were strong throughout and provided excellent imaging results.”
08.14.2023
