Geoscience and AUV Surveys

We have performed more than 400,000 km (or 75,000 hours) of high-resolution surveys, including pipeline inspections, to date.

As the first to offer commercial autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) survey services to the offshore oil and gas industry, our expertise and commitment enable us to provide cost-effective surveying on a global scale.

We also complete shallow-water hydrographic and geophysical surveys for both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and oil and gas customers. Our integrated service approach enables us to offer a variety of shallow-water hazard survey and geophysical mapping options to address even the most complex needs.

AUV Asset and Pipeline Inspection Surveys

We use high-quality and reliable pipeline and flowline inspection methods to verify subsea asset integrity, even in the deepest waters. Our AUV surveys provide higher-quality data than previous methods, while also being faster and more cost-effective than those methods. We have performed a wide variety of specialized AUV surveys, including downed aircraft searches, shipwreck investigations, subsidence studies, deepwater coral mapping, environmental studies, and high-resolution 3D microseismic at 13-ft (4-m) line spacing.

Our services also include geohazard, archaeological, pipeline preliminary, as-built, government, academic, and deepwater benthic community surveys. Our newest AUV survey technology, C-Surveyor VI, features a standard payload of side-scan sonar, multibeam echosounder, and subbottom profiler. The vehicle is also integrated with innovative sensors that include a 3D bathymetric laser, a camera photo mosaic system, a hydrocarbon detector, and a magnetometer.

AUV Survey

AUV Pipeline Inspection

AUV Asset and Site Survey

Geohazard Surveys

These surveys identify hazardous seabed and near-seabed conditions for the project. Our customized sensor suite provides unmatched data quality to identify potential geohazards, including submarine landslides, mass transport complexes, debris flows, shallow gas accumulations, faults, mud volcanoes, and methane hydrates.

Geophysical Surveys

Professional Geoscience Services

We provide geohazard assessments, marine archaeological assessments, and integrated geotechnical/geophysical studies. Our geoscience reports meet or exceed international engineering requirements along with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) guidelines.

Our geoscience professionals specialize in the processing, interpretation, and reporting of high-resolution geophysical data. Our teams also develop desktop studies and AUV pipeline inspection reports. Survey data collected for field developments or export pipeline routes provide engineers with front-end engineering design (FEED) data for the installation of proposed pipelines, flowlines, umbilicals, or other infrastructure. Geophysical data from deepwater AUV and conventional shelf surveys can also be incorporated in these studies. Our high-resolution site characterization survey reports assess seabed and subsurface geohazards and the impact of the proposed operations on archaeological resources.

Professional Geoscience Services

Shallow-Water Hazard Surveys

Our decades of experience and integrated approach enable us to offer an unmatched portfolio of surveying and mapping options addressing shallow-water hazard and geophysical survey requirements.

Nautical charting surveys
Data processing and deliverables
Hurricane debris surveys
Prehistoric and historic marine archaeological surveys
Wellsite hazard surveys
Pipeline engineering and hazard surveys

Route clearance surveys
Pre-lay surveys
As-built surveys

Decommissioning clearance surveys
Pipeline river crossing surveys
Geotechnical soil sampling
Telecommunications cable and pipeline landing site surveys
Anchor scar investigation surveys
Sand search surveys
Burial assessment surveys
Leg-hole inspection surveys

Site Clearance and Verification Surveys

We provide BSEE-compliant site clearance and verification surveys for subsea decommissioning. We provide a side-scan sonar survey over a removed well or platform with a letter report and map identifying any debris within a 600-ft (182-m) radius (for a single-pile caisson) or a 1,320-ft (402-m) radius (for a platform).

We can complete surveys in all water depths by using small survey launches, the Hugin 6000 AUV on the Ocean Intervention II vessel. We can provide a Plan of Operations for submission to BSEE as well as any regulatory service or consulting in the process.

Submarine Cable Route Surveys

Our Bothell, Wash., location provides highly mobile geophysical and hydrographic survey expertise in challenging and remote locations worldwide. Our scientists and engineers are trained in all aspects of shallow-water and nearshore survey operations. We have worked in locations from the Arctic and the Caribbean to the Strait of Magellan, as well as the Middle East—in total, we have completed surveys in more than 35 countries since 2005.

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Oceaneering offers best-in-class products and solutions, backed by unparalleled quality, reliability, and global support. Fill out the inquiry form to start a conversation today.