Freedom scanning a mooring winch

Fallstudie

ROV-Based Photogrammetry Improves Efficiency in Mooring Chain UWILD

Enabling faster acquisition and increased visibility during an annual mooring line inspection campaign in the Gulf of Mexico.

Herausforderung

  • Annual UWILD required across multiple Gulf of Mexico platforms
  • Mooring chains needed inspection for degradation, damage, and geometry changes
  • Data had to support comparison with previous campaigns

Lösung

  • ROV-based photogrammetry deployed with onboard survey acquisition support
  • Captured high-resolution datasets and generated 3D chain models
  • Enabled measurement, anomaly identification, and comparisons

Value Delivered

  • Full-chain visibility replacing point-based inspection methods
  • Improved acquisition efficiency
  • Reusable digital dataset and clear insight to asset condition, supporting integrity decision making

Herausforderung

  • Annual UWILD required across multiple Gulf of Mexico platforms
  • Mooring chains needed inspection for degradation, damage, and geometry changes
  • Data had to support comparison with previous campaigns

Lösung

  • ROV-based photogrammetry deployed with onboard survey acquisition support
  • Captured high-resolution datasets and generated 3D chain models
  • Enabled measurement, anomaly identification, and comparisons

Value Delivered

  • Full-chain visibility replacing point-based inspection methods
  • Improved acquisition efficiency
  • Reusable digital dataset and clear insight to asset condition, supporting integrity decision making

Überblick über das Projekt

The client required an annual underwater inspection in lieu of drydocking (UWILD) scope that included the assessment of their mooring lines across multiple platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

The inspections focused on assessing the condition of mooring chains, including any degradation of material, damage, and geometry changes. The project was critical to providing the data continuity and quality that supported comparison of the assets’ condition to information from prior campaigns.

Historically, the work included photogrammetry-based inspection performed by a third party. For the most recent campaign, we assumed responsibility for the UWILD scope and executed the work using ROV-based photogrammetry deployed from the Brandon Bordelon vessel over a 16-day offshore period.

Unsere Lösung

We delivered a fully ROV-based photogrammetry inspection approach to capture high-resolution datasets, supported by a dedicated offshore survey team working alongside the ROV crew on the vessel.

Instead of collecting discrete measurements at selected points, our approach captured the full geometry of each targeted chain link. This enabled full-length visualization and provided a more complete dataset for integrity assessment. The scope included:

  • Acquisition of photogrammetric data across targeted chain section
  • Generation of 3D point cloud models
  • Extraction from measurements and identification of localized damage or anomalies
  • Delivery of reporting packages including imagery, measurements, and modeled outputs.

Where data requirements changed late in the process, the photogrammetric approach enabled reprocessing without the need for additional offshore acquisition.

Value Delivered

The campaign demonstrated the practical advantages of using full-field photogrammetry during UWILD scopes.

Operationally, the work was completed more efficiently than initial estimates, reducing the time for data acquisition during offshore execution.

From a data perspective, the client received a complete digital record of the chain condition rather than isolated measurements. This supports a more informed assessment of degradation, ovalization, and localized damage and provides them with a baseline for comparison in the future.

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