Last Chance to Register for the SUT International Webinar and Learning Breakfast: "ASVs - Autonomous Surface Vehicles -The Future of Marine Surveys " !

Starts: Thu, May 19, 2016 7:00 AM CST
Ends: Thu, May 19, 2016 8:30 AM CST
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Bio: 
Brian Anderson has been ASV Technical Sales Manager at ASV’s Houston office since November, 2012. Brian’s role is the market expansion for the industrial line of powered Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) now being built and operated by ASV LLC (USA) and ASV Ltd in Portsmouth, UK.  Brian is a 30 year veteran of the offshore seismic and remote sensing industry, and has most recently been in the roles of VP of Oil and Gas Sales for Liquid Robotics, Inc. (now a Schlumberger Joint Venture), VP of Marketing & Sales for SeaBird Exploration Americas – specializing in seabed node seismic, and VP of Marketing for Fugro Robertson.  Brian was one of the original employees of LCT, Inc. which grew into a leading non-seismic geophysical contractor, and today is a division of CGG.  He served many years as a Director and Treasurer of the IAGC, and is author of over 50 technical articles and peer reviewed papers. He earned a B.Sc. in Geological Oceanography from the University of Washington in 1980.  He can be reached by email at: brian.anderson@asvglobal.com

Abstract: 
Can you believe that the offshore energy industry is on the cusp of routinely deploying unmanned survey vessels? As the offshore oil and gas industry works towards increased efficiency, the use of Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) have become a viable option for marine engineering and other surveys, and for field operational support. In some instances, AUVs save significant surface vessel time and associated costs, and can reduce the HSE exposure on offshore projects.  The primary applications which are emerging for this technology include touch-down monitoring, hydrographic survey for pipeline pre-lay and post-lay operations, LBL acoustic array “box-in” and calibration tasks, and even pig tracking and acoustic modem/telemetry data gateway applications.  Several of these applications are illustrated in the presentation by use of deepwater and nearshore Gulf of Mexico operational case studies and associated field data.  Additional data and information is provided to illustrate current and future HSE approaches to the use of these vehicles in an operating oil field environment, including an update on the emerging regulatory process around the use of ASVs.  As more operations of this type take place in the industry, an increasing demand for this technology is expected in the offshore marine construction market.  As a scalable technology, the paper also discusses future applications for larger vehicle designs including ROV, UAV, and AUV support.
Also included in the presentation are case studies from hydrographic survey work undertaken using ASVs with MBES and SSS in the Bering Sea, Mississippi Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico.  These efforts have led to the first unmanned system data to be used in a NOAA chart, and the development of a new 5 meter high speed hydro survey launch design.  Integration of SBP and application of ASV technology to site characterization and geotechnical site investigation is also on the development time line.

Society for Underwater Technology - This multi-disciplinary learned society brings together organizations and individuals with  common interests in underwater technology, ocean science and offshore engineering. The SUT was founded in 1966 in London and has members from more than 40 countries including engineers, scientists, other professionals and students working in these areas.

The SUT was founded to promote the further understanding of the underwater environment  to encourage cross fertilization and dissemination of ideas, experience and information between workers in academic research, applied research and technology, industry and government development of techniques and tools to explore and study oceans, proper economic and sociological use of our resources in and beneath the oceans, further education of scientists and technologists to maintain high standards in marine science and technology.