UTEC Finalises Apache Infield AUV Inspection Off Australia

UTEC Survey Australia Pty Ltd has announced the successful completion of a major infield inspection of approximately 550 km of pipelines and 20 infield structures off the North West coast of Australia using two of its Gavia autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).

The work was completed on behalf of Apache Energy Limited.

Offshore activity commenced in mid-June and saw UTEC provide two of its latest model Gavia AUV systems equipped with a full suite of survey sensors. Survey works were carried out from the vessel Yardie Creek, with the scope of work completed in less than four weeks.

For the first time UTEC operated two AUVs on a ‘back-to-back’ basis – when one system returned from a mission, the next one was ready to go immediately. In some cases the operational up-time in a given day was improved by as much as 40% through the ‘back-to-back’ use of the AUVs.

UTEC Australia General Manager Simon Hird commented: “AUVs are a developing technology where UTEC is at the leading edge in terms of technical advances. Our AUV Centre of Excellence in Houston is constantly striving to deliver new and improved capabilities, some of which were applied on the Apache project. The quality of data gathered and presented from an AUV survey is astonishing in terms of visible detail.”

UTEC Asia Pacific Regional Sales Manager Noel Cowley added: “This project was a key target win for UTEC, and positioning Gavia AUVs in the region provides our clients with the confidence and operational flexibility to know the systems are available and ready to go when needed.”

UTEC CEO Martin O’Carroll said: “The safe and on time completion of this key project by the UTEC team demonstrates we have again lived up to our core value of performance.”

The completion of this project underlines UTEC’s position as a market leader in the Australian survey sector, underlined by a backlog of work which includes current involvement in the Saipem Ichthys pipelay project; a long term contract to provide survey and positioning services on Woodside’s Nor Australis operations support vessel; recent completion of a major subsea inspection programme in Bass Strait, and a geotechnical investigation project relating to the Ichthys development.

Press Release, August 28, 2014