Subsea Metrology Combining Acoustics and Photogrammetry
Subsea metrology is one of the most challenging tasks for surveyors engaged in marine construction. Metrology involves determining the distance and relative attitudes of objects on or close to the seafloor. Accuracies of a few centimetres are achieved with objects 15m to 80m apart. Several methods are used, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
By Eric Guilloux, SAIPEM Project Surveyor, France.
Invariably, metrology is required at the critical stages of field development and the main goal for improvement is to reduce the time taken for acquiring data. The technique discussed offers significant improvements in terms of time and required equipment.