Africa Surveyors November-December issue 2023

November-December 2023 Volume 5 issue no. 30 

Africa Surveyors 

Underwater Drones 

A Revolutionary aid in Subsea Pipeline Inspections 

3D Spatial Navigation Mapping 

Africa’s Largest 300 MW Onshore Wind Project 

Scan to BIM for reverse engineering from 3D vision data 

In this issue...... 

Invictus Energy Discovers 

Gas at Mukuyu-2 Well in 

Zimbabwe.... 

Building Capacity for 

Africa’s Renewables 

Sector.... 

Seismic Acquisition 

Campaign Completes 

in Congo.... 

pg 20 pg 16 pg 31

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Invictus Energy Discovers 

Gas at Mukuyu-2 Well in 

Zimbabwe.... 

Building Capacity for 

Africa’s Renewables 

Sector.... 

Seismic Acquisition 

Campaign Completes 

in Congo.... 

Current Issue 

In this issue, we look 

at the Underwater 

Drones - A Revolutionary 

aid in Subsea Pipeline 

Inspections & much 

more...enjoy the issue! 

November-December 2023 Volume 5 issue no. 30 

Africa Surveyors 




Africa’s Largest 300 MW Onshore Wind Project 

Scan to BIM for reverse engineering from 3D vision data 

Contents 

22 

CONTENTS 

30 

In this issue...... 

pg 20 pg 16 pg 31 

REGULARS 

News Briefs 4 

33 18 

Events 10 

Innovation 12 

Opinion 18 

Safety Tips 36 

Director 

Augustine M. Rang’ondi 

Senior Editor 

& Marketing Lead 

Dorcas Kang’ereha 

COVER STORY 

Underwater Drones: A Revolutionary Aid in Subsea Pipeline 

Inspections 

Writers 

Harriet Mkhaye 

Irene Joseph 

Claudia Mangi 

Sales Executives 

FEATURES 

The Challenge: Building Capacity for Africa’s Renewables 

Sector 

East Africa 

Lydia Kamonya 

Caiser Momanyi 

Vincent Murono 

Sheilah Ing’ayitsa 

South Africa 

Paul Nyakeri 

Lisa Brown 

Sean Masangwanyi 

Thembisa Ndlovu 

Nigeria 

Imelda Njomboro 

Uche Maxwel 

KICT Team develops scan-to-BIM for reverse engineering 

from 3D vision data 

The Next Regional Power Play: Invictus Energy Discovers 

Gas at Mukuyu-2 Well in Zimbabwe 

Unlocking Africa’s Untapped Natural Hydrogen Potential 

Kuwait expected to award survey and soil investigation 

contract in Q2 2024 

Sanu Gold Commences Ground Geophysics Program at the 

Bantabaye Permit in Guinea, West Africa 

20 

Published and 

Designed By: 

ADVERTISER’S INDEX 

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Sea Machines....................................................................................................................IFC 

Caroni.................................................................................................................................IBC 

Navvis...............................................................................................................................OBC 

Altavec............................................................................................................................pg 17 

Forssea Robotics.........................................................................................................pg 32 

Euclideon.......................................................................................................................pg 35 

Imagenex.......................................................................................................................pg 37 

MacArtney.....................................................................................................................pg 38 

36 

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www.africasurveyorsonline.com 

November-December issue l 2023 3

NEWS BRIEFS 

Surveyors oppose government’s plans to 

hike land rates 

The government of Kenya is seeking 

to implement a proposal to hike land 

rates and transfer of the National 

Land Commission (NLC) functions to the 

Lands Ministry. However, the Institution of 

Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) has opposed this 

proposal terming it as punitive to ordinary 

citizens while the transfer functions from 

the Lands Agency would contravene the 

constitution. 

Contrary, the World bank is backing up the 

land rates and fees increment, saying it will 

improve revenue collection by the Ministry of 

Lands which is expected to increase the cost 

of land by more than 100 times. According to 

Eric Nyadimo, the ISK president, the proposals 

will have ripple effects on the country’s 

economy and would be costly for ordinary 

citizens. 

“We find that these proposals are very unfair 

to members of the public and we reject them. 

For instance, we find that Sh2000 for land 

search as unfair because the Kenyans already 

pay taxes which are supposed to be used to 

provide services,” said Eric Nyadimo. 

“We are saying why should the government 

charge or increase rates when there are 

no services for instance having rates 

for freehold land yet there is no proper 

sewerage or good roads. We are saying rates 

should only be based on services that are 

being offered,” Adds Mr. Nyadimo. 

In his objection, Nyadimo added that, the 

proposals to transfer some functions from 

NLC such as land valuation, would negate 

the gains made on land reforms as the 

ministry will get more unchecked powers. 

“We are yet to decide on what to do next 

should the proposals go through but we 

reject these proposals,” he added. 

He noted that, although they back the 

digitising of land records through the Ardhi 

Sasa to improve service delivery, they called 

for the creation of a committee involving 

professionals and state officials to ensure 

proper implementation of the system. 

Australian company to start seismic survey 

off West Coast in January 

At the start of the new year, an 

Australian company based in the UK, 

Searcher Geodata, plans to begin 

a seismic survey for oil and gas reserves off 

South Africa’s West Coast. 

The survey, over 30,000 square kilometres 

about 220km offshore between St Helena 

Bay and Hondeklip Bay, involves blasting 

continuous pulses of sound at 255 decibels 

(dB) to create a 3D map of the seafloor and 

underlying geology. Decibel charts for human 

sound don’t usually go above 150dB, which is 

the intensity of fireworks and gunshots, and is 

considered painful and dangerous. 

The green area is where Searcher Geodata will do its 

seismic survey in 2024. Map from consultant’s environmental 

assessment report. Image: courtesy 

Western Cape High Court by small-scale 

fishers and civic rights organisation We Are 

South Africans. 

Shelter Afrique 

Development Bank 

Pioneers Affordable 

Housing Credit 

Guarantee Program in 

Nigeria 

Shelter Afrique Development Bank - HQ Image: 

Shelter Afrique 

Shelter Afrique Development Bank 

(ShafDB), a leading Pan-African 

institution committed to financing 

and advancing housing, urban, and related 

infrastructure development, is delighted to 

announce its innovative Affordable Housing 

Credit Guarantee Program in Nigeria, fully 

approved by its Board of Directors. 

The innovative financing structure has begun 

with the first pilot transaction of Naira 

three billion (Naira 3 Billion) debt financing 

guarantee for Modern Shelter Systems and 

Services Limited (“Modern Shelter”) under a 

comprehensive affordable housing program. 

This groundbreaking initiative, facilitated by 

InfraCredit, a triple A (AAA)-rated specialized 

infrastructure credit guarantee institution, 

aims to develop 370 affordable housing units 

in Nasarawa Technology Village, adhering to 

the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) 

green building standards, EDGE. 

This initiative is part of Shelter Afrique 

Development Bank (ShafDB)’s expansive 

Naira 200 billion Affordable Housing Credit 

Program in Nigeria. Early last year, ShafDB 

proceeded with a debut Naira 46 billion bond 

issuance in Nigeria’s capital market which was 

oversubscribed by 60.7%, reflecting a strong 

investor appetite. 

According to the Environmental Basic 

Assessment Report, sound levels will still be 

160dB four kilometres away from the ship. 

Searcher tried to start a 3D survey off the 

West Coast last year but was halted by 

an interdict obtained in March 2022 in the 

Then on 20 December last year, the 

Department of Minerals and Energy 

granted environmental approval after 

a new application had been lodged 

on 1 November by a newly appointed 

environmental assessment practitioner 

(EAP), Environmental Impact Management 

Services. 

ShafDB’s debut bond issuance lays the ground 

for its local currency funding to mitigate 

foreign currency risk. Along with ShafDB’s 

anchor investment in Housing Solution Fund 

(HSF), to address the demand side, we are 

closing the loop on de-risking the housing 

ecosystem and value-chain. 

4 November-December issue l 2023 www.africasurveyorsonline.com

NEWS BRIEFS 

ATIDI signs 

partnership agreement 

to underwrite AMEA 

Power’s 20 MW Solar 

Project in Uganda 

(L-R) ATIDI CEO Manuel Moses and AMEA Power 

Senior Director for Project Development Aqueel Bohra 

Image: ATIDI 

African Trade & Investment 

Development Insurance, ATIDI, 

announced its intent to support the 

20 MW Ituka West Nile Uganda Ltd solar 

project developed by AMEA Power, a Dubaibased 

Independent Power Producer (IPP). 

ATIDI will support the project via its Regional 

Liquidity Support Facility (RLSF) by providing 

payment guarantees for the benefit of the 

project on behalf of the Ugandan national 

power utility, Uganda Electricity Transmission 

Company Limited (UETCL). 

China partners with Kenya to boost geospatial 

technology cooperation 

Supermap International, Chinese 

technology firm has signed an 

agreement with the Kenya’s 

Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote 

Sensing (DRSRS) to enhancing the East 

African nation’s proficiency in geospatial 

technology. 

The agreement includes training of over 

70 Kenyan government officials, academics 

and private sector individuals in advanced 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) over 

the course of one year, said Director of 

DRSRS Moses Akali. 

“The collaboration between DRSRS and 

Supermap International seeks to bolster 

Kenya’s institutional capacity in utilizing 

space-derived products, services and 

customized tools for diverse needs in 

natural resource management, planning, and 

monitoring,” Akali said. 

Speaking during the 2023 Supermap GIS 

software innovation conference, themed 

“GIS Innovations for Rapid Spatial Data 

Analysis and 3D Modeling for Sustainable 

Development in Kenya and Beyond,” Akali 

stressed Kenya’s interest in harnessing 

Supermap’s advanced technologies in such 

fields as big data, artificial intelligence, 3D 

modeling, distributed GIS and cross-platform 

GIS, which would enable the country to 

develop robust solutions for urban planning, 

cadastral mapping, natural resource 

management, traffic monitoring and land 

valuation planning. 

Moreover, Akali said that by integrating 

remote sensing data processing and 

interpretation capabilities into GIS 

technologies, Supermap would facilitate 

Kenya’s more efficient application of 

geospatial data, which could extend to 

areas such as food security, natural disaster 

monitoring and management, climate change 

and carbon emission control. 

Chikunga receives specialised agency 

to audit SA’s marine operations 

“At ATIDI, we believe in fostering sustainable 

development, and one crucial avenue is 

supporting IPPs who propel diversification 

of Africa’s energy mix. Over the past years, 

Uganda has demonstrated remarkable strides 

in its energy sector, and we are proud to play 

a role in this transformative journey. Our 

recent collaboration with IPPs in Uganda is 

not just about power generation; it’s about 

empowering communities, driving economic 

growth, and fostering a sustainable future,” 

said ATIDI CEO Manuel Moses. 

AMEA Power Senior Director for Project 

Development Aqueel Bohra saidinvesting 

in renewable energy in Uganda was part of 

the company’s pledge to deliver sustainable 

energy to all. 

“We thank ATIDI for their support, which is 

crucial for the success of the project. Our solar 

project will not only help provide essential 

power to homes and industries but will also 

drive economic growth, creating jobs, and 

safeguarding the environment.” 

Transport Minister Sindisiwe 

Chikunga has officially welcomed the 

International Maritime Organisation 

audit team who are in the country to conduct 

a mandatory audit under the IMO’s Member 

State Audit Scheme (IMSAS). 

Speaking at Monday’s opening meeting 

in Cape Town, the Minister described the 

gathering as a milestone as the country 

forges ahead with upholding international 

standards and compliance in maritime 

operations. 

The International Maritime Organisation, 

which South Africa became a member of in 

1995, is a specialised agency of the United 

Nations (UN) responsible for regulating and 

promoting responsible shipping on a global 

scale. 

South Africa’s participation in the IMO, 

enables the country to contribute to the 

Image: Courtesy IMO 

development of international maritime 

policies and standards, mainly related to 

maritime safety, pollution prevention and the 

welfare of seafarers. 

“South Africa also benefits from IMO 

initiatives that support capacity building, 

technical assistance and development in the 

maritime sector.” 

The IMO’s audit scheme has created a 

regulatory framework for the shipping 

industry that is fair and effective, universally 

adopted and implemented. It also promotes 

a safe and secure environment and efficient 

and sustainable shipping. 



INTERNATIONAL 

LiDAR developer and manufacturer 

YellowScan and drone manufacturer 

DeltaQuad are joining forces once again. 

The outcome – more quality 3D mapping 

data than ever. The YellowScan Surveyor 

Ultra LiDAR system with an embedded 

camera is now integrated into DeltaQuad Evo, 

bringing 1200 ha of dense point clouds for 

professionals worldwide. 

Longer quality flight times 

Yellowscan and DeltaQuad join forces 

The YellowScan Surveyor Ultra OEM is a 

new lightweight 360° LiDAR system with a 

120° field of view for quality mapping and 

surveying. Standing out with high point 

density and light weight, it can now be 

used to its fullest extent with DeltaQuad 

Evo Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Evo is 

a new-age fixed-wing Vertical Take-off and 

Landing (VTOL) UAV for multipurpose longrange 

missions. Due to its modularity, Evo 

can carry multiple payloads simultaneously, 

like the newest YellowScan Surveyor Ultra 

OEM with an auxiliary battery. This lets the 

Evo fly for up to 225 min, capturing up to 

Record 1200 ha of colorized LiDAR coverage Image: DELTAQUAD 

100 data points per square meter. Since 

the data is processed swiftly and easily 

with the YellowScan CloudStation software, 

the integration is perfectly suited for large 

surveying projects. 

Continuous attention to mapping experts 

Just earlier this year, both companies 

announced Evo becoming the first fixed-wing 

eVTOL UAV to integrate YellowScan LiDAR & 

RGB systems. Now, Tristan Allouis, cofounder 

and CEO of YellowScan, shares the excitement 

about the continuation of the collaboration: 

“Gradual progress is what empowers 

trembling innovations. Integrating the 

YellowScan Surveyor Ultra OEM in DeltaQuad 

Evo is a small step but opens up the window 

of opportunities wider for many mapping and 

surveying experts.” Douwe Zeeman, the CEO 

of DeltaQuad, adds: “It is a pleasure to see 

our products help professionals in different 

industries and regions. Now, enabled to fly 

longer distances, they can use the benefits of 

colorized LiDAR to the maximum.” 

Strava releases Flyover, an aerial 3D video look back of all 

your GPS activities 

Strava, the subscription platform at the 

center of connected fitness, announced 

a new feature today, Flyover, a 3D video 

map rendering with the signature orange 

polyline that recreates the athlete’s activities 

and inspires new adventures. 

The Flyover is a video recap of the activity 

from a bird’s eye view, offering Strava 

subscribers a different take on their activity. 

Starting by zooming into the route, it displays 

the signature Strava orange polyline in 

motion as the athlete moves throughout the 

activity. Flyovers are available for all GPSenabled 

activities on the subscriber’s profile, 

including past activities. 

The new feature is the latest integration 

of FATMAP’s mapping technology into the 

platform. Along with acquiring the outdoor 

adventure platform earlier this year, Strava 

has been rolling out additional features for 

athletes to enjoy such as winter 3D maps, 

maps and route creation, custom waypoints, 

route details and photos via the online Route 

Builder. 

The platform offers a 3D video map rendering of the athlete’s adventure. Images: STRAVA 


Woolpert Awarded $13M Contract to Collect Bathymetric Lidar Data 

for Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative 

INTERNATIONAL 

The Florida Department of 

Environmental Protection has tasked 

Woolpert with acquiring bathymetric 

survey data using lidar technologies to 

support the Florida Seafloor Mapping 

Initiative (FSMI) and its mission to produce 

a comprehensive, publicly available, highresolution 

seafloor surface model of Florida’s 

coastal waters by 2026. 

FSMI builds on the efforts of the Florida 

Coastal Mapping Program (FCMaP), an 

initiative led by federal and Florida state 

agencies and other community stakeholders 

to facilitate the collection of approximately 

171,780 square kilometers of high-resolution 

coastal seafloor data from Florida’s shoreline 

to the continental shelf. 

Once completed, the FSMI dataset is expected 

to be merged with existing terrestrial lidar. 

The data will be used by federal and Florida 

state agencies to help better understand the 

state’s coastal vulnerability and hurricane 

impacts, evaluate the performance of 

restoration projects, and support 

ongoing coastal resilience efforts 

and flood risk mapping. 

Under this task order, Woolpert will 

collect 23,418 square kilometers 

of bathymetric lidar data off 

Florida’s southern coast, including 

the Florida Keys and extending 

southwest to Dry Tortugas National Park. 

Woolpert Program Director Rick Householder 

said FSMI will acquire the data in two phases. 

Phase I will include the aircraft acquisition 

of topographic and bathymetric lidar data up 

to 20 meters of depth. Phase II will include 

the acquisition of data beyond 20 meters in 

depth up to 200 meters using marine vessels 

equipped with multibeam sonar. 

“The scale and impact of this project is 

extraordinary. From helping assess the health 

of Florida’s marine habitats to improving 

disaster response and resiliency, the amount 

of information gained through this initiative 

The Florida Department of Environmental 

Protection data will be used to help evaluate 

the performance of restoration projects and 

support coastal resilience efforts. Image: 

Courtesy 

will have an exponential impact across the 

state for decades to come,” Householder said. 

“Not only is this data crucial for the future of 

protecting Florida’s coastal communities, but 

this initiative has the potential to provide a 

blueprint on the benefits of seafloor mapping 

for all the continental U.S.” 

Householder said that the full set of data is 

expected to be acquired by May of next year 

and delivered in summer 2024. The contract 

is currently underway. 

Red Sea Global and VAARST collaborate for 

advanced marine ecosystem mapping 

Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project 

developer behind the world’s most 

ambitious regenerative tourism 

destinations, is piloting SubSLAM, an 

advanced photogrammetry technology 

developed by VAARST, a leader in marine 

robotics. This technology is being used 

to produce high-resolution, 3D digital 

representations of Al Wajh Lagoon’s coral 

reefs and vital habitats. 

This state-of-the-art system is the 

most accurate underwater 3D real-time 

measurement system available on the 

market. VAARST’s photogrammetry and realtime 

intelligent data collection system are 

transforming how underwater ecosystems 

are mapped and preserved. This marks a first 

in Saudi Arabia and is a testament to RSG’s 

commitment to sustainable and regenerative 

tourism. 

SubSLAM’s capabilities enable precise 

quantification and identification of corals 

and underwater objects using advanced 4K 


Utilizing SubSLAM’s cutting-edge capabilities, RSG precisely quantifies and identifies corals 

and underwater objects Image: Read Sea Global 

sensors. This technology guides remotely 

operated vehicles in detailed habitat 

inspections, comparing current and past 

imagery to monitor changes and promote 

biodiversity. 

This technology also empowers RSG’s 

scientists, in collaboration with King 

AbdulAziz University in Jeddah, to rapidly 

identify and classify marine species without 

the arduous task of reviewing hours of 

footage. Furthermore, it effectively eliminates 

the risk of human error caused by fatigue. 

This proactive approach is vital for addressing 

challenges like coral bleaching and invasive 

species, ensuring the Red Sea’s beauty and 

diversity remain intact for visitors. 


EVENTS 

Nigeria Sets New Standard in Civil Registration with 

Launch of Innovative e-CRVS System 

In a landmark event at the State House in Abuja, His Excellency 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu launched the Electronic Civil 

Registration and Vital Statistics System (e-CRVS), alongside the 

National Geospatial Data Repository and the National Coordination 

Committee on CRVS. 

This launch, realized through the collaboration of the National 

Population Commission (NPC), UNICEF, and Barnksforte Technologies 

Limited, marks a decisive step toward enhancing Nigeria’s civil 

registration and vital statistics system, underpinning the nation’s 

commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.2 for 

legal identity for all. 

Speaking on this significant event, the Chairman, National Population 

Commission, Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, expressed his enthusiasm, saying 

“The aim of this high-level event is to emphasize the commitment of 

the current government and leadership to strengthen civil registration 

data capturing, collation, processing, dissemination and timely access 

to vital statistics in the country. It is to accelerate the improved civil 

registration and vital statistics systems in Nigeria over a period of 

ten years, from 2023 to 2030 in a bid to achieve the Sustainable 

Development Goal (SDG):16.9.2 - legal identity for all, including birth 

registration”. 

“Digitizing civil registration in Nigeria transcends technology; it’s 

a pledge to future generations. Now, every child’s existence will be 

acknowledged, marking a new era where every significant life event 

informs our nation’s development,” expressed Ms. Cristian Munduate, 

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. 

This initiative aligns with the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda 

and the resolutions of the African Ministers’ Conference in Addis Ababa, 

advocating for a technological shift in data generation. The strategic 

partnership between NPC and UNICEF, complemented by the Public- 

Private Partnership with Barnksforte Technologies Limited, is set to 

overhaul the registration of vital events, transitioning Nigeria from a 

paper-based system to an internationally aligned digital framework. 

The newly established CRVS National Coordination Committee is 

tasked with steering the e-CRVS system, ensuring Nigeria’s capability 

to capture and leverage vital statistics. 

Through this transformation, Nigeria is laying the groundwork for 

an effective civil registration system, essential for national planning, 

policymaking, and achieving the global ambition of legal identity for 

all. 


EVENTS 

RCMRD Announces 

Winners of its 2023 

Map Competition 

Images courtesy RCMRD 

Dompezodwa Nhlapho receiving EUR 4,000 for her project on 

Mapping Invasive Species in Lesotho Wetlands. Image: RCMRD 

By Deborah Faboade 

The Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) 

has announced the winners of the 2023 RCMRD Map Competition 

themed ‘’Environmental and Biodiversity Conservation Efforts to Protect 

our Natural Resources’’. The competition aimed to promote the use of maps and 

Earth Observation and create awareness of the data-sharing geo-portals and 

observatories to allow users to discover GIS datasets and creatively use them to 

develop innovative solutions. 

The competition recorded participation from 25 African countries, including Angola, 

Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, 

Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, 

South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

The participants competed in the School Category (Per School Award) and the 

Professional Category (Individual Award), focusing on initiatives connected to 

environmental and biodiversity conservation efforts aimed at safeguarding or 

raising awareness about natural resources. 

The Per School Award was subdivided into Primary School and Secondary School 

categories, with a EUR 2,000 award prize. Tr Adam Khaemba and Tr Patricia Muthusi 

(Grade 6 and 8) from the Valley Bridge Primary School in Nairobi, Kenya, emerge 

as the Primary School Category winners. Their initiatives centred on “Save the 

Environment – Two Sides of a Coin”. While Mombasa and Beatrice Oyange (Grade 

9) from Shree Swaminarayan Academy, Kenya, emerged winners in the Secondary 

Category. Their initiative centered around the theme “My Tusks are Valuable”. 

The Individual Award category was split into two sub-categories, Land Theme and 

Marine Theme, with a EUR 2,000 award prize. Frank Anderson from Dar es Salaam, 

Tunisia, emerged as the winner for the Land Theme category. His initiative centred 

around “Safeguarding Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains Forests”. Julius Ivan from 

Kampala, Uganda, emerged as the Marine Theme category winner. His initiative 

centred on the “Restoration of the Protection Zone of Lake Nakivaale, Uganda’’. 

Dompezodwa Nhlapho from Maseru, Lesotho, emerged as the overall winner, with 

an award prize of EUR 4,000. Her initiative centred on “Mapping Invasive Species in 

Lesotho Wetlands”. 



COVER STORY 



By Dorcas Kang’ereha 

Subsea pipeline reviews are essential in 

guaranteeing the submerged framework’s honesty 

and security. These inspections have traditionally 

been time-consuming, expensive, and necessitated 

extensive human resources and specialized equipment. On 

the other hand, underwater drones have revolutionized the 

process, providing significant advantages in terms of efficiency, 

accuracy, and cost-effectiveness. 

“Subsea pipeline inspection is critical to the safe transfer of oil 

and gas from off-shore rigs to storage and processing facilities 

on land. As perhaps the costliest and most widely installed 

component in subsea infrastructure, subsea pipelines bear a 

high possibility of suffering damage. This could be the result 

of anything from equipment failure and corrosion to human 

error and natural causes,” says Peter Baker, Senior Product 

Manager - Subsea at Advanced Navigation. 

“The future of subsea pipeline inspections lies within the 

advanced technology of professional underwater drones 

that prioritize user-friendly operation, ensuring reliability 

in challenging offshore environments. The integration of 

underwater drones has emerged as a transformative force 

in the oil and gas industry,” adds Mira Nagle, Marketing 

Administrator at Oceanbotics Inc. 

Underwater drones are changing subsea pipeline inspections 

in the following ways. 

How underwater drones are beneficial in subsea pipeline 

inspections; 

1. Enhanced Mobility and Accessibility 

Even in challenging environments, underwater drones provide 

unparalleled access to subsea pipelines. These drones can 

effortlessly navigate through intricate underwater structures, 

such as pipelines, thanks to their sophisticated propulsion 

systems and precise control mechanisms. Their minimized 

size permits them to arrive at bound spaces that would be 

difficult to reach by human jumpers, making it conceivable 


UNDERWATER DRONES 

Peter Baker, Senior Product Manager - Subsea 

at Advanced Navigation. Image: Advanced 

Navigation 

to examine every last bit of the pipeline. 

According to Mira, underwater drones present 

a user-friendly and efficient alternative to 

the challenges associated with traditional 

inspection methods. “These challenges 

include harsh underwater conditions, 

unsafe working environments, unreliable 

equipment and time-consuming operations, 

all of which ultimately result in increased 

costs,” she explains. Because of the increased 

access, thorough inspections are guaranteed, 

identifying potential issues before they 

become significant. “The demand for greater 

flexibility, maneuverability and scalability is 

driving underwater drones, or micro-AUVs, 

to become an increasingly popular tool for 

inspecting subsea pipelines,” Peter notes. 

2. Visual Inspection in Real Time 

The ability of underwater drones to capture 

high-definition images and videos in real 

time is one of their significant advantages. 

These drones provide inspectors with a clear 

and comprehensive view of the pipeline’s 

condition thanks to their powerful cameras 

and lights. Using a protection analyzer, the 

robot can survey the nature of the pipeline’s 

protection, recognizing any weak spots or 

harm. This visual inspection in real-time 

makes it possible to make quick decisions 

and take immediate corrective actions when 

needed. 

3. Testing That Isn’t Destructive 

Underwater drones provide a non-destructive 

testing method for subsea pipeline 

inspections. The infrastructure’s integrity can 

be jeopardized by invasive techniques like 

cutting into the pipeline or using intrusive 

probes in traditional ways. The traditional 

approach of sending a large construction 

vessel equipped with a work-class ROV is 

inefficient, expensive and labour-intensive,” 

observed Peter. “The answer to this challenge 

Mira Nagle, Marketing Administrator at 

Oceanbotics Inc. Image: Oceanbotics 

is smaller vessels that burn little to no fuel, 

remove humans from dangerous conditions 

and can be deployed on a large scale. 

Specifically in the offshore energy sector, 

scalability is pivotal to the effectiveness of 

any kind of operation,” he recommends. The 

risk of further damage to the channel is kept 

to a minimum with this non-destructive 

method, and the inspection results are 

guaranteed to be accurate and dependable. 

4. Effortless Data Gathering and 

Analysis 

Submerged drones smooth out the 

information assortment process during subsea 

pipeline reviews. Using a protection analyzer, 

these robots can accumulate essential 

information on the protection honesty 

of the pipeline, including estimations of 

opposition and protection breakdown voltage. 

This information is gathered progressively 

and can be examined promptly utilizing 

installed handling capacities or sent to a 

control station for additional examination. 

Underwater drones significantly shorten 

the amount of time and effort required for 

inspections by automating the processes of 

data collection and analysis. 

5. Effortless Inspections 

Large teams of divers, specialized equipment, 

and lengthy deployment times are all 

required for traditional subsea pipeline 

inspections, which can be prohibitively 

expensive. A less expensive alternative 

is using underwater drones. With their 

independent abilities, these robots kill 

the requirement for human jumpers and 

decrease functional expenses altogether. 

In addition, the capacity to efficiently carry 

out inspections in real-time and gather 

data reduces downtime and boosts overall 

inspection productivity. Peter points out that, 

the timely inspection of subsea pipelines is 

key to preventing damage such as oil spills 

and leakages. Typically, these inspections 

require either sending a well-trained human 

diver or using large and heavy work-class 

ROVs, however both methods have downsides. 

The first puts the diver at risk, which becomes 

greater the deeper they travel underwater. 

The second method remains suited only 

to large-scale operations and at suitable 

depth. “A common challenge industries face 

is when depths and other conditions are 

not favourable. For example, as the water 

becomes shallower or the environment more 

sensitive to larger vessels, complications 

arise in getting appropriately sized and 

maneuverable equipment into place,” he 

defines. 

“Additionally, ROVs are costly to build and 

maintain, often requiring large, specialised 

crews to deploy and retrieve. They are also 

limited by the length of their tethers and 

the need for constant human supervision, 

impacting the frequency and scale of 

inspections,” Emphasized Peter. 

6. Further developed Well-being 

Due to the hazardous nature of the 

environment, subsea pipeline inspections 

place a high priority on safety. By reducing the 

dependence on human divers in potentially 

dangerous conditions, underwater drones 

significantly enhance safety. “Underwater 

drone represents a comprehensive solution 

that redefines the efficiency and effectiveness 

of subsea inspections,” highlights Mira. 

Operators can lessen the dangers of 

underwater inspections, such as the dangers 

of deep diving, decompression sickness, 

and adverse weather. Human operators can 

monitor the assessments securely while 

maintaining complete control thanks to these 

drones’ remote operation. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the improved access, real-time 

visual inspection capabilities, non-destructive 

testing methods, efficient data collection and 

analysis, cost-effectiveness, and increased 

safety that underwater drones provide have 

revolutionized subsea pipeline inspections. 

These drones can inspect the insulation of the 

pipeline without causing damage, ensuring 

the infrastructure’s integrity. Underwater 

drones are becoming increasingly important 

in ensuring the safety and dependability of 

subsea pipelines as technology advances, 

safeguarding our marine ecosystems and 

sustaining the global energy supply. 



BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 

Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology 

Team develops scan-to-BIM for reverse 

engineering from 3D vision data 

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and 

Building Technology have developed building scan to BIM 

(Building Information Modeling)-based reverse engineering 

technology required for 3D geospatial information modeling domains 

such as digital twin information modeling. 

Scan to BIM-based reverse engineering technology was studied to 

prevent errors and rework caused by manual work when modeling 

shapes or BIM from 3D scan data. Existing reverse engineering work is 

either done based on a lot of manual work or semi-automatically using 

expensive overseas software. 

KICT Research Fellow Dr. Kang Tae-wook and an international joint 

research team (from University of North Florida, Prof Jonghoon Kim; 

from Purdue University, Prof Kyubyung Kang; from IUPUI, Prof Dan 

Koo; and from The State University of New York, Prof Jongseong Brad 

Choi) developed Scan to BIM technology customized for each reverse 

engineering purpose based on accumulated 3D vision, deep learning, 

and data processing pipeline technologies. 

Scan data collected from rovers, drones, lidar, etc. is automatically processed 

through the Scan to BIM pipeline to generate the information desired by the user. 

This spatial information digitization technology can be used in digital twin-related 

services that use spatial information. Credit: Korea Institute of Civil Engineering 

and Building Technology(KICT) 

This technology automatically segments objects from 3D point cloud 

data, extracts shape information, and creates BIM objects. Through this, 

information model creation time and rework required for digital twins 

can be dramatically reduced. 

Productivity analysis cases were presented in a paper published 

in Applied Sciences. According to published data, this technology 

improves reverse engineering productivity by 23.7 times and improves 

the amount of modeling information by 110.21%. Additionally, this 

technology can be customized depending on the purpose. 

This technology is used for 3D precision map construction, 3D 

vectorizing, abnormal pattern detection during construction site safety 

management, precise construction management, and 3D digitalization 

of spatial information using the location, size, and direction 

information of objects required from scanned image data and more. It 

can be used as a base technology that can be included in vision-based 

robotics and autonomous driving support systems. 

This technology provides Scan to BIM Description Language (SBDL) 

to connect and assemble tasks. Credit: Korea Institute of Civil 

Engineering and Building Technology(KICT) 

The developed technology is being tested on-site with a scan reverse 

engineering company (BNG Co., Ltd) collaborating with Trimble 

Building Point in Korea and overseas partner organizations. In 

addition, for the development of the industry, some technologies were 

open-sourced and shared on GitHub. 

Dr. Kang said, “Currently, Scan to BIM reverse engineering automation 

technology is difficult to specialize for each purpose in construction, 

and the cost for the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) 

industry to utilize the technology is also high. The recently developed 

Scan to BIM technology will greatly help AEC domestic industrial 

competitiveness.” 

This R&D project believes that indoor and outdoor scan data can be 

used for facility maintenance and operation, construction management, 

infrastructure quality inspection, and proptech asset digitization. 

Using Scan to BIM automation technology, we can extract the desired 

quantities from scan data, which is a simple point data, and obtain 

the dimensions of the object quickly. Credit: Korea Institute of Civil 

Engineering and Building Technology(KICT) 


QUANTITY SURVEY 

Emerging scholar takes 

top honour for pioneering 

sustainable housing research 

Shedding light on the critical role Quantity Surveyors can play in making sustainability affordable. Image: Courtesy 

Malcolm Weaich, a young academic researcher at University 

of the Witwatersrand, has been honoured with “The Best 

Overall Youth U/35 Award” at the 13th South African 

Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) International 

Research Conference. Weaich was recognised for his research on the 

“Willingness of End-Users to Adopt Sustainable Housing in South 

Africa,” shedding light on the critical role Quantity Surveyors can play 

in making sustainability affordable. 

Weaich expressed humility and gratitude, stating, “I am humbled, 

honoured, and thankful to God. Being recognised by the SACQSP is a 

testament to the dedication and hard work I’ve invested in my field of 

research”, after accepting the award from the President of the SACQSP, 

Ms Nosiyabonga Mgudlwa Mongane. 

He acknowledged the support from his Head of School, Professor 

Samuel Laryea, who encouraged him to join academia and join his 

team at the Wits School of Construction Economics and Management 

at the University. 

“I am thankful to my School and University for encouraging me to 

become a researcher for change, and as a young academic researcher, I 

hope to inspire others,” said Weaich. 

“I wish to advocate that it is the mission of all Quantity Surveyors local 

and abroad, to make sustainability affordable.” 

Weaich’s research, titled Affordability for Sustainability is a Reality, 

delves into South Africa’s alarming carbon emissions, ranking twelfth 

globally, and the financial barriers hindering sustainable living. His 

study aims to inform sustainable material adoption by identifying 

preferred materials and investment levels among South African 

end-users providing a novel way to assess what end-users are 

willing to pay for, and what Quantity Surveyors need to make more 

affordable through supply chain management. The research reveals 

that affordability is pivotal to the sustainability aspirations of urban 

South Africans across all income brackets. Weaich’s findings advocate 

for Quantity Surveyors’ expertise in overcoming financial obstacles and 

promoting sustainable housing. 

Professor Clinton Aigbavboa, Research Chair for Sustainable 

Construction Management and Leadership in the Built Environment, 

Centre of Excellence, University of Johannesburg, peer-reviewed and 

nominated Weaich’s research. The co-authors, Dr Prisca Simbanegavi 

and Dr Pride Ndlovu from the University of Witwatersrand, played 

essential roles in the study. 

Weaich’s paper, still pending full publication, competes in the 

conference theme of Digitalisation of the Quantity Surveying Practice: 

Towards a Sustainable Profession. The research stood out among 40 

publications from institutions across Africa and Europe, affirming 

Weaich’s pivotal contribution to advancing sustainable practices in 

the field of Quantity Surveying. The full paper is anticipated to be 

published as a conference proceeding in 2024. Awaiting the release 

of the complete paper, Weaich’s presentation is currently available for 

viewing and referencing via the ResearchGate online platform. 



OPINION 

The Challenge: Building Capacity for Africa’s 

Renewables Sector 

By NJ Ayuk 

Consider this paradox: Nigeria has 

achieved the largest economy in 

Sub-Saharan Africa, but 45%, or about 

85 million, of its residents still live without 

electricity. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, 

that figure looms to 600 million. 

I believe renewable energy is part 

of the solution to this dilemma — 

both in Nigeria and throughout 

the sub-continent. But there are 

several hurdles to be cleared 

before wind, solar, hydrogen, 

and other clean energy sources 

can provide the same economic 

benefits that natural gas — the 

other part of the solution — 

already offers. One of those 

hurdles will be preparing 

domestic workforces for 

employment and leadership in 

the growing renewable energy 

sector. 

We are seeing movement in that 

direction. In Nigeria, for example, 

global renewables-promoting 

nonprofit, RMI, is providing 

technical training in partnership 

with four Nigerian energy distribution 

companies, two developers, and vocational 

training schools such as RMI’s Energy 

Transition Academy and the Lagos Energy 

Academy. Aimed at producing leaders and 

energy entrepreneurs, the Nigerian Cohort 

of RMI’s Global Fellowship Program, started 

in 2022, uses online learning and in-person 

experiences to develop leaders who know 

how to produce and employ solar PV, battery 

storage, and microgrid technologies. 

We will need many, many more efforts like 

this for Africans to fully reap the economic 

benefits of our energy transition. For that 

to happen, more investment capital must 

be attracted for curriculum development, to 

NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy 

Chamber. Image: Courtesy 

support training efforts, and to help fledgling 

renewable businesses find their footing. 

This is a critical topic, one that deserves 

attention at the 2023 United Nations Climate 

Change Conference (COP28) that is now 

underway and beyond. 

Africa Must be Proactive in 

Building Capacity 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has 

predicted that 4 million new renewable 

energy jobs will be needed in sub-Saharan 

Africa by 2030 to meet 2050 net-zero goals. 

But it is not a given that those positions 

will be filled by Africans, especially if we 

rush forward with our transition 

from fossil fuels to renewables, 

as many wealthy nations and 

environmental groups are 

demanding. 

Currently, there is a 

significant shortage of 

qualified human resources 

— people educated and 

prepared to take advantage 

of the opportunities 

for employment and 

entrepreneurship that 

renewables offer. 

What’s more, only 76,000 

renewable energy jobs have 

been created in Africa, less 

than 1% of 10.3 million 

globally. That means the vast 

majority of Africans have 

absolutely no experience, or 

hands-on opportunities to 

develop skills, in green energy. 

Education is Key 

Turning this situation around begins with 

investing in and emphasizing the importance 

of science, technology, engineering, and math 

(STEM) education at all levels in Africa. 

African governments will need to do their 

part by driving improvements in all-around 

education in science and technology and 

green energy vocational programs. 

Government policies should also provide 

advantages to attract private-sector 

visionaries and incentivize public-private 

collaborations that foster the education 


OPINION 

Building Capacity for Africa’s Renewables Sector. Image: Courtesy 

and training of Africans for career-level, 

leadership positions in the renewables 

sectors. 

Africa’s renewable energy sector is growing. 

That reality is a mixed blessing because 

of the shortage of homegrown, trained 

professionals able to create, construct, and 

run renewable projects. We do, however, 

have anadvantage — our large, youthful 

demographic. 

Many of our young people need jobs, and 

many more soon will. If we can put together 

partnerships among governments, learning 

facilities, and private industry, we can 

train our youth for careers in renewable 

technologies that offer them brighter futures. 

We should be building on the examples of the 

promising educational opportunities that are 

available for African students who want to 

build a career in renewable energy. Here is a 

sampling: 

• A German-African partnership, the Atlas 

of Green Hydrogen Generation Potentials 

in Africa, states, “Green hydrogen offers 

a real chance to launch a development 

in Africa which is driven by African 

countries themselves.” As part of the 

effort, a master’s degree program in 

green hydrogen technologies was 

begun in 2021. Students from all 15 

countries of the Economic Community 

of West African States (ECOWAS) may 

apply. Universities in Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, 

Senegal, and Togo host the program. 

• Another German government initiative, 

Green People’s Energy for Africa, 

“supports vocation training institutes 

and technical universities to offer 

new and improved practical training 

modules for professionals” as well as 

other methods for skills development in 

renewable energy technology. 

• An EU-US cooperative agreement 

supports sub-Saharan Africa’s just 

transition to green energy. Working at 

the regional and national levels, efforts 

include empowerment of women in the 

sector, knowledge sharing to provide 

technical assistance, and the leveraging 

of investments by the private sector. 

Another Opportunity: Green 

Hydrogen 

Surveying the renewables horizon, there is 

general agreement that decarbonizing all the 

world’s economic sectors won’t be possible 

without the use of green hydrogen — for 

feedstock, fuel cell technology, and electric 

vehicles. 

The demand for this clean and adaptable fuel, 

produced with renewable energy sources, 

compounds the need for a trained renewable 

energy workforce. 

Green hydrogen presents both a large 

opportunity and a large challenge for African 

nations. With its massive area and plentiful 

solar and wind resources, Africa could 

potentially be producing about 10% of the 

world’s green hydrogen by 2030. But there is 

an “if” attached to that projection. 

If African states strategize and invest now 

to develop a green hydrogen workforce, 

they can be ready for the coming wave of 

green hydrogen development and utilization. 

Hydrogen learning opportunities should be 

made available from the high school level 

upward as part of comprehensive skills plans 

for developing a prepared workforce. 

With forethought and smart implementation, 

young Africans can be readied to lead the way 

in bringing the benefits of green hydrogen 

to their communities. In the process, job 

shortages can be mitigated as these young 

employees put their skills to work in the 

production, storage, and transportation of 

green hydrogen. 

More African countries should be taking 

measures to ensure their people and 

businesses capitalize on green energy 

opportunities. And these must not stop with 

education and skills training; we also need 

local content measures to help ensure our 

residents benefit from renewable power 

projects and facilities operations. 



OPINION 

Image: Courtesy 

Ensuring Strong Local Content 

Policies 

Just as local content rules continue to 

function as vital safeguards in African oil and 

gas operations, they will be tremendously 

important in the renewables sector, both for 

individuals and for businesses. As I’ve stated 

in the past, every nation needs to create 

a framework that empowers indigenous 

companies to fully capitalize on renewable 

energy opportunities. 

There are times when power needs may 

justify temporary modifications to these 

policies. As an example, South Africa’s 

National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM), 

early this year, relaxed its local content rules 

for the construction of solar modules. Easing 

local employment requirements from 100% 

to 30% for local component production is 

meant to facilitate quicker deployment of 

solar projects, and hopefully, help alleviate 

the country’s crippling power outages. 

Power supply levels and other factors show 

the need to perform a balancing act when 

writing local content rules. Those other 

factors include the supply of current local 

skilled workers and infrastructure. We don’t 

want to discourage developers, so we need 

appropriate, tailored local content regulations. 

One reasonable approach is the one taken by 

Kenya, where guidelines requiring contractors 

to formulate a local content plan have been 

drafted. These plans must include training, 

succession, jobs, technology transfer, R&D, 

legal, financial, and insurance issues. This 

approach places the “ball” in the “court” of 

each project’s contractor, allowing for their 

input in local content formulation. 

A similar policy has been enacted in 

Nigeria. The local content policy is part of 

the government’s Electricity Act 2023. It 

requires the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory 

Commission (NERC) to provide for local 

content participation involving employment, 

production, and assembly of components for 

solar PV, deep cycle batteries, and the electromechanical 

parts of SHP technology, wind 

boilers, and some turbines. 

The act goes further, requiring contractors, 

sub-contractors, and licensees involved in 

renewable energy to include local content in 

all their related activities. 

If widely enacted across the continent, similar 

local content rules can work hand-in-hand 

with training efforts to ensure Africans 

benefit from renewable energy development 

— through employment and the growth of 

their economies. 

We are seeing promising movement in the 

effort to address Africa’s skills gap, but we 

need many more programs, and we need them 

now. African countries and energy industry 

stakeholders should be doing everything 

possible to support these efforts, so Africans 

don’t miss out on renewable energy industry 

opportunities. 



September-October issue l 2023 25

INNOVATION 

Hydrus: 

For Greater Flexibility, Manoeuvrability 

and Scalability 

Image: NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGIES 

By Peter Baker 

Subsea pipeline inspection is critical 

to the safe transfer of oil and gas 

from off-shore rigs to storage and 

processing facilities on land. As perhaps 

the costliest and most widely installed 

component in subsea infrastructure, subsea 

pipelines bear a high possibility of suffering 

damage. This could be the result of anything 

from equipment failure and corrosion to 

human error and natural causes. 

The timely inspection of subsea pipelines is 

key to preventing damage such as oil spills 

and leakages. Typically, these inspections 

require either sending a well-trained human 

diver or using large and heavy work-class 

ROVs, however both methods have downsides. 

The first puts the diver at risk, which becomes 

greater the deeper they travel underwater. 

The second method remains suited only 

to large-scale operations and at suitable 

depth. A common challenge industries face 

is when depths and other conditions are 

not favourable. For example, as the water 

becomes shallower or the environment more 

sensitive to larger vessels, complications 

arise in getting appropriately sized and 

manoeuvrable equipment into place. 

Additionally, ROVs are costly to build and 

maintain, often requiring large, specialised 

crews to deploy and retrieve. They are also 

limited by the length of their tethers and 

the need for constant human supervision, 

impacting the frequency and scale of 

inspections. 

The demand for greater flexibility, 

manoeuvrability and scalability is driving 

underwater drones, or micro-AUVs, to become 

an increasingly popular tool for inspecting 

subsea pipelines. This concept was introduced 

to the market when Advanced Navigation 

launched Hydrus, a fully autonomous 

underwater drone that miniaturised 

multiple technologies to enable a drone-like 

experience for users underwater. 

Weighing in at less than 7kg, Hydrus 

is effectively an all-in-one untethered 

autonomous solution ready for use directly 

out of the box. Capable of being launched 

and retrieved by a single person, it alleviates 

the need for expensive survey vessels and 

highly trained operators. The compactness 

and deployability bring simpler logistics, 

minimal complexity, reduced downtime 

and operational costs. These are important 

attributes, given the offshore energy sector 

is becoming increasingly aware of the 

total carbon emissions of projects and 

consequently seeking technologies that can 

help reduce footprints. 

The traditional approach of sending a 

large construction vessel equipped with a 

work-class ROV is inefficient, expensive and 

labour-intensive. The answer to this challenge 

is smaller vessels that burn little to no fuel, 

remove humans from dangerous conditions 

and can be deployed on a large scale. 

Specifically in the offshore energy sector, 

scalability is pivotal to the effectiveness of 

any kind of operation. 

Being fully autonomous, Hydrus can have its 

missions pre-planned while on land. Once it 

goes underwater, it can repeat missions and 

deliver data back without requiring ongoing 

human interaction. In the case of a large oil 

field, multiple Hydrus units can be deployed 

to inspect various sections of the pipeline and 

recharge via the docking stations. To assist in 

retrieval, the unit has lighting and an onboard 

GNSS receiver that can help navigate to the 

exact pickup point. 


INNOVATION 

FLYABILITY partners 

with FARO, launches a 

new ELIOS 3 surveying 

payload for centimeter 

accuracy in challenging 

environments 

The LiDAR payload mounted on the Elios 3 Image: FLYABILITY 

Flyability, the market leader in 

confined-space drones, announces the 

launch of a new Surveying Payload 

for its Elios 3 drone. The new payload is the 

Ouster OS0-128 Rev 7 and will enable safe, 

centimeter-accurate scans of hard-to-reach 

areas, supporting Flyability’s overall company 

mission of keeping people out of hazardous 

environments. The payload comes as part of 

a bundle including training, reflective targets, 

and specialized processing software, FARO 

Connect. 

The key features of the new payload include 

greater precision and accuracy, a wider range, 

higher point density, and improved photon 

sensitivity. The new LiDAR payload for the 

Elios 3 is an alternative to the existing Ouster 

OS0-32 Rev 6.2, and targets professionals 

seeking survey-grade results in hard-toreach, 

inaccessible spaces. The enhanced 

features include volumetric measurements 

that are accurate to within 1% of terrestrial 

laser scans, distance measurements with 

centimeter precision, and more detailed point 

clouds with sharper definition. In addition, 

the Surveying payload is better suited for 

symmetrical environments, appealing to 

inspectors of wastewater pipes and sewers. 

“The new Surveying Payload is a great 

step forward in enhancing the data quality 

achievable with a drone survey. We’re 

especially excited because this is a second 

payload for the Elios 3 and supports our 

long-term vision of routine drone inspections 

with minimal hardware turnover.” - Adrien 

Briod, Chief Technical Officer and co-founder 

of Flyability. 

TrustPoint Announces Strategic 

Partnership with SpiderOak 

TrustPoint Inc, an aerospace company 

dedicated to developing and providing 

next-generation GNSS products and services, 

proudly announces its strategic partnership with 

SpiderOak, a leader in space cybersecurity software. 

The collaboration aims to elevate TrustPoint’s GNSS 

infrastructure to unparalleled levels of security 

through SpiderOak’s OrbitSecure’s Zero-Trust data 

exchange software. 

The groundbreaking partnership will empower 

TrustPoint to implement the first-ever zero-trust, 

end-to-end commercial PNT system across all space and ground 

segment components. OrbitSecure’s cutting-edge products will secure 

all aspects of data storage and transmission, including Queueing and 

Messaging for Telemetry, Tracking & Command (TT&C), at the data 

level using its patented distributed ledger and key distribution system. 

As part of the agreement, SpiderOak will deploy a planned upgrade in 

the OrbitSecure platform later in 2024. This upgrade will fortify the 

provenance and security of critical data elements contained within 

the Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) service, incorporating 


Image: SpiderOak 

a proprietary authentication system to counter key forms of spoofing 

effectively. 

“At TrustPoint, we are committed to revolutionizing the GNSS 

market, and this partnership with SpiderOak is a significant leap 

towards achieving that goal,” said Chris DeMay, Founder and COO of 

TrustPoint. “Our end to end implementation of OrbitSecure ensures 

unprecedented security for our GNSS system, setting new standards for 

cybersecurity, mission resilience, and data reliability.” 


INNOVATION 

The SRV-8 Underwater Drone: A Comprehensive 

Solution that Redefines the Efficiency and 

Effectiveness of Subsea Inspections 

By Mira Nagle 

The future of subsea pipeline 

inspections lies within the advanced 

technology of professional underwater 

drones. In developing the SRV-8 underwater 

drone, the central focus was to enhance 

the operator’s experience by prioritizing 

user-friendly operation and ensuring the 

drone’s reliability in challenging offshore 

environments. The integration of underwater 

drones, as exemplified by the SRV-8, has 

emerged as a transformative force in the oil 

and gas industry. The SRV-8 drone presents 

a user-friendly and efficient alternative to 

the challenges associated with traditional 

inspection methods. These challenges include 

harsh underwater conditions, unsafe working 

environments, unreliable equipment and 

time-consuming operations, all of which 

ultimately result in increased costs. 

The SRV-8 underwater drone distinguishes 

itself as a top-tier asset for inspection divers, 

offering rapid deployment in just 3 minutes. 

Operated using a standard Xbox controller 

and the integrated SubNav OS software, 

users benefit from a seamless experience 

comparable to Apple’s user-friendly interface. 

The software design allows effortless 

transitions between various views, including 

sonar, navigation, and high-definition video 

streaming. After completing a mission, 

captured data is consolidated into a single file 

for convenient mission recording, playback, 

and post-analysis. The SRV-8 is more than a 

tool; it represents a comprehensive solution 

that redefines the efficiency and effectiveness 

of subsea inspections. 

The SRV-8’s rugged design ensures superior 

performance in adverse offshore conditions, 

dominating harsh ocean currents using 

eight large brushless thrusters. Boasting an 

impressive battery life of up to 6 hours and 

the convenience of hot-swappable batteries, 

the SRV-8 extends mission duration, saving 

time and enhancing the safety of inspection 

divers. Offering a diverse range of tools, 

including sonar, navigation systems, and 

grabber arms, the SRV-8 ensures optimal 

functionality. These advanced features not 

only perfect operations but also contribute 

to increased efficiency in subsea pipeline 

inspections, creating a safer and cost-effective 

solution for offshore professionals and 

beyond. 

SRV-8 in the offshore field Image: Oceanbotics 

SRV-8 Pipeline Inspections. Image: Oceanbotics 


INNOVATION 

Northern Star Resources Unveils Geoscience 

Initiative with GeoClerk: Mapping the Path to 

Discovery 

Northern Star Resources Limited, a leading Australian gold 

producer, has undertaken a geoscience initiative to improve 

their research capabilities with GeoClerk. In a strategic 

move, Northern Star has recently undertaken a monumental task 

to recover, digitize, and integrate over 6500 documents from their 

extensive repository of internal maps and sections. These crucial 

resources, previously languishing in obscurity within sea containers, 

abandoned buildings, and map archive rooms, are now being brought 

to light. Through their engagement with GeoClerk’s advanced platform, 

Northern Star has indexed and made fully searchable this treasure 

trove of information, enabling their geoscientists to access critical 

data from the company’s library alongside open file geological sources 

like WAMEX, Geoscience Australia, ASX announcements, Academia and 

the broader internet. 

This exciting project signifies Northern Star’s commitment to 

optimizing their geoscience research efforts. The integration with 

GeoClerk equips them with powerful tools for comprehensive search 

and discovery, transforming their geoscience workforce’s capabilities 

and fostering collaboration between project teams. Notably, 

geoscientists can now explore previously inaccessible historical 

Image: Searcher 

geology data, allowing for quicker data-driven decision-making for 

exploration activities. 

Data security and compliance are a core part of this integration, 

with GeoClerk ensuring that Northern Star’s proprietary data 

remains safeguarded and confidential throughout the indexing and 

searchability project. In addition, the seamless integration with 

GeoClerk’s Azure AD Single Sign-On (SSO) plugin provides a hasslefree 

enterprise authentication and access solution. 

Metocean Survey Launched for Floating Offshore 

Wind Farm Project 

A 

joint venture between Salamander, Ørsted, Simply Blue 

Group and Subsea 7, has launched floating LiDAR and wave 

buoys as part of the metocean campaign for the proposed 

floating offshore wind farm project off the north-east of Scotland. 

The survey, conducted by Fugro, will run for 12 months and produce 

insights that will inform the project’s design, operations, and 

maintenance strategy, as well as support the planning application 

process. 

Two floating SEAWATCH Wind Lidar Buoys and a Wavescan buoy have 

been deployed to gather essential meteorological, oceanographic, 

and environmental site data. These include wave height, wind 

and current speed, and other region-specific metrics, enabling a 

comprehensive assessment of the site’s characteristics and seasonal 

conditions. 

The metocean survey forms part of a series of surveys to be 

conducted by Salamander before starting the Environmental Impact 

Assessment (EIA) and Habitat Regulations Appraisal (HRA). The 

project team aims to submit the necessary consent applications by 

early 2024. 

Hugh Yendole, Project Development Director at Salamander, said: 


Image Credit: Salamander 

“This is a key step in the development of our pioneering project. As a 

stepping-stone development, Salamander will use innovative floating 

offshore wind technologies to help Scotland and the UK progress 

towards a net-zero future. This survey is crucial in determining the 

most appropriate course of action moving forward. 

“We are pleased to have Fugro on board for the delivery of the survey, 

to aid our understanding of the environmental factors that will 

influence the selection of any design or operational features of the 

farm.” 


OIL AND GAS 

The Next Regional Power Play: Invictus Energy 

Discovers Gas at Mukuyu-2 Well in Zimbabwe 

The Australian-listed oil and gas company has made a 

substantial gas discovery at the Mukuyu-2 well in Zimbabwe, 

unlocking newfound opportunities for energy security and 

industrialization. 

A milestone for both the country and regional energy sector at large, 

independent oil and gas company Invictus Energy has announced a gas 

discovery at the Mukuyu-2 well in Zimbabwe. The discovery builds on 

successful drilling activities conducted at the Mukuyu-1 well in 2022 

and has opened up a new resource basin. For the country, the discovery 

is poised to unlock a wave of economic benefits while positioning 

Zimbabwe as the next major onshore hydrocarbon player. 

The Cabora Bassa Project, located in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland 

Province, represents one of the final African Rift basins. Invictus Energy 

drilled the first well of its upstream campaign in the area – Mukuyu-1 

– in 2022, the results of which identified 13 hydrocarbon bearing 

zones and a proven working petroleum system in the basin. This was 

shortly followed by the drilling of the Mukuyu-2 well, spudded in 

Q3, 2023. With the gas discovery at Mukuyu-2, Invictus Energy will 

progress with drilling, having contracted the rig for an additional two 

years. 

Scott Macmillan, Invictus Energy Managing Director, explained that, 

“We have successfully recovered a total of four hydrocarbon samples 

from two zones within the Upper Angwa reservoirs. This is the first 

Triassic age discovery in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the most 

significant developments in the oil and gas industry in onshore 

southern Africa for many decades.” 

For a country faced with significant energy deficits and an energy 

access rate of 62%, the discovery represents a transformative 

opportunity for Zimbabwe. Heavily reliant on imports from 

neighboring countries as well as domestic coal to sustain its economy, 

natural gas is poised to address this deficit in the country, with 

opportunities such as gas-to-power providing much-needed relief 


OIL AND GAS 

to the growing economy. To achieve universal access to electricity as 

defined by its national development goals, significant investments will 

need to be made towards Zimbabwe’s power infrastructure. Revenue 

from gas production will enable the government to redirect capital to 

this area as well as other critical segments of the economy. 

At the same time, the country is making considerable efforts to 

accelerate both an energy transition and industrialization, leveraging 

its abundant mineral, manufacturing and workforce capacity to 

transform the economy into a regional hub. On the industry side, major 

sectors such as farming, forestry, and manufacturing have the potential 

to stimulate long-term economic benefits. In order for Zimbabwe 

to grow these respective markets, the country will require energy, 

with gas poised to serve as a catalyst for economic transformation. 

Gas unlocks opportunities through gas-to-petrochemicals and 

fertilizer production, strengthening various sectors while opening job 

opportunities and beneficiation, thereby supporting socioeconomic 

development. 

Meanwhile, with the newfound gas, Zimbabwe will not only be in 

a position to achieve its development objectives but help address 

regional demand for clean energy. Zimbabwe holds the largest 

lithium reserves and mines in Africa, representing one of the 

biggest producers worldwide. The country is also rich in gold, nickel 

ore, platinum group metals and diamonds, making the country an 

attractive market for investment. As global demand for clean energy 

technologies and minerals grows, gas will power Zimbabwe’s mines, 

increasing production as well as the country’s contribution to global 

markets. 

“The African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends Invictus Energy for 

the company’s ongoing commitment to Zimbabwe and its oil and gas 

potential. The discovery marks a milestone for the country and is a 

testament to the instrumental role independent oil and gas companies 

play in Africa’s energy future. This is a great opportunity for Zimbabwe, 

with newly discovered gas set to unlock a wave of economic benefits 

for the domestic and regional economy. We look forward to the 

results of the Mukuyu-2 well and eagerly anticipate the future role 

Zimbabwean gas will play in developing and industrializing southern 

Africa,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. 

Through gas, Zimbabwe will be able to power homes and mines while 

significantly reducing a reliance on imported power. Gas will also 

accelerate the country’s transition to cleaner source of fuel, reducing 

the reliance on coal-fired power generation and providing muchneeded 

fiscal relief. In summary, natural gas is the solution Zimbabwe 

needs to economically thrive. 

Image: Cristian Martin | Getty Images 



GEOLOGY 

Interior Department Leaders Affirm 

Commitment to Global Conservation, Science 

Partnerships in South Africa Visit 

Assistant Secretary for Insular 

and International Affairs 

Carmen G. Cantor and U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) Director David 

Applegate wrapped up a week-long trip 

to Cape Town, South Africa, where they 

led the Department of the Interior’s 

delegation to the intergovernmental 

Group on Earth Observations (GEO) 

Ministerial Summit. During the visit, the 

leaders highlighted the Department’s 

commitments to cooperating with 

international partners to tackle the 

climate crisis through collaborative 

science-based partnerships. 

GEO is a partnership of 115 United Nation member governments and 

154 non-governmental organizations that work together to advance 

broad and open sharing of Earth observations globally and promote 

their utilization in decision-making. 

At the GEO Ministerial Summit, Assistant Secretary Cantor and Director 

Applegate participated in meetings of GEO’s Executive Committee, 

plenary sessions, and numerous bilateral meetings with principals 

from South Africa, Paraguay, the United Kingdom and Australia. 

Assistant Secretary Cantor delivered statements on behalf of the 

United States that focused on the GEO Global Ecosystems Atlas. 

USGS and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 

have provided critical and foundational scientific support, including 

the development of the initial science vision and framework, for the 

Atlas. The United States also endorsed the Cape Town Declaration, 

which aspires to advance inclusion and equity across the GEO Work 

Programme, as well as increase engagement and capacity building 

for the use of Earth observations among nations with an emphasis on 

co-design and co-development. 

Throughout their participation in the Summit, Assistant Secretary 

Cantor and Director Applegate highlighted the Landsat program, a 

collaborative program between USGS and NASA that provides the 

longest continuous space-based record of Earth’s land in existence. 

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired images of 

the Earth’s land surface, providing uninterrupted data to help land 

managers and policymakers make informed decisions about natural 

resources and the environment. 

While in Cape Town, Assistant Secretary Cantor met with South African 

counterparts at Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) to discuss 

counter wildlife trafficking efforts and illegal fishing in South Africa, 

with a focus on the protected lands and surrounding coastal waters. 

Interior Department Leaders Affirm Commitment to Global 

Conservation, Science Partnerships in South Africa Visit. 

Image: Courtesy 

TMNP is a World Heritage Site and part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, 

that includes endemic wildlife found only in TMNP. Mixing of two 

ocean currents at the Cape creates a unique environment of marine 

biodiversity and is home to three abalone species including Haliotus 

midae “Midas.” 

Meetings with TMNP personnel as well as the South African National 

Parks Environmental Crimes Investigators centered on significant 

levels of poaching impacting park resources by organized criminal 

gangs from surrounding communities with ties to transnational 

criminal organizations. Assistant Secretary Cantor affirmed the 

United States support via the Department of State and U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service Wildlife Law Enforcement Attaché stationed at 

the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, who works with counterparts to assist 

enforcement efforts on nature crimes in the country and region, 

providing investigative support, cross border coordination, criminal 

intelligence sharing and capacity building. 

In Pretoria, Assistant Secretary Cantor met with U.S. Ambassador to 

South Africa Reuben E. Brigety II and the U.S. country team regarding 

wildlife conservation, the Convention on International Trade in 

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, counter wildlife 

trafficking and the long-standing partnership between the USGS and 

the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). In addition, the 

Assistant Secretary, joined by USGS, FWS and embassy personnel, 

visited a Landsat Ground Station in Hartebeesthoek, about 70 km west 

of Pretoria, South Africa. SANSA has been a Landsat partner for over 

40 years, receiving Landsat data since 1981. The U.S. delegation met 

with the SANSA Satellite Operations Team to discuss the future of 

the Landsat Program, Landsat Next, and the importance of continuing 

the historic partnership built with South Africa to support Earth 

observation science. 


OIL AND GAS 

Eni started the gas 

introduction into 

Tango FLNG facility, 

Republic of Congo 

Image: Eni 

Eni announces the introduction of gas into the Tango Floating 

Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility moored in Congolese 

waters. Gas introduction has been achieved in record time– 

only twelve months after the final investment decision. 

This is a key milestone for the Congo LNG project, which encompasses 

the adoption of new technologies and a strong synergy with existing 

producing assets. Following completion of the commissioning phase, 

Tango FLNG will produce its first LNG cargo by the first quarter of 

2024, placing the Republic of Congo on the list of LNG-producing 

countries. 

The Tango FLNG facility has a liquefaction capacity of about 1 billion 

cubic meters per year (BCMA) and is moored alongside the Excalibur 

Floating Storage Unit (FSU), using an innovative configuration called 

“split mooring,” implemented here for the first time in a floating LNG 

terminal. 

Congo LNG will enhance the gas resources of the Marine XII permit 

and achieve approximately 4.5 BCMA of plateau gas liquefaction 

capacity through phased development and with a target of zero 

routine gas flaring. A second FLNG facility with a capacity of about 

3.5 BCMA is currently under construction and will begin production in 

2025. The entire volume of LNG produced will be marketed by Eni. 

Eni has been operating in Congo for 55 years and is the only company 

active in the development of the country’s gas resources. Eni currently 

supplies gas to the Centrale Électrique du Congo (CEC), which provides 

70% of the country’s power generation capacity. Eni is strongly 

committed to promoting the nation’s energy transition through several 

initiatives, including the Oyo Center of Excellence for Renewable 

Energy and Energy Efficiency, which has recently been handed over to 

the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological 

Innovation of the Republic of Congo, which will manage it together 

with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization). 

In addition, the company is working on the production of agricultural 

raw materials, not in competition with the food supply chain, to be 

used as biofuel feedstocks. Moreover, Eni has begun distributing stoves 

to local communities, with the goal of reducing biomass consumption 

and the emissions associated with combustion. 



GEOLOGY 

Getech Collaborates with HyAfrica 

to Unlock Africa’s Untapped 

Natural Hydrogen Potential 

Image: Getech 

Getech, a world-leading locator of 

subsurface resources, has signed 

an agreement with LIAG (Leibniz 

Institute for Applied Geophysics), a partner 

in the HyAfrica consortium, to accelerate 

the exploration and development of natural 

hydrogen resources in Africa. 

The project aims to discover viable natural 

hydrogen (also called white and geological 

hydrogen) deposits in Morocco, Mozambique, 

South Africa and Togo while assessing their 

economic and social impact. These findings 

will shape strategic plans for harnessing 

hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. 

Getech will contribute its best-in-class 

potential fields data, machine learning 

capabilities and geoscience expertise to 

support the consortium’s research efforts, 

bolstering the project’s ability to identify 

promising hydrogen resources. 

The 3-year HyAfrica project is already 

underway, with Getech joining the 

geophysical research to contribute its unique 

and market-leading subsurface resource 

prediction capabilities in the search for 

natural hydrogen. The long-term nature of 

this collaboration not only enables Getech 

to broaden its understanding of natural 

hydrogen but also strengthens the company’s 

position as a key player in this emerging low 

carbon energy source. 

Max Brouwers, Getech Chief Business 

Development Officer, commented: 

“Natural hydrogen is an emerging clean 

energy resource with immense potential to 

contribute to the global climate challenge, 

offering clean power and only water as a 

byproduct. We’re excited to work with highly 

respected academic institutions on this 

important research with the aim of combining 

our unique data and expertise with the 

latest artificial intelligence techniques to 

discover commercial accumulations of natural 

hydrogen to help drive the energy transition.” 

Dr. Rodolfo Christiansen, Project 

Scientist at LIAG, said: 

“Getech’s unparalleled subsurface databases 

and expertise combined with LIAG’s 

knowledge in geophysical exploration 

enable us to take a more precise approach 

in identifying viable hydrogen resources, 

aligning well with our commitment to 

renewable energy research across Africa.” 


PGS Completes Congo Vision Extension 

PGS has increased regional coverage of its Congo Vision dataset by targeting deepwater open acreage and facilitating an improved 

understanding of the prospectivity. The latest phase expands Congo Vision to the south, along strike from significant Angolan fields 

in the core of the Congo Fan depocenter. 

PGS in partnership with SNPC have completed a fourth phase of reprocessing of the Congo Vision project, adding over 3 900 sq. km 

rejuvenated 3D seismic to create a regional dataset, and covering open blocks Marine XIX and Marine XXX. 

Final pre- and post-stack deliverables are now available for immediate licensing. 

Data Uplift Links Discoveries and Inboard Fields 

Congo Vision now comprises a contiguous 

volume of nearly 13 000 sq. km broadband 

processed KPSDM data across the shelf 

and deep water, offshore Congo. Legacy 

datasets have been fully reprocessed with 

considerable uplift in data quality. 

Modern imaging workflows have been used 

to create a seamless 3D seismic dataset that 

reveals prospectivity in both pre- and postsalt 

stratigraphy. 

OFFSHORE 

Acreage included in the fourth phase of 

Congo Vision has previously yielded Upper 

to Lower Miocene discoveries, and the 

rejuvenated data images inboard Albian 

and pre-salt fields. Congo Vision provides 

the means to further evaluate exploration 

opportunities with confidence, at both play 

and prospect level. 

The full-stack KPSDM line above illustrates the excellent imaging of pre-salt and complex salt 

provided by this dataset. Image: PGS 

Image: PGS 



ONSHORE 

Ethiopia Inks Landmark Deal to Build Horn of Africa’s 

Largest 300 MW Onshore Wind Project 

Ethiopia Inks Landmark Deal to Build Horn of Africa’s Largest 300 MW Onshore Wind Project. Image: Courtesy 

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance and AMEA 

POWER Partner build the Horn of 

Africa’s largest 300 MW onshore wind 

power project, which represents a significant 

milestone in the country’s renewable energy 

sector. 

The Finance of Ethiopia announced the 

signing of a landmark agreement with AMEA 

POWER for the construction of the Aysha 

Wind Power Project. 

The Aysha wind energy project is poised to 

become the largest wind energy project in 

the Horn of Africa after investing 600 million 

USD. 

An expansive 18,000-hectar wind farm 

located in Ethiopia’s Horn of Africa region, 

the Aysha Wind Power Project represents 

a significant milestone in the country’s 

renewable energy sector. 

AMEA POWER’s extensive experience in 

developing large-scale renewable energy 

projects makes it a great partner for this 

venture. 

The Ministry of Finance said in a joint press 

release that the agreement demonstrates 

the Ethiopian government’s unwavering 

commitment to renewable energy and 

dedication to attracting private investment in 

the energy sector. 

Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) and the 

Ministry of Finance are working together to 

harness the region’s abundant wind resources 

and generate clean, sustainable electricity 

to meet Ethiopia’s growing demand for 

electricity. 

The Aysha Wind Power Project is projected 

to produce approximately 1.22 Tera-Wh of 

electricity annually, significantly contributing 

to Ethiopia’s power generation capacity. 

Furthermore, approximately 2,000 jobs 

are expected to be created during the 

construction and operations phases, 

benefiting the local economy. 

Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide 

said, “The Aysha wind power project will 

be implemented with strong governmentto-government 

support by AMEA Power, 

prominent private sector player.” 

Abebe Gebrehiwot of the PPP Directorate 

stated for his part “This project represents 

a major stride in our journey towards 

increasing clean energy, production, providing 

sustainable electricity to our people, and 

driving economic growth and job creation in 

the region.” 

The signing of this agreement with AMEA 

POWER marks a significant milestone, the 

ministry said. 

It demonstrates the Ministry of Finance’s 

determination to attract private investments 

in the energy sector and increase the share of 

renewable e energy in Ethiopia’s power mix. 


3D MAPPING 

ARway.ai Launches Large Scale AI-Powered 


ARway.ai (“ARway” or the “Company”) 

is an AI powered Augmented Reality 

Experience platform with a disruptive 

no-code, no beacon spatial computing 

solution enabled by visual marker tracking 

with centimeter precision announces the 

release of Version 2.7, marking a significant 

leap forward in its spatial mapping 

capabilities. 

This latest version introduces a new enhanced 

AI-powered process that automates the 

creation of 400,000 square feet 3D spatial 

maps from 2D floor plans, significantly 

improving ARway’s platform performance for 

enterprises and developers. The deployment 

of this technology at Congohas Airport, 

Brazil, and a prominent shopping destination 

in South Africa, showcases its global 

applicability and scalability. 

This launch is expected to generate more 

revenue for the Company as it is solving the 

challenges facing enterprise customers. 

The centerpiece of Version 2.7 is the 

enhanced capability to transform 2D floor 

plans into property and mini-city scale 3D 

digital twins, now accommodating spaces 

more than 400,000 square feet (37,000 

square meters). This breakthrough allows 

for the creation of centimeter-precise digital 

twins, which can be connected for seamless 

navigation across multiple floors and areas, 

both indoor and outdoor. 

Previously announced feature and 

patent 

Earlier this year ARway announced it had 

filed a provisional patent for 3D Floor Plan 

and Digital Twin Generation technology to 

create and manage virtual replicas of physical 

spaces. This technology is unique in that 

it eliminates the complexity and reliance 

on expensive hardware and scanners by 

ingesting 2D floor plans and architectural 

drawings and converting these artifacts into 

3D environments. 

Complementing these major features, ARway 

has introduced several minor yet impactful 

enhancements to further streamline the user 

experience. 

Notable enhancements include: 

• Updated Toolbar and Help Modals: A 

cleaner toolbar display and helpful 

instructional modals make creating with 

ARway even more intuitive. 

• Upgraded Floor Plan Peg Adjustments: 

Creators can manually adjust pegs with 

confidence, ensuring precise placement. 

• Location Directory Category and 

Subcategory Updates: A cleaner UI 

for adding and editing categories and 

subcategories enhances usability. 

• Map Connector Update: Creators can now 

edit Map Connector pins from both the 

3D and 2D maps with enhanced controls 

for multi-map and multi-floor navigation 

experiences. 

• Large Scale Floor Plan Compatibility 

Upgrade: High-resolution floor plans 

are now efficiently compressed without 

sacrificing clarity on mobile apps 

powered by ARwayKit SDK. 

These upgrades are targeted towards ARway’s 

enterprise business and new SaaS business, 

aiming to drive developer adoption and 

enhance the total value proposition of the 

ARway platform. By democratizing AR features 

through the ARwayKit SDK and improving 

the platform’s capabilities, ARway is poised to 

meet the evolving needs of SMEs, enterprises, 

agencies, and XR developers. 

The upgrades in Version 2.7 significantly 

enhance ARway’s market competitiveness. 

By offering a solution that is not only more 

powerful but also easier to use, ARway is 

positioned to attract a larger customer base. 

The automation of 3D map creation and the 

expansion of the platform’s capabilities are 

key factors in driving the company’s growth 

and profitability. 



INVESTIGATION SURVEY 

Image: Courtesy for illustration purposes 

Kuwait expected to award 

survey and soil investigation 

contract in Q2 2024 

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, is 

expected to award Topographic 

Survey, Slit Trenching and Soil 

Investigation Works contract by the second 

quarter of 2024, this is on the request of the 

Kuwait Oil Company. 

“The request for proposal (RFP) was issued 

on 15 October 2023 and the bid submission 

deadline is 15 January 2024. The contract is 

expected to be awarded by early April 2024,” a 

source aware of the project details told Zawya 

Projects. 

The prequalified bidders comprised of Gulf 

Inspection International Co., ITCO Lab Co. for 

Soil Testing & Survey, Survey & Test Consult 

International (STCI), Wataniya Environmental 

Services, Dar Gulf Consult for Engineering 

Consultancy, Vision International General 

Trading & Contracting Company, National 

Petroleum Services Company (NAPESCO), 

Naser M. Al Baddah & Partner General 

Trading & Contracting Company and INCO 

Industrial Labs according to officials from five 

companies. 

The work involves topographic survey, slit 

trenching and soil investigation as and 

when required by the Kuwait Oil Company 

in field areas and any other location within 

the company’s operational areas and the 

provision of work which could be reasonably 

deemed necessary to carry out the services, 

according to the tender documents. 

The services include but not limited to site 

marking, laboratory testing of concrete and 

asphalt, topographic survey, and detection of 

underground existing services and submission 

of reports and drawings. 

The overall project is slated for completion by 

end of 2025, the source added. 


SEISMIC SURVEY 

Seismic acquisition campaign. Image: Courtesy 

Perenco Congo and Congorep 

complete ambitious 

seismic campaign 

Perenco Congo and Congorep, the 

joint venture company between 

Perenco and Société Nationale des 

Pétroles du Congo (the national petroleum 

company of the Republic of Congo, SNPC), 

both major players in hydrocarbon production 

in the Republic of Congo, are pleased to 

confirm they have completed a successful 

3D seismic acquisition campaign off the 

Congolese coast. 

The campaign focused on the Tchibouela 

II, Tchendo II, Marine XXVIII and Emeraude 

permits, and targeted the geology beneath 

the salt layer (pre-salt) located at a depth of 

between 2,000 and 3,000 metres. The seismic 

campaign was a result of the discovery of 

hydrocarbon reservoirs on neighbouring 

permits and highlights Perenco Congo 

and Congorep’s determination to continue 

exploring new oil fields in Congo. 

The seismic campaign, which has now 

concluded, achieved complete coverage of 

the area despite a number of operational 

challenges, including working around existing 

platforms, significant shipping activity, and 

variable weather conditions. The seismic 

acquisition vessel was equipped with a cable 

array 6,000 metres long, 900 metres wide and 

with a rotation radius of 4 kilometres. 

Stéphane BARC, General Manager of Perenco 

Congo and Congorep, said: “The data collected 

during this campaign is now undergoing 

processing, after which it is expected to 

enable both Perenco Congo and Congorep 

to achieve further exploration success in 

the region. This campaign demonstrates 

Perenco Congo and Congorep’s commitment 

to the continued exploration of new oil 

opportunities in the Republic of Congo, 

while ensuring responsible and sustainable 

practices with respect to the marine 

environment.” 



Inclination Monitoring 

Has Never Been 

So Easy 

Ready-to-use & Service Free Technology 

for Marine Construction 

V-LOC calculates your assets real-time coordinates 

thanks to open-source tags which are affixed to them. 

Our technology is embedded inside a calibrated 

camera which exists in both air and subsea versions 

for highly accurate marine surveys. 


OFFSHORE 

Valaris Lands $519M Drillship Deal 

for Búzios Oil Field Development 

Valaris Limited, an offshore drilling 

company, has announced that it has 

been awarded a 1,064-day contract 

for drillship VALARIS DS-4 with Petrobras 

offshore Brazil following a competitive 

bidding process. Based on the firm contract 

term, the total contract value is approximately 

$519 million, inclusive of mobilization fees 

and additional services. 

The contract is anticipated to commence 

late in the fourth quarter 2024, following 

completion of the rig’s current contract 

with Petrobras, which is expected to finish 

in September 2024. Upon completion of its 

current contract, the rig is expected to be 

out of service for approximately 90 days to 

complete customer-required capital upgrades 

prior to commencement of the new contract. 

President and Chief Executive Officer Anton 

Dibowitz said, “We are delighted to have 

secured further work for drillship VALARIS 

DS-4 with Petrobras for their upcoming 

Buzios program and we look forward to 

continuing to partner with Petrobras on their 

programs offshore Brazil, a market where 

we expect to see continued growth over 

the next several years. We have previously 

stated that we expect Valaris’ earnings and 

cash flow to increase meaningfully as rigs are 

recontracted at market rates. This contract 

award for VALARIS DS-4 is a great example 

of how we are executing on the operating 

leverage inherent in our business, with 

the rig repricing from a day rate in the low 

$200,000s to an effective day rate in the high 

$400,000s.” 

Image:VALARIS 



OFFSHORE 

Partnership Agreements Signed with 

Energean plc on Moroccan Offshore Licences 

Chariot Limited (AIM: CHAR), the Africa focused transitional 

energy group, is pleased to announce signing Partnership 

Agreements with Energean plc group (“Energean”) (LON: 

ENOG), on the Lixus Offshore licence (“Lixus”), where the Anchois 

gas development project (“Anchois”) is located, and on the Rissana 

Offshore licence (“Rissana”) in Morocco. 

Partnering Rationale: 

• Provides funding for both Chariot and the project through upfront 

consideration, deferred consideration and potentially a full carry to 

first gas, with Chariot retaining a material stake in the project 

• Secures an experienced operator for the development of Anchois 

- Energean is a FTSE 250 company with a proven track record in 

successfully developing large offshore gas projects 

• Accelerates growth from the portfolio, with the potential to 

significantly upscale the development and target further exploration 

prospectivity in the Lixus and Rissana licences 

Project Development: 

• Leveraging their combined expertise to co-develop Anchois, the 

parties are aligned on the next steps for the project development, 

including: 

—Drill a further well, in the east of the Anchois field and conduct a 

gas flow test in 2024, with rig contract negotiations advanced. Multiobjective 

well: 

–Evaluate undrilled low-risk deeper sands, to potentially materially 

increase the resource base for a development above 1 Tcf 

–Optimise development scheme through a production flow test 

–Provide a future producer well 

¬Expansion of the existing offshore development plan, to 

accommodate potentiallysignificantly higher production 

¬Finalise ongoing gas sales negotiations with focus on meeting 

Moroccan energy needs 

• Progress exploration together across Lixus and Rissana, including a 

2024 seismic campaign 

Key Deal Terms: 

• Energean to acquire 45% and 37.5% interests in the Lixus and 

Rissana licences respectively, and take operatorship of both licences 

• Chariot will retain a 30% and 37.5% interest in Lixus and Rissana 

respectively, with ONHYM maintaining a 25% stake in each licence 

• Chariot will receive: 

— US$10 million payable on completion of the transaction 

—US$15 million payable on Final Investment Decision (“FID”) 

—US$85 million gross carry including: 

•All Lixus costs up to FID, including the additional Anchois well with a 

gas flow test 

•Planned Rissana seismic acquisition costs separately capped at US$7 

million 

• Following completion of the Anchois well, Energean will have the 

right to acquire a further 10% of Chariot’s equity in the Lixus licence 

for: 

—US$850 million gross development carry to first gas (including the 

Image:Courtesy 


GEOSPARTIAL 

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geospatial data to commercial foresee expected and political Conclusion 

drivers of the region, validation that this of well surveys will under be used CSR as 2021 a producer as 

weaknesses, “This agreement administrators is pivotal for can the carry wider out preventive we measures have a track and record in developing material well well as to when support development the transition commences. period. We 

upgrade acreage offshore the versatility Morocco, of the on electrical its Atlantic infrastructure. gas resources prioritised In for Conclusion, the domestic integrating Toitū 

retain geospatial Te Whenua 

a material mapping Land 

stake and Information 

in this switchgear basin opening 

New Zealand systems and processes have 

coast, a key energy asset for the Kingdom. We market and they are a complementary innovations controlled fit with also 

by opportunity cutting-edge 

been updated where electrical 

to support both parties instruments 

the new are rules. keen denotes to 

• welcome Effectiveness Energean on and these Sustainability 

licences as the our broader portfolio, not a least huge the jump potential forward in the optimise Support domain material the of project’s electrical for both fundamentals, infrastructure sets of rules is enable in 

The important advantages investments stretch will out contribute past dependability, greatly encompassing 

for surplus supply to other Africa. markets. This We collaboration look 

available 

expansion tends during to the and 

the continent's undertake 

transition extraordinary 

further 

period: 

exploration. 

effectiveness to the monetisation and sustainability. of the country’s Geospatial resources mapping forward considers 

• Transition details as part of the 

to working with difficulties, our partners providing Chariot a pathway We also to look solid, forward effective, to drilling and sustainable 

Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 (CSR 

on 

2021) 

our Loukos 

improving and to our electrical ambitious matrix energy designs, strategy. ensuring energy and is ONHYM, dispersed and with developing energy an frameworks. outstanding As we Onshore implementation. 

embrace licence these which innovative is anticipated trends, we to are 

©stock.adobe.com/au/Zerophoto 

minimal misfortunes. Furthermore, by leveraging accurate resource data for the on benefit of ready all parties, for a more splendid • commence Cadastral and more Survey in electric early Guidelines 2024.” future for Africa. 

www.euclideon.com 


POS ON21 PG 00 Euclideon HPHB.indd 1 

November-December September-October issue l l 2023 23/9/21 11:29 

35 

am 

35

GEOPHYSICS 

Sanu Gold Commences Ground 

Geophysics Program at the Bantabaye 

Permit in Guinea, West Africa 

Sanu Gold Corporation (CSE: SANU; OTCQB: SNGCF) (“Sanu 

Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that a ground 

geophysics program has commenced on the Company’s 

flagship Bantabaye gold exploration permit (“Bantabaye” or the 

“Permit”) in Guinea, West Africa. The Permit, which lies on the western 

margin of Guinea’s prolific Siguiri Basin, is located approximately 50 

kilometres (“km”) south of the multi-million ounce Lefa Gold Mine and 

80 km north of the multi-million ounce Bankan Gold Project. 

Martin Pawlitschek, President and CEO commented: “The first 

geophysics program on our flagship Bantabaye project is now 

underway. Geophysical surveys are a rapid and cost-effective method 

of obtaining a more robust understanding of the geology, structural 

setting, and signature of gold mineralization at Bantabaye, where 

initial drilling earlier this year returned up to 11.4 g/t Au over 15 m, 

including 41.2 g/t Au over 4 m¹.” 

“Within the region, induced polarization has proven to be a particularly 

effective geophysical tool in the discovery and delineation of gold 

mineralization. The results from this program will form an important 

dataset that will be combined with existing drill and surface sampling 

datasets to better delineate key targets, with the primary objective 

of refining target definition for our next phase of drilling planned for 

early 2024.” continued Mr. Pawlitschek. 

Program Summary 

The ground geophysics program (the “Program”) is being conducted 

by SAGAX AFRIQUE of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and is planned to 

include IP and Ground Mag over the key gold anomalies and structures 

identified by termite mound sampling, auger drilling and initial 

reverse circulation (“RC”) drilling in the northern portion of the Permit 

(“Bantabaye North”). 

The Company and its consultants will review the data as it is collected 

and make modifications to the Program parameters in the field as 

required. It is anticipated that the survey will take 6 to 8 weeks to 

complete. 

Qualified Person 

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release 

has been reviewed and approved by Serigne Dieng, Ph.D., M.Sc., a 

Member (MAIG) of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG), 

Exploration Manager of the Company and a qualified person within the 

meaning of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for 

Mineral Projects. 



November-December issue l 2023 37 

36 September-October issue l 2023 www.africasurveyorsonline.com

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Africa Surveyors November-December issue 2023

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