PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: 6 February 2014
HYDROGRAPHY AND GEOPHYSICS - OFFSHORE SITE INVESTIGATIONS COME
UNDER THE CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT AT OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
DIARY DATE
Event: Oceanology International 2014
Dates: Tuesday 11 - Thursday 13 March 2014
Venue: ExCeL London
Organised by: Reed Exhibitions Limited
Further information from: www.oceanologyinternational.com
Hydrography, geophysics, and site investigation lie at the heart of ocean science and
technology and therefore are of key importance at Oceanology International, the world's
largest exhibition for marine science and technology taking place Tuesday 11 - Thursday 13
March 2014 at London’s ExCeL, and will be the subject of a full day conference on Thursday
13 March.
Co-chaired by Andy Hill, Marine Geohazard Technical Authority, BP Exploration and Toby
Powell, UK Geotechnical Team Lead & Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Subsea 7, the
Hydrography and Geophysics - Offshore Site Investigations conference looks at three main
themes – ‘Best Practices for Offshore Wind Farm Site Investigations’; ‘Data Compilation and
Manipulation: GIS and Visualisation’; and, by means of a panel discussion, ‘What is the way
forward for improvements in Geophysical and Geotechnical Integration?’
“Oceanology International continues to be the global focal point for the offshore geophysical
site investigation community,” says Andy Hill. “The Hydrography and Geophysics session on
the Thursday will underpin this looking at offshore renewables, new techniques in action,
and then moving to the future with a panel and floor discussion aimed at identifying the way
forward in geophysical and geotechnical integration.
“I hope that the afternoon session, in particular, will set the technology agenda for industry
and academia to pursue over the next two years or more – and I very much look forward to
participating in it. We have set up the, somewhat unique, nature of the panel to emphasize
that to make progress that geophysical and geotechnical SI, supported by exploration
geophysics technology, will need to act as one to move forward!” Just what he means can
be revealed by looking at the full conference programme on the Oceanology International
website.
His co-chair, Toby Powell, UK Geotechnical Team Lead & Principal Geotechnical Engineer,
Subsea 7 adds: “I am very much looking forward to my first opportunity to co-chair a session
at Oceanology International. From my experience of the Subsea Umbilicals, Risers and
Flowlines (SURF) industry, Oceanology International has traditionally been seen as primarily
focusing on marine geosciences and geophysics. However, as these disciplines are strongly
linked to geotechnical engineering, the recent broadening of the offshore site investigation
conference’s focus is both an exciting and important development.”
The conference in more detail
Mick Cook of MRC Consultants will deliver the keynote address ‘Guidance Notes for the
Planning and Execution of Geophysical and Geotechnical Ground Investigations for Offshore
Renewable Energy Developments’ in the opening session of the conference; with David
Sinclair of Southern GeoServices looking at ‘Management of UXO Risk in Offshore Wind
Farm Developments & Export Cabling’.
The next session on ‘Data Compilation and Manipulation: GIS and Visualisation’ features
three presentations:
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Advances in Site Survey Ground Model Development, Brian Critchley, Geo-4D
Using GIS for Multi-Criterion Decision Support in a Geomorphically Challenging Deep
Water Environment, Brittany Bruce, Fugro GeoConsulting
Using Composite Cost Surfaces for GIS Based Deep Water Site and Route
Selection, Dr William Haneberg, Fugro GeoConsulting
Then comes the panel discussion ‘What is the way forward for improvements in Geophysical
and Geotechnical Integration?’ moderated by Toby Powell and in which Andy Hill is very
much involved.
While the geophysical and geotechnical sides of site investigation have always worked
closely together, there has been little genuine overlap between the two. The “Holy Grail” of
integration has possibly always been the hoped for capability to extract geotechnical
properties directly from geophysical data - or to directly extrapolate properties away from the
borehole to evaluate, and understand, potential spatial changes in soil properties and their
implications to geo-engineering issues - such as foundation design or slope instability. Is this
still the area to focus on in integration, or are there other evolving areas of technical concern
where geotechnical engineers would like support?
Over the last thirty years tangible progress has been relatively little – despite the great
strides in geophysical capability in the exploration arena over the same time period. So is it
time to look at this afresh or are we doomed to fail?
A unique group of three panelists from BP - one man with three different perspectives - will
provide their viewpoints from their own technical backgrounds of geophysical site
investigation, geotechnical engineering and exploration geophysics to highlight technical
commonalities and areas of present, or future, technical opportunity for improved
geophysical and geotechnical integration before the debate is thrown open to the floor for
discussion.
As Rapporteur, Professor Richard Jardine, Professor of Geomechanics, Dean of
Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College, London,
will summarize the discussions and point to areas of possible future potential for research
and development.
Also on the conference scene
As well as the traditional areas ocean observing systems; hydrography, geophysics, and site
investigation; and dealing with UUV development, there are OI conferences devoted to
underwater positioning and metrology; and underwater communications.
Oil & gas ‘Operating in Extreme Environments’; marine renewables, and maritime security
also come under the conference spotlight. Topical panel discussions looking at areas which
are creating a growing demand for marine science and technology – aquaculture, ballast
water and subsea mining are an OI 2014 introduction.
Hydrography and Geophysics - Offshore Site Investigations in the Exhibition
Established in 1969, Oceanology International attracts those involved with all aspects of
marine science and technology from all over the globe – total attendance was 7,669 in 2012.
The exhibition this year is the largest ever with the 520 exhibiting companies from over 35
countries taking an additional 10% more space than at the record-breaking 2012 event.
The exhibitor directory on the show’s website at www.oceanologyinternational.com/ExhibitorDirectory/# categorises exhibits.
Visitors can also see an array of vessels dockside, including survey and windfarm support
vessels and dockside demonstrations; and there is an expanding programme of associated
events run by supporting organisations.
Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International, and free online registration, is
at www.oceanologyinternational.com
ENDS
About Oceanology International
Oceanology International is the global forum where industry, academia and government
share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community,
improving their strategies for measuring, exploiting, protecting and operating in the world’s
oceans. Established in 1969, Oceanology International features the world’s largest exhibition
for marine science and technology, multiple agenda-setting technical conferences, and a
visiting vessels and waterside demonstration programme.
The Oceanology International portfolio includes
Oceanology International China 2013 (held 3-5 September 2013, INTEX Shanghai, China):
this launch event was developed with the local government and industry associations and
provided organisations with the opportunity to capitalise on China’s rapidly growing offshore
energy and marine industries. The next Oceanology International China event will take place
3-5 September 2014 in Shanghai. For more details: www.oichina.com.cn/en
Oceanology International 2014 (11-13 March 2014, ExCeL London, UK): Over 550
international exhibitors and 8,000 attendees are expected to take part in this global forum.
Eight one-day conferences and three panel discussion on key industry topics will take place
during the three days of the show, as well as waterside demonstrations. For more details:
www.oceanologyinternational.com
Spillex (11-13 March 2014, ExCeL London, UK): Spillex is a dedicated area inside the
Oceanology International 2014 exhibition hall and features the latest technology and service
solutions for assessing the potential of spill related impacts, mitigating against and, if
necessary, responding to them. For more details: www.oceanologyinternational.com/Spillex/
Catch the Next Wave conference (10 March 2014, London): at this international conference,
now in its second year, global experts will speak about disruptive technologies and where
they are emerging in the marine sector. The first Houston-based Catch the Next Wave
conference will be held in Autumn 2014. For more details: www.ctnwconference.com
Oceansp@ce: Oceansp@ce is an online and free-of-charge resource which delivers handpicked news from the world to the marine science and ocean technology community. For
more details: www.oceanspacenews.com
Notes to Editors:
Issued on behalf of Oceanology International 2014 by Judith Patten @ JPPR. Email:
judithpatten@jppr.uk.com; Tel: +44 (0)208 241 1912; Fax: +44 (0)208 940 6211
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Judith Patten is here to help in any way possible with copy for preview issues/ tailor
made articles (to your requirements on content, word count – and, of course -deadline). The “What They’re Showing” preview with information supplied by
exhibitors is available at www.oceanologyinternational.com/en/ExhibitorDirectory/News-Products--Services-at-OI/
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Press registration for Oceanology International 20124 is here
www.oceanologyinternational.com/en/Forms/Press-Enquiry-Form/
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This is one in a series of releases written with the OI 2014 conferences in mind – if
you would like the releases(s) describing other conferences taking place at the show,
please contact Judith Patten, or you will also find them in the press section of the
show’s website.