Document1 17/11/04 10:24 am Page 1

THE CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER OF THE FUGRO MARINE SURVEY AND GEOTECHNICAL DIVISIONS ISSUE 02 2004

FUGRO ABOVE AND BELOW

WIND TURBINE FOUNDATION RESEARCH
FUGRO IN UNPRECEDENTED DETAIL
PUSHING THE LIMITS
ROVS AND TOOLS
POSITIONING WEST AFRICA
PERFECT MONITORING
LIFE ON THE DRIEST CONTINENT
FUGRO AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD
Document1 17/11/04 10:14 am Page 1

FUGRO ABOVE AND BELOW What’s New

Cover image (main) : Jeff Rowe, Marketing Manager / Senior Geophysicist, Fugro Airborne Surveys,
presents the new GEO RANGER 1 UAV at SEG 2004 in Denver.
Inset : Arnold Coster, Fugro Mechanic, achieves the highest ever cone penetration on Everest.

COMPREHENSIVE CUSTOMER SURVEY

FEEDBACK WILL HELP ENHANCE OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE

In July and August of this year, Fugro ranging from Fugro’s growth in this
Marine Survey undertook a confidential sector through to operational
customer survey to give independent performance issues.
feedback on how the company is The vast majority of the people contacted
seen to be performing. Independent were happy to take part and many
consultant, Martin Kelland, director commented that they were impressed
of SMS Associates UK, contacted with this Fugro initiative. It was seen as
over 100 of our customers world wide, a good relationship builder in itself.
and we are very grateful to each of
The feedback we received has enabled
you for co-operating with this exercise
us to take an objective view of how
and giving of your time.
successful we are in satisfying our
The format of the survey used open customers’ needs and we will be taking
questions to ensure that we heard the a number of actions over the next few
real views of our customers and no weeks and months to enhance our
subjects were off limits. We heard views levels of service.

Fugro expands its AUV and UAV
surveying capabilities with the
acquisition of a HUGIN 3000
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
(AUV) for marine surveys to the oil and
gas industry and the launch of its new
GEORANGER 1 Unmanned Airborne
Vehicle (UAV) for aeromagnetic surveys
to the petroleum and mining industries.
Fugro is the world’s only company with
the comprehensive range of expertise
and capabilities able to offer deepwater
AUV surveys, as well as aeromagnetic
UAV data acquisition offshore and in
remote locations. This demonstrates
Fugro’s continued commitment to
providing the latest technology to the
global survey industry.
HUGIN 3000
Ideal for deepwater field development
projects, regional seabed mapping,
and route survey projects with a strong
focus on integrated geophysical and
geotechnical services, the AUV has 60+
hours endurance with a speed of 4knts
and all survey systems running.
The latest AUV in the range, HUGIN 3000
has improved navigation capabilities and
a depth capability of 3000m. Fugro’s
HUGIN 3000 carries a range of payload
sensors depending on the user needs
and will initially have an EM 2000 200kHz
multi-beam echo sounder, EdgeTech full
spectrum Chirp seafloor mapping system
comprising integrated side-scan sonar
and sub-bottom profiler, together with
conductivity, temperature, depth systems.
The vehicle will be deployed from Fugro
dedicated survey vessels in conjunction
with high-resolution seismic geophysical
surveys or deepwater ROV survey and
intervention work.
GEORANGER 1
Complementing Fugro Airborne Surveys’
fleet of manned fixed and rotor-wing
aircraft acquiring electromagnetic,
magnetic, radiometric and gravity data,
the GEORANGER 1 has completed trials
and test surveys, and is now being flown
on Fugro sponsored non-exclusive surveys.
Providing a safe and efficient alternative
to more traditional aeromagnetic data
acquisition, the GEORANGER 1 is
capable of fully autonomous 3D flight
with an endurance of over ten hours,
cruising at 75km per hour. Using the
point-location launch and recovery
systems, the GEORANGER 1 operates
from undeveloped sites in close
proximity to survey areas.
PISTON CORER
SAVING TIME
New Hydraulic Piston Corer (HPC)
allows continuous cores to be taken
FUGRO HALIBUT 3 in a fraction of the time compared
Weight : 15000lbs
Stowed dimensions
to conventional geotechnical
identical to 20ft container. sampling methods.
Vessel superimposed
Deployed from Fugro’s new geotechnical
over an oilfield plan.
drillship, the Fugro Explorer, as well as
from exploration drilling rigs, the new
SAFEGUARDING HPC is ideal for reconnaissance
SHIPPING AND borings from exploration rigs, scientific
drilling projects where continuous
SUBSEA ASSETS coring is required and deepwater
site investigations.
INTRODUCING ChartViewAIS SOFTWARE FUGRO’S NEW
GeoSoft Solutions, a division VANE TESTER
of Fugro Survey in Aberdeen,
HALIBUT REDESIGN ALLOWS MULTIPLE TESTS
has introduced the ChartViewAIS
software package to decode,
record, analyse and display Fugro has completely redesigned
AIS data over a number of its Halibut in-situ vane-testing device
different background charts and to allow multiple tests in a single
drawing formats. deployment from any type of vessel.
During cable lay operations The Halibut was originally developed
ChartViewAIS gives an additional to accurately determine shear strengths
level of security to the cable-lay within shallow clay strata, where mud
vessel, the cable and the oil mats or other shallow foundations are
company assets on and below especially sensitive to small variations
the sea. It also allows vessel traffic in shear strength. Earlier versions
to be monitored, recorded and required separate handling systems The down-hole corer takes 15ft or 30ft
analysed to ensure that vessels and are time consuming if multiple continuous samples each deployment.
and their activities are not test depths are required. The primary It uses hydraulic pressure in the bore of
endangering the cable after it advantages now include tests at the drill pipe to “shoot” the core barrel
has been installed, an initiative any depth from the mudline to 24ft into the soil. The sample diameter is
welcomed by marine underwriters. penetration, completely controlled and 2.6 inches and is contained in a clear
monitored from the surface. butyrate liner.
101996FugroCS.qxt 16/11/04 12:22 pm Page 4

Technology Review
WIND TURBINE
FOUNDATION
RESEARCH
FUGRO PARTNERS IN WIND FARM PROJECT
Fugro is a partner in the consortium
undertaking a research project to
develop a bespoke theoretical
suction caisson design model for
offshore wind turbine applications
and validating the theory to apply
to the design of an actual wind farm
development project.
Offshore wind energy developments
will play a core role in the UK
Government’s renewable energy
initiative with a target that 10% of
the UK energy needs will come from
renewable sources by 2010. However,
unlike onshore wind farms, the
foundations, and installation thereof,
will form a significant part of the unit
cost for an offshore wind turbine.
It is anticipated that each offshore
wind farm development will have an
average of fifty wind turbines each
requiring the installation of similar
or identical foundations.
Commercial viability of such
developments is therefore sensitively
dependent on the fabrication and
installation cost of the wind turbine
foundations. This has been recognised
by the UK’s Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) in the funding of the
research project.
Fugro’s work on the project included
firstly, a geotechnical desktop
study to infer a set of generic soil
conditions and engineering
parameters representative of the UK
Round 1 offshore wind farm licences.
Secondly, validation of the theoretical
geotechnical numerical model,
developed by other project partners,
by advanced 3D finite element
analyses. Thirdly, large scale field
model tests to provide field data to
enable further development of the
theoretical model and to establish
appropriate scaling factors for the
results of laboratory small scale
model testing. And finally, the
geotechnical element of an installation
desk study, including an assessment
of the geotechnical constraints
on suction caisson installation in
shallow water.
FUGRO IN
UNPRECEDENTED DETAIL
Fugro Survey Ltd and AOA Geophysics Inc have mapped the
Cap de Creus canyon head, northeast of Barcelona, acquiring
a data set that demonstrates Fugro and AOA’s extensive
capabilities with hull-mounted multibeam systems. The map
data clearly shows a wide range of active geologic processes,
from mass wasting and furrows, to faults and seafloor
seepage, in unprecedented detail.
The Cap de Creus canyon head is the subject of an ongoing
EuroSTRATAFORM study supported by the European Community
and the US Office of Naval Research. Dr Tom Drake, team leader
for the Office of Naval Research’s Coastal Geosciences Program,
said, “I am more than pleased with the preliminary data I’ve seen
so far and totally amazed that you were able to get all the
necessary logistics lined up in a very short time. Nothing beats
real professionals for getting the job done.”
The data were acquired with a hull-mounted Simrad 30kHz
EM300 system (1x1 degree configuration) on Fugro’s Geo
Prospector. Northwest-southeast lines were run approximately
parallel to the canyon axis, at speeds varying from 6.5 to 8 knots.
The beam configuration was controlled to ensure a high ping
density at all water depths.
The resultant shaded relief bathymetry has been created with a
grid spacing of 10m. No interpolation or smoothing has been
applied to the data. In the shallower water portions of the field
area (<150m), the grid spacing is 5m. The furrows in the east-
central part of the field area are 20-50cm deep, and 20-50m
apart. These features are smaller than the advertised accuracy
of the system, and attest to our ability to image geologically
relevant features with bin sizes significantly smaller than the
footprint of individual beams.
Fugro and AOA have, together and separately, been involved in
a number of proprietary survey programmes for the oil industry.
If 2D seismic data are acquired along with multibeam, Fugro
and AOA are able to survey 250km2 per day, or 100-line km of
seismic. If 2D data are not acquired, Fugro and AOA are able
to survey more than 800km2 per day.
France
Cap de Creus
Spain
101996FugroCS.qxt 16/11/04 12:22 pm Page 6
Americas
PUSHING THE LIMITS
ADAPTING TO EXTREME CONDITIONS
Deepwater oilfield operations are
pushing technology to the very
limits. The drilling rig Eirik Raude
demonstrates our industry’s ability
to adapt to the worlds toughest
conditions. The semi-submersible
Eirik Raude rig was specifically
designed to work in ultra-deep
water - down to 3000m - in stormy,
arctic weather conditions.
ARCTIC WINTER
Eirik Raude has been “winterised” -
much of its piping has heating cables
installed, making it possible to operate
in temperatures down to -20°C. During
its time off the coast of Canada, the
rig was regularly visited by icebergs -
one calculated at 1.6 million tons.
ROV SYSTEMS
The ROVs onboard are a pair of the very
latest Fugro Survey deepwater Sealion
3000’s operated by Fugro Survey in
Aberdeen, with a current crew of six
visit www.crosssection-online.com for more news, stories and in-depth information
Moonpool, Eirik Raude
men. A Lynx observation ROV and two
additional personnel complement the
complete ROV spread.
ROV business manager, Dave McKay
said: “As the rig transited from Canada,
the Sealions were retained on the rig
after a successful drilling programme
for another client in Cuba, undergoing
system maintenance and preparation
for work West of Shetland. Our clients,
BG Group, noted the significant part
ROV services played in what was one
of the most efficient wells undertaken
West of Shetlands - the recently
completed Bedlington well was drilled
in 800m with strong currents and
weather systems blowing throughout,
including 10m seas.”
The Sealions were required to assist
in setting an acoustic array to allow the
rig to maintain position over the chosen
well location and the ROV systems
included a side entry garage offering
superior ROV protection.
INS
TRANSFORMING
SUBSEA
POSITIONING
Fugro Chance is transforming
the relative subsea positioning
market by combining inertial
navigation technology with a
Doppler velocity log (DVL)
and a dedicated software
package to produce the
Starfix.Finetrack-T100 inertial
navigation system (INS).
By mounting the Starfix.Finetrack-
T100 on an ROV and integrating
lines of position from a “sparse”
long baseline (LBL) acoustic
array, for quality control and
constraining observations, the
INS is able to offer a cost-
effective solution for execution
of precise positioning tasks in
deepwater. This eliminates the
need for a traditional full LBL
array and associated vessel for
deployment and calibration.
The system has been used
successfully on projects for
placement of target buoys and
is proposed for several 4C
seismic nodes projects. It may
also be used for pile orientation,
‘on-the-fly’ with as-built surveys
of flowlines and pipelines, as well
as subsea buoy placement tasks
for suction and initiation piles.
Having recently completed the
fourth commercial project, the
Starfix.FineTrack-T100’s proven
benefits include substantial
time saving efficiencies,
more effective ROV guidance,
enhanced visualisation of
quality control parameters in
a real-time 3D environment,
dramatic cost savings by
reducing the vessel requirement
and reduced HSE exposure.
CONTRACT NEWS
ROVS AND TOOLS
INTRODUCING FUGRO SURVEY’S NEW FLYING LEAD ORIENTATION TOOL
Fugro Survey’s Aberdeen-based ROV business has
introduced a new flying lead orientation tool (FLOT),
following the award of a contract to provide ROV services
and ROV tooling using Fugro Sealions onboard the drilling
rig Scarabeo 3.
The drilling rig Scarabeo 3 was selected for the drilling and
to run the subsea completions as part of the Okwari Field
Development - located 90km south of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
This includes four existing wells that are to be re-completed
and an additional four new wells to be drilled, with a further
well for gas storage.
The ROV tooling will be one of Fugro’s TDU systems,
Stm Markab including torque tools, actuator override tools and hot stab
injection units, and a remote technology support unit (RTSU).
BLACKTIP SURVEYS The new FLOT or manipulator fits under the ROV and is used
to carry and install the control umbilical jumpers on the
MARKAB HELPS CONFIRM VIABILITY FOR BLACKTIP DEVELOPMENT subsea production system trees. It is designed to fit any
of Fugro’s fleet of workclass ROVs and use any torque tools
currently available.
Earlier this year Fugro Survey Pty Ltd was contracted
by Woodside Energy Limited, to provide hydrographic,
geotechnical and geophysical survey services for the
Blacktip Development Project in the Joseph Bonaparte
Gulf, Australia.
LEFT: Sealion 14 with FLOT mounted during trials
Fugro was appointed to carry out initial geophysical surveys in Aberdeen
to confirm viability of the chosen platform location, identify
BELOW: Fugro FLOT tool
if shallow gas was present and map shallow lithology as a
precursor to further geotechnical site investigation. Fugro’s
geotechnical vessel, the Markab, planned and successfully
completed the geotechnical platform site survey. The surveys
were carried out over the offshore and near-shore pipeline
routes and a near-shore mooring site. This work included
using Fugro’s specialised refraction system for the
investigation of the soil properties.
Fugro’s Blacktip project survey manager, Ian Hobbs said:
“Meeting the Blacktip survey requirements demanded a
whole range of different Fugro survey techniques, amply
demonstrating the variety of resources and expertise we
have available.”
Darwin
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf
North West Australia
101996FugroCS.qxt 16/11/04 12:22 pm Page 8

Europe & Africa

POSITIONING WEST AFRICA A MODEL OF ACCURACY
UNDERLINING FUGRO’S CAPABILITIES IN WEST AFRICA
As part of the continued
fundamental research in
sailing yacht behaviour
During the recent installation of the Kizomba-A FPSO at the Marine Technology
offshore Angola, Fugro Survey provided SEMCO with department of Delft
positioning services and remote vessel tracking. Technical University,
Erik-Jan de Ridder, a
From the FPSO, a total of seven mobile units in the field student and successful
were successfully tracked and displayed, allowing the tow yachtsman developed
master to make the right decisions during the critical hook- a computer model
up phase. This installation underlines Fugro’s capabilities to simulate sailing
in West Africa, having been involved in many survey and yacht response during
positioning activities on the Kizomba field.
manoeuvres.
Pictures courtesy of SEMCO.
The computer model
calculates position and
sailing parameters, influenced by
PERFECT MONITORING hydrodynamic and aerodynamic
forces due to the hull shape, rudder,
keel and sails. Validation of the dynamic
computer models required comparison
with full-scale sea trials under as
controlled conditions as possible. Fugro
Intersite was involved to measure and
log positioning and movement
parameters of a number of test yachts,
using Fugro StarFix DGPS and Fugro
Finetrack Inertial Positioning systems.
Tests took place during the summer
of 2004 in Zeeland, the Netherlands.
Commenting on the comparison,
Erik-Jan said: “The measured data
obtained from the DGPS by Fugro gave
excellent accuracy. I’m very grateful
to Fugro Intersite for their support,
allowing me to measure the full-scale
trials so very accurately.”

UNDERMINING POTENTIAL THREATS

HELPING TO MAKE THE NORTH SEA A SAFER PLACE TO OPERATE

World War II minefields were laid over techniques including high-resolution

UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS
OPERATORS CHOOSE FUGRO AS GEOHAZARDS CONTRACTOR
August 2004 saw the completion of an exceptional seismic
interpretation project by Fugro Survey’s Great Yarmouth
office in the UK, studying the shallow section geology and
geohazards of the Mid-Norwegian deepwater continental
margin in great detail. Known as The Seabed Project, the
work forms part of the Norwegian Deep Water Programme,
which is a joint industry initiative formed from all of the oil
companies with interests in the area, administered by Norsk
Hydro ASA in Oslo.
The current project, known as Phase 5, is the fourth study
undertaken by the Great Yarmouth centre for the project. Dan
Evans of the British Geological Survey (BGS) has worked as
a specialist marine geological consultant in each phase, and
for this phase near shore interpretation work was included
from the Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU) in Trondheim,
making unique partnerships between academia and industry.
The work has given Fugro geophysicists a unique insight
into the shallow section geology in this important frontier
exploration area, and into the particular challenges that slope
stability problems pose to offshore development. As a direct
result, Fugro has been the geohazards contractor of choice
for most oil companies operating in the area.
Fugro Topnav continue to build
on their ten years of successful
positioning and tracking experience
in marine sport competitions. This
summer in Greece, and for the third
time, Fugro Topnav provided fleet
tracking services on international
sailing races to the organisers in
charge of time keeping.
The follow up in real-time of the whole
fleet of racing vessels was ensured
using DGPS (differential global
positioning systems) and very powerful
telemetry modems. Transmission to
the command centre of positions of all
vessels in real-time allowed a perfect
follow up of the race and production
of synthesised pictures showing
additional parameters, giving a much
better visualisation of the races for tv
and web coverage.
This technology is derived from Fugro’s
precise positioning services to the oil
and gas industry. Fugro Topnav has
adapted this technology, mainly for
major sailing events but also on car
races, for users targeting real-time
video games on the web. The same
Fugro technology is applicable for
tracking all kinds of mobile assets,
such as helicopters and supply
boats on offshore oil fields, improving
significantly safety and productivity
for the industry.
extensive areas of the North Sea and
other coastal regions around the
world, but these minefields were
assumed cleared after the war.
However, before oil or gas subsea
field developments, or other seabed
engineering work can safely proceed
in these areas, the precise location
of any unexploded mines must
be investigated.
Aberdeen-based Fugro Survey was
contracted by Floyd and Associates
who had designed a specialised
survey technique to detect, classify
and identify minefield related objects
at these historic minefields.
The small size of objects necessitates
an intensive survey methodology,
requiring high-accuracy positioning
systems and a range of survey
side scan sonar and gradiometer
magnetometer, followed up with visual
observation by ROV.
Floyd and Associates contracted
Fugro to provide all the required survey
and ROV capabilities, from its vessel
MV Fugro Mercator. A recent survey
discovered 11 intact mines among 160
minefield contacts mapped. Within
the minefield, a previously uncharted
shipwreck was also discovered.
Magnetic Gradient
Plot of part of survey
area. Showing location
of World War 2 mines
Sidescan Sonar Image of
uncharted shipwreck
Possibly showing mine anchor
and remains of mine tether
101996FugroCS.qxt 16/11/04 12:23 pm Page 10
Asia Pacific
LIFE ON THE DRIEST CONTINENT
DATA ACQUISITION CONTRIBUTES TO CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES IN THE ROSS SEA
Fugro Survey personnel from Perth in
Australia acquired a taste of life on
the driest continent as team members
of the New Zealand National Institute
of Water and Atmospherics Research
(NIWA) project.
During a seven-week voyage to the
Western Ross Sea in Antarctica aboard
the 70m research vessel Tangaroa, the
team performed hydrographic surveys
and biodiversity studies. Fugro
provided positioning and multi-beam
echo sounder bathymetry data
processing equipment and personnel
to assist on a voyage jointly funded by
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)
and the New Zealand Ministry of
Fisheries (Mfish). The voyage resulted
in 3100km of seabed surveyed with
significant biodiversity data acquisition
that will contribute to the conservation
and sustainable management of the
marine resources of the Ross Sea.
The hydrographic survey of the seabed
required a primary tidal monitoring
station to be established on shore with
five team members camped on
Possession Island. Although only small,
the island is home to some 100,000
Adelie penguins. Phil Wells, the Fugro
team chief, said: “Establishing the tide
gauge ashore was definitely a highlight
of the trip despite the extreme
conditions and sub-zero temperatures.
Interestingly, much of the island’s
terrain was formed by hundreds of
years of penguin guano deposits -
it has a distinct smell that lingers in
clothing and nasal passages long
after departure.”
ROV DEEP WATER FUGRO’S
MULTI-BEAM MAPPING COMBINED
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION GAINED AHEAD OF FPSO INSTALLATION EFFORT
As part of the development Fugro Survey in Aberdeen and Fugro SSI in Seattle
of the Australian Enfield field have been collaborating on the FALCON project, a major
located approximately 60km telecommunications cable route survey for a new fibre-
offshore to the north west of optic cable network linking Egypt, Oman, and India.
Exmouth Gulf, in water depths The network owner, FLAG Telecom Global Networks, now
of between 360 - 560m, 100% owned by Reliance Industries of India, also plans
Woodside Energy Limited subsequent phases linking sites in the Gulf - including Iraq,
used the services of Fugro and east to China.
Survey to undertake a very
Working from M/V Kommandor Jack, Fugro Survey has
deep water seabed survey using Fugro’s Sealion workclass
carried out survey work from Suez down the length of the
remote operated vehicle (ROV).
Red Sea through Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Yemen, and
This was the first survey of its type completed in Australian out into the Gulf of Aden. This survey overlaps work Fugro
waters, entailing mounting of the multi-beam echo-sounder SSI has done using its swath systems working from M/V
along with enhanced positioning systems on to the ROV Genesis from Gulf of Aden to Muscat, Oman, then across
and deployed from the dynamically positioned vessel, to Mumbai.
Lady Christine.
The project obtained essential high-resolution information of
the seabed for the planning and design of the floating
production storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) to be
installed at the Enfield Site’s upslope location, where it will
be anchored in water depths of between 360m and 445m.
The subsea pipelines and umbilicals will be installed running
from the FPSO to downslope manifolds and wells in water
depths up to a maximum of 560m. The objective of the
detailed seabed-mapping project was to acquire bathymetric
and visual data to facilitate with the design and ensure the The survey began in March with M/V Genesis mobilising in
viability of installing the flowlines and umbilicals. Salalah, Oman and culminated recently with the Suez inshore
survey completed by Maridive Survey Fugro Egypt, and
with Cone Penetration Test (CPT) work performed by Fugro
Engineers in the Gulf of Suez. Fugro Survey Middle East
VAN OORD NV CHOOSES FUGRO and Fugro Geonics have also participated in complementary
STARFIX ENSURES PRECISION surveys off Muscat and Mumbai. All in all, the Fugro
companies have surveyed close to 12,000 line kilometres,
for 6,500km of planned cable for the project.
Van Oord NV and Fugro
Survey have recently
completed the first phase
of the Woodside Trunkline
System Expansion Project (TSEP) rock dumping campaign
off the North West Shelf of Australia. Fugro Survey is the
subcontractor providing survey support and precise
positioning services.
Using Van Oord NV’s DP2 multi-purpose offshore vessel, the
Jan Steen, the scope of works included the dumping of filter
and armour type rocks and “stitch dumping”. Beginning
24-hour operations, the vessel averaged approximately
three 1900-ton loads per day, dumping in total over 590,000
tonnes of rock by the completion of the first phase.
Fugro’s in-house Starfix High Performance (HP) DGPS
positioning system was used throughout in order to provide
real-time decimetric precise positioning of the vessel. While
on board the vessel, Fugro was also contracted to conduct
pre and post multi-beam surveys of the rock dumping
activities to ensure work to grade was met.
101996FugroCS.qxt 16/11/04 12:23 pm Page 12
On a recent international climbing
expedition to the north face of Everest
in the Himalayas, Arnold Coster, a
mechanic working for Fugro Engineers
in the Netherlands, reached the
summit and performed the highest
cone penetration test ever, at the top
of Mount Everest.
To subscribe to an electronic version of Cross Section visit www.crosssection-online.com for more details.
PO Box 41
2260 AA Leidschendam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 70 311 1422
For further information, please email: crosssection@fugro.com
www.fugro.com
NO OTHER COMPANY CAN PROVIDE THE SAME COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF GEOTECHNICAL, SURVEY AND GEOSCIENCE SERVICES
FUGRO AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD
FUGRO MECHANIC ACHIEVES HIGHEST CONE PENETRATION TEST - EVER!
Arnold used a Cone Penetration Test
(CPT) device specifically designed
for the task by the development
department at Fugro Engineers as no
such equipment existed. The new CPT
was small and lightweight enough to
be carried to the top, with digital data
storage that could be downloaded later.
The new device was produced in record
time, a matter of a few weeks - ready
for Arnold’s departure for Kathmandu
to make the final preparations for the
expedition to Everest - ‘the roof of
the World’.
Describing his successful ascent,
Arnold said: “Having set up the various
base and stage camps needed to
attempt the summit, we had been
thwarted by the weather conditions and
the climbing season was drawing to a
close. The following day we woke up
to the best weather we had had so far.
If the weather were to stay like that,
could we get to the top after all? The
next day, we again arrived at ‘camp
three’ for the first time for weeks.
Everything was still there, even the
Cone Penetration Test device was still
intact in the tent where I had left it.
That night, we decided to go for the
top again.”
Continuing he said: “We had come so
far and the weather was still perfect.
We quickly climbed further on and
reached the key passage of the climb
to the top and I knew that we would
do it. An hour and a half later, we stood
on the top of the highest point of
the world.
The view is wonderful - the plateau of
Tibet, the green valleys of Nepal and
all the other Himalayan giants. The
three of us had made it to the top -
my two sherpa friends, Lakpha and
Tenjen, and me. The weather was
also wonderful. There was hardly
any wind, which is exceptional. After
taking photographs at the top, I took
the Cone Penetration Test device out
of my rucksack and made a few
soundings on the top - the highest
ever. After having stood on the top
for approximately half an hour, we
decided to go down again. Every
minute that you remain, it is more
and more likely that the weather will
deteriorate and you will be stuck. So
we descended as quickly as possible
to the safety of the stage and base
camps. On the way down, I felt
euphoric - we had made it to the top
and down in one piece.”