Dr. Anna Lim presented some of Argeo’s Deep Sea Mineral (DSM) solutions at the Geonova & NCS EXPLORATION conference in Bergen 19-21 October 2021. Attached Dr. Lim’s presentation and the conference abstracts.
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Argeo presentation Abstract:
Decades of research studies and offshore cruises have established a solid knowledgebase about different types of deep-sea minerals. Active hydrothermal vent fields, in large due to their geological and biological significance and not least due to the relative simplicity of their identification through water column measurements, have been explored. Seafloor massive sulfides associated with hydrothermal venting benefit from their size often around 250×250×150m. This is not the case for crusts that can reach similar areal extent but rarely exceed 0.25m in thickness. The third type of mineral, nodules, can be spread even wider, hundreds of kilometers, but constitute covers with inconsistent thickness of 0 to 0.25m. With such range in dimensions and very limited vertical or horizontal extent of the deposits compared to the water depth they can be found at (3,500m on average), water sampling and other sea-surface measurements are no longer efficient in identifying nor resolving these deposits. This scale difference and the geological context of the marine minerals are of paramount importance.
While underwater robotic solutions with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) close to the seafloor address the scale challenge by significantly increasing data resolution, e.g. reaching 5cm-resolution with Hi-SAS surveys, a multi-physics approach becomes critical in addressing the variability of the geological contexts. In addition to acoustic measurements, widely used in the ocean realm, other geophysical methods such as magnetics and electromagnetics play a crucial role in delineation of the deposits and de-risking the sampling and drilling targets.
In recent years, a common exploration methodology has shaped to include the use of various high-frequency sonars together with magnetometer and passive electric field sensors mounted on underwater vehicles. Such setup allows for more confident identification of the deposits, and in some cases provides insight into the deposit’s subsurface extent. To further improve both horizontal and vertical delineation of crusts and SMS, Argeo Robotics have developed a new electromagnetic system that can be mounted on several AUVs and considerably improve exploration efficiency and accuracy.
From an operational perspective, exploration strategies and sensor configurations are also required to be contextualized and thoroughly planned for prior to each survey in accordance with geological context, environmental factors, and many other considerations. This implies that survey planning and data acquisition should be part of the continuous data loop that ensures no data gets lost or underutilized. In the realm of deep and ultra-deep sea, a digital representation (Digital Twin) of the ocean becomes the space where operations are monitored and managed throughout project lifecycles. The ability to investigate changes over time, i.e. use of 4D-data, is readily facilitated in a Digital Twin solution. Moreover, short turnaround times and high-risk environments require real-time overview of project activities to support decision making. This can be satisfied with Argeo’s Digital Twin solution, along with the demand for continuous environmental impact monitoring that has already become a voluntary operational standard.
Argeos Digital Twin solution is a virtual and digital representation of the subsea installations, their space in the ocean and their conditions at all times from planning to decommission as well as a digital simulation of acquiring the data for the digital representation. The representation is made up of 3-dimensional digital visualization of objects and sensor data that directly or indirectly provides information about the physical world.
World-class expertise
Argeo has world-class expertise in sensor data for subsea surveying and inspections and combines multi-sensor data using Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) interpretation to obtain high quality information, which the asset owners will use for optimized maintenance and inspection schedules. The Digital Twin can provide surveillance data automatically to the users as early warning or notification of problems. The users can also actively perform analysis of maintenance needs through prediction and analytic tools, easily accessible by navigating in a 3D digital representation of the ocean space. The users can retrieve status information from the past and the present as well as simulation of the future. Thus, the Digital Twin is a powerful tool to effectively control and manage inspection and maintenance needs for the asset.
About Argeo
Argeo is a company with a mission to transform the ocean surveying and inspection industry by utilizing autonomous surface and underwater robotics solutions. Equipped with unique sensors and advanced digital imaging technology, the Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (“AUVs”) will significantly increase efficiency and imaging quality in addition to contribute to significant reduction in CO2 emissions from operations for the global industry in which the Company operates.
The Company’s highly accurate digital models and digital twin solutions are based on geophysical, hydrographic and geological methods from shallow waters to the deepest oceans for market segments in Infrastructure, Offshore Wind, Oil & Gas and Deep Sea Minerals.
Argeo was established in 2017 and has offices in Asker and Tromsø, Norway. Since its incorporation, Argeo has carried out complex projects for some of Norway’s largest companies in the field
For more information, please contact:
Trond Figenschou Crantz, CEO
Email: trond.crantz@argeo.no
Phone: +47 976 37 273
Web: www.argeo.no
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