A First for Egypt as Fugro Revolutionises Subsea Installation for GUPCO

Fugro has revolutionised a subsea installation programme for Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO) with its innovative QuickVision® technology. Used for the first time in Egypt, the contactless positioning solution replaced the conventional survey sensors typically attached to subsea structures during installation.


Caption: Fugro’s QuickVision® performing underwater tracking using a coded pattern technique


Under a contract with Dragon Oil (GUPCO), Fugro delivered subsea positioning support for the installation of multiple subsea structures off the coast of Egypt. To meet the requirements for improved safety and lower project costs, Fugro deployed their QuickVision solution. This state-of-the art vision technology uses a smart camera, attached to a remotely operated vehicle, that can determine the heading and attitude of a subsea structure as it is landed. This eliminates the requirement to pre-install a sensor package on the structure, and retrieve it once installation is complete, which reduces the time and costs associated with a dive support vessel.

Noting the benefits that real-time access to the positioning Geo-data brought to the project, Fugro’s Project Manager, Sherif Abd El Aziz, said: "Introducing the power of augmented reality has had a hugely positive impact on this project’s delivery."

Lotfi Ibrahim, Drilling Operation Manager for Dragon Oil (GUPCO), added: “The conventional sensor method is time-consuming and is not without risk. Fugro’s QuickVision allowed us to deliver safer and more sustainable operations, and within the desired accuracy. It has revolutionised our subsea installation programmes.”

Location: Egypt