Barents Sea Hydrograhpic Survey Contract For Fugro

Germany-based Fugro awarded Mareano, off North Norway coast, survey contract by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service (NHS).

Fugro OSAE GmbH has been awarded a EUR 2.7 million hydrographic survey contract by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service (NHS). This survey, planned for 2013, is part of the on-going MAREANO project and will encompass an area over 11,000km2 in the Barents Sea.

The area is located offshore the northern-most part of Norway, close to the Russian border, in water depths between 150 metres and 300 metres. The awarded survey is adjacent to an area surveyed by Fugro in 2011 and 2012. NHS has the option to extend the project area, which would then require the deployment of additional tonnage. Data processing will take place onboard the vessels and at Fugro OSAE’s processing centre in Bremen, Germany.

MAREANO is Norway’s program to fill knowledge gaps related to seabed conditions and biodiversity along the northern Norwegian coast. The goal is to contribute to a better knowledge base for Resource Management, in particular for fishing and oil and gas exploitation. The acquisition of detailed and accurate bathymetry is an important first step in the collection of benthic data.