Mapping Ocean Currents to schedule deep-sea Asset Inspection

Figure 1: Swirling Coffees and Ocean Currents; Source: istockphoto.com

1. INTRODUCTION

It is remarkable how instinctively we judge the exact amount of effort needed to dissolve ingredients in a beverage while keeping it at the perfect, soothing temperature.

Upon stirring, the wavy patterns that form on the surface are mesmerizing—volatile along the edges and frothy toward the calmer centre, the eye of the storm, so to speak. Dip a finger in and you’ll feel the gentle suction drawing you to its depths.

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2. BACKGROUND

Ocean Currents are complex, large-scale versions of this same phenomenon—stirred not by a spoon, but by gravity, water density, wind patterns, and Earth’s rotation. These vast gyres regulate global water temperature, salinity and nutrient flows across the planet.

Figure 2: Major Ocean Currents on Earth; Source: By Dr. Michael Pidwirny - Physicalgeography.net. A few gyres also exist at the poles (not shown at this map) - these are Polar bear gyre, Storkerson gyre and Melville gyre at the North Pole and the Penguin gyre at the South Pole.

Physical inspection of assets is a fundamental responsibility of Maintenance, Reliability and Safety specialists. Routine checks extend asset life, detect deterioration, identify hazards and protect both man-made and natural resources. Although organizations are expected to be proactive, external regulatory, environmental and governmental agencies often mandate these inspections.

This post focuses on the inspection of Oil Wells at Offshore locations, where petroleum is extracted from the seabed via drillships or stationary oil platforms.

Figure 3: Drillship (left) & Oil Platform (right)

At depths far beyond what human divers can reach safely, Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROUVs) are deployed from the surface to inspect subsea well infrastructure.

Figure 4: Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle for Oil Well Inspection

Offshore oil operations carry substantial risk—from remote deep-sea locations to flammable fuel transfer, turbulent weather and choppy waters. These harsh conditions make robust inspection protocols essential for human safety, asset reliability and environmental protection.

Having recently toured an operational coal mine, I also gained firsthand appreciation of the many risks involved in subsurface resource extraction. Strict guidelines are set by the mining regulatory body, extraction operations are kept in constant vigil, and manpower safety is given the highest priority. The mine’s leadership expressed interest in my firm’s non-invasive subsurface mapping solutions to help characterize their colliery and make extraction safer, less wasteful, and more efficient.

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3. OCEAN CURRENT MAPPING TO SCHEDULE OIL WELL INSPECTION

Credit: Esri Learn ArcGIS

Modern geospatial software can support a wide range of workflows for a variety of industries. In my previous post, I demonstrated a high-utility aviation use case. Here, we turn to the complexities of scheduling underwater asset maintenance—a task complicated by the fact that ocean surface turbulence can easily disrupt ROUV deployment. One must therefore identify the correct window of opportunity when ocean currents are favourable.

In this demonstration, you will see how to:

• Load offshore oil-well infrastructure data for the Gulf of Mexico into a GIS

• Import Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) – Ocean Prediction System datasets

• Perform geospatial analytics using ocean-current velocity to determine safe time windows for ROUV deployment

• Visualize and interpret the output in 3D

Video 1: Mapping Ocean Currents using GIS to schedule Oil Well Inspection

Interesting isn't it?

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ABOUT US - OPERATIONS MAPPING SOLUTIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Intelloc Mapping Services, Kolkata | Mapmyops.com offers a suite of Mapping and Analytics solutions that seamlessly integrate with Operations Planning, Design, and Audit workflows. Our capabilities include — but are not limited to — Drone Services, Location Analytics & GIS Applications, Satellite Imagery Analytics, Supply Chain Network Design, Subsurface Mapping and Wastewater Treatment. Projects are executed pan-India, delivering actionable insights and operational efficiency across sectors.

My firm's services can be split into two categories - Geographic Mapping and Operations Mapping. Our range of offerings are listed in the infographic below-

Range of solutions that Intelloc Mapping Services (Mapmyops.com) offers

A majority of our Mapping for Operations-themed workflows (50+) can be accessed from this website's landing page. We respond well to documented queries/requirements. Demonstrations/PoC can be facilitated, on a paid-basis. Looking forward to being of service.

Regards,

Arpit Shah