The Problem
For years, vessels entering the Port of Moyston had been reliant on tide tables to ensure their passage in shallow waters which were not always reliable.  P&O wished for more guaranteeable data to ensure a high service for both cargo and passengers and it was clear to them that a highly sensitive and accurate system was needed.  Operational safety is a prerequisite for all activities within the port and when P&O planned to operate two ferries from the port, having never berthed such large vessels there, safety was once again a key concern.

The Solution
OSIL set to work developing a monitoring system that would benefit the users around the clock.  With an emphasis on fast knowledge and data transfer, OSIL's team chose a complex system of pressure, tide and meteorological sensors to gather accurate data on wave height, current speed and direction, tidal depth and wind speed.  The chosen equipment meant that data could be transmitted in realtime direct to ships and the harbour master’s office, by telemetry.

OSIL installed the system at two locations on the Dee Estuary and used a wireless modem link to ensure data could be transmitted to both incoming vessels and the shore stations.  The system was designed to be as maintenance free as possible for year round operation.  The sensors are calibrated annually to ensure accuracy and this is done in a pre-determined down period.  Both vessels can now rely on immediate access to essential data as and when it is needed to assess depth, currents and weather conditions before entering port.

The Problem
Over the years, Kuwait’s marine environment has suffered serious disruption.  The impact of the Gulf War, industrialisation and extensive residential development have all taken their toll on the environment.

The EPA selected OSIL to help them monitor the situation with a view to moving the marine environment forward.  They needed a state-of-art monitoring system that would continuously assess pollution levels and collect data for forecasting purposes.

The Solution Carefully considering EPA’s objectives, OSIL set about designing and implementing one of the most advanced monitoring systems in the world. The solution used a network of eight oceanographic data buoys as the central means to monitor the environment.  Each buoy was designed to deliver absolute accuracy and reliability.  OSIL's team then installed the buoys, overseeing their maintenance on an ongoing basis. Each buoy was supplied fully equipped with extensive capabilities.  Cutting-edge instrumentation allowed the swift and easy collection of biological, chemical, oceanographic and meteorological data in real-time.

In the event of the breach of preset thresholds, each buoy would also transmit an alert to the EPA, allowing them to implement a secondary monitoring programme.

The Problem
As part of its exploration programme in the Caspian Sea, BP was keen to broaden its knowledge of drilling impact on the environment by monitoring a deep shelf site off the coast of Azerbaijan.

The chosen site presented a unique seabed environment that would require state-of-the-art equipment to accurately monitor the benthic processes and communities. The Solution OSIL supplied a complete package that carefully addressed each of the rigorous demands with a unique and elegant solution.  It revolved around the supply of a Bathysnap system, specially developed by SOC (Southampton Oceanography Centre).  The system is designed for deep-sea photographic work whilst also collecting information on deepsea currents and can be used for periods of up to 24 months.

OSIL developed and installed a second camera system so that BP could also make rapid photographic assessment of the shelf site in the short term.  This camera used an innovative ‘pogo’ device to move up and down to take shots at set depths.  To carry out environmental assessments of the seabed, OSIL also supplied a Bowers & Connelly Multiple Corer, which had been used with great success all over the world.

The Corer proved ideal for studying the fine detrital surface sediments through the collection of an undisturbed sediment sample.

The Problem
For Jersey’s main sewage treatment plant, measuring the waterflow quickly and accurately is central to the UV sterilisation process.  Without this capability, there is always the chance of untreated effluent getting into the environment; the need for reliability is paramount.

Traditional methods to measure water flow have always proved less than accurate, time-consuming and difficult to implement.  Bellozane needed a solution that heightened accuracy and helped cut operational time and costs.

The Solution
OSIL used specialised Doppler Technology to provide a radical solution complete with accurate and up-to-the-minute data.  Using the very latest acoustic flow monitoring instrumention, designed especially for shallow water, Bellozane experienced dramatic and immediate benefits ranging from reduced operating costs to improvements in water quality.

OSIL mounted the system on the bottom of the channel with ease and efficiency.  Two acoustic beams measured the profile of water velocity, whilst a third measured the water level.  Combining velocity and water level data with the channel geometry, the total flow could be monitored and UV levels adjusted.  The whole process proved quick, exact and easy to use; staff spent less time analysing data and benefited from a highly efficient system.