Investing in an in-house survey department

Omega Subsea is enhancing its survey operations by establishing an in-house land-based department.

“Data collection, processing, and storage are critical in these projects,” say Survey Manager Hanne Taarland and Senior Geologist and Survey Reporting Manager Hallgjerd Håbakk Ravnås. 

Although new to Omega Subsea, Taarland and Håbakk Ravnås bring extensive offshore experience and have a deep expertise in the survey field. Prior to joining Omega Subsea’s Stavanger office, both worked at GeoPluss, a company they founded that specialized in the processing, interpretation, and reporting of survey data. 

Morten Haugen, Operations Manager at Omega Subsea, is pleased with the progress of the survey team. 

“This is a strategically important step for us, and we are already seeing positive results from the survey department. We’ve built a strong core of senior expertise, but we’re always on the lookout for additional resources. We’ve recruited internationally, including hiring Carmen-Joy Holloway as Survey Resources Manager, based in Aberdeen. She has already made a significant impact with her work and valuable network,” he says. 

Extensive expertise 

Håbakk Ravnås is a senior geologist with over 15 years of experience in the subsea industry, specializing in seabed mapping, geophysical surveys, and pipeline inspection. She also has field expedition experience in places such as Svalbard and Greenland. Taarland, on the other hand, has over 20 years of experience working both offshore and onshore. 

“I’m glad we’ve both spent years working onboard vessels; it gives us a deep understanding of the data collection process and enables us to collaborate closely with field teams,” Taarland says. 

Both Taarland and Håbakk Ravnås have been positively surprised by the company culture at Omega Subsea. 

“I really appreciate their approach. Here, we’re actively involved and can influence the company’s development. Our goal is to grow steadily and continue to find the expertise we need,” says Håbakk Ravnås. 

 From the left: Hanne Taarland, Survey Manager; Øyvind Lunde, Branch Manager/Offshore Resource Manager; and Hallgjerd Håbakk Ravnås, Senior Geologist & Survey Reporting Manager.

Strengthening their position 

Haugen explains that the survey initiative resulted from the collaboration between Omega Subsea and Solstad Offshore. Through this partnership, Omega Subsea manages, maintains, and staffs several ROV systems mobilized on selected Solstad vessels. 

“We wanted to offer more than just project management and ROV services. By adding survey capabilities, we can provide a complete solution to our clients. Our biggest challenge is finding the right expertise. Survey professionals are in high demand, and many already hold well-established positions within the industry. This means we need to make Omega Subsea an attractive workplace for those considering joining us,” says Haugen. 

He emphasizes that the entire survey process of gathering data and information from the project is a delicate process. 

“The fieldwork is especially vulnerable. Any errors in data collection can lead to significant extra work and costs. Offshore data is quality-checked on-site before being uploaded to the cloud and transferred to the land-based department, where it undergoes further quality assurance.” 

Growing demand 

Omega Subsea is currently providing services onboard four Solstad vessels, all engaged in international project executions, with two additional vessels to be added to the collaboration in 2025. 

“There are often survey requirements on all the vessels simultaneously, with increasing demands for documentation and verification,” says Taarland, emphasizing the importance of robust routines, procedures, and systems to deliver the best results. 

“Each project determines the data and documentation required for processing. Our responsibility is to ensure that the information is accurately collected, relevant, and processed in a way that adds value,” she says. 

As Omega Subsea expands its fleet, the workload of quality-assuring data and processing documentation naturally increases. 

“This can include seabed mapping to identify any potential obstacles that could impact the project. When a client wants to develop a new field, surveys are necessary to verify that it’s safe to proceed.” 

As Omega Subsea expands its fleet, the workload of quality-assuring data and processing documentation naturally increases.