Bahamas (AES Coral)

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Supervised extensive natural gas pipeline studies on the Bahama Bank for a proposed LNG facility connecting some of the country’s western islands, part of an overall project to provide an energy link with Florida’s east coast. Studies included geophysical, geotechnical, and benthic investigations (coral reef evaluation) supporting route assessment, soil analysis and suitability, and environmental impacts. Field tasks included multibeam echosounding, side scan sonar imaging, subbottom profiling, magnetic intensity measurements, grab and core sampling, underwater video collection, and diving operations. Multiple vessels and crews utilized to provide efficient solutions for this program based on site conditions, specific tasks, and project schedule.

The biggest hurdle to overcome on this project was the avoidance of pristine coral reef communities on the Bahama Bank. Hundreds of miles of survey tracklines were covered to map the seabed conditions for route feasibility and ultimately decision making to determine a pipeline route that presented the least adverse impact to the benthos.