Guest Speaker

Sponsorship

Cost (ex VAT)

Booking Form

To register your place at the dinner, please complete and submit the booking form below. You will then be sent an invoice by the SUT team. If you wish to book more than 10 places at once, please contact [email protected].

SUT Event Policy 

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, although discretion may apply in exceptional circumstances. The SUT reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule, lineup, or venue. Attendees assume all risks associated with the event. By entering, you consent to photography and video recording for promotional purposes. Terms and conditions apply. 

 Contact [email protected] for enquiries. 

Tuesday 25th February 2025 | 1700-1930hrs GMT

University of Aberdeen Students’ Union Building, First Floor, Food Court, Unit 5 Elphinstone Road Aberdeen AB24 3TU

This event is FREE but registration is essential.

Wednesday 12 March 2025 | 18:00 – 20:00hrs

Aberdeenshire Cricket Club, Aberdeen

Registration – £15 SUT members / £25 non-members (+ VAT) / £10 students

With the forecast increase in offshore floating wind developments, site investigation, including the site characterisation and environmental impact, is a key activity in the consenting and engineering processes. This evening meeting explores challenges facing the site investigation industry with speakers from different aspects of the process reflecting on their recent experiences to ensure the appropriate data is collected and interpreted to characterise future float wind developments.

Presenters:

Simon Oakley, Fugro; “Site survey data gathering opportunities: a contractor’s viewpoint”

Mark Finch, Ternan Energy, “The role of an Expert Witness in offshore foundation engineering and construction”

Oliver Lever, TechnipFMC, “Environmental Engineers and how they Generate Value”

Oliver Lever, Technip FMC

After a career in the military Oliver retrained and worked as an Environmental Manager in the Caspian Sea. On returning to the UK Oliver worked as an Environmental and Biodiversity interface between the Lenders and Company on both Chevron’s Future Growth Project (Kazakhstan) and the Exxon Mozambique LNG project, much of this time was spent developing project EIAs, writing environmental management system documents and assuring the environmental performance of Tier 1 Contractors working in protected environments. In 2019 Oliver transitioned to working on the UKCS for the newly formed Serica Energy. Whilst at Serica Oliver managed all permits, licences and consents for production and project works and was responsible for all emissions trading scheme calculation and reporting, Oliver also grew the Company’s ESG function. In 2022 Oliver moved to TFMC to grow a fledgling Advisory and Design Function, that Function now includes Technical Safety, Reliability, Environmental and Materials Engineers and provides support to TFMC product lines and projects globally. In his spare time Oliver is an active member of the Braemar Mountain Rescue Team.  

Mark Finch, Founder & CEO, Ternan Energy

Mark Finch is a Chartered Engineer with 35 years’ experience of offshore geotechnical engineering and installation. Mark has lived and worked in London, Congo, Aberdeen, Newfoundland and Paris. He now lives with his wife and children in the Scottish Borders.

Mark has worked for a broad range of organisations from site investigation contractors, consultancies and Tier 1 contractors to Oil & Gas Operators and Offshore Wind Developers.

Mark established his first consultancy, ISIS Energy, in 2004 which was subsequently acquired by Lloyds Register in 2008. In 2016 he founded Ternan Energy – an independent marine geoscience consultancy. Ternan Energy has grown to more than 30 technical specialists – with offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh Oxford and Brighton. Ternan now does the majority of its work in offshore renewables worldwide.

Mark regularly acts as an Expert Witness in high-value technical disputes and advises clients across the globe. He is a Certified Expert Witness and a practising member of the Academy of Experts.

Simon Oakley, Fugro

For the past 10 years, Simon has led Fugro’s Marine Site Characterisation Client Deliverables (MSC CD) group in Aberdeen. The group encompasses the primary technical disciplines delivering data and information to clients; geophysics, hydrographic data processing and GIS. The MSC CD group has grown significantly in recent years supporting the rapidly developing offshore windfarm market, and is now the largest single client-facing team in Fugro globally. Simon’s technical background is a marine geophysicist, and Simon spent 7 years working on offshore projects across Europe and West Africa. Simon is a lead stakeholder transforming Fugro’s business in remote operations and developing the acquisition of marine geophysics via Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs).

Simon sits on the SUT’s Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics (OSIG) special interest group and OSIG executive committee. Simon is the co-chair of the SUT OSIG 2027 conference. Simon is a technical peer reviewer for the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE). Simon is an expert panel member for the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) Drilling Hazard Site Surveys (DHSS) panel. Simon is a STEM Ambassador and early careers mentor.

SUT Event Policy

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, although discretion may apply in exceptional circumstances. The SUT reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule, lineup, or venue. Attendees assume all risks associated with the event. By entering, you consent to photography and video recording for promotional purposes. Terms and conditions apply.

Contact [email protected] for enquiries.

Thursday 27th February 2025 | 1600-1700hrs EET

Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), Archiepiskopou Kyprianou 30, Limassol 3036, Cyprus | Amphitheater 2, Tasos Papadopoulos Building, CUT, Limassol

Catering will be provided at the event.

This event is FREE to attend but registration is essential. Contact [email protected] to RSVP and reserve your place.

Mitigating Deepwater Challenges via Pre-Site Investigation Assessments and Intelligent Survey Optimization

We will explore the crucial role of marine site characterization in reducing risks for deepwater field development. As we venture into deeper waters for resource extraction and other activities, understanding the unique challenges and potential hazards becomes essential. Marine site characterization, from desktop studies to data acquisition and analysis, provides a comprehensive understanding of the underwater environment. This process involves evaluating geological, geophysical, and environmental data to identify potential risks and inform decision-making. By leveraging these insights, we can enhance safety, optimize operations, and minimize environmental impacts in deepwater projects.

In this presentation, we will delve into the methodologies and technologies used in marine site characterization, including Geotechnical sampling, remote sensing, seismic surveys, and underwater sampling. We will also discuss the importance of integrating data from various sources to create a holistic view of the site conditions. Through case studies, we will highlight successful applications of these techniques in mitigating risks and ensuring the sustainability of deepwater field development. Let’s embark on this journey to better understand and navigate the complexities of deepwater environments.

Speaker: Robert Hawkins, Fugro

Robert Hawkins is the Commercial Director for Africa overseeing all Business Lines operating on the African Continent. He has worked for Fugro for over thirty-five years and has spent the last twelve years working with clients and projects on the African Continent. Robert joined Fugro as an Engineering Geologist and since then has performed a number of roles both Commercial and Project related at all levels in the organisation. He is motivated by taking on large challenging projects in remote regions and working with clients to successfully deliver them. This has led him to take on the role as Project Director on a number of deepwater projects in the Mediterranean, Arabian Sea and Northern Mozambique.

Presentation by Fugro

Fugro is a global leader in geo-data solutions, specializing in the collection and analysis of information about the Earth’s surface and subsurface. Fugro expertise supports the planning, design, and maintenance of infrastructure, ensuring safer and more sustainable operations. By leveraging advanced technologies, Fugro helps clients unlock the secrets of the Earth to create a safer and more livable world.

SUT East Med AGM

The EastMed SUT Branch AGM is also taking place on the same day, preceding the presentation at 1500 to 1530 hrs. SUT Members are welcome to attend.

The SUT-US Subsea Awareness training provides foundational knowledge for individuals entering the industry and those needing a refresher on operational perspectives and latest technology. The training offers industry professionals a broad introduction to subsea, covering the various sectors, operations and emerging technologies.

The upcoming training is planned to take place in-person in Houston, Texas as shown in the program below. The confirmed venues are as listed below.

Who should attend
Engineers, managers, financial analysts, and others new to the offshore industry, or those transferring from other disciplines within the industry. This course is also great for engineers who have worked in subsea previously but would benefit from a refresher course and exposure to the latest technology.

Registration
Cost full course
SUT members – $3,500
Non-members – $3,800

Cost per session
SUT members – $875
Non-members – $950

Registration cost includes meals, and the SUT-US can confirm for facility tours based upon the locations below.

Go to SUT-US for more information and to book your place now!

Thursday 13 February 2025 | 17:00 – 20:30hrs

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, London

Join us in London to hear presentations by three industry experts on the latest developments in UXO management, detection and mitigation.

The detection and management of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) represents a significant risk and cost in construction operations, particularly those associated with offshore wind. For this year’s joint RICS and Hydrographic Society meeting we are joining forces with the Society for Underwater Technology to explore UXO from a risk management and regulatory perspective and hear about the latest developments in the survey tools and processes that are used to support identification and location.

This event is now fully booked, to join the waitlist please fill in the form below.

20-21 May 2025 | In-person training course

University of Southampton

Day 1 – NOCS building on the Waterfront Campus
Day 2 – University of Southampton, Boldrewood Campus

This two-day in-person course provides a comprehensive introduction to site investigation and ground engineering in the offshore environment and has been run successfully for a number of years. The course will include a stimulating mix of case studies, lectures, computer practicals, and ‘hands-on’ laboratory testing to help illustrate concepts and applications. An evening meal is included on the first day.  Alongside valuable knowledge sharing, the course is an excellent opportunity to network within the offshore industry.

Industry experts will cover a wide range of topics from planning an offshore site investigation, through technical and operational aspects of data acquisition and reporting, to the practical use of the data in geohazard assessment and foundation design.

This course is intended for non-specialists and will give a broad overview of the offshore market today and how the data acquired is applied to maximise the value of offshore projects.

Click here to view the Agenda

Cost (excluding VAT where chargeable)

• SUT Member – £750
• Non-Member – £970

CPD Credits will be available

Cancellations/Refunds

Cancellations are subject to a 25% administration fee where the cancellation is made more than one calendar month before the date of the training course. No refund is payable for a cancellation made within the calendar month immediately prior to the training course – in this event the full sum shown on the invoice remains payable.

Delegates may wish to nominate a substitute in their place.

The SUT reserves the right to make changes to the training course schedule, lineup, or venue. Attendees assume all risks associated with the event. By entering, you consent to photography and video recording for promotional purposes. Terms and conditions apply.

Contact [email protected] for enquiries.

Waitlist

This course is now fully booked. Please complete the form below to join our waitlist.