Africa Surveyors March-April digital issue 2023

RCMRD seeks to improve the Wetlands Vulnerability Assessment Tool

The Regional Centre For Mapping Of Resources For Development (RCMRD), under the Global Monitoring for Environmental and Security (GMES) and Africa Programme, is partnering with Environmental Surveys, Information, Planning and Policy Systems (ESIPPS) to augment the wetlands vulnerability tool to generate services that foster relevant policy response frameworks in wetlands. The environmental monitoring tool assessing wetland vulnerability will be hinged on Earth Observation (EO) data and increase end-users knowledge about the essential details regarding the wetlands ecosystem.

The tool is an upgrade to the previous tool dedicated to responding to various wetland systems. Furthermore, ESIPPS will

upgrade the tool data and functionality, establish a wetland conservation framework, build a dashboard and mapographics showing available products and tools and conduct virtual training for GMES and Africa staff, partners and end-users. RCMRD is also partnering with GeomikAfrica to develop environmental monitoring tools for Land Degradation Services using EO data, Innovative Techniques and End-User Knowledge in the East Africa Region.

The programme is under the thematic application developed under the GMES and Africa Phase 2, which commenced in January 2022 and is expected to end in December 2025.

Innovative collaboration ignites the West African sustainability scene

their collaborative work on sustainable development.

Chariot completes Engineering, Design for Morocco’s Offshore Gas Project

Africa-focused energy exploration company Chariot has announced that it has completed the “Front-End Engineering Design” (FEED) for its flagship Anchois offshore gas project in Morocco. This process aims to assess the project’s expenses and extensively plan before placing a bid submission.

Gold Standard and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Benin have commemorate their collaboration, which was established in November 2022 During COP27. The cooperation between the parties is an effort to contribute to national and international socio-economic development through activities that reduce emission and build resilience to climate change, through the use of the certification products and services available under Gold Standard. The visit entailed meetings between Margaret Kim, Gold Standard’s CEO and Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance for Benin, alongside site visits to new projects and capacity building workshops.

Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance for Benin and Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard met in Benin to discuss

In July 2021, Benin became the first African country to publish an SDG Bond Framework Document which initially secured a EUR 500 million 12.5 year SDG bond in the international market. The Bond focuses on the priority sectors of agro-industry, water and sanitation, health, affordable housing, education and renewable energy. Benin has made pioneering progress by establishing several projects to date, and now looks to partners such as Gold Standard to guarantee the quality and impact of the projects, and the monitoring of a new asset classes.

This collaboration will accelerate the delivery of the sustainable objectives highlighted in the government’s strategic action plan (Programme d’Action du Gouvernement “PAG” 2021-2026). In addition, both parties discussed the integration of the Gold Standard Impact Registry with the newly established National Carbon Registration Authority, securing the integrity and quality of the carbon projects. The parties will also explore using Gold Standard’s sustainable finance tools to ensure Benin’s SDG project pipeline maximize sustainable development impacts.

The project, which covers an area of more than 2,300 kilometers squared in a water depth that ranges from coastline to 850 meters, falls under the Lixus Offshore drilling license. Chariot holds 75% of the project’s interest and operatorship while Morocco’s Hydrocarbons and Mines Office (ONHYM) holds 25% of the interest.

The energy group began the FEED for the Anchois development in June 2022, after the company raised $25.5 million (MAD 257 million) to advance this phase of the project.

In parallel with the FEED, other technical work has been in progress, including conducting onshore and offshore environmental baseline surveys as part of the Environmental, Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), and developing the project’s drilling planning.

Chariot’s Chief Executive Officer Adonis Pouroulis celebrated the “excellent progress” the company has made across “all aspects” of the Anchois development project, noting that “detailed discussions” on partnering, gas sales agreements, and project finance are ongoing.

He highlighted the project’s “excellent reservoir and gas properties,” as well as its favorable location in regard to existing infrastructure and the opportunity to benefit from existing technology.

Chariot Completes Engineering, Design for Morocco’s Offshore Gas Project |Image: Courtesy

Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard | image: courtesy

Africa to set up funding bank for oil, gas projects

TotalEnergies granted authorization to explore offshore South Africa

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has granted French major TotalEnergies environmental authorization to conduct exploration activities in the offshore Block 5/6/7, located in an area approximately 10,000km² between Cape Town and Cape Agulhas.

The African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) is finalising plans to set up the Africa Energy Bank. The bank expected this year, will finance oil and gas activities on the continent without the need of external financing that comes with strings.

Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim, the APPO general secretary, said, African countries subscribing to the Petroleum Producers’ Organisation will partner with the African Export-Import Bank to establish an energy bank slated before close of year.

“This going to focus essentially on funding oil and gas projects on the African continent, because the funds have dried,” Dr Ibrahim said, noting that the World Bank, and other international financing institutions that used to fund oil and gas projects are closing the financing channels in addition to having “stringent conditions, which doesn’t make a lot of sense” compared to 20 or 30 years ago.

The organisation plans to attract investment from countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, which have a lot of stake, and history in the development of oil and gas.

The bank was mooted last year during the eighth African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition in Luanda, Angola. Speaking at the event last year, Angola’s President Joâo Manuel Lourenço said the idea would resolve challenges faced national oil companies.

The move comes at a time when many international banks are facing pressure from climate activists to stop funding oil projects over high carbon emissions, and the shift to cleaner energy.

The decision follows the conclusion of all prescribed procedural requirements by TotalEnergies, including public consultation and environmental checks, with the major expected to drill up to five exploration wells between Q4 this year and mid-2024.

Representing a high-potential block – the area overlaps the Orange Basin where three

TotalEnergies. | Image courtesy sizeable oil and gas discoveries were made in 2022/23 by TotalEnergies, Shell and Qatar Energy in the Namibian side – Block 5/6/7’s exploration rights lie with TotalEnergies alongside global major Shell and the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa.

Nigeria’s NNPC, Norway’s Golar sign MoU on floating gas plant

Nigeria’s state oil firm has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Golar LNG of Norway to build a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in the country. Africa’s biggest oil producer, Nigeria, holds some of the world’s biggest gas reserves and is seeking investment to boost its domestic supplies and exports.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) said on Twitter that the MoU was signed by NNPC chief executive Mele Kyari and Golar CEO Karl Fredrik Staubo in the federal capital, Abuja.

The company did not provide further details and did not respond to requests for

comment. Golar has in the past indicated plans to set up a power project in Nigeria that could use one of its vessels to import LNG.

Nigeria also recently signed an MoU with Algeria and the Niger Republic and the ongoing construction of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a 614km (381.5 miles) long natural gas pipeline beginning in northern Nigeria.

There is no official word on when the pipeline, first mooted in the 1970s, will be completed but it is slated to run through northern Nigeria into Niger and Algeria, connecting to Europe eventually.

Mele Kyari, chief executive of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Norway's Golar CEO Karl Fredrik Staubo sign a memorandum of understanding in Abuja, Nigeria, April 26, 2023 [Courtesy: NNPC via Twitter]

Countries such as Uganda are struggling to fund development of the oil and gas resource as the West shifts to green energy financing.

Photo / File

AVEVA partners with Azule Energy to enable World-Class operations through digital transformation

HERE Technologies and Iteris partner to create New Smart Mobility Solutions

HERE Technologies, the world’s leading location data and technology platform, and Iteris (Nasdaq: ITI), the world’s trusted technology ecosystem for smart mobility infrastructure management, has announced a multi-year agreement to integrate a broader suite of location-based services and user capabilities from HERE Technologies into Iteris’ ClearMobility® Platform, including HERE Traffic Products, HERE Maps and HERE platform services.

Iteris and HERE will provide contextual awareness to solve dynamic, real-world traffic needs for public agencies via Iteris’ ClearMobility® Platform, using precise, enterprise-grade maps and real-world digital representation models |image: HERE Technologies

AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, driving innovation and sustainability, has partnered with Azule Energy, Angola’s largest independent oil and gas operator, to drive digital excellence throughout the firm’s operations.

The partnership agreement will enable Azule Energy – a 50/50 Joint Venture backed by bp and Eni – to reduce costs, improve safety and unlock new production opportunities using AVEVA’s cloud, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and digital twin technologies.

Moreover, the partnership will help cut the time spent searching for key asset information, improve maintenance planning, reduce offshore trips and visits, enhance team collaboration, and facilitate remote operations.

Azule Energy boasts a strong pipeline of new projects that are scheduled to support the energy needs of Angola’s growing economy and strengthen its role as a global liquified natural gas (LNG) exporter.

Digital Twin Spans Entire Asset Lifecyle

AVEVA will deploy its digital twin software to connect data from every layer of the technology stack for one contextualized, multi-visual experience. In the first phase, AVEVA will focus on existing operations, implementing AVEVA Asset Information Management, AVEVA Information Standards Manager, and Assai Cloud for Operations – for two existing floating production storage and offloading units (FPSOs) in Block 18 (Greater Plutonio Development) and Block 31 (PSVM).

The integration of the additional HERE Technologies’ components will enhance the dynamic contextual services of the ClearMobility Platform and enrich the insights of Iteris’ mobility intelligence application, ClearGuide®. As a result, map content and data provided by HERE and visualized through ClearGuide will provide actionable insights to various users, including transportation engineers, transportation planners, infrastructure operators, and roadway construction teams.

“We are excited to reinforce and broaden our collaboration with HERE Technologies,”

said Will Cousins, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Iteris. “As part of the new five-year agreement, we are expanding our emerging safety and mobility applications to help public agencies address the critical priorities of the National Roadway Safety Strategy and support federal, state and local officials who are ensuring roadways are both safer and less congested.”

Currently, more than 50 government agencies, municipalities and commercial entities use ClearGuide to improve safety and mobility by turning large amounts of complex transportation data into insights for smart, data-driven operations and planning decisions.

Skydel Becomes First GNSS Simulator to Break High-Capacity Barrier

Orolia, a Safran Electronics & Defense company, has announced that Skydel, its flagship GNSS simulation engine software, can generate more than 500 signals from a single platform. By leveraging its software-defined architecture, Skydel’s potential can be massively scaled upwards when employing a robust set of hardware components. GNSS users, experts, and manufacturers, as well as those looking for an LEO-capable simulation system, can greatly benefit from this unmatched number of signals.

“GNSS chipset, cellular handset, and GNSS receiver manufacturers have been looking for a robust solution that can generate a very high capacity of signals — with all the constellations and multiple frequencies –

from a single workstation. Skydel gives them that capability,” explained Pierre-Marie Le Veel, Orolia’s Simulation Product Director. “With the right hardware, Skydel is the first high-capacity GNSS simulator on the market that can also accurately generate advanced multi-path, jamming, spoofing, or the high number of signals and frequencies needed for a true LEO constellation simulation.”

Skydel contains a rich feature set that includes multi-constellation/multi-frequency signal generation, remote control from userdefined scripts, and integrated interference generation. However, one of Skydel’s greatest assets is its open, software-defined architecture.

Angola’s largest independent oil and gas operator, to drive digital excellence throughout the firm’s operations. | image: AVEVA

Bluesky partners with SkyFi widens global access to aerial imagery

Bluesky International has announced a new partnership with SkyFi, based in Texas, that aims to democratise access to earth observation assets by providing access of multi-perspective imagery to customers all around the world. The recently signed partnership will see UK-based Bluesky supply its accurate and high-resolution aerial imagery.

SkyFi is best known for its coordination and transparent pricing of satellite imagery created by dozens of satellites, and this recent partnership with Bluesky will make accurate, high-resolution aerial imagery, taken by aircraft-mounted cameras, available to businesses, forestry, water and land managers across the UK.

Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director at Bluesky, said, “We are excited that our partnership will expand the market for our products and complement SkyFi’s

comprehensive image options. Our imagery is available off-the-shelf, as we share SkyFi’s determination to take the mystery out of finding and buying earth observation images.”

“Access to accurate and up-to-date geospatial

imagery is becoming increasingly important for numerous different roles across various industries and sectors and we have seen demand for our off-the-shelf products increase year on year.

Eos Positioning Systems announces support for Galileo HAS with its Arrow Gold+™ GNSS Receiver

Eos Positioning Systems, Inc., (Eos), the Canadian designer and manufacturer of GNSS hardware and related solutions for the GIS market, has announced its Arrow Gold+™ GNSS receiver supports the free, new Galileo High-Accuracy (HAS) Initial Service correction service. With Galileo HAS Initial Service, Arrow Gold+ users can achieve better than 20 centimeter real-time accuracy with 95% confidence anywhere in the world.

“This is a game-changer for mobile crews in every industry worldwide,” Eos Chief Technology Officer Jean-Yves Lauture said. “Our customers today can use the Arrow Gold+ receiver with the new Galileo HAS Initial Service to achieve consistent, free subfoot accuracy anywhere on the planet. This launches a new era of what is possible.”

Galileo HAS is a widely anticipated differential correction service from the European Space Agency and European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Its Initial Service constitutes Phase 1 of its go-live, which occurred on January 24,

2023. On that date, Galileo HAS became the first global differential correction service to provide subfoot accuracy to compatible GNSS receivers anywhere in the world, completely free of charge. Read the full announcement here.

“We had been planning for this for quite

some time, knowing that our customers would be able to benefit so greatly from this revolutionary correction source broadcast from the Galileo satellites themselves,” Lauture said.

The Arrow Gold+ is currently the only highaccuracy GNSS receiver designed specifically for the GIS market to support the Galileo HAS.

Eos Positioning Systems Announces Support for Galileo HAS with its Arrow Gold+™ GNSS Receiver |image: Eos Positioning Systems

Bluesky partners with SkyFi widens global access to aerial imagery | image: courtesy

27 - 29 JUNE 2023

GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AfRICA

CONNECT WITH SOUTHERN AFRICA’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Get ready to experience the ultimate construction event of the year. Big 5 Construct Southern Africa is celebrating its 10th edition and you’re invited!

Big 5 Construct Southern Africa is a significant contributor to the economic growth, recovery and transformation within Southern Africa’s construction industry with a special focus on facilitating buyer/seller face-to-face connections and showcasing the most innovative solutions for the region.

Join thousands of your construction industry peers for three days of valuable business and gain FREE access to:

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Co-located with:

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www.thebig5constructsouthernafrica.com

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Subsea Technology Eastern Mediterranean conference and Expo 2023

In partnership with the Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company (CHC), Offshore magazine introduces Subsea Technology Eastern Mediterranean, a new conference and tabletop exhibition dedicated to facilitating the transfer of technology, best practices, and regional cross-border collaboration for sustainable offshore energy development in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Curated by top subject matter experts, the conference program will focus on subsea tieback technology and new concepts for sustainable development and operations, attracting senior technology and business management from the global offshore international operators, engineering firms, contractors, technology suppliers, service companies, and regulators.

Big 5 Construct Southern Africa

Get ready to experience the ultimate construction event of the year. Big 5 Construct Southern Africa is celebrating its 10th edition and you’re invited! Taking place 27 – 29 June 2023 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, this exhibition and conference is an absolute must-attend event for anyone in the construction industry in Southern Africa.

Join thousands of your construction industry peers for three days of valuable business and gain FREE access to:

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So, what are you waiting for? Register now and get ready to expand your network, discover the latest technologies, connect with industry leaders, and learn from industry experts. Join us at Big 5 Construct Southern Africa and take your construction business to the next level!

Announcing MatrixSpace Radar – Compact, highperformance radar to digitize the outdoors

Radar and AI sensing innovator

MatrixSpace announces MatrixSpace Radar. It is the first offering of a highly differentiated series of AI sensing products addressing the need for affordable, longdistance sensing, tracking, monitoring and inspection solutions for use on the ground or in the air. It is the smallest, lightest and most portable high-performance radar available, opening opportunities for previously unaffordable or completely new applications. Digitizing the outdoors is the ability to measure the size, location, and movement of objects in time, shifting reliance from human sensing to a far more detailed recognition of objects and their movements.

Current radar offerings are either basic solutions with limited range, or expensive military-grade offerings which are heavy, consume high amounts of power, require specialist skills to operate, and are difficult to set up. MatrixSpace Radar addresses

this unserved middle area for large-scale use cases. These include semi-autonomous mobile platforms such as robots, drones, and eVTOLs; general aviation such as helicopters; and systems such as portable or fixed security systems, target tracking systems, and sports performance analysis.

MatrixSpace’s mission is to offer real-time AI edge-based sensing with the ability to detect

and track multiple types of objects in any situation. Combining industry leading sensing, AI edge processing and RF communication in real-time is a major technology breakthrough that will reinvent business models across multiple vertical market applications. The MatrixSpace Radar is the foundational product of this open architecture sensing platform.

Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit has announced the grand opening of a new Marine Innovation Center in Kennesaw, Ga. on April 12. Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp and Mayor Derek Easterling of Kennesaw attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new 75,280 square foot facility which now houses the Yamaha Marine Connected Division as well as Yamaha U.S. Marine Development, Yamaha Marine Product Management and Yamaha Marine Technical Marketing.

“We believe Georgia is an exceptional location for business growth and development. The Marine Innovation Center represents the fourth major Yamaha

facility in the state, joining Yamaha’s Marine headquarters in Kennesaw, the Yamaha Motorsports and Intelligent Machinery Group headquarters in Marietta, and the Yamaha Motor Corporation manufacturing facility in Newnan,” said Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “Yamaha employs approximately 2,300 team members in Georgia. We plan to add more as we partner with local education institutions to hire engineers for our new facility in Kennesaw, where we’re developing exciting, innovative products that will deliver more exceptional experiences for Yamaha customers across the globe.”

Products currently under development within

the Yamaha Marine Innovation Center include DockPoint and Siren Marine products, as well as new Yamaha WaterCraft vehicles and accessories.

Yamaha career opportunities within Marine Connected Division include business planning, user experience, IoT/Cloud Infrastructure, product planning, data analysis, sales and marketing positions. Positions within the Yamaha U.S. Marine Development, Product Management and Marine Technical Marketing Division include control engineers, perception engineers, product development engineers, project managers, hydrodynamics engineers and various software engineers.

Yamaha opens new Marine Innovation Center

Robot dog | Image: MatrixSpace

Yamaha Marine Innovation Center Opening. | Image: courtesy

Attop Launches New GPS 4K Drone Series for Advanced Aerial Photography

Attop, a famous brand in the drone industry, has launched its latest product, the GPS 4K drone, which is designed for professional aerial photography. With a sophisticated GPS system, this drone is perfect for advanced users, while entry-level models are also available for those who are new to flying drones. The brand has been committed to offering high-quality drones to the business-to-consumer (B2C) market since 2013 and has expanded its product line to cater to more experienced users. The Attop GPS drone comes in two models, W70 and W80, both with unique selling points.

The W70 model boasts a 4K ultra-clear camera, 5G FPV range, GPS positioning auto return to home, and trajectory fingering paint as customers want. This model is equipped with a brushless motor that runs more powerfully and with less noise and long service life for stable and fast drone flight. The W70 drone's flight path can follow the trajectory customers want or fly around it, increasing the fun of outdoor shooting

and capturing more exciting shots. With the Follow Me function enabled, the W70 drone can follow the GPS on customers' smartphones, allowing them to capture more memorable moments.

The W80 model, on the other hand, features a 2-axis gimbal with a 4K UHD EIS camera, GPS return to home, 5G FPV transmission, and multifunctional drones recording highlight moments. The 2-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and higher wind resistance. Its 4K UHD image quality is more transparent and has a 90° adjustable lens to capture more wonderful images. The W80 model has added features like pointof-interest, waypoint flight, and Follow Me, perfect for sports enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts. Its brushless motor ensures a more powerful operation, lower noise, and longer service life for stable and fast drone flight.

Attop emphasizes that its product line is

complete, and consumers interested in GPS drones but have a limited budget can buy other cost-effective models as entry-level machines. The brand aims to support its customers throughout their drone journey and help them discover a better world. The drones with cameras for adults can be used in parks, parking lots, campgrounds, or beaches to record exciting moments anywhere. The ATTOP portable drones offer up to 60 minutes of flight time (30 minutes for each battery), fulfilling all customers' needs, whether they want to film a landscape or a life documentary.

Atmos Integrates Sony α7R Series Cameras Into its VTOL Drones

Atmos has announced that it will integrate Sony’s new α7R mark III and IV cameras into its VTOL fixed-wing drones. The drone manufacturer told Commercial UAV News that adding the cameras to the company’s high-end Marlyn Cobalt UAV will improve surveying and mapping applications by increasing coverage and accuracy.

“By offering these two options, we can cover a large range of applications and use cases,” stated Vasilis Tziampiris, Marketing Lead at Atmos, a Dutch company focused on the design and production of drones for aerial surveying and data collection.

Both the α7R mark III and IV cameras have an ISO of 32,000 (expandable to 102,400) and camera sensors with high mega pixel count (42,4MP for the α7R ΙΙΙ, and 61MP for the α7R

(Ground Sample Distance) levels below one centimeter.

According to Atmos, this technology will provide Marlyn Cobalt users with

accuracy, allowing them to map an area of 210 hectares (nearly 520 acres) with accuracy down to a centimeter in a single flight.

Image: Courtesy

Using Satellites and Remote Sensing in Forest Fires management

Forest fires have a significant impact on the global environment and are increasingly occurring with more frequency than ever before. They cause massive losses of life and property, as well as threatening the natural ecological systems. The use of remote sensing technology to monitor and detect fires is an effective means of reducing their impact on the environment.

“In the case of large-area fires, satellite data allow you to plan firefighting and evacuation actions. In analyses related to fires, imaging by various sensors can be used, but high time resolution is crucial, allowing imaging to be performed during the fire or at least a few days after it. More and more recent Earth Observing system satellites have the advantage to allow daily image acquisition,” says Jaurez Dorfling, Managing Director at Geo Data Design. GEO Data Design are providers of geospatial solutions using very High Resolution Satellite Imagery and Location-Intelligence.

“Furthermore, remote sensing technology is becoming more prevalent in Forest Fires Management. The increasing availability of satellite imagery together with the development of the geographic information technology allows monitoring of fire risk and estimate post-fire damage spatially,” observed Jaurez.

“During long periods of drought and heat, forest ecosystems are particularly at risk of fire as the dried, fallen trees and shrubs, turn into fuel that are easily ignited. An accurate knowledge of the fuel condition is critical in monitoring and preventing fires,” he adds.

Margherita Bruscolini, Globhe's Head of Drones, is affirmative that, remote sensing and drones play a critical role in forest fire management by providing valuable information about the fire’s behavior, extent, and severity. These technologies help in planning and executing fire management strategies by detecting and monitoring forest fires. GLOBHE - Offers accurate and actionable drone data from anywhere in the world, accessed through one single platform.

Using Satellites in Forest Fire Monitoring

Many fire managers are already familiar with the capabilities of satellites to monitor the environment, and their value for forest fire monitoring is increasing. This technology can provide useful information on the location, extent and direction of fires as well as the evolution of their activity.

“Remote sensing can provide information about the location, size, and intensity of fires, as well as the types of vegetation and terrain affected. Satellite-based remote sensing allows for the detection and monitoring of fires over large areas. At the same time, drones and ground-based sensors can provide high-resolution images, maps, and real-time footage about the fire’s behavior,” enhances Margherita.

Several satellite-sensor platforms are available, each offering its own set of specific characteristics for detecting and imaging fires. The wavelength bands used, the spatial resolution of the sensor and its coverage area are all critical factors for identifying the right satellite for fire detection.

One important feature of optical remote sensing imagery is the presence of smoke plumes, which are a visual indicator of active fires. Optical sensors onboard satellites can detect these plumes and provide information on the locations of fires in high resolution images.

“Drones are increasingly being used in forest fire management

Forest in Swaziland WV2. Image: Geo Data Design

By Dorcas Kang'ereha

to provide real-time data and imagery to firefighters and other responders. Drones equipped with infrared cameras can detect heat and smoke, providing information on the fire’s location and spread. High-resolution cameras on drones can also provide detailed images of the fire’s behavior, which can be used to plan firefighting strategies and assess the fire’s impact on the ecosystem,” highlights Margherita.

These satellites can also identify hot spots, which are areas of intense heat radiating from fires. These hot spots can be detected by infrared (IR) sensors onboard satellites, thereby providing additional information on the general location, shape and direction of fires, and their duration.

“In addition to providing valuable data for firefighting and management, remote sensing and drones can also help prevent forest fires by providing early warning of potential ignition sources, such as hotspots or lightning strikes. This information can be used to quickly respond to potential fires, reducing the risk of large-scale forest fires,” affirms Margherita.

Some of these sensors can also detect fires that are smoldering, but this can be difficult because smoldering fires have a lower emissivity than active fires, which reduce the intensity of the thermal signal received by the sensor.

Managing and Monitoring Forest Fires with Remote Sensing

The ability to rapidly detect fires is vital for assessing the effectiveness of firefighting operations and the progress of wildfire suppression efforts. This requires that fire teams have access to up-to-date information about fire ecology, land mapping and other remote sensing technologies, and staff with knowledge of these topics.

Fire teams can also benefit from having a dedicated space within their organization to develop and implement their own remote sensing tools. This can include office space, adequate hardware and software and trained staff with access to up-to-date literature.

There are many different tools that can be used to monitor and assess fires with remote sensing, including radar, laser scanning, LiDAR and thermal imagery. Depending on the needs of the fire management

team, these tools can be combined with data derived from other remote sensing applications such as aerial photos or GPS.

“Several pre-fire conditions can be monitored using remote sensing. The first one is related to the fuel type, which can be mapped, like classical vegetation mapping, from high spatial resolution optical or radar images. In such analyses, the spectral range of red and infrared channels of the Visible and Infra-Red portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is of particular importance. For evaluation of fire-affected areas and burn severity the visible and shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions of the optical sensor are used. Satellite images allow quick estimation of damage and property loss as well as observation the revival of vegetation far ahead,” expounds Jaurez.

“Within the other remote sensing techniques, space-based SAR (radar - working with compressed waves of length 0.1–1 m) has been traditionally used for fuel type mapping, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) has started to be used for fire prevention and control in larger scale mapping,” adds Jaurez.

“To gain the most information from satellite imagery the Remote Sensing professionals calculate the various indices or indicators from the spectral response value of pixels in two different bands. The most important indices for the analysing forest fire’s hazard are NDVI- Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, NDWI – Normalised difference Water Index, NDDI – Normalized Difference Drought Index and the NBRI – Normalised Burned Ratio. NDVI is the infrared and red bands ratio which shows changes in the state of vegetation. This measure has values varying from -1 to 1. The usual healthy, green vegetation ranges from 0.2 to 0.8. NBRI – Normalised Burned Ratio Index that are used for estimating the severity of the fire,” he describes.

On the other hand, Margherita is optimistic that, utilizing the remote sensing techniques and platforms to expand the preventative work and manage forest fires is extremely valuable for any organization looking to limit the damage of wildfires.

Conclusion

The ability to rapidly detect and map a fire is crucial for ensuring the safety of firefighters and the public. As outlined by the experts, remote sensing techniques allow fire teams to make informed decisions about where to start and how to respond. This helps to ensure that all firefighting resources are fully utilized.

Moreover, early detection of a fire is essential. Current firefighting techniques depend on manual observation, aerial survey or fixed optical cameras. However, with the availability of advanced remote sensing techniques and equipment and high-resolution satellite imagery, forest fire management can now take a more integrated approach to fighting and monitoring wildfires.

Bali_Forestry Challenge Image: Globhe

African Oil & Gas Remains an Excellent Opportunity for Investments

The African Energy Chamber is countering yet another argument in the onslaught of calls for Africa to give up oil and gas production. This time, it’s the idea that oil and gas projects in Africa are worse for the climate than those in other regions of the world. The argument was a major point in a June 2022 article by consulting firm McKinsey. In “The future of African oil and gas: Positioning for the energy transition,” McKinsey states that “African oil and gas assets are on average 15 to 20 percent more costly to develop and operate and 70 to 80 percent more carbon-intensive than global oil and gas assets.”

The “leave fossil fuels in the ground” crowd is taking these claims and running with them. Berlin-based nonprofit Climate Analytics, for example, used McKinsey’s assessment to support an argument for halting investments in African natural gas exploration.

“If African countries invest in fossil fuel infrastructure, it risks locking in high emissions, burdening their economies with stranded assets, and potentially losing out on major economic opportunities to invest in renewable energy and green hydrogen – for both domestic use and exports,” Climate Analytics wrote, citing these same percentages from the McKinsey study. “New African LNG faces significant competitive pressures if not disadvantages from incumbent producers, or producers with intrinsically lower cost structures.”

I have news for anyone making a case against the exploration and production of oil and gas in Africa: McKinsey’s negative assessment is flat-out wrong.

Yes, certainly African oil and gas are expensive to produce. I understand that in African countries, the technology and knowledge are not necessarily where they need to be yet. That is going to impact the cost of operating here. All the same, our energy industry continues to offer opportunities for significant return on investment.

As African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina recently told African Business, Africa still has a great deal to offer in terms of energy investments.

“You’ve got 600 million people that still need energy,” Adesina said. “That’s a lot of investment that you can make. The infrastructure deficit is still about up to $108 billion a year. That’s a huge opportunity for investors. You’re looking at the issue of water and sanitation. You’re looking at digital infrastructure. Almost anything in Africa is an investment opportunity.”

NJ Ayuk

A leading authority in the African energy sector and a strong advocate for African entrepreneurship and the indigenous energy sector, NJ Ayuk is recognized as one of the foremost figures in African business today. A wellknown dealmaker in the petroleum and power sectors and founder of a leading energy focused law firm, NJ is dedicating his career to helping African entrepreneurs.

Investing in Africa’s vast natural gas supplies makes particularly good sense, Adesina added.

“Why is there a crisis in Europe when the Russians turned off the gas? We believe that natural gas is important. It’s not, for me, an ideological issue. It’s a pragmatic issue. We have projects here that have to do with gas projects that will provide gas for African countries to be able to do energy, liquefied petroleum gas for cooking. They’ll also be able to have compressed gas for the transport system and then, of course, to have gas pipelines that will go all the way from Lagos to Morocco, to Europe. And Africa becomes an alternative and a viable source of gas diversification, market diversification for Europe.”

Well said. Investing in African energy is smart today, and it will continue to be a savvy investment well into the future.

As for the claims about African oil and gas production being significantly more carbon-intensive than in other regions of the world, they are unproven.

The fact is, investing in African oil and gas makes sense for the environment and for companies’ bottom lines.

The World Needs Africa’s Oil and Gas

Listening to McKinsey, you’d think Africa’s oil and gas

Author:

industry is a sinking ship.

“As global capital pools for hydrocarbon projects begin to reduce, our analysis suggests the cost of oil and gas production in Africa is expected to rise, making African oil and gas projects potentially even less competitive in global markets,” McKinsey states.

“Under McKinsey’s achieved commitments energy transition scenario, the replacement of approximately 60 percent of Africa’s current oil production could become uncompetitive by 2040. As oil majors shift toward lower-emission basins, Africa’s oil-producing countries could find themselves deprioritized for further development and facing an increased risk of stranded assets with significant oil and gas reserves remaining untapped.”

Those forecasts could easily become self-fulfilling prophesies, leading oil companies to assume that investing in Africa is a dead end. What’s more, that kind of prediction couldn’t be further from the truth.

As Rystad Energy’s chief analyst, Per Magnus Nysveen, put it during the African Energy Chamber’s Invest in African Energy Reception in London last January, Africa’s massive petroleum resources represent tremendous opportunity. He noted that sub-Saharan Africa alone holds 140 billion barrels of oil equivalent, of which only one-third is developed, and two-thirds of Africa’s undeveloped resources are natural gas.

Rystad has projected that Africa’s greenfield upstream spending will not falter during the coming decade; it will boom, reaching $37 billion by 2025 and $50 billion by 2030. One reason for that is that Africa’s resources are desperately needed, both in our continent and around the globe. And that reality isn’t going to change any time soon. That’s why Rystad and the African Energy Chamber have been calling for a robust energy mix of ongoing oil and gas exploration and drilling combined with investments in renewable energy sources.

“We need as much as 65 million barrels by 2030 from wells that have not been drilled yet,” Nysveen said.

Indeed. I would add that, while some major international oil companies (IOCs) have been divesting their African resources in pursuit of less carbon-intensive resources, increasing numbers of independent oil companies are grabbing up the majors’ assets. Why would they do that? Because they recognize the opportunity Africa represents and understand that it is possible to produce oil and gas here sustainably. IOC’s will play a major role at African Energy Week in Cape Town this October.

Look at independent oil and gas company Afentra, which has been amping up its exploration activities in Africa by taking over assets from global oil majors. One of its priorities is to produce gas responsibly, maintaining best practices to protect the environment.

By doing that, Afentra CEO Paul McDade said, the company also creates a pathway to obtaining capital.

“I talked to a lot of capital providers,” McDade told Energy Voice. “The conclusion was that capital was available and that public markets were the best way to go. To access that capital, though, you have to really understand investors’ ESG concerns.

“Any new company needs to look at the whole concept of ESG. We’re going to work with governments to legitimize mature production and keep producing,” McDade continued.

Low-Carbon Energy Production Right Here in Africa

What I find most frustrating about McKinsey’s article is the blanket statement that, on average, production in our continent is significantly more carbon-intensive than in other parts of the world.

Carbon intensity generally is measured in three areas: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to day-to-day company operations, such as commuting to work sites; GHG emissions that result from energy that is purchased, such as electricity; and emissions created during upstream, midstream, and downstream activities such as drilling, transporting, and storing oil and gas.

And the factors that impact carbon intensity vary, from gas flaring practices to power generation at oil and gas company facilities. Not only are sweeping statements about African carbon-intensity unhelpful, they’re also inaccurate.

Many African states are working to mediate carbon emissions through efforts ranging from participating in carbon-offset projects and anti-flaring initiatives to developing less carbon-intensive means of transporting oil and gas, like pipelines.

We also should look at the increase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Africa. LNG production is considered significantly less carbon-intensive than that of other fossil fuels, a fact that should be taken into consideration.

Look at Mozambique, the site of several major LNG projects. Not only will the LNG production there have a minimal carbon footprint, but the companies responsible for those projects are going above and beyond to operate sustainably. ExxonMobil, for example, has announced plans to implement carbon capture technology at its Rovuma LNG project, and the company has said it would also work closely with TotalEnergies, responsible for the Mozambique LNG Project, to make both of their projects more affordable and cleaner.

Then there is the MSGBC region, which encompasses Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and Guinea-Conakry. Its natural gas industry is a picture of both economic opportunity and low-carbon production. Oil companies there are actively pursuing decarbonization solutions, including carbon capture and storage, as well as technologies that enhance production and reduce emissions.

And these are only two examples.

The reality is, despite McKinsey’s claims, Africa’s oil and gas industry is not at death’s door. It is not inexpensive to operate here, but ROI is sizeable here as well. And investing in African oil and gas is not a blow to the environment. The carbon-intensity of oil and gas projects in our continent, as in regions around the world, is complex and varied.

Giving up on African oil and gas investments would be a grave mistake and a lost opportunity.

Crown Energy withdraws from South African Offshore Venture following disappointing well results

Crown Energy to withdraw from the joint venture operating the Block 2B offshore South Africa after disappointing results of the Gazania-1 exploration well drilled in 2022.

The Gazania-1 well was spudded in October 2022, using the Island Innovator semi-submersible drilling.

The Gazania-1 well was drilled in about 150 meters of water, 25 kilometers offshore the Northern Cape in the Orange Basin, and targeted a gross prospective resource of over 300 million barrels of light oil across multiple zones.

Eco Atlantic, the operator of the offshore block, said in November the well had reached a target depth of 2,360 meters but did not show evidence of commercial hydrocarbons.

The JV partnership in respect of Block 2B comprises Eco Atlantic (50% WI and Operator), Africa Energy Corp (27.5% WI), Panoro 2B Limited, a subsidiary of Panoro Energy ASA (12.5% WI), and Crown Energy AB (10% WI).

Crown Energy said Thursday it had sent a withdrawal letter to the joint venture, meaning that the other owners will take over Crown’s 10% in the project.

"This will not have any economic consequences for Crown Energy as Crown has already impaired the value of this asset," Crown said.

Yoav Ben-Eli, CEO of Crown Energy: "We have decided to change Crown's strategy from oil and gas into sustainable businesses such as MedTech. To divest the South African holding is logical from both economic and strategic purposes.”

The Orange Basin straddles the offshore waters of Namibia and South Africa, where major discoveries on both the Graff-1 well, drilled by Shell, and the Venus-1 well, drilled by TotalEnergies, have recently been announced.

Closely Watched Gazania Wildcat Offshore S. Africa Disappoints. | Image: courtesy

Van Oord Makes History with Record-Breaking Subsea Rock Installation Offshore Senegal

Van Oord, a Dutch offshore installation services firm has confirmed that its flexible fallpipe vessel Stornes has set a new world record.

The vessel carried out subsea rock installation works what Van Oord says is a record water depth of 1.364 meters, with Van Oord comparing the distance to "almost five times the length of the Eiffel tower!"

The Subsea Rock installation works were executed in relation to the development of the Woodside-operated Sangomar field in Senegal.

Subsea 7 contracted Van Oord to install 262.000 tonnes of rock in water depths ranging from 800 to the record depth of 1.364 meters for the stabilization and protection of subsea infrastructure.

The Sangomar field is located approximately 100 kilometers south of Dakar. Due to the remote project location, the rock is supplied to the vessel by a ship-to-ship transfer method.

"With this record, Van Oord strengthens their position as market leader for SRI, both in accuracy, efficiency and depth," said Rob Bakker, Operations Manager at Van Oord

According to the company, its dynamic positioning flexible fallpipe vessels are equipped with a unique flexible fall pipe system and Remote Operating Vehicles (ROV).

"Van Oord has developed a system in-house to install rock precisely and efficiently at greater water depth. This is an unique system giving Van Oord the ability to reach this record breaking water depth. Van Oord is the only subsea Rock Installation Contractor ever to reach this water depth and is determined to remain the record holder for deep water SRI," the company said.

Last month, Australian oil and gas giant Woodside said that its Sangomar development had been 82% complete and on target for first oil later in 2023. Once online, this will be Senegal's first offshore oil project in production.

Van Oord Makes History with Record-Breaking Subsea Rock Installation Offshore Senegal. | Image: courtesy

Sintana Energy confirms 3D seismic survey data gathered in Namibia's Orange basin

Sintana Energy Inc. confirmed that over 50% of the 6,872 square kilometers of 3D seismic survey data has been gathered from Petroleum Exploration License 87 (“PEL 87”) and the surrounding area in the Orange Basin in Namibia. Initial processed results are expected to be available and interpreted by the end of August 2023.

PEL 87 includes the very large Saturn turbidite complex that has been mapped. This complex shares many geologic characteristics and is ontrend with the Venus oil discovery made by TotalEnergies in February 2022. The core features of Saturn, covering approximately 2,400 square kilometers, lie entirely within the PEL 87 area.

“Survey activities on PEL 87 are well advanced and we remain confident that the results will confirm that we are on trend with the recent massive discoveries in the basin and will further demonstrate that Saturn Turbidite Complex is a significant offshore deepwater oil opportunity,” said Robert Bose, President and Director of Sintana.

Woodside Energy (GOM), Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Woodside Energy Group Ltd., entered into an agreement in March of 2023 whereby it has the option to acquire a 56% Participating Interest in PEL 87 in consideration for, among other things, paying the full cost of a 3D seismic survey covering an area of at least 5,000 square kilometers within the PEL 87.

Woodside has a period of at least 180 days after delivery of the survey to exercise its option. If the option is exercised, Woodside has agreed to enter into a farmout agreement whereby it will carry existing joint venture partners for the full cost of drilling the first exploration well. Custos Investments retains a 15% interest in PEL 87 and benefits from this carry and other elements related to the farmout and joint venture agreements. Sintana owns an indirect 49% interest in Custos.

Infographic of the seismic survey in Namibia's orange basin. Credit: Sintana Energy

Image: courtesy

The Government of Republic of Guiné Bissau and Eni to start collaboration in the areas of exploration, natural climate solutions, agriculture, sustainability, and health

The Government of Republic of Guiné Bissau and Eni signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) to explore potential areas of collaboration in the areas of exploration, nature- and technology-based climate solutions, agriculture, sustainability, and health.

This Memorandum aims to evaluate solutions to promote sustainable growth in the environmental field and to support the development of local communities. In particular, initiatives in forest protection and sustainable land management, as well as in agriculture and agrifeedstock from agricultural residues, will be evaluated.

Other areas of collaboration include the evaluation of exploration

potential of the country's offshore area.

With regards to health, the Government of Guiné Bissau and Eni have already identified a joint initiative to strengthen the emergency and intensive care services; a first batch of essential medical equipment was delivered to the Ministry of Health. Furthermore Eni Foundation – Eni’s arm dedicated to health initiatives - is conducting a feasibility study to support the actions of the Ministry of Health on improving maternal and child health in Guinea Bissau.

The MoI is alligned with the Guiné Bissau’s Government priority to invest in health, education, infrastructure and agriculture as well as with Eni’s commitment to just transition in African countries.

Offshore oil exploration hydrographic survey factors to observe for an offshore oil exploration project

By Dorcas Kang'ereha

The global Offshore Drilling market size is projected to grow from USD 31.26 billion in 2018 to USD 56.97 billion in 2026, at CAGR of 7.9% during forecast period, says Fortune Business Insights. According to the FBI analysts, the factors such as surging demand for electricity worldwide is expected to drive the growth of this market. Heavy investment in offshore E&P activities by national governments to bolster sales.

Despite the increase in popularity, the market for hydrographic surveys is still quite small and has significant competition from other types of surveying. However, conferring to the market projections, the industry is expected to grow over the next few years. This growth is primarily driven by an increase in maritime trade, underwater inspection, offshore wind energy projects, offshore oil exploration and dredging projects across the globe.

The increase in dredging operations and oil and gas drilling activities is boosting the hydrographic survey market. These activities are increasing in many countries, and a growing number of these activities are being carried out by commercial companies.

The major factors that are boosting the hydrographic survey market include the rising use of unmanned vehicles for surveying and the emergence of new technologies such as machine learning to support complete autonomous operations. These technologies can reduce the cost of operations, while providing high-quality data that is essential for a successful project.

The primary reason why hydrographic surveys are used is to determine the depth of a water body. Hydrographic survey is a type of technology that provides a detailed description and measurement of a water body which are needed for a variety of projects, including dredging analysis, wreck location, waterway planning etc. The process involves the use of multibeam echo sounders and other sonar equipment to survey underwater areas for depth, seafloor shape, and possible obstructions. It is a critical component of any marine activities and helps maintain a

safe and efficient execution of a marine project. It is necessary for involved parties of every construction project to know how deep their building area is. Besides, water depth is a key point of knowledge for navigation, inspection, dredging, drilling and other maritime activities.

Hydrographic surveys can also be conducted by a variety of organizations, from local governments to private companies. These entities may carry out surveys for geological reasons, to determine the proper location for oil and gas structures or to install underwater communication devices.

As published by FIG publication No.56, hydrographic survey operations should be determined primarily by a risk assessment, rather than by the blanket adoption of a set of rigid criteria. These Guidelines for the Planning, Execution and Management of Hydrographic Surveys in Ports and Harbours can be adopted and adapted for any hydrographic project including an offshore oil exploration project.

“Before a project kicks off, the project team will first assess the project, the scope of works and determine what the end deliverables are and what the client is wishing to acquire and achieve,” says Gaynor Deacon, Chartered Surveyor and Director at Amaza Survey Services (Pty) Ltd. “Based on the Clients Scope of Works. The Project Survey Team will determine what suite of equipment would be required to acquire the necessary data and who the potential survey team should comprise. They would then complete a desktop study to assess if there is any existing hydrographic information. This will be assessed for quality, reliability and uncertainties,” she adds.

Gaynor further particularizes on key points a survey project team will have to determine before a project is awarded or takes shape:• how difficult it will be to survey the area (where it is in relation to closest port / can it be surveyed 24hrs day or daylight hours only / any known problems in the area – either environmental (cyclone seasons?), anthropological (e.g. drift nets or local fishing

activities) or political/security (local conflicts or piracy risk)

• Type of seabed.

• Expected water depths, safe navigable water depths in relation to the vessel draught and/or towed array.

• Expected vessel traffic for safety and security purposes.

• Expected sea conditions and seasonal weather conditions (which would affect type of vessel and time of year to conduct surveys).

• Accuracy of measured / predicted tides.

• Positioning accuracy and source of corrections – e.g. RTK, satellite-based corrections, NTRIP.

“Based on the findings of the above, the team can then identify type of survey vessel, survey equipment and methodology and survey operational approach, and be ready to take the next step once the project is awarded,” clinches Gaynor.

Hydrographic surveys are a necessary task for the dredging and drilling industry, because it is impossible to know where a dredge or drilling project will go without a clear picture of the area. Once a team has surveyed the area, it can then begin dredging or drilling accordingly. Another important part of the hydrographic survey process is obtaining accurate GPS positioning. In order to do this, a portable backpack DGPS receiver must be carried by the hydrographer. This allows them to determine the position and extents of objects such as pilings, piers, and other features that are essential for the creation of a survey report.

Many governments and agencies conduct hydrographic surveys for a variety of purposes, including the construction of dredging systems, pipelines, transport navigation, exploration drilling and telecommunication lines. These are typically supervised by national organizations, but local authorities often conduct independent surveys to ensure that new developments are accurately depicted on the final project report.

Image: courtesy

Civil Engineering

Role of Civil Engineers in Water and Wastewater Plants

By Dorcas Kang'ereha

We may be familiar with the responsibility of a Civil engineer as to designing and building infrastructure such as roads, buildings and energy systems. These duties are a vital part of society, and their work impacts lives in countless ways. It is also the mandate of a civil engineer is to plan and design infrastructure that makes life easier for people all around the planet. They use engineering principles to create structures and buildings that are safe, efficient, sustainable and affordable.

With the rapidly evolving technology, civil engineers can develop sustainable designs that minimize the environmental impact of their projects. For example, they can help to optimize better material use, develop rainwater management plans, restore degraded or contaminated sites, and develop environmentally friendly materials for construction. They also work to improve the quality of our surroundings and reduce pollution, helping to protect ecosystems and conserve resources. Their expertise and knowledge are invaluable to many projects, including water and wastewater treatment plants.

Environmental sustainability contribution

In order to make a positive difference in the environment, civil engineers are required to contribute to sustainability efforts throughout a project's life cycle. This can include a range of activities from the initial site assessment to the final construction phase. The main way that civil engineers contribute to sustainability is by ensuring that their projects are built to green standards, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This includes ensuring that the buildings and structures they design are designed with efficiency, safety, and longevity in mind.

Moreover, they must ensure that the infrastructure they build adheres to local codes and regulations. They must also make sure that all parties involved in a project are aware of their duties and obligations to the public and local governments. Civil engineers

are also required to ensure that all of the necessary steps are taken to construct a project on time and within budget. This can include monitoring the progress of the team onsite and keeping an open dialogue with architects, consultants and subcontractors, by the use of construction project management software to keep track of all the tasks and activities that are being carried out. These tools allow them to ensure that everyone is following the correct procedures and on-time.

These tools can also be used to make reports and to communicate with staff on the site if there are any issues that need to be resolved. The ability to write up these reports, manage construction crews and monitor the progress of a project is critical for the successful execution of any civil engineering project.

The future of this career is expected to continue to grow and expand, as more cities and countries need to build new infrastructure. As such, there is an increasing need for trained and qualified civil engineers who can provide the knowledge, skills and expertise to carry out these tasks.

Role of Civil Engineers in Water and Wastewater Plants

Civil Engineers can design, build, and help maintain and successfully operate structures and large facilities such as dams, pipelines, tanks, reservoirs, pumping stations and treatment plants for water and wastewater.

Speaking to Geofrey Mwangi, Senior Engineer, at Arup, Nairobi office on the critical role of Civil Engineers in Water and Wastewater Plants, he had this to say, “Civil engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining water and wastewater treatment plants to ensure that they meet the required standards for safety, water quality, treatment capacity, and environmental impact including safe disposal of wastewater generated. This work is essential as water is a complex, and ever-changing resource that is linked to almost everything in the world, and is critical for socio-economic development, healthy ecosystems and for the survival of humans and nature. Civil engineers must have a deep understanding of water treatment processes, environmental regulations, and engineering principles to successfully perform this work.”

Geofrey further elaborates that, “Water and wastewater treatment plants are part of water infrastructure systems composed of various other components which include dams, reservoirs, pumping stations, pipelines, storage tanks and towers, wastewater collection systems, stormwater management systems, and rainwater harvesting systems. These components work together to ensure a reliable supply of clean water while protecting public health and the environment.”

“The plants play a crucial role in the treatment of water and wastewater, while dams and reservoirs provide a reliable supply of water. Pumping stations and pipelines transport water to treatment plants and distribution networks, while storage tanks and towers ensure a sufficient supply during periods of high demand. Wastewater collection network (sanitary sewers) transport wastewater for treatment, while stormwater management systems prevent flooding and pollution. Finally, rainwater harvesting systems conserve water resources by capturing and storing rainwater to meet specified demands such as non-potable use,” he concludes.

Babatunji Adegoke

The use of digital technology to enhance construction processes and operations has become popular all over the world. Only few countries including South Africa are at the forefront of its adoption in Africa while countries like China and Saudi Arabia, Canada, Brazil and Turkey are leading in adopting digital technologies in construction in other parts of the world. Despite the popularisation of digitalised technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual Reality,

drones, 3D printing, robotics, smart buildings, smart cities, digital twins, and the metaverse, Africa is yet to up with this new concept due to major factors such as lack of awareness of digitalisation, poor power supply, lack of adequate digital training facilities, high cost of digital infrastructure and lack of research in digitalisation. To improve the effectiveness of construction operations and project performance through the adoption of digital technologies, poor power supply has

Africa is yet to up with this new concept due to major factors such as lack of awareness of digitalisation, poor power supply, lack of adequate digital training facilities, high cost of digital infrastructure and lack of research in digitalisation.

By

Leveraging digital technology in construction

to be addressed by the government, professionals need to be trained on digital tools, regulations should be put in place for the digital technology industry, professional bodies need to create awareness of the benefits of digitalisation and built environment stakeholders should organise conferences and seminars to encourage their members to adopt digitalisation.

Technology has been used for the advancement of the activities of humans from times past. The advancement in technology has also been applied in different industries for the maximum benefit of these industries. In the construction industry (CI), the application of technology to advance construction operations has been brought to the limelight as a result of the epidemics and pandemics that the world has experienced recently, ranging from Ebola to COVID-19 and most recently, Monkeypox. However, despite that the CI is one of the oldest; it is still considered one of the most conservative in the world where the adoption of technology is still at low ebb. The approach, techniques and tools applied for its operations are often traditional. New methods and technologies are often not embraced as rapidly as in other industries. Technological advancement and the adoption of digital tools applied for the enhancement of construction operations and processes are often neglected. Digitalisation of the CI is, therefore, slow and not as popular as it should be especially in Africa, despite its adoption in other countries of the world especially Singapore, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, China, and Canada. The popularisation of digitalisation in manufacturing, information technology, financial services entertainment, and the

media has also not been reflected in the CI. Africa is, therefore, not benefitting from the opportunities the digital world brings to the CI despite being the second biggest continent in the world with an area covering about a 30.3million Km2 and a population of about 1.216 billion (Wikipedia, no date).

Most African countries are considered developing compared to countries of other continents, especially Europe and Asia. Europe, for instance, is described as the most developed continent in the world (Shvili,2021) with all the countries within Europe classified as developed, while most African countries are classified as least developed countries (LDC) (Pariona, 2019). Furthermore and within Africa, some countries are considered more developed than others with Mauritius, Seychelles, Algeria, Tunisia, Botswana, Libya, South Africa, Egypt, Gabon, and Morocco listed as the top 10 most-developed countries in Africa (World Population Review, 2022). However, Nigeria, despite having a population of about a 216million (Worldometer, no date) and ranked the second-largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $1.14trillion (Egscholars, 2022) is still a developing country alongside others including Ghana, Benin, Cameroun, Togo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania(Worlddata, no date).

Several definitions have been given to “digitalisation”. (Gartner, 2022) defined digitalisation as “the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it is the process of moving to a digital business”. It is the process of changing data into a digital form thatcan be easily read

and processed by a computer (Oxford Learner’s Dictionary). Similarly, (Veldhuizen et. al, 2019) went further to define digitalconstruction (DC) as “utilising digital technologies to construct more efficiently with higher quality”. Digitalisation in the CI can, therefore, be described as the application of digital tools to enhance construction processes and operations. Irrespective of the definition given to digitalisation, it can be said that it makes the construction process easier, faster, safer, sustainable and efficient. This offers a lot of opportunities for the future of the youths in Africa whose interest lies in the use of digital technologies. The United Nations asserted that “Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Such a high number of young people is an opportunity for the continent’s growth – but only if these new generations are fully empowered to realise their best potential”(no date). The African Youths with their high number in the continent is an advantage to the CI if they have the right training to explore the opportunities that DC brings.

Trends in digitilisation

Artificial Intelligence (AI). (Copeland, no date) defined AI as “the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.” In order words, AI enables machines to think like humans. According to Great Learning Team, 2022, AI is the simulation of natural intelligence in machines in such a way that they are programmed to learn and copy the actions of humans. The use of AI in construction is enormous and it has been used over time. For example, it can be used to address safety concerns, labour shortages, cost and time overruns on construction projects, design a building better, risk mitigation, project planning, increasing productivity, and use in post-construction.

Virtual Reality (VR): VR is the use of wearable devices, usually on the eyes to access a virtual world that seems real to the wearer of the device. University of Toronto, 2021 defined VR as the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment that can be explored in 360degrees and places the user inside the virtual environment to give an immersive experience. VR has become increasingly popular in Africa; its popularity is only limited to shopping centers and malls for the purpose of recreation and games only. Its awareness, benefits and application in the CI in solving problems are far being explored. VR is seen as a game and not a tool to enhance construction operations or learn new techniques in construction technology. Brooks, 2022 opined that VR is useful as an effective tool for training, safety and avoiding costly overruns on construction projects. Furthermore, VR enables project stakeholders to have an overview of what to expect early at the design stage of construction before the execution of the project, therefore, allowing changes to be made early enough to adjust the scope and budget of the project to meet the expected reality. VR use for training and enhancement of safety is useful during pandemics such as COVID-19 when movement was restricted.

Drones: (ImperialWar Museum, 2022) reported that the earliest use of Drones was in the Vietnam War where Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), later known as Drones, were first deployed on a large scale. Its use has, however, surpassed wars alone. For example, in the African construction industry, Drones have been used to take aerial photographs and videos to report the status of construction projects. Its use can, however, be extended to monitoring site activities remotely and promoting safe construction. Some drones have sensors that can

alert project managers of potential hazards. Drones can also be used to monitor construction, especially in dangerously high-rise structures and very risky areas. Wingtra (no date)stated the benefits of drones as fast in producing images on sites, producing accurate data, assisting in cost and time saving, remote access to sites, and increased safety.

3-Dimensional Printing: This is also commonly referred to as 3D printing. Designing buildings, 2022 described 3D printing, sometimes referred to as Additive Manufacturing (AM)) as the computercontrolled sequential layering of materials to create three-dimensional shapes. Its application has been widely used in the manufacturing industry to produce replacement parts for machines. Its popularity and application in the CI have, however, been recent. Automated machines are programmed to produce buildings at a speed and accuracy much faster than that of using manual labour. It has been reported that the use of 3D printing in homes saves time, reduces waste, promotes sustainability, and reduces construction costs. This was buttressed by Ennomotive, 2021, who confirmed that a Shanghai-based Decoration Design Engineering Win sun built 103D printed houses in under 24 hours with each of the houses costing only about $5,000 to build. Ennomotive, 2021 also stated that 3D printing has been appliedin the printing of bridges and canals. There has also been evidence of 3Dprinted homes in Africa, with the first 3D affordable printed in Malawi, costing $10,000 and walls completed in 12 hours (Fleming, 2021).3D printing application in Africa where there is an abundance of human resources and a high unemployment rate is subject to the argument of whether its application is best for the continent or not.

Robotics: Robots have been used in construction in recent times. Its use has been, for example, in the inspection of sewers systems, underground tunnels and inspection at dangerous heights. Robots have proven to be effective in providing safe and sustainable construction while assisting tomake up for labour shortages in some countries. ABB, a major player in the automation industry, stated that Robotic automation provides huge potential to enhance productivity, efficiency and manufacturing flexibility throughout the

Adegoke is a volunteer as the Technical Secretary of the Nigerian Society of Engineers Victoria Island Branch, He is a member of the Committee on International Affairs for the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

CI. For example, automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites and robot 3D printing of houses (ABB, 2021). They further stated that it would make the industry safer and cost-effective and will in turn promote sustainability because less waste will be generated throughout the automated process of the construction which employs the use of Robots. Japan has experimented the use of Robot for construction to help in replacing the declining labour shortage in the country. For example, a type of robot called Humanoid, is being experimented to carry out the works humans would ordinarily do. Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has developed a prototype of a humanoid robot (HRP-5P),designed to operate autonomously for use in construction sites and environments hazardous to humans (METI, 2019).This use of this Humanoid can be conveniently applied in Africa, especially where dangerous construction activities are to be undertaken and where construction hazards are enormous. It also offers a lot of opportunities for Africa where the majority of the youthful population is not interested in working directly in the CI. In Nigeria, for instance, it is difficult to find skilled labour for construction. Most of the skilled labour come from neighbouring countries such as the Benin Republic and Togo.

Smart Buildings: Digitilisation in the CI cannot be discussed without mentioning the current trend in the development of smartbuildings. Zhou & Yang, 2018 affirmed that a smart building is a type of building with a reasonable investment in efficient energy management, and a comfortable and convenient environment, designed by considering the optimized relationship between structure, system, service, and management. The level of smartness of a building varies and it is not a measure of how much technology is deployed in the building but how the deployed technology is maximised. Hence, it is not uncommon to find a few smart buildings in Africa although the level of smartness of the buildings in Africa cannot be compared to that obtained in other continents such as Europe, Asia and North America. Some of the smartest buildings in the world are located in Singapore, Netherlands, China and Malaysia. Africa countries are again missing in the list of countries with the smartest buildings. However, some minimal smart technologies have been known to be deployed in some buildings in Africa. These technologies include smart security systems, smoke and fire detection system and smart energy consumption systems.

VII. Smart Cities: The concept of smart cities depicts acity which has incorporated some smart technology to run efficiently and sustainably. Lagos, Nigeria was once celebrated as a smart city. The smart technology deployed in Lagos was however limited and not of many benefits to the residents of the state. The smart technology could have

used to solve been the endemic traffic problems experienced by the residents of Lagos state. They can also apply to other cities in Africa where smart technology could address waste disposal, crime detection and prevention and environmental management including flooding.

Digital Twins: Digital Twin is a relatively new concept in digital world. It is the creation of a digital image for example of a building or structure that enables it to interact with the environment as though the building or structure is real. In order words, it is easy to predict the outcome of the usage of such building and structure digitally. According to IBM, (no date), “A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, is updated from realtime data, and uses simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision-making”. IBM further described digital twin as a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object. The advantages of using digital twin are that it helps in research and development, improved efficiency, and prediction of the end life of the product (IBM, no date). Other advantages of digital twins are that they can help in cost reduction, improve schedules and estimate performance and contract negotiation of infrastructure projects (AfricaSurveyors News, 2022). Similar to other digital technologies, its application has been in the manufacturing industry long before its recent adoption in the CI. (IBM, no date) alluded to the fact that digital twins can be applied to massive structures such as buildings which enables the improvement in the systems, especially during the design stage. Furthermore, IBM stated that digital twins can be applied to urban planning by Civil engineers and professionals in the CI planning activities because digital twins can show3D and 4D spatial data in real-time while incorporating augmented reality systems into the built environment.

Metaverse: The Metaverse is perhaps, one of the most recent, interesting but yet confusing digital innovations whose popularity is gaining traction recently. The simplest explanation is that Metaverse is a virtual world where people come to interact just like they do in the real world. There has been a report of major organisations setting up their stores in the virtual world. For instance, Lee (2022) reported that Gucci, a well-known brand just bought a plot of digital land in the metaverse. This alludes to the fact that in the nearest future, more organisations will establish their presence in the virtual world. This portends a paradigm shift for real estate practitioners, who are familiar with operating in the real world. To confirm that real estate in the metaverse will thrive the nearest future, Finn (2022) observed that visionary real estate practitioners that believe in a digital future are already accumulating digital land in the same way they do with traditional real estate. It was further observed that brokers are already selling luxury real estate plots in the metaverse.

NIMASA set to regulate submarine cable, pipeline operations

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) has entered into an agreement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to develop a regulatory framework that will provide operational guidelines for submarine cable and pipeline operators in Nigeria.

The officials of both organisations reached the agreement at a pre-audit meeting on submarine cable regulation held in Lagos recently, which had Dasuki Arabi, the director general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in attendance.

They also agreed to identify and resolve areas of likely regulatory overlaps, ensuring a framework based on consultation to engender the attainment of Nigeria’s digital economy transformation.

Bashir Jamoh, the director general of NIMASA, who chaired the meeting, said the Agency is committed to the Ease

of Doing Business while implementing international conventions that are ratified and domesticated in Nigeria.

Pointing out Nigeria, which is now a destination for global communication players, said is time for Nigeria to prevent the burying of unregulated underwater cable capable of becoming hazardous to shipping.

According to him, the burying of the marine cable has been ongoing for over two decades in Nigerian waters and the focus is to ensure the safety of navigation of shipping on Nigerian waters despite the laid underwater cables.

“NIMASA is actually developing the guidelines to regulate submarine cable operators in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We do not just implement laws; we consult because where the responsibility of an Agency stops, that is where the responsibilities

of another start. Collaboration is a key component of ease of doing business in the best interest of the country and we will work closely with the NCC to achieve this,” Jamoh explained.

On his part, Umar Garba Danbatta, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, who was represented by Efosa Idehen, the director of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, said the dialogue strategy with stakeholders, adopted by NIMASA in developing the guidelines, would ensure a win-win situation for all.

He urged NIMASA management to include the Ministry of Justice in the dialogue, a request that NIMASA DG granted immediately.

Also speaking, Dasuki Arabi, the director general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, commended NIMASA and NCC for adopting effective inter-agency collaboration to avert a potential challenge for the country in the future.

L-R: Efosa Idehen, director of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, receiving a souvenir from Bashir Jamoh, the director general of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), during a meeting between both agencies to close ranks on submarine regulation in Nigeria, at the head office of NIMASA in Lagos. | Image: courtesy

Marine megafauna aerial survey starts along Kenya’s coastline

Marine megafauna are under the spotlight as scientists begin an aerial survey to assess undersea wildlife along parts of the Kenya coast.

As Kenya’s first major maritime survey in 29 years, scientists hope to learn vital information that will show how populations of sea life have thrived and deteriorated. It will also look at how sea life has responded to man-made threats such as climate change, pollution and overfishing.

The Exercise surveying giant sea creatures off the coast of Kenya, it is being conducted by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Wildlife Research Training Institute (WRTI), and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Dr Patrick Omondi, Director of WRTI, said healthy populations of marine megafauna are a key indicator in assessing the health of ecosystems and play a crucial role in maintaining their balance.

“Worldwide, we have seen a decrease in important marine megafauna, such as sea turtles and sharks, inspiring a call for

worldwide action to protect these creatures and their habitats,” said Omondi.

“Kenya is committed to implementing international conservation measures— including this census which is expected to inform the national blue economy plan. This survey will provide scientific information to support marine spatial planning, pinpoint areas that need to be protected to conserve marine megafauna and identify potential new tourism opportunities. This will help ensure a healthy environment for a sustainable blue economy and preserve marine megafauna populations.

Maurice Nyaligu, the Eastern Africa Regional Head of Programs for IFAW, underlined the importance of the survey to Kenya's Vision 2030 regarding the blue economy, IFAW's marine strategy for Eastern Africa, and the economic benefit for the counties involved.

"The survey has come at a crucial time to show the conservation and economic value of Kenya's marine resources to the nation and the region in general," said Nyaligu. "IFAW is proud to be part of this process at such a

pivotal moment, given that the future of our marine life is on the line" " he concluded.

The survey uses a crewed aircraft to traverse parts of the sea off Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline to photograph aquatic creatures such as whales, dolphins, and dugongs and without disruption to the animals. In the first test flight on, March 28, 2023, 20 dolphins were spotted in the Mombasa region and there are hopes that more will be seen.

Dr Erustus Kanga, Director General of KWS, said the survey will be beneficial in creating Kenya’s marine ecosystem management plans and species conservation approaches.

“The survey will help broaden marine conservation areas to meet the 30 by 30 agenda. This partnership will also be helpful in pinpointing prime locations to be incorporated into Kenya's marine conservation areas, making environmental protection a significant part of the Kenyan blue economy and diversifying nature-based tourism projects,” said Kanga. "The cooperative spirit of this project exemplifies the Integrated Coastal Zone Management approach.

The plane used for the megafauna aerial survey. Photo: Rosie Awori / © IFAW

Mapping drone startup Wingtra is charting a new future after landing $22M

Image Credits: Wingtra

By Catherine Shu

Wingtra’s drones are used to perform surveying missions by organizations around the world, including NASA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Now, the startup is mapping out a new expansion strategy after landing $22 million in Series B funding, which it will use to improve its current tech and add new features.

“Our product roadmap is highly confidential, but let’s say our high-level vision looking a decade or so forth is to take people out of the loop and have completely automated data collection, processing and analysis,” co-founder and CEO Maximilian Boosfeld told TechCrunch.

Based in Zurich, Switzerland, with offices in Fort Lauderdale and

Out of the images collected with the WingtraOne drone

Zagreb and nearly 200 employees, Wingtra says it is the world’s largest producer of commercial vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones. It makes mapping drones and develops software for fully autonomous flights, which collects and processes aerial survey data.

Wingtra drones are used by surveyors in a wide range of industries, including construction, mining, environmental monitoring, agriculture, urban planning and land management.

Investors in Wingtra’s Series B included DiamondStream Partners, EquityPitcher Ventures, Verve Ventures, the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), Ace & Company, and Spring Mountain Capital founder, John L. Steffens.

Wingtra was founded in 2014 when Boosfeld, Basil Weibel, Elias Kleimann and Sebastian Verling started working on a thesis while studying at ETH Zurich’s Autonomous Systems Lab. The paper proposed a design for a small unmanned aerial vehicle that could take off and land vertically like a helicopter and transition to fixed-wing mode for long-range flight.

While working on their thesis, the four registered Wingtra to develop and commercialize the tech. They soon got accepted into the Wyss Zurich accelerator program, an incubator for commercializing scientific breakthroughs that was run by ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. They developed the WingtraOne, a mapping and surveying UAV, during the program.

Wingtra’s flagship drone is now the WingtraOne VTOL, which the company says is used by hundreds of businesses and organizations in 96 countries, including NASA, Texas A&M University, The Ohio State University, CEMEX, Rio Tinto, Army Corps of Engineers, and Kenya Red Cross. In total, the company’s drones make more than 100,000 flights each year and have mapped 18 million acres of land and sea.

The startup’s second-generation drone, released in 2021, is called the WingtraOne Gen II and can create survey-grade 2D and 3D maps with RGB cameras. Wingtra says that a single flight covering over 100 hectares can be digitized at 0.5 in/px, or up to 30 times faster and 90% cheaper than terrestrial surveying.

The three main industries Wingtra sells to are construction and industry, urban planning, and land development and mining.

Boosfeld told TechCrunch that the biggest challenge in managing such large assets is the availability of up-to-date, accurate and affordable data. Lack of data leads to inefficiencies, high costs and preventable CO2 emissions, but terrestrial surveying is labor intensive and can be dangerous and impossible to do without risking lives and fines when there are natural disasters like landslides.

Wingtra’s drones are meant to be operational under all those conditions. The startup says operators need minimal training to use the drone because of the WingtraPilot app’s simple operating system and automated route planning features.

One example of an organization that uses Wingtra drones to make collecting surveying data more efficient is the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), which uses them to oversee the upkeep and

maintenance of the state’s roadway infrastructure. The ALDOT flies drones over construction projects each business day and uses the data to help ensure that erosion control measures, including silt fences, are installed properly.

Another example of how Wingtra is used is the Red Cross in Kenya, which deployed the startup’s drones and software to manage a major locust invasion. The gathered data was used to track the migration of locust swarms, estimate crop damage, and ultimately make decisions about how to mitigate the invasion.

In terms of competition, Wingtra’s best-known rivals are AgEagle’s eBee, and DJI’s Phantom 4 RTK and M300 drones. Boosfeld says the eBee paved the way for accessible, industry-level drone photogrammetry. Wingtra and AgEagle lead in the survey and mapping fields for different reasons: the eBee X is a well-industrialized and reliable fixed-wing survey and mapping drone, while WingtraOne offers a VTOL drone with top-grade image quality for coverage.

Wingtra’s key differentiation is its take-off and landing technology. On the other hand, the eBee X is a traditional fixed-wing drone that needs to be launched by hand and lands on its belly, which Boosfeld explained, means operators need to make sure launches and landings happen with wide clearance and on terrain that is dry and soft enough to support it.

He added that higher-end aerial mapping cameras are heavy, and fixed-wing drones like the eBee X cannot support their weight. “Currently, only VTOL drones can offer image resolution of 42MP, which translates to better accuracy, and ultimately, more reliable map reconstruction,” he said.

Speaking about DJI’s Phantom 4 RTK, Boosfeld said that even though it is marketed as a survey and mapping drone, it doesn’t have much in common with the WingtraOne. The Phantom 4 RTK is a typical multirotor, which means it behaves in the air like a helicopter. This means the WingtraOne is capable of the much broader coverage demanded by most mapping projects, while multirotors like Phantom 4 RTK can cover relatively limited areas.

According to Boosfeld, DJI’s M300 is a large multirotor that is good for inspection, search and rescue, and other medium-range applications, but is less efficient than dedicated mapping systems. For example, even though it is bigger than the Phantom 4, it is still a multirotor that relies exclusively on sizable batteries to lift it.

Wingtra also doesn’t have to deal with the political issues that DJI does in the U.S. market, where the latter is blacklisted by the U.S. Defense Department because of alleged ties to the Chinese military.

In a statement about the investment, DiamondStream Partners’ Dean Donovan said, “We are very excited about partnering with Wingtra. The product’s simplicity of use, its high reliability engineering, and the company’s global network of value-added resellers and service providers have positioned it to expand its leadership in the $83+ billion mapping segment of the aerial intelligence market globally. We look forward to helping the company in the United States and Latin America, which will be increasingly important geographies as Wingtra continues to expand.”

STRYDE awarded seismic technology contract for Nigeria oil and gas onshore exploration

The global expert in onshore seismic acquisition technology and solutions, STRYDE, has been awarded a contract worth over $1 million for the supply of 10,000 seismic receiver nodes and its “Nimble” node receiver system in Nigeria.

STRYDE’s seismic sensor technology will be utilised on an upcoming 3D seismic survey conducted by Nigerian geoscience solutions provider, ATO Geophysical Limited as part of an onshore oil and gas exploration project in the region.

The seismic survey is due to begin in Q2 2023 and will be the first commercial deployment of STRYDE’s Nimble System™ in the country as it continues to dominate the nodal sensor market with its international expansion within the energy sector.

STRYDE, who are the creators of the world’s smallest and lightest seismic node, will enable ATO to deliver high-density seismic data for the exploration of new reservoir locations in the grasslands and marshlands of Nigeria, for a local oil and gas operator.

Until recently, the region has typically relied on bulky, expensive, and complex cabled geophone receiver systems to acquire seismic data which traditionally incurs significantly high CAPEX and OPEX costs, more exposure to HSE risk, higher technical downtime, and inefficiencies in the seismic acquisition program. With the introduction of cable-less receiver technology like STRYDE’s miniature sensor, geophysical providers and operators can now acquire highquality data much more efficiently and with less cost, risk, and environmental footprint.

The supply of its node management solution, the “Nimble System™” will enable further efficiencies on the survey to be unlocked by allowing ATO to rotate up to 2,160 nodes per day, enabled by the system’s unique capability to simultaneously charge and harvest data from 360 nodes in under four hours. This system is also equipped with STRYDE’s state-of-the-art software for efficient seismic survey field operations, data harvesting, and quality assurance, allowing ATO to produce processing-ready seismic data fast than ever before.

Sam Moharir, Head of Business Development (MENA), at STRYDE commented on the transition to nodal technology: “It was imperative for ATO Geophysical Limited to have access to cost-effective technology that could also overcome challenges associated with the terrain they were due to operate in. With cabled systems traditionally being more physically challenging to deploy in remote, large, and complex terrain, STRYDE Nodes™ offer a more efficient

Sam Moharir - Head of Business Development - MENA

and practical solution for improving seismic survey efficiencies through the elimination of restrictive and heavy cabled geophones.”

Thomas Ajewole, Managing Director of ATO Geophysical Limited said: “As a leading seismic data acquisition expert in Nigeria, we look forward to partnering on our first project with STRYDE and capitalising on the benefits of its technology by providing our customers with a more efficient and cost-effective solution to onshore seismic data acquisition.

“As we continue to support the exploration of new oil and gas projects in the region, STRYDE Nodes™ present an exciting opportunity to acquire high-resolution seismic data required to image the subsurface and pinpoint new reservoir development opportunities for our customers.”

STRYDE’s CEO, Mike Popham, said: “STRYDE is excited to be enabling our first seismic surveys in Nigeria with ATO. This builds upon our successful history of seismic projects across Africa, including Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Kenya.

“We’re proud to see our nodes increasingly being utilised around the world for a range of industrial applications, replacing expensive, cumbersome, and impractical alternative systems with our dynamic

©stock.adobe.com/au/Zerophoto

technology.”

New Zealand’s Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 (CSR 2021) came into effect on Monday, 30 August 2021, setting the standards on how cadastral surveyors define and describe land boundaries.

There will now be a six-month transition period to 25 February 2022, during which field work can be undertaken and CSDs certified and lodged under either the old Rules for Cadastral Survey 2010 or the CSR 2021.

After 25 February 2022, only CSDs certified in terms of the CSR 2021 will be accepted.

The Landonline website has been updated to support the capture and validation of surveys under CSR 2021 as well as to support the transition period.

In addition to providing seismic solutions in the oil and gas market, STRYDE also supports new energy industries including Geothermal, CCUS, Hydrogen, and Mining, providing an affordable solution to a typically expensive phase of any exploration project.

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand systems and processes have also been updated to support the new rules. Support material for both sets of rules is available during the transition period:

This contract follows a series of geothermal, oil and gas, civil engineering, mining, and CCUS projects already secured by STRYDE in 2023.

• Transition details as part of the Cadastral Survey Rules 2021 (CSR 2021) implementation.

• Cadastral Survey Guidelines

NZ’s new cadastral survey rules take effect

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Fostering Financial Inclusivity in Africa through GIS-Based Solutions

By Deborah Faboade

Geographical Information System (GIS) significantly promotes financial inclusion in Africa by mapping and analysing financial access. In essence, GIS can help identify unserved or underserved areas and understand the demographics and characteristics of these populations to inform targeted financial services. Subsequently, it increases access to financial assistance for the unbanked and underbanked people while fostering financial literacy and stability.

Furthermore, GIS can also monitor and help evaluate the progress and impact of financial inclusion initiatives. Thus, this article will highlight how GIS is harnessed to promote financial inclusivity in Africa.

GIS-Based Solution for Economic and Financial Inclusion in Africa

Financial Inclusion for Smallholder Farmers

For these smallholder farmers, agricultural growth affects their financial gain, empowering further reinvestment and cultivation of lands for both present and future generations. One of the biggest challenges, thus, is access to financial resources and services to foster investment needs. To solve this issue, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Financing Ghanaian Agriculture Project (USAID FinGAP) from 2013 -2018.

The project’s objective was to establish

various pay-for-results methodologies and intensive technical assistance to advance the commercialisation of agriculture in Ghana by providing financial access vital to enabling investment in the sector. To further the project’s goal, USAID collaborated with over 50 business advisory services and financial institutions (commercial banks, investors, rural banks, etc.) dedicated to the agriculture sector to ensure smallholder farmers and agribusinesses secure, cost-effective alternatives to finances and investments.

CARANA, a corporation that designs economic growth strategies for countries and businesses, implemented the project. CARANA invented the Investment Mapping System (IMS), a web-based GIS platform, to allow investors and companies to take stock of business opportunities and make strategic investment decisions. The system is utilised alongside satellite imagery and publicly available data to examine a region’s geographical makeup, ensuring investors obtain a better view of farms and buildings.

In addition, the system enables agribusinesses to access partners based on geographical locations and highlight future agricultural business investments, amongst others. The result of the project includes financing almost 3,000 agribusinesses in maize, rice, and soy by leveraging USD 168 million as opposed to the projected initial USD 75 million and securing an additional USD 91.1 million for a further assistantship.

GIS for Bank Upgrade and Strategy

In Africa, the unbanked and underbanked Africans battle various financial blocks. According to a release by This Day news channel, complaints from nine banks in Nigeria rose from 2.5 million in 2020 to 5.39 million in 2021, leaving customers dissatisfied. According to the bank operators, the protests were due to the complexity of financial transactions. Nonetheless, GIS can enhance financial inclusivity by analysing geographic locations of unmet demands of certain products and services. Locating the geographic distribution of unsatisfied customers ensures that bank operators can deeply dive into the root cause of the problems.

GIS integration aims to give financial institutions insights into how to serve their customers better and reach areas without banking services (including loans, interests, aids, risk management, etc.). To this end, banks and financial institutions can make informed decisions against their competitors, creating a healthy financial industry focused on pleasing customers.

In addition, financial organisations could make personalised recommendations and packages for specific customers or geographical locations. For instance, the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Nigeria, employed the services of Spatial Technologies Limited (STL), a Nigerian geospatial company creating geospatial data for the Nigerian market.

The partnership’s primary aim is to enhance financial services and establish a data-driven, cost-effective solution for expansion. Other objectives include setting a scientifically backed method to locate ATMs for remuneration, creating techniques that find shadowed smaller branches across Lagos (the project’s starting point), and analysing the bank’s competitiveness and geographical distribution of customers to offer better services and products.

To this end, STL utilised MapInfo, a GIS software and provided months of on-site training for the bank’s staff, expected to further its uses. In addition, UBA has made strategic business decisions to satisfy its customer base with this technology.

In a demonstrated project, Adeyemi Adeboboye, a Lecturer at the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Nnamdi Azikwe University, Akwa, indicated how GiS and data analysis helps banks upgrade and point position locations, gather data for bank selection to provide detailed business descriptions and gain strategic insights. The result of the project was the creation of the geographical topography of the area, the banks distribution, the number of staff, the number of customers attended to per day, the geographical distances between banks, and streets where banks are located, amongst others.

With access to this information, banks can appropriately adjust where needed and gain intelligent business data; they can gain an overview of shortages, non-functioning bank branches, and unreached areas. In addition, they can strategically plan how to open in areas without financial services, beyond infographics but also in terms of landscape and terrains. For instance, if demography is majorly water-bodies, banks can collaborate with NGOs, raise donations, or create projects to bring financial services and products to these people. It could be software applications dedicated to only that specific area due to their unique needs.

In another project, a group of researchers from the Department of Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Science, Kimathi University College of Technology and the Department of Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Systems, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, aimed to devise

a recommended secured banking system that lay out the Cooperative Bank of Kenya’s holdings. In addition, the project would enable a better process of granting loans, reduce human errors during data entry tasks, mitigate fraud, and show the locations of the bank’s holdings and values attached.

Thus, the project concluded by devising a GIS-backed platform to detect fraudulent customers and institutions involved in improper loan acquisition and pictorial locations and identifications of collateral properties, including values and transportation access to the collateral properties. In addition, the platform also showed the customers loaning services from the day of authorisation to the pay-off day, all holdings of interests for the bank, and generated documents of interests vital for bank expansion and growth.

Nonetheless, financial institutions in urban areas like Lagos tend to focus on serving urban customers more than rural customers due to low financial literacy, minimum digital skill sets and low-income occupations. However, rural customers need access to financial services to purchase agricultural tools (smallholder farmers), make and receive money transfers, access loans to expand businesses, increase financial stability and access insurance to mitigate risks.

Conclusion

Africa needs help accessing sufficient and home-grown data for meaningful infrastructural growth. GIS management and efficiency run heavily on accessing the

correct data to further a cause. Africa needs to invest in creating data-saturated centres, organisations and applications to fully reap the benefits of GIS for financial inclusivity (and other sectors).

The continent must partner with institutions and organisations to create home-grown data to properly organise a data system that is regularly updated and maintained. While there are data centres like Africa Data Centres, MainOne, Raxio Data Centre, Teraco Data Environments, Ersi, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa, amongst others, more of these organisations need to spring up. Africa has 87 data centres across 15 of the 55 countries on the continent compared to Europe, with 2,880 data centres across 44 countries of 44 countries (according to the UN). This data shows a significant disparity in the amount of sufficient data the continent can access. Having adequate data is the first step to bridging financial differences on the continent.

Governments and organisations on the continent must increase efforts in organising data upskilling and skilling workshops to facilitate data analysis, GIS adoption, and integration. Furthermore, with sufficient and efficient databases and data centres, African governments can identify vulnerability hotspots and create initiatives, workshops, training centres, conferences and organisations to bridge the continent’s wide financial gaps. Although it will be unwise to romanticise data and GIS as the perfect solution, these tools create a starting point for bridging the gap.

Image: Digital Banker Africa

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