Fugro’s Oil Seepage Mapping Collaboration Wins Environmental Award

Fugro has been honoured with an Environmental Leadership Award from The Maritime Alliance, a California-based non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable, science-based ocean and water industries.

The project identifies and maps oil seepage from abandoned offshore well sites in Santa Barbara County and was performed for long-time customer Aqeuos Corporation under contract to the non-profit environmental group Heal the Ocean.

The award was presented by Craig McLean, assistant administrator and acting chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) during the organisation’s BlueTech Week, an international gathering of over 485 marine professionals. Sharing the award with Fugro is Planck Aerosystems, a drone intelligence company specialising in highly autonomous unmanned aerial systems, which they collaborated with on the project. “We are grateful to be recognised by The Maritime Alliance for this collaboration,” said Todd Mitchell, remote sensing manager for Fugro. 

Results from the project prompted the California State Assembly to pass recent legislation SB-44, which funds a legacy oil and gas well removal and remediation programme through 2028. In addition to the Environmental Leadership Award, Fugro received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, signed by Representative Duncan Hunter.