Fugro wins Timor Leste survey contract for 3,000 metre pipeline routes

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Fugro has secured a contract to conduct an extensive offshore survey programme supporting pipeline planning for the Greater Sunrise and Bayu Undan energy developments in Timor Leste.

The programme will combine geophysical, seismic, environmental and autonomous underwater vehicle surveys to provide detailed information about seabed conditions along proposed infrastructure routes. Some survey areas extend into water depths exceeding 3,000 metres, adding technical complexity to the offshore campaign.

Mobilisation and planning are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026, followed by offshore survey operations in the fourth quarter. The marine campaign is scheduled to run for approximately three months across both development areas.

The resulting Geo data will be used to guide pipeline routing, engineering design, geohazard assessment and the safe execution of future offshore construction activities.

Greater Sunrise and Bayu Undan are central to Timor Leste’s plans for developing offshore energy resources and related infrastructure.

Greater Sunrise consists of gas and condensate fields in the Timor Sea, while the Bayu Undan development has long supported regional energy production. The new survey programme will give project engineers a clearer picture of the seabed between the offshore developments and potential infrastructure locations.

For pipeline planners, seabed information serves much the same purpose as a detailed road survey before moving an oversized cargo. A route may appear direct on a map, but steep slopes, unstable ground, underwater channels or other hazards can change the engineering requirements and overall project cost.

Fugro will collect information needed to identify these conditions before final pipeline routes and installation methods are selected.

The scope includes geophysical surveys to map seabed features and shallow geological layers, along with seismic work to examine conditions beneath the seabed. Environmental surveys will also form part of the programme.

Autonomous underwater vehicles will be deployed to collect high resolution data across the offshore survey area.

AUVs can operate close to the seabed while carrying instruments that record bathymetric, acoustic and geological information. Their ability to survey deepwater areas without remaining physically connected to a surface vessel can improve coverage and reduce some operational constraints.

The programme will also use real time support from Fugro’s Remote Operations Centres. These centres allow specialists onshore to review survey performance, monitor data quality and support offshore teams while operations are underway.

This approach is intended to improve project oversight and reduce delays associated with identifying data gaps only after a vessel has completed its work. In a three month offshore campaign, finding a missing section of survey information after demobilisation could require costly additional vessel time.

Data collected offshore will be processed and quality controlled through Fugro’s regional centres in Kuala Lumpur and Perth. The arrangement is expected to support faster delivery of validated information to project engineers and decision makers.

The seabed investigation will provide input for pipeline alignment studies, detailed engineering and geohazard assessments.

Potential hazards can include submarine landslides, fault systems, steep terrain, unstable sediments and areas where seabed movement could threaten pipelines or other subsea infrastructure. Accurate identification of these conditions can influence pipe specifications, trenching requirements, installation equipment and long term monitoring plans.

The surveys will also support planning for offshore operations, including the safe positioning and movement of vessels and subsea equipment.

Fugro said the award reflects the client’s confidence in its ability to deliver complex marine surveys in demanding offshore environments.

“This award reflects our client’s confidence in Fugro’s ability to execute complex offshore survey programmes in challenging marine environments,” said Safri Drahman, APAC Regional Business Line Director at Fugro.

“By combining advanced geophysical, seismic and AUV technologies with our strong regional expertise, we will deliver the critical Geo data needed to support the safe and successful development of this strategically important energy infrastructure.”

Planning and mobilisation activities are expected to start during the third quarter, when survey routes, vessel requirements, equipment configurations and operational procedures will be finalised.

Offshore work is scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026. The campaign will cover the Greater Sunrise and Bayu Undan development areas and include geophysical, seismic, AUV and environmental survey operations.

The contract strengthens Fugro’s offshore site characterisation workload in the Asia Pacific region as energy developers seek more detailed seabed information before committing to subsea infrastructure designs and installation strategies.