ASI Group

Underwater Inspection

ASI Group is an industry leader that provides smart underwater inspection solutions. Over the span of three decades, ASI Group has completed 500+ projects across 22 sectors and 11 countries. With a fleet of 25+ remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and a young team of 100+ members, ASI Group has a strong presence in Canada, the USA and Latin America and an impactful global footprint in the underwater inspection industry.

Our experts can determine the structural integrity of your underwater asset.

Remote Inspections & Surveying - ASI Group

ASI employs a fleet of customizable ROVs with 2D and 3D sonar technology and high-resolution video to locate anomalies during an underwater inspection.

ASI offers multiple methods of utilizing various underwater sonar technologies and SD and HD video cameras to collect data. Images, videos and 3D modelling are collected in underwater environments using remotely operated vehicles (ROV) and unmanned survey vessels (USV). Simultaneously collecting digital video and sonar imaging in real-time provides a high degree of accuracy in structural assessments, so you can make an informed decision and eliminate the risk and expense of dewatering.

Specially trained engineers and technicians determine the best methods for collecting your data, and with our underwater robotic facilities, fabrication shops, and experienced personnel located in-house, we provide rapid response and consistent quality for remote inspections. Final reports summarize the processed data, include inspection logs, highlight areas of interest, detail the technologies used, and provides other comprehensive data that is essential for further asset management planning.

ASI Group is known for its leadership role in proving the viability of using remotely operated vehicles (ROV) for the purpose of engineering inspections and has gained international recognition for research and development of remote techniques, providing safe and cost-effective data collection for condition assessments. 

Our Core Values


Saftey icon
  • Safety

We put the safety of ourselves & the team above anything else at ASI.

Integrity Icon
  • Integrity

Righteousness is the foundation of our business, and we always believe in doing the right thing.

Quality icon
  • Quality

In every project we take up, we give our clients nothing short of the best.

Innovation
  • Innovation

At ASI, we encourage our team to think out-of-the-box and innovate.

Ownership driven icon
  • Ownership Driven

Every role at ASI is ownership-driven.

Remote inspections provide:

The Technological Marvel of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)

Seabotix on a rocky shore

Remotely Operated Vehicles: ROVs are unoccupied, highly manoeuvrable underwater drones/underwater robots operated by a pilot at the water surface. This vehicle can be used in hazardous conditions to inspect or access hard-to-reach areas and assess submerged structures. ROVs are available in various sizes, from as small as a little computer to a small truck. The larger ones are heavy. Putting the vehicle over the side of a ship and into the ocean necessitates the use of extra equipment such as a crane or a davit.

Most ROVs are fitted with still cameras, HD video systems, and lights that transmit videos and images back to the “pilot” in real-time. The “pilot” controls the ROV on the surface vessel connected with cables that convey electrical signals back and forth, with a joystick similar to those used by airplane pilots. Sonar imaging equipment is sometimes also fitted to assist navigation and valuable data collection. 

To aid sample collection, the ROV can be armed with some additional equipment, such as water samplers, a manipulator or cutting arm, and instruments that measure parameters like water clarity and temperature. This arm can pick up small items, cut lines, or connect lifting hooks to larger objects.

Divers have the required experience and certification to conduct a thorough underwater inspection. They are familiar with underwater construction techniques as well as marine-based structures. However, they cannot perform SONAR imaging and hydrography as they only carry limited payloads.

Are ROVs better than a diver?

An ROV eliminates the need for human presence in the water and makes inspections simpler and safer to conduct. These vehicles are ideal for scour inspection, a type of inspection used for confined spaces, deep water inspections, or deployment in any condition unsafe for a diver. 

Conducting underwater diving inspections is a demanding and dangerous job. It is a hazardous environment where a diver should multi-task with limited time and endurance.

While divers are qualified and experienced, they lack the skills of a fully qualified engineer who can more accurately identify areas of concern.

As there is no ability to geotag, it’s difficult to trace back the gathered information. Engineers examining inspection reports are unable to consult past inspection reports in order to collaborate the data information that has been collected.

A Diver’s Physical Limitations

Diver inspections are subject to the human body’s limitations. Divers can stay underwater for no more than 1-2 hours before they must resurface to change their breathing tanks. Divers are limited to a maximum underwater depth of 50 meters due to physical limitations inherent in the human body before nitrogen narcosis becomes a severe concern.

If the diving inspection exceeds 45m, the divers must breathe trimix, a mixture of oxygen, helium, and nitrogen. They may require specialized suits to combat the ambient pressures and PSIs that work against the diver. The deeper a diver descends, the less time they can remain at an operational level, and the longer the ascent is required to avoid decompression sickness.

ROV Inspection in The Oil & Gas Industry - A Game Changer

The Oil & Gas Industry began offshore drilling operations in 1897, nearly four decades after Col. Edwin Drake sunk the first well in 1859. Currently, there are about 900 large-scale oil and gas platforms operating in a variety of offshore locations.

The Oil & Gas Industry adheres to high safety regulations for equipment and personnel. The massive steel and concrete platforms are installed in progressively deeper and more hostile waters to extract offshore oil and gas resources.

Stakeholders are highly concerned about the safety of these structures. This is where ROVs come into play; these tethered underwater vehicles quickly became a critical tool for the Oil & Gas Industry, allowing access to previously inaccessible and undiscovered places beneath the surface.

With its smart underwater inspection solutions, ASI envisions to steer a new course in the Oil & Gas maintenance & inspection industry. Our ROVs are accurately engineered with marine architectural principles in mind; they can perform incredibly well underwater. ASI’s inspections facilitate both short and long-term decision-making by interpreting data in various intuitive and straightforward formats. With unique underwater assessment methods and intelligent post-inspection reporting systems, our tools allow asset owners to make appropriate maintenance and repair planning decisions.

Underwater Assets: Dams

An unsafe dam constitutes a threat to human life. To assure the safety of such major underwater construction, we can employ a variety of inspection techniques.

→Gate Inspection (Emergency Service, Sluice)

→Gate Groove Inspection

→Upstream Wall Inspection

→Downstream Stilling Basin Inspection

→Spillway & Plunge Pool Inspection

→Surge Shaft Inspection

→Trashrack Inspection

→Tail Race Tunnel/Channel

→Internal Tunnel/Penstock

→Reservoir Bathymetry & Silt Assessment

→Pre/Post Repair Analysis

A dam structure is made up of two sections: upstream and downstream. Both of these sections must be inspected thoroughly when considering safety. The environmental circumstances will determine the method of upstream and downstream examination. Additionally, it is dependent on factors like the clarity of the water and water currents.

Corrosion of reinforcing steel and other metals during concrete degradation can eventually result in cracking in dams. If the concrete structure is submerged like in dams, the inspection would be a challenging and time-consuming process. In this case, the human risk is also involved, and this is why underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) or underwater drones are so popular for inspection of dams. ROVs can be used to conduct sonar and visual inspection, and both approaches can provide critical information about the safety of underwater structures, allowing the dam authority to take appropriate action.

 

Underwater Assets: Bridges

Bridges that cross waterways have their foundations and substructures submerged to achieve the most inexpensive overall design. It is critical to inspect the entire bridge at predetermined intervals to assure its safety and structural integrity. It is essential to undertake any necessary repair/rehabilitation work well in advance to ensure that the bridge continues to function.

Underwater inspections can be a critical component of a bridge’s overall maintenance and management program. Damage and deterioration of underwater materials and scour-related undermining may not be seen above water until the damage has progressed to the point that remedial efforts are extremely expensive.

Early detection of this distress enables the implementation of cost-effective repairs. When engineers have the precise level of damage documented in detailed underwater inspection reports, they can plan repairs more effectively.

The environment underwater is more hostile, necessitating specialized equipment and methods.

→ Pier Inspection

→ Pile Inspection

→ Well Foundation Inspection

→ Inspection in Turbid Rivers

→ Sea Bridge Inspection

→ Culvert Inspection

→ Sounding/Bathymetry

→ Scour Survey/Monitoring

→ River Bed Profiling

Testimonials

Our Clients Speak

“ASI provided a well-prepared report and could tailor their solution based on site conditions. Their team is highly skilled and provides high-quality service.”

Leading Marine Consultant

 

“Our site asset managers preferred ASI’s analytics and reporting platform for underwater inspection. There are some key functionality benefits that make it easier to visualize and link the quantitative data with the qualitative data.”

Global O&G Player

 

“ASI’s dashboard addresses some critical challenges we encounter in operations and maintenance. We do have many reporting platforms, but ASI’s dashboard is unique in many ways.”

Client – Construction Industry

 

“ASI’s innovation in the inspection industry is safer, faster & much more accurate compared to traditional inspection methods.”

Major Port in Canada

 

“Their inspection solutions are assisting us in transitioning from ‘time to risk’ based inspection protocols, thus saving us a lot of unwanted and downtimes and expenditure.”

Tunnel Inspection Manager

 

“ASI’s well-prepared digital software report was very beneficial to make management-level decisions. Since our budgets were limited, basis hot spots showcased for every bridge, we could prioritize the repairs and thus keep public assets safer.”

Superintending Engineer of Bridges

 

“They gave us extremely high-quality data with the accurate geotagged location of defects quantified. This significantly reduced our internal work, and now we can quickly plan for repairs.”

Chief Engineer of a Major Dam

 

“ASI’s innovation will prove to be faster, more efficient & accurate for carrying out the underwater inspection compared to divers especially for offshore Oil & Gas.”

Client – Oil & Gas Industry

Why Choose Us?

  • Safe & Unlimited Endurance

Our ROVs are unmanned thus safe and can operate for prolonged periods

  • Work in Hostile Conditions

We work in hazardous & inaccessible & confined areas (without taking shutdown)

  • Advanced Underwater NDT

We offer novel non destructive testing solutions without damaging the assets

  • Digital Reporting Dashboard

State of the art intelligent analytics & digital reporting for data-driven decision making

  • Enhanced Accuracy

We provide accurate, reliable and repeatable data

  • Data Enhancement

We devise & use best-in-class data enhancement tools for superior client experience

  • Domain Knowledge

We have strong multidisciplinary domain expertise & field experience

Underwater Inspection: Frequently Asked Questions

What is NDT?

Non-Destructive Testing can identify minor defects in structures and equipment of all sizes to ensure their integrity. NDT is utilized at regular intervals to check for structural flaws that could impair structural integrity and reliability.

There are different NDT techniques such as Visual Testing, Radiographic Testing, Ultrasonic Testing, Eddy-current Testing and Dye Penetrant.

Nondestructive Testing has a number of significant advantages:

NDT doesn’t damage or require destruction/ dismantle for Testing and is cheap and fast with very accurate results.

Without NDT, oil companies would be forced to totally dismantle rigs to evaluate structural components. With about 1,000 offshore oil rigs worldwide, this would be a costly endeavour.

What is a Hydrographic Survey?

3D image of dam and surrounding area

Hydrographic surveys use special equipment to measure and define a water body to support marine construction. In order to keep our maritime transportation system running safely and efficiently, hydrography maps out the depth of water as well as the shape of the seafloor and coastline.

Hydrographical surveys provide information for a number of purposes, including laying pipelines and cables, seafloor structural construction, anchoring, dredging, and understanding fish habitats.

To guarantee a project’s safety and success, it is critical that underwater surveys be carried out according to an accurate procedure. ASI has a team of experienced hydrographic surveyors who can provide your project with seamless detail. Let us help you with your hydrographic surveying project or next marine construction or today!

What is WireScan?

WireScan, a laser scanning tool, first developed by Hydro Québec, helps to understand what lies beneath above and below the water line and receive critical decision-making data. It generates precise three-dimensional scans of dam walls, gates, and stoplog slots. This method significantly increases the quality of underwater data obtained for dam and hydropower industry assessments. 

It provides dam owners with quantifiable and benchmark data crucial for assessing dam status and managing assets. Once they have the data, they can plan for repairs effectively.

WireScan system offers improved survey data with a safer and more cost-effective solution than traditional means for underwater environments. It reduces risks for divers as it limits traditional manned inspections.

WireScan is compact and easy to use. It typically only requires two operators – one operator to validate the data and the other for WireScan deployment.

ASI was granted the contract due to the company’s global reach and extensive competence in underwater infrastructure remote inspection.

What is UWILD?

UWILD, commonly known as Underwater Inspection in Place of Dry-Docking, is a potentially safer and more efficient way of maritime vessel inspection than the more traditional dry-docking procedure. UWILD inspections comprise inspecting the vessel’s submerged portion.

commercial diver ship repair

To begin, the vessel’s owner must guarantee that the vessel qualifies for a UWILD rather than having to dry dock. This is becoming infrequent as technology advances, but if outstanding recommendations for repairs to propellers, rudders, stern frames, sea valves, or other underwater structures exist, dry-docking may be the only viable choice.  

Once your vessel qualifies for cost savings, the following regions must be visualized underwater: rudder bearings, stern bearings, sea valves,  sea suctions, and shell plating. These areas will display wear and, if damaged, can result in severe problems for a vessel.

Additional ASI Services

Commercial Diving

commercial diver testing a dial indicator in a test tank
  • Marine Construction
  • Nuclear Diving
  • Manned Inspections
  • Ship Husbandry

Remote Innovations

  • Remote Cleaning
  • Remote Grout Injections
  • Remote Maintenance & Repair

Tunnelling Support

  • Marine Construction
  • Hyperbaric Support
  • Tunnel & Pipeline Inspections

Biofouling

  • Control
  • Monitoring

General

Narrows Dam bathymetric survey Hydrographer
  • Above and Below Water Photography
  • Bathymetric Services
  • Hydrographic Surveys
  • Pipe Crawling Equipment
  • ROV Imaging
  • Ultrasonic Thickness Measurements
  • Underwater Videography

Contact us to learn more about our services

+1 905-643-3283
For immediate assistance, please contact our Head Office at the number above.