Unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains one of the most pressing challenges for marine infrastructure projects worldwide. With more than 80 countries affected, 110 million landmines still hidden, and 20,000 deaths annually, the need
Unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains one of the most pressing challenges for marine infrastructure projects worldwide. With more than 80 countries affected, 110 million landmines still hidden, and 20,000 deaths annually, the need for effective UXO detection has never been more urgent—or more complex.
Before offshore wind farms or subsea cables can be installed, UXO campaigns must clear the seabed of dangerous items. These operations are essential for safety but come at a high price: vessels costing upwards of £50,000 per day, investigating just ten targets daily. Yet, recent analysis shows that only 4% of investigated targets are actual UXO—highlighting enormous potential for optimization.
Smarter Target Reduction and Advanced Algorithms
Industry innovators are responding. Seequent, a global leader in subsurface software, is helping transform UXO detection through advanced geophysical tools like Oasis montaj and its UXO extensions. These solutions unify disparate datasets, streamline workflows, and enable consultants to extract maximum insight from magnetic data—reducing time, cost, and risk.
One of the most exciting developments comes from Jack Brighouse, founder of ALM Geophysics, who has spent over three years developing the ALM Classifier. This sophisticated optimization algorithm compares new magnetic responses against thousands of historical UXO signatures, providing unprecedented confidence in target classification.
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