KEY AREAS OF EXPERIENCE

    Activities are centred on the project management and supervision of engineering geoscience studies requiring  
    geophysical, geotechnical and oceanographic survey methods.

    As a senior team member on major projects worldwide, I provide the owner and design engineer with integrated
    evaluation and independent recommendations relating to seabed condition and geohazard. This geoscience support is
    primarily for the design and installation of large diameter pipelines, also floating and subsea oil & gas infrastructure.

    Within the Project Management Team environment, my role as lead geoscientist requires full understanding and
    communication of the engineering task, with identification of those parts of the design most critical to appropriate seabed
    mapping and characterisation. Principal functions require the monitoring and evaluation of surveys undertaken on behalf
    of offshore engineering design groups, and assisting in the efficient execution of such work. Tasks supporting offshore
    survey include the preparation of scope and specifications, tender bid evaluation and contract management.

    Responsibilities are primarily making timely recommendations directly to project owners and engineering management,
    based on the evaluation of seabed and geohazard survey, in addition to ensuring safe and cost effective survey
    operations.
    Since 1995, Project Management activities have centred on survey supervision and route evaluation for major pipeline
    and field development. These have all traversed deepwater (800 to 2800 metres) and required extensive geohazard
    mapping and risk assessment. (ie: Seabed stability, mass sediment transport, seismic activity and steep slopes / rugged
    terrain.) Such projects continue to provide practical experience in a variety of technically challenging frontier areas,
    requiring detailed geohazard and seabed characterisation.

    Experience gained over 20 years continuous employment as a marine geoscientist supports a wide range of projects both
    deepwater and nearshore including:


ENGINEERING

  •        PIPELINE
  • Feasibility studies
  • Route assessment
  • Front End Engineering Design studies
  • Permitting  
  • Installation supervision
  • Commissioning and Inspection tasks

  •        SUBSEA, ANCHORED, GRAVITY and PILED FOUNDATIONS
  • Site assessment
  • Design studies & Installation tasks

  •        NEARSHORE
  • Outfall route investigations
  • Wind Turbine site selection
  • Foundation studies
  • Pipeline and cable landfall evaluation
  • Dredging evaluation

SURVEY

  •        ENGINEERING & EXPLORATION
  • Planning
  • Supervision of acquisition, interpretation and reporting

  •        ENVIRONMENTAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL
  • Benthic habitat and cultural resource evaluation studies

  •        DATA PROCESSING & PRESENTATION
  • Quality control and visualisation of seafloor and sub seabed mapping data
  • Engineering evaluation of seabed morphology
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Flintshire Geoscience Ltd.
JAMES NICHOLLS, MSc., C Geol.
Engineering Geoscience
Deepwater & Nearshore Worldwide
Port Erin, IM9 6BG, British Isles.
+447768081006
james.nicholls@flintgeo.com
www.flintgeo.com
skype: flintgeo