Energy & Surveying https://www.pobonline.com/rss/2670 en-us What Does A Land Surveyor Do? These Photos Show A Lot adolphuse@bnpmedia.com (Emell Derra Adolphus) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102340 Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102340-what-does-a-land-surveyor-do-these-photos-show-a-lot The Moment a Scorpion Guards a Survey Monument adolphuse@bnpmedia.com (Emell Derra Adolphus) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102269 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 09:30:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102269-the-moment-a-scorpion-guards-a-survey-monument scorpion guarding survey monument “I was in absolute wonder for both the nicely preserved patinated BCM find and the menacing scorpion that appeared to guard it. I thought to myself, ‘Does it get any more wild?’ I felt like Indiana Jones, archeologist and adventurer. Moments like this, which offer adventure and excitement, similar to that of the Lewis and Clark survey expedition, is what makes us fortunate to be surveyors of the land. And like this scorpion, protectors of survey monuments.” — Photo taken by surveyor Luis Lechuga of the County of Ventura, California Ventura County, California (1901) Ventura County, California (1901). Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection. Quantum Spatial Achieves IS-BAO Certification The designation verifies that the company’s flight operations division has adopted the best practices necessary to reach the highest levels of safety, security and professionalism in its airborne data acquisition activities.

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102231 Wed, 12 Aug 2020 20:25:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102231-quantum-spatial-achieves-is-bao-certification A Survey Party Chief Gets A New Apprentice in Brighton, Colorado adolphuse@bnpmedia.com (Emell Derra Adolphus) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102199 Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102199-a-survey-party-chief-gets-a-new-apprentice-in-brighton-colorado horned lizard on survey equipment A horned lizard hitches a ride. map of Brighton, Colorado A map of Brighton, Colorado, from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection. Field Staking for Electrical Lines Using Trimble's CenterPoint RTX http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102194 Thu, 09 Jul 2020 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102194-field-staking-for-electrical-lines-using-trimbles-centerpoint-rtx Survey Crew Members Share Photos from the Field adolphuse@bnpmedia.com (Emell Derra Adolphus) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/102192 Wed, 08 Jul 2020 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/102192-survey-crew-members-share-photos-from-the-field surveying with kids “Cheap labor using the kids as my survey crew!!!” — Submitted by Jeremy Henry, Henry Land Surveying of California. GLO corner stone “While searching for evidence and GLO corner Stones, we encountered this 5” x 5”x 28” limestone as called out in the GLO Notes for the S 1/4 Corner of Section 7, Township 19 South, Range 06 East of the 6th Principal Meridian, Chase County, Kansas. I take pictures of all Stones we find in our surveying adventures, but this one was odd for a post stone. It appears to be the original GLO Stone set by John Street between July 15 and 29, 1857 (while Kansas was still a territory). It was a pretty awesome find.” — Submitted by Aaron Davis, Geotech Inc. of Kansas landslide repairs “I started my surveying career during the summer of 1983 as a co-op for a small consulting engineering and surveying firm in North Canton, Ohio. As a professional surveyor for the Ohio Department of Transportation District 10 survey department, the bulk of my work involves performing topographic surveys for the design of culverts, bridges and, as the photo shows, landslide repairs.” — Submitted by Michael Durbin, Ohio Department of Transportation District 10 of Ohio. infrastructure survey “I am a third-generation surveyor that has been surveying for 16 years now. I had no real interest in pursuing a career in surveying as a child, but l eventually ended up following in my father and grandfather’s footsteps. It started off as simply a job. But after some years, I started to gain an appreciation for it, and it blossomed into a career I love.” — Submitted by Brandon Sutton, Wallace Montgomery of Maryland. section corners for solar farms “Locating section corners for solar farms.” — Submitted by James Disanti, SPACECO, Inc., while in Illinois. bird on survey equipment “Couldn't figure out why I was having trouble getting a fixed position.” — Submitted by Don Humble (City of Bullhead City). Performing cross sections in a pond “Performing cross sections in a pond formed from the outfall of a dam. This particular section is just above a bridge we were surveying to perform scour analysis. #kayaksurveying — Submitted by Eric V. Cooper (Wallace Montgomery) in Sussex County, Delaware. surveyor and horses “Several horses checking out the guy setting up the instrument.” — Submitted by Stanley Plisga (Plisga & Day, Land Surveyors) in Orrington, Maine. Resetting a horizontal survey monument “Resetting a horizontal survey monument.” — Submitted by James Disanti (SPACECO, Inc) in Chicago, Illinois. Laying out a wildlife viewing park “Laying out a wildlife viewing/education park. Somehow the designer thought an observation deck needed to be 60 feet out in the "water." Staked it out and then the contractor asks me, ‘How the H??? am I supposed to build it out there??’ hahaahaha” — Submitted by Kevin Allen in Eastern Indiana. surveyor in swamp “Boundary survey with Chickahominy River as property boundary. The river's course had been diverted due to the construction of I64. At some point, we just had to put the hipwaders on and get wet!” — Submitted by Marcia Gardy (Gardy & Assoc A Pro Corp) in New Kent County, Virginia. surveyors “Las personas que hacen possible que todo salga bien (The people who make it possible for everything to work out).” — Submitted by Miguel Yate of Consorcio Boqueron Tolima. Solar Energy Application for Aerial Images http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101973 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101973-solar-energy-application-for-aerial-images Easement Disputes Often Focus on Activities of Owners kkline@buncombe.main.nc.us (Kristopher M. Kline PLS) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101826 Sun, 01 Sep 2019 10:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101826-easement-disputes-often-focus-on-activities-of-owners easements Real Property and Appurtenant or In Gross Easements kkline@buncombe.main.nc.us (Kristopher M. Kline PLS) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101730 Mon, 01 Jul 2019 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101730-real-property-and-appurtenant-or-in-gross-easements easements Career Notes: Riding the 3D Wave trunickp@bnpmedia.com (Perry Trunick) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101710 Tue, 25 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101710-career-notes-riding-the-3d-wave Meades Ranch survey marker Station tablet for “Meades Ranch.” Photo Courtesy of Earl F. Burkholder GPS on Station "Reilly" at New Mexico State University Right: GPS on Station “Reilly” at New Mexico State University. Photo Courtesy of Earl F. Burkholder Greenwich Meridian At the Greenwich Meridian — Where East Meets West, an opportunity during an assignment to work on a major infrastructure project. Photo Courtesy of Earl F. Burkholder obelisk at Oregon's Institute of Technology In esteemed company, Burkholder visits the obelisk at Oregon’s Institute of Technology which lists the names of all of its surveying graduates. Photo Courtesy of Earl F. Burkholder Alumnus of the Year From Burkholder’s 50th High School Reunion – Alumnus of the Year. Photo Courtesy of Earl F. Burkholder Solo Notes: A Surveyor’s Place in History http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101640 Wed, 15 May 2019 08:45:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101640-solo-notes-a-surveyors-place-in-history Philip Adams speaking to Maasai chief Learning about the Maasai people in Tanzania, Africa. The chief explained to Adams how they navigate and develop their land. Photo courtesy Philip E. Adams Philip Adams with Garey Gilley Adams at a convention with his mentor and first boss, Garey Gilley. Photo courtesy Philip E. Adams Philip Adams teaching at a community college Adams teaching at a community college. Photo courtesy Philip E. Adams LiDAR and 3D Help Develop 5G Network http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101576 Mon, 11 Feb 2019 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101576-lidar-and-3d-help-develop-5g-network aerial imagery of Seattle Seattle’s abundance of tall trees and its urban infrastructure mix made classifying the land cover particularly tricky. cell tower 5G will require lots of small cells to be installed on city infrastructure like utility poles, lampposts and buildings to ensure line of sight is maintained. smart city Industry analysts proclaim that 5G will enable the next wave of technological advancements in Internet of Things (Iot), smart cities, virtual reality and autonomous vehicles. urban Seattle The hilly, tree-heavy urban area of Seattle made classifying shadows and land cover challenging. Seattle The hilly and tree-rich city of Seattle forced Chris Lowe to develop a creative way to analyze shadows and make accurate class decisions for the Seattle 3D city model. telecommunications To capitalize on the fast future of 5G, telecom companies will need a notably denser array of small antennas installed all over urban areas. Power Utility Project Uses Real Time Surveying http://www.pobonline.com/articles/101333 Wed, 11 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/101333-power-utility-project-uses-real-time-surveying surveying power lines The Geomatikk crew acquired two scans of the power lines. Here the SX10 scans from the bottom of the slope while Even Sellevol monitors the controller. Trimble SX10 The Trimble SX10 begins the first scan of the four, 450-m-long power lines and two towers. photographing power line tower The Geomatikk team used the SX10’s digital camera to snap a photo of the top of one of the power line towers. measuring sag of power line The Geomatikk crew’s task was to measure and help adjust the sag of new, high-voltage power lines on a mountain in Sogn og Fjordane, a county in western Norway. point cloud Capturing 26,600 points per second, the Trimble SX10 collected a 3D scan of all four power lines and two towers in 20 minutes. Career Notes: Incentivizing Employee Success in Surveying Firms kingv@bnpmedia.com (Valerie King) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/100954 Fri, 02 Jun 2017 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/100954-career-notes-incentivizing-employee-success-in-surveying-firms Marks with coworker Jennifer Marks, LS, works in a firm that includes land surveyors, engineers, architects and environmental scientists. Marks studied geology and cartography at Boston University, and says her decision to become a professional surveyor came after she entered into the workforce. Photo courtesy BL Companies Marks and coworker examining maps During her 25 years with BL Companies, Marks says she has witnessed substantial growth. She says the fact that the business is employee owned positively impacts morale. mentoring an elementary school student Mentorship is important to Marks. She says she has a hard time finding experienced talent and that offering more paths to licensure may help. Photo courtesy BL Companies BL Companies The surveying team at BL Companies largely works on projects involving utilities, including electrical power and pipelines. Photo courtesy BL Companies Editor's Points: Surveying Provides Tangible Reality trunickp@bnpmedia.com (Perry Trunick) I’ve been reading the revised edition of “Drawing the Line,” by Edwin Danson. It’s about the survey that led to what we know as the Mason-Dixon Line.

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/100714 Sun, 01 Jan 2017 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/100714-editors-points-surveying-provides-tangible-reality Landowner Rights vs. Surveyor Access trunickp@bnpmedia.com (Perry Trunick) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/100715 Sun, 01 Jan 2017 08:45:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/100715-landowner-rights-vs-surveyor-access surveyor pipeline When the Mapping Tool Needed Doesn't Exist http://www.pobonline.com/articles/98289 Fri, 01 Jul 2016 09:02:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/98289-when-the-mapping-tool-needed-doesnt-exist Questar Gas inspector riser installation “The riser is too low and it’s buried with dirt.” To refute claims such as this, Questar Gas takes dated, geo-referenced photos to show that installation is correct. fire hydrant Questar Gas ties pipe locations to as many features as they can, for example, fire hydrants. measuring pipe as it is laid Questar Gas inspectors work alongside service crews throughout a job so they can measure pipe as it is laid, without slowing the contractor down. Trimble VRS network Questar Gas connects to Utah's Trimble VRS network for real-time 4-inch accuracy. map of pipeline by hand The original process to produce an as-built map of laid pipeline required that the map be drawn three times: on the job by hand (pictured above), in the truck on a laptop, and then finally by an internal Questar Gas support team. map of pipeline on laptop The original process to produce an as-built map of laid pipeline required that the map be drawn three times: on the job by hand, in the truck on a laptop (pictured above), and then finally by an internal Questar Gas support team. map of pipeline by internal support team The original process to produce an as-built map of laid pipeline required that the map be drawn three times: on the job by hand, in the truck on a laptop, and then finally by an internal Questar Gas support team (pictured above). Topcon GNSS Streamlines Construction http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97964 Wed, 23 Dec 2015 06:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97964-topcon-gnss-streamlines-construction Covanta PCS crews At the Covanta Niagara site, the PCS crews were so confident in GNSS accuracy that the tip of the excavator was often used to confirm rim elevations in structures like the one shown here. Topcon GR-5 used to confirm grade Dozers were used to grade the entire Covanta Niagara Rail-to-Truck Intermodal Facility site, including the track areas in which tolerances must be within a half-inch. After compaction, a Topcon GR-5 is used to confirm grade. Photo courtesy Pinto Construction Services PCS crews install 4-inch under drain With the Covanta Niagara project model created and loaded into excavators running Topcon X-63 machine control, PCS crews easily tackled installation of the 4-inch under drain. Photo courtesy Pinto Construction Services Covanta Niagra settlement pond Originally conceived as a topsoil structure, this settlement pond at the Covanta Niagara site was changed to a more challenging riprap design. Using a GNSS-equipped excavator and grading bucket, PCS equipment operator Dwayne Seiler created the pond in only two days. Rebar placed in preparation for pouring concrete pad Rebar was placed in preparation for pouring one of the massive concrete pads at the Covanta Niagara Rail-to-Truck Intermodal Facility. When complete, custom loaders will offload sealed containers of waste, which will then be taken to the tipping floor and emptied for incineration. Photo by Trojak Communications 5.5 miles of drainage piping planned for installation This digital model depicts one section of the more than five-and-a-half miles of drainage piping installed at the site of the Covanta Niagara Rail-to-Truck Intermodal Facility Photo courtesy Pinto Construction Services Data Management Off the Grid Survey crews “car-camp” and hike as they inspect more than 100 miles of natural gas pipeline in rural Canada.

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97884 Wed, 25 Nov 2015 07:30:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97884-data-management-off-the-grid Off the Grid feature image Including pipeline data and construction reports, Canada’s Enmapp provides field data collection services to some of the world’s largest energy companies. It was time, though, for crews to move on from carrying bloated binders of paper maps and forms. Alaska data collector for SRB&A When your office is Alaska, the ability to work offline is important. Just ask employees of Stephen R. Braund & Associates, who enthusiastically combine anthropology and geographic expertise in their jobs. Conditions vary as much as the jobs themselves Facing conditions as varied as the jobs themselves, Logan Simpson Design has wide-ranging demands to achieve accurate mobile GPS data collection, on or off the grid. TerraGo Edge With TerraGo Edge, “because this software has custom forms and maps, our field users could collect data all in one place,” says Paul Lawrence, research associate at Stephen R. Braund & Associates. Leica Laser Scanning Earns Praise When plant engineers at a major midstream natural gas pipeline and processing company needed to install new piping and vessels in their facility, they asked Bridgeport, W.Va.-based I3 Engineering and Consulting to provide an engineering design for the project.

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97784 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 09:46:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97784-leica-laser-scanning-earns-praise 3D laser scanning data Thanks to Leica 3D laser scanning technology, I3 Engineering and Consulting in conjunction with Allegheny Surveys was able to produce this deliverable on a major natural gas plant refurb project. I3 Engineering and Consulting Called upon by I3 Engineering and Consulting, Allegheny Surveys was able to acquire all required 3D laser scanning data in just four hours on site. I3 Engineering and Consulting Working with 3D laser scanning data provided by Allegheny Surveys, I3 Engineering and Consulting turned out models such as this for the natural gas plant’s new piping project. I3 Engineering and Consulting A sample of the models produced by I3 Engineering and Consulting, working with 3D laser scanning data collected by Allegheny Surveys using Leica equipment and software. Topcon Launches Completely Reimagined Website ]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97596 Mon, 01 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97596-topcon-launches-completely-reimagined-website Topcon positioning Technologies Team Up, Pay Off for Canadian Surveyors ]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97589 Fri, 15 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97589-technologies-team-up-pay-off Multi-Tasking Leica Tool The Leica Nova MS50 MultiStation integrates 3D point cloud measurements into a regular survey workflow. Multi-Tasking Leica Tool The Leica Nova MS50 MultiStation integrates 3D point cloud measurements into a regular survey workflow. MicroSurvey CAD Ultimate desktop survey and design program Complementing the Leica Nova MS50MultiStation is the MicroSurvey CAD Ultimate desktop survey and design program, built expressly for surveyors, contractors and engineers. Laser Scanning Saves The Day for Oil & Gas Revamp in Africa ]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97568 Wed, 01 Apr 2015 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97568-laser-scanning-rescues-oil-gas-revamp Ariosh technical manager Yusuf Alege Ariosh technical manager Yusuf Alege has high words of praise for the AVEVA products. “Our designers are highly competent with PDMS and preferred working with it over any other 3D package,” he says, “until we migrated to AVEVA E3D and found it to be even better.” Scanning for Opportunities in West Africa AVEVA E3D BubbleViews AVEVA E3D BubbleViews show the virtual installation of brownfield modifications on one of seven offshore production platforms in West Africa. Contractor Ariosh was able to leverage AVEVA software to save what was a troubled project. AVEVA E3D BubbleViews AVEVA E3D BubbleViews show the virtual installation of brownfield modifications on one of seven offshore production platforms in West Africa. Contractor Ariosh was able to leverage AVEVA software to save what was a troubled project. California Utility Goes Underground To Find Some Nice Savings ]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97522 Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97522-california-utility-goes-underground-to-find-savings California regional wastewater utility San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility The San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility encountered a myriad of pipes and utilities, both current and abandoned. This prompted a proactive response. Ground Penetrating Radar Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is "absolutely critical" to a San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility program to identify buried utilities. Two ruggedized GSSI units are used. GPS Unit and Laser Rangefinder When locating and documenting buried utilities, assorted techniques are available. This includes the use of a GPS unit alongside a laser rangefinder to identify location and depth. Surveying Fuels Energy http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97376 Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:04:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97376-surveying-fuels-energy Surveying Ryan Rettew, party chief (left), and Kevin Porter, party chief, work in the field on a utilities project. Surveyors Surveyors work near power lines. Utility Company Surveying (Left to right) Joe Grissinger, survey technician; Ron Horst, project manager; and Ryan Rettew, party chief, together provide surveying for a utility company. RETIEW Andrew Benner, survey designer, RETTEW. Surveying Surveying plays a key role in the energy industry, at sites like this utility property. Intergeo 2013 Offers Glimpse of Future hetzlerj@bnpmedia.com (John Hetzler) For three days in October, Essen, Germany, served as the center of the world—or at least, the center of how the geospatial community looks at the world.

From Oct. 8-10, the city in the Ruhr area of western Germany hosted Intergeo, one of the premier conferences for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. With a history dating back to the eighth century and roots in industry and religion, Essen focused its attention on the geospatial world—for a few days at least.

What did it show?

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/97171 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/97171-intergeo-2013-offers-glimpse-of-future The trade conference offered a glimpse at data, decisions, UAS and the future of the geospatial community   The trade conference offered a glimpse at data, decisions, UAS and the future of the geospatial community. The Entrance to Intergeo more than 500 companies displaying their latest products Companies such as Altus, Leica, Topcon and Carlson were among the more than 500 displaying their latest products to the approximately 16,000 attendees at Intergeo 2013.  more than 500 companies displaying their latest products  Companies such as Altus, Leica, Topcon and Carlson were among the more than 500 displaying their latest products to the approximately 16,000 attendees at Intergeo 2013.   more than 500 companies displaying their latest products  Companies such as Altus, Leica, Topcon and Carlson were among the more than 500 displaying their latest products to the approximately 16,000 attendees at Intergeo 2013.   more than 500 companies displaying their latest products  Companies such as Altus, Leica, Topcon and Carlson were among the more than 500 displaying their latest products to the approximately 16,000 attendees at Intergeo 2013.   Geologists Using Drones to Hunt for Oil Researchers at Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research (CIPR), a joint venture between the University of Bergen (UiB) and Uni Research, have found a new method – using drones to map new oil reserves from the air.

]]> http://www.pobonline.com/articles/96920 Wed, 29 May 2013 10:08:00 -0400 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/96920-geologists-using-drones-to-hunt-for-oil Strength in Numbers http://www.pobonline.com/articles/96543 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:53:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/96543-strength-in-numbers Seamless Fit vickispeed1@comcast.net (Vicki Speed) http://www.pobonline.com/articles/96362 Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:30:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/96362-seamless-fit Editor's Points: Preconceived Notions http://www.pobonline.com/articles/96595 Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:01:00 -0500 https://www.pobonline.com/articles/96595-editors-points-preconceived-notions