46 / 2025-04-24 12:55:15

Applying Photogrammetry to Existing ROV Video Footage to Quantify Scour around Subsea Structures

This paper investigates the feasibility of applying photogrammetry to industry standard underwater video footage, as obtained with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to complement multibeam echosounder (MBES) data for the purpose of mapping scour around subsea structures. While MBES efficiently captures large-scale bathymetry, acoustic signals can be obstructed by suspended pipelines or structural elements, creating data gaps in critical areas. Photogrammetry potentially addresses these gaps by providing high-resolution terrain information and resolving fine-scale scour features. Interpretation of images obtained at water depths exceeding 200 meters confirms strong agreement between MBES-derived and photogrammetry-derived models. Despite challenges such as low-light conditions and incomplete ROV footage, photogrammetry was able to successfully reconstruct local seabed morphology, offering an effective, cost-efficient alternative or supplement to MBES for targeted subsea scour assessments.