
FAQs - Subsea Cable & Pipeline Detection Services
We can detect most subsea, nearshore, and land-based cables and pipelines that emit or can be induced with a magnetic field. This includes subsea power cables, telecom cables, and buried utility pipelines. If you’d like to confirm a specific asset, our team will gladly review your requirements. We are also actively developing a Distributed Acoustic System (DAP) to be used in combination with Sub-Bottom Profiling (SBP), to increase our capabilities to include cables and pipelines without current.
Our systems can detect cables and pipelines buried at depths of up to 10 metres, providing precise positioning and burial depth data for offshore, nearshore, and onshore surveys. Detection accuracy depends on the distance between our sensors and the target asset, so we always recommend conducting a landfall test before offshore operations. This preliminary test helps confirm the detection range, identify potential anomalies, and ensure the highest level of accuracy for your specific cable or pipeline.
Not always, but in many cases yes. We can detect signalless cables if they can be toned (supplied with a signal during the survey). Using advanced magnetic and electromagnetic sensors, Seekable detects a wide range of buried assets under varying conditions. This includes subsea power cables, telecom cables, nearshore and land based pipelines, and other utilities that emit or can be induced with a magnetic field.
For assets without current, we are actively developing a Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) system combined with Sub Bottom Profiling (SBP). DAS monitors vibrations along cables, and together with SBP it enhances detection of buried cables, maps sediment to rock transitions, and identifies geological layers. This provides an additional method for offshore cable detection using ROVs and drones, increasing accuracy and reliability. If you would like to confirm a specific asset, our team will gladly review your requirements.
Yes. Our experienced offshore technicians can join your vessel to support cable and pipeline detection surveys. We also provide equipment rental, remote technical support, and full integration with ROVs and drones to suit your project’s needs. In addition to our own offshore technicians, we also have a network of experienced offshore partners who can assist with surveys.
Yes, but primarily through our partners who can offer professional data processing and interpretation. This includes mapping, reporting, and geophysical analysis to turn survey results into actionable insights.
No. In addition to offshore operations, we also support onshore and nearshore detection. For these projects, we use drone-mounted or cart-based sensors to detect and map buried infrastructure in coastal or land-based environments.
Costs vary depending on the survey environment, cable type, and deployment method (ROVs, drones, or land-based equipment). To receive an accurate quotation tailored to your project, please get in touch with our team.
A landfall test is performed at the point where an offshore cable transitions onto land, i.e. the “landfall.” This location offers the ideal environment to evaluate how our detection systems will perform during a full offshore survey. During the test, we measure detection range, assess the strength and stability of the magnetic field, and determine the optimal frequencies for tracking the cable. Conducting a landfall test before offshore work allows us to understand site-specific conditions, identify potential anomalies, and fine-tune our equipment settings. This ensures maximum accuracy for cable and pipeline detection in the field.
Seekable’s cable detection technology uses five SENSYS fluxgate magnetometers arranged in a custom configuration and powered by our proprietary Seekable algorithm. This model-based approach allows us to detect and track subsea cables and pipelines from any position relative to the target, whether directly above, off to the side, or at varying distances. This is unlike the standard TSS systems, which depend on a hot/cold detection method, that requires passing directly over the cable. By eliminating the need for precise alignment, Seekable delivers high-accuracy magnetic field mapping, faster surveys, and safer operations across offshore, nearshore, onshore, and land-based environments.
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