Land Surveying: To Scan Or Not To Scan

I recently wrote a post on how 3D laser scanning can save you time and money even in todays market. Whether you are starting a brand new project, working on a existing project, or doing asset management the 3D laser scanner produces superior results at half the cost of a conventional survey crew. It does not matter whether you are in the Oil and Energy sector or in the Engineering sector, High Definition Scanning will produce quality results for your business.

  If you have any questions re-guarding this technology please feel free to contact me at tfernandez@petro-fs.com and don't forget to check out our website at www.petro-fs.com.

Check out the video below that our team of dedicated professionals came up with!

Land Surveying - PFS High Definition Scanning

Have you recently acquired new assets? Do you have the need or want to have those assets mapped? Whether those assets include oil, wind, or solar, Petroleum Field Services can help. At PFS we pride ourselves in being the industry leader in technology. With this technology Petroleum Field Services is able to provide the same premium service but at a lower cost than our competitors! Have you ever heard of High Definition Scanning? Our HDS scanner is like a camera that takes 360 degree photographs, except that every pixel has its own set of coordinates! When you send a survey crew out they collect only individual points, where as our scanner collects millions of points in half the time. It would take a survey crew a day or two to get everything mapped on a facility. We can do it with our scanner in a matter of a few hours.
So what do you get with a HDS scan?
• Complete 2d as-built
•Complete 3d as-built
•Complete 3d model
•Digital terrain model with contours for calculating volumes and elevations
•Low cost
So what do you get with a regular survey with a survey crew?
•Complete 2d as-built
•Digital terrain model with contours for calculating volumes and elevations
•Higher cost
What can you do with a 3d model of your asset?
 Well for one a 3d model is great for Engineering and design re-guarding future expansions. A 3d model can help your team calculate volumes of frac ponds, storage tanks, etc. The possibilities are endless. So you have to ask yourself, how could our company benefit from this technology?

If you have any questions re-guarding HDS scanning or other services Petroleum Field Services has to offer, please feel free to contact me at Tfernandez@petro-fs.com

Land Surveying: Must Have Apps

 This list is apps I use almost on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy this list as all of these apps have worked great for me and I know they will for you to.

VOXER

 

Will the android/ iphone app Voxer replace two way radios in surveying. In short I believe so, Voxer is a app in the play store and app store that will turn your smartphone into a walkie talkie. Anywhere you have service it will work. I use this app religiously to keep up with co-workers at our many offices, to communicate with my supervisor, and to keep track of my crew. For example this app comes in handy while running a total station or when two crews are on the same job but miles apart. There are countless use for this app in the survey industry. So give the app a try. what do you got to lose after all it is free.

TINY SCAN

 

Tiny scan is another app available on the play store and app store. It turns your ordinary smartphone into a powerful scanner.This app has countless uses in the survey industry. For example, when I go outta town I hate carrying loads of equipment, it just takes up more room in my work truck. But with this app I can leave that bulky scanner behind. To use the app simply tap on tiny scan and take a picture of your field notes for example. The app will convert that picture into a PDF scan and then you can just email it out directly from the app. That easy, its so easy a 2 year old can use it.

 

GOOGLE MAPS

 

Google maps is one of my all time favorite apps for use in surveying. Not only can you navigate with it but you can compare aerials between the maps you've been given and the hybrid aerial on the phone. It's extremely useful when trying to figure out which part of a creek or wooded area your in.

PDF CONNECT

 

PDF connect is awesome because it lets you download any email attachment and sign it with your finger. For example my company sends out weekly safety topics that require us to sign them and send them back and instead of printing and rescanning the form, I simply grab it from my email put my name on it the simply endorse it with my finger then I just email it out directly from the app. It literally takes 2 minutes to complete and send. The only downfall with this app is as far as I know it's only on the iphone.

COMPASS

The compass that comes with your smartphone is also a very useful tool in surveying. Everyone should always know where north is on every job that they arrive on. This app also comes in handy when trying to teach anyone to stake to a point with the GPS. I always teach new hires one thing, every job we go on know where north is. This is very crucial in surveying.

Now that I've given you some of the apps I use, what are some of the apps that you use to make your job easier or more efficient? Leave them in the comments below and lets help each other put together the best apps list for the survey industry!!!

Land Surveying Spells Adventure

Surveying is one of the best careers you can get into. I started surveying with my dad when I was only 13 years old and boy at that time I didnt realize the many adventures and situations I would get into. I started out in residential and commercial surveying which I loved, but I always longed for more adventure. What better way to get into an adventure then oilfield surveying. And make no mistake when I say adventure I mean it. Ive seen so many exciting things as a oilfield surveyor. Traveling is a great part of the job. Getting to see different places is awesome. I've been to Pennsylvania, Mississippi, New Jersey, Maryland, Louisiana, New Mexico, and all over the great state of Texas. As a matter of fact I met my wife when I was working on a pipeline down in south Texas.
 Now for the good stuff, I've literally almost stepped on rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads. I,ve been chased and tree'd by hogs. I've been in bayous getting topo shots and gators have popped up right next to me curiously just watching my every move. And yet all of this is still better than sitting in an office working a boring 9 to 5 job. There is no better place than being in the great outdoors, seeing new place and playing with the wildlife. You dont need to spend money for an adventure just become a surveyor, trust me if you like working outdoors this is the job for you. Do you need a degree to become a surveyor NO,just look up the nearest surveying company and go apply as a rodman. You to can have the adventure of a lifetime.

 Below are some pics I thought you all might enjoy!!!