How Important is Technology When It Comes to Finding An Accurate Land Surveyor?

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Land Surveying CompanyIf you’re in the later phases of planning your development project, then perhaps you’ve already heard about the potential benefits that working with a land surveying company can offer. But just what are those benefits and where do they come from? In this post, we’ll examine how working with an accurate land surveyor that offers the latest land surveying technologies can benefit your surveying project from start to finish.

While the benefits of advanced surveying technology are diverse and many, they can essentially be broken down into four main points:

  • Faster surveys
  • More accurate surveys
  • Less expensive surveys
  • Safer surveys
Faster Surveys

The more time you spend conducting land surveys, the further you delay the process of actually completing your development project. As a result, generating surveys as quickly as possible is a worthy goal, one that new land surveying technologies can help oil and gas companies achieve.

One example of a technology that supports faster surveys is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are commonly known as drones. UAVs are able to help with mapping and scanning from above, allowing them to cover large areas in a relatively short period of time. In addition, since they do not have to travel over land like traditional land surveyors, they are generally not slowed down by difficult terrain. Finally, the data gathered by UAVs can be sent to a cloud project management platform, so that engineers can instantly begin putting that data into action.

More Accurate Surveys

Completing accurate surveys is important because land surveys form the foundation for everything else that comes later in the design and construction phases. If the foundation is not sound, it can lead to inconvenient surprises and unexpected costs later on.

An accurate land surveyor will know will almost always use 3D laser scanning technology. By bouncing millions of points of light off of a building or terrain, 3D laser scanners can quickly put together a data point cloud that can then be used to build a very detailed model of the building or terrain that was scanned. Today’s high-definition laser scanning technology has developed to the point where it can create models to within four millimeters of accuracy.

Less Expensive Surveys

High costs for land surveying can usually be traced back to time-consuming manual processes. As mentioned before, when land surveyors have to cross terrain overland to conduct their work, it is very time consuming, which in turn leads to higher costs.

An accurate land surveyor that utilizes the latest technologies can cut down on the costs of surveying. UAVs are helpful because they allow surveys to be completed quicker with less manual work for surveyors to do. In addition, 3D modeling can be used to create construction plans quickly, which also helps keep costs down.

Safer Surveys

Last but certainly not least, advanced surveying technologies can help keep surveyors and other employees safe, which should be the single most important goal of any construction project. With surveying, the biggest risk comes from rugged terrain, which is not easy to traverse and requires much more caution on the surveyor’s part. Because more caution is needed, the survey can take longer to produce.

Technologies such as UAVs remove the need for land surveyors to physically travel over difficult terrain. This eliminates the risk of harm coming to the surveyor while at the same time producing a detailed survey.

To learn more about the benefits of advanced surveying technology for land surveying projects, contact Landpoint today.

Image Source: U.S. Army Corps

How HD Laser Scanning Helps the Pipeline Construction Process At All Levels

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pipeline-surveying,-HD-Laser-ScanningWhen a pipeline project experiences any type of delay or isn’t running as efficiently as possible, it has a huge impact on the bottom line. Every aspect of the pipeline construction process, including planning, design, layout, and management, is highly time dependent. The sooner your company is able to get a pipeline functional, the sooner you start seeing ROI. Proper pipeline surveying can help reduce delays and assist with project planning, especially when HD laser scanning is used.

The laser scanning system speeds up the surveying function across all aspects of the pipeline pipeline construction process, from planning to production. Put more simply, it supports multiple stages of pipeline development, from concept to completion.

Pipeline Pre-Design Phase

Aerial imagery and LiDAR data provides an accurate picture of the terrain and existing on-site structures prior to beginning any work. This allows everyone involved to see the “as is state,” before moving to the planning phase. With this pre-existing information, engineers can make better informed decisions throughout the full life cycle of the project.

Getting scans and imagery in the pre-design phase helps with services such as topographic surveys. It is the easiest and most accurate way to get a complete look at the area to be developed and ensures that engineers get their project off to a good start.

Scans may also be completed using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) where surveys of very large areas can be completed much more quickly and for far less money than previous methods.

Pipeline Design Phase

Once engineers have an accurate understanding of the site that is going to be developed, the next step is to plan for how the pipeline fits into the current environment.  UAV data collection provides an excellent way for engineers to visualize a project during the planning phase of pipeline surveying.

Using the laser scanning results, engineers can confidently predict and avoid any potential issues before beginning the construction phase. Scans can be used to create digital elevation models, which in turn can be used to help identify potential issues as well as assist with the overall planning. The result: your project experiences less setbacks and ends up costing less.

Pipeline Construction Phase

Because the design phase normally requires multiple views of the project as it evolves, laser scanning adds value to the pipeline surveying process in multiple ways. Every time someone needs a fresh look at the project, the scan data can deliver the results.

When it’s time to actually begin construction, the LiDAR data is extremely beneficial. Engineers can very quickly complete as-built surveys showing how the project is evolving and redefining the look of the terrain and existing environment.

Because there are so many interested parties involved in a pipeline surveying project, it is important to complete these “on demand” surveys quickly and easily. UAV scans are perfect for these ad hoc, on demand kinds of surveys.

In the past, projects would grind to a halt waiting for accurate work in process scans. Now, HD scans provide one of the quickest and easiest ways to create as-built surveys during pipeline construction.

Experience is everything in Scanning Surveys

There are many things that can go wrong in a pipeline project one of which being outdated information that can lead to poor decision making. Project managers should carefully consider the company behind the services and work with someone who has several years of practical, field experience who is also capable of providing you with the most up-to-date data.

To learn how Landpoint can help your oil and gas company with pipeline surveying, download our free brochure today.

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Tips for Getting Detailed 3D Models of Your Site

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3D-Laser-ScanningThere are many reasons why construction companies might choose to create 3D models of their sites, including using the models for pre-project planning, as-built drawings, and ensuring that quality assurance measures are being followed. No matter how you’ll be using your 3D models, it’s important that they be accurate and precise in order for you to get the best results from them.

Accurate and precise 3D models are dependent on collecting complete data from your site. In this post, we’ll cover what it takes to get complete, accurate and precise data, which in turn helps ensure that your 3D models are a true representation of the site. Follow the tips outlined here, and you’ll be able to get 3D models that meet your needs, no matter what those needs may be.

Tip 1: Make sure your surveyor offers 3D land surveying

3D laser scanning is one of the most advanced land surveying technologies in existence today, and working with a partner that knows how to properly take advantage of this advanced technology is one of the most important factors involved in getting good results for your 3D models.

Here’s how 3D land surveying works: a series of scanners let out thousands of individual laser bursts every second. The laser beams then bounce off the building or terrain that’s being surveyed, before returning back to the scanner. The scanner then tracks the phase shift and time of flight for the individual beams. The results of the thousands of different laser beams are combined into a single point cloud, allowing the land surveyor to form an extremely detailed depiction of the building or terrain as it actually exists.

Insist on a land surveyor that provides 3D laser scanning, and you’ll get better site representation as a result in the 3D models.

Tip 2: Use aerial scans, if possible

Aerial scans are another example of a technology that has greatly increased the accuracy at which scanning data can be gathered. In fact, aerial data scans have developed to the point where scans can be performed at a resolution of 1 centimeter per pixel.

Aerial scans are performed using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are also commonly known as drones. Today’s UAVs can be equipped with high-resolution cameras, and the ability to relay data back to a data management portal. In addition to providing extremely detailed scans, UAVs also contribute to quicker scans, and a safer work environment. When land surveyors don’t have to cross difficult terrain in order to do their jobs, they can get their jobs done quicker, and at less personal risk.

Tip 3: Request that your 3D model be fully textured

The technology behind 3D models has come a long way in recent years, and it shows in the significantly improved details of what today’s 3D models can convey. In years past, companies were lucky if they could get a basic wireframe and a few texture-less shapes on their 3D models. While today, 3D models can now pick up on many different details, including things like colors and textures.

Depending on how you intend to use your 3D models, this level of detail can really make a difference. For things like project planning, having this level of detail is nice, but may not be essential. However, for things like training and marketing, it can make all the difference in the world, as these are the kinds of settings where you really want people to get a realistic view of what it is they’re looking at.

To learn more about 3D land surveying  and how to get the most detailed, accurate, and precise 3D models possible, contact us at Landpoint today.

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The Four Environmental Review Steps For Wetland Regulatory Compliance

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Environmental-ReviewWetlands play an important role in the environment, which is why there are very strict policies in place when it comes to development in or around wetland areas. If you’re planning a project in an area that turns out to include wetlands, there are a number of environmental review steps you must take in order to ensure that your project is compliant. These steps include:

  • Delineation
  • Permitting
  • Mitigation banking
  • Monitoring

In this post, we’ll cover each of these four steps and what they mean to you. However, working with environmental assessment services is the best way to ensure that your project is compliant.

Delineation

The first step in responsible wetland regulatory compliance is finding out exactly where the wetlands are within your project plan. This is accomplished through a process known as delineation.

When you hire an environmental analyst to conduct a wetlands delineation on your behalf, the analyst will come to your project site and collect scientific data about the soil, vegetation and topography of the area. If, based on these three elements, the analyst finds that the area meets the legal definition of wetlands, then performing work in that area will require special considerations on your part.

Once the reviewer has an idea of where the wetlands are, the professional land surveyor can  mark the boundaries of the area. Then they can map the wetland boundaries and add the map to a project plan, which can be presented to local authorities.

Permitting

The specific wetlands regulatory compliance permits required for a project will vary greatly based on the specific local, state, and federal regulations. This is why it can be so helpful to work with experienced professionals who know the specifics of a particular area and can walk you through the process.

In spite of the fact that there are so many different permits out there, almost all construction projects will be held in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. In order to conduct a project that may affect the area in or around wetlands, a company must first receive a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. These permits are issued in accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Your professional environmental review firm can help you understand what’s involved with Section 404, so that you can approach the permit application process with confidence.

Mitigation Banking

The idea behind mitigation banking is that companies should have a plan in place to help offset the negative impact they may cause to a wetlands area. By performing preservation, enhancement, restoration or creation (PERC) activities in similar ecosystems near the affected area, organizations can make sure they are in compliance with any mitigation banking requirements that affect their project.

Mitigation banking requirements are also covered by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and involve the use of credits assigned by a Mitigation Banking Review Team. A MBRT is made up of representatives from various different local, state, and federal environmental agencies.

Mitigation banking credits are a qualitative representation of ecological value, and if a company is able to secure enough credits before beginning their project, it is assumed that they can complete the project while causing no net loss of habitat for wetland species.

Monitoring

Finally, it’s important to remember that wetlands regulatory compliance isn’t just something that happens once before a project begins. Organizations must monitor their projects to ensure that they stay compliant over time, because permits can be pulled even after a project has already started. In order to ensure ongoing compliance and avoid unscheduled delays, organizations should work with surveying firm that offers environmental assessment services to help perform monitoring.

To learn more about wetlands regulatory compliance and how it can impact your construction project, contact us at Landpoint today. Our environmental assessment services can ensure that your project stays compliant and on-track.

Image Source : New York District

How a Professional Land Surveyor Provides Litigation Support

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professional land surveyorWhile most construction and development companies have at least some understanding of the benefits of working with a professional land surveyor, one of the services they may fail to take into account is litigation support. Most people never plan on having to go to court, but when you find yourself in a situation where you do need legal support, having an expert you can count on can be an invaluable asset.

The land surveyor as construction expert witness

Our judicial system relies heavily on the use of construction expert witnesses. Basically, this idea rests on the fact that judges and juries can’t be expected to make rulings on certain technical issues without a deep understanding of those issues. Instead, litigants can bring in expert witnesses to explain the situation to the court in a way that they understand.

The key thing to remember is that if you find your company embroiled in a legal conflict, you can expect for your rival party to bring their own expert witness in front of the court to explain the issues in a way that is favorable to their clients. Showing up without your own construction expert witnesses to counteract this could be disastrous for your case.

In addition, it’s important to realize that credibility matters when it comes to expert witnesses. The people doing the judging are not experts themselves; therefore, a big part of whether or not they believe a witness’ testimony has to with how credible they find the witness as an expert. Since professional land surveyors spend a good chunk of their lives engaged in land surveying, it’s safe to assume that they make credible experts on the subject.

What types of cases can a land surveyor provide litigation support for?

Your organization could be taken to court for any number of different reasons, including for things that occur before, during, or after a project. Any time a plaintiff can allege that your company caused injury or financial damage through negligence, your company may be at risk from a legal standpoint.

The cases that a land surveyor could help you with include, but are not limited to, accident scene documentation, construction dispute resolution, project errors and omissions, and all types of encroachment issues related to boundaries or easements.

What to look for in a land surveyor for litigation support

If your organization is facing legal action, and you’re considering hiring a land surveying firm to help your case, there are a number of different factors you should take into account in order to make sure that you’re making the right choice.

The first factor to consider is experience. Litigation support is not something that all land surveying firms do on a regular basis, and if you hire a land surveyor that doesn’t know the ins and outs of the courts, then chances are good that they won’t be able to provide you with the kind of protection you’re looking for. Make sure you hire a land surveyor who has experience providing the specific kind of litigation support you need.

Also, make sure to consider turnaround time when picking a land surveying firm to provide litigation support. If the firm you hire doesn’t move quickly, sending a team to investigate the site and start gathering information within a few days, then you might not be able to count on them to get results for you when your case goes to court.

Final thoughts

Hiring a land surveyor is not a guarantee of victory, but it will put you in the best possible position to protect yourself against legal action. To learn more about how a professional land surveyor can help you, contact Landpoint today.

Image Source : NOAA’s National

Advice from an Environmental Consulting Firm: Winning a Review

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5265582279_1a3c9a12c2_zFor oil and gas companies, winning environmental reviews can be a challenge. Getting the appropriate regulatory bodies the information they need can halt the actual construction project, which in turn wastes the company’s time and money.

These issues usually arise when companies are unaware of what is actually required to win an environmental regulatory review and can’t prepare for them properly in the early days of the project. In this post, we’ll discuss several steps you can take to make sure an environmental site assessment goes your way with the least amount of delay possible. Take a look at these points, but also bear in mind that working with professional environmental consulting firms may be worthwhile.

Things you should do to win an environmental site assessment

1. Know what the requirements are

It may sound obvious, but some oil and gas companies are unsuspecting of the environmental regulations that pertain to their project until it’s too late. Factoring in these issues in advance can help remove many of the headaches involved with environmental site assessment.

One way to do this is by building a good working relationship with the environmental agencies that oversee issues related to the project. Environmental regulations change frequently over time, so keeping up with agencies and how they work is the best way to make sure you’re always up to date on the most recent requirements. Since building good working relationships can take years, you can always consider hiring an environmental consulting firm to help you in the meantime. Working with a firm will allow you to piggyback on their expertise and relationships, helping you understand your environmental review requirements going into a project.

2. Make environmental issues an ingrained part of your project from Day 1

Oil and gas companies sometimes run into problems when unexpected environmental issues arise. Once the project is already in development, it can be hard to go back and tack on environmental compliance as an afterthought.

Instead, oil and gas companies can make sure that they win their environmental reviews by preparing for them every step of the way. This means understanding what environmental issues might be included in the project, and taking steps to make sure those requirements are being met before any work begins on the actual construction project itself. In order to accomplish this, it can be beneficial for organizations to ensure cooperation and openness between planners and engineers. Making sure that the right people are working together and communicating with one another is the best way for environmental concerns to be accounted for long before the review process begins.

3. Use the right technology

Finally, organizations must remember that environmental regulations are so complex that even when one has a complete and accurate understanding of what they are, it can still be difficult to act on them correctly. This is where technology comes into play. Using the right technology helps take the guesswork out of environmental reviews, ensuring that an organization has selected the optimal land use patterns that allow them to meet environmental requirements without sacrificing the success of the project.

Once again, working with an environmental consulting firm can be very helpful in this regard. These firms have experience using the latest technology, and know how to put it to use to support your environmental concerns.

Landpoint offers a level of service unlike other environmental consulting firms, giving you the knowledge and resources you need to ensure a successful outcome for your environmental reviews. To learn more about environmental consulting services from Landpoint, contact us today.

Image Source : Centre for Alternative Technology

How Terrestrial Laser Scanning Makes Pre-Project Planning a Faster Process

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3D Laser Scanning

In today’s competitive oil and gas landscape, companies are looking for any advantage they can get to help them finish their projects on time and under budget. Unfortunately, many oil and gas leaders fail to recognize just how important it is for them to get their projects off on the right foot. When companies make an effort to start off a project right with pre-project planning based on complete and accurate land surveys, the rest of the project phases have a way of falling into place by themselves.

Today we’ll discuss terrestrial 3D laser scanning, and how it can be an important tool in getting off to the best start possible with effective pre-project planning. While 3D laser scanning can play an important role throughout a construction project, it has many special advantages when it comes to pre-project planning. As a result, there’s really no reason that anyone should ever consider beginning an oil and gas construction project without first completing a 3D laser scan of the terrain.

What Is 3D Laser Scanning?

Simply put, 3D laser scanning is a process that involves bouncing laser beams off of a building or a piece of terrain. As the light points bounce back, the scanner collects data about the laser’s flight and integrates this data into a point cloud. Companies can then use this point cloud to create detailed 3D models that support pre-project planning.

What Makes 3D Laser Scanning So Beneficial?

The hallmarks of terrestrial laser scanning are that it allows land surveyors to complete extremely detailed scans of an area in a very quick period of time. Traditional land surveying methods take significantly more time to complete than 3D laser scans, meaning that they also cause delays in the beginning of the project. In addition, the surveys that traditional land surveyors create are nowhere near as detailed as those created by laser scans, and often require the surveyors to place themselves in harm’s way on dangerous terrain.

After a team has a complete and accurate laser scan, they can begin working on the pre-project planning process with no delay. In addition to being quicker, 3D laser scans also support better decision making during the pre-project planning process. Team leaders will be able to make educated decisions about the best way to proceed with a project, while also feeling completely confident that their decisions are based on a complete and accurate understanding of the terrain as it actually exists, rather than the computer generated contours that go along with traditional surveying methods.

Finally, the accuracy and completeness provided by 3D laser scanning will prove to be an asset even when plans change. If, during the course of your pre-project planning, your team decides to move in a different direction with a project, you will most likely still be able to leverage information included in your original 3D laser scans, rather than having to take time out from your planning to complete additional measurements. 3D laser scans provide complete and detailed information that covers an entire area, meaning that you’ll never have to pay to bring surveyors out for another pre-planning site visit.

Simply put, 3D laser scanning is the best way to ensure that your oil and gas project gets off to the right start, while also ensuring that your team will be prepared to adapt to any issues that may arise along the way. With 3D laser scanning, you can help make sure that your pre-project planning process is completed on time and under budget, setting you up nicely for a successful project.

To learn more about how 3D laser scanning services from Landpoint can help your company conduct better pre-project planning, contact us today.

Why Planning with GIS is Critical for Pipeline Routing Projects

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Pipeline SurveyingWhile pipelines do provide a cost-effective method of transporting oil and gas across long distances, it is still crucial for companies to save on pipeline development costs when they can. Pipeline development represents one of the most significant capital investments oil and gas companies will make, so everything they can do to cut costs helps.

One of the key ways oil and gas companies can cut costs on their pipeline development projects is by using GIS mapping tools for pipeline surveying. Of the many factors that drive high expenses for pipeline routing projects, most of them, including things like diameter, distance, and operating pressure, represent fixed costs that companies really have no control over.

On the other hand, companies can control which terrain they choose to route their pipelines through. This means that pipeline routing is one of the few opportunities that oil and gas companies have to easily cut their pipeline development costs, and GIS is one of the best ways to take advantage of that opportunity.

GIS: A Solution for a New Generation of Pipeline Surveying

In the past, oil and gas companies could build their pipelines just about anywhere. Now, as pipeline right-of-ways grow more and more congested, these companies have to be very selective when picking a route in order to avoid both natural obstacles and existing pipelines.

Fortunately, with GIS, oil and gas companies have a new technology that can help them better address this new challenge. GIS helps provide a far more accurate look at a piece of land than ordinary topographical maps could ever provide, offering a clear and complete representation of the spatial relationships around a piece of terrain. As a result, oil and gas companies can get a pipeline route map that helps them make more cost effective decision.

Factors That Define Optimal Pipeline Routing

In pipeline surveying, obstacles like wetland crossings and rough terrain create problems for companies. The pipeline development will have to stop whatever they are doing to find a way to make the pipeline go through, around, or beneath the obstacle. Having to change the pipeline route like this is a waste of time and money, which is why it’s always good to use GIS and just avoid the obstacles in the first place.

It’s also important to recognize that GIS can help you in a variety of other ways as well. When oil and gas companies develop pipelines, they have to account for issues such as how the new pipeline will affect the community. This is important because it helps companies consider things like how the settlements would be affected in the event of oil leakage, and how much the company would have to set aside for compensation payments to existing land owners.

In addition, oil and gas companies have to consider the environmental impact of their project before they can successfully pitch the project to the appropriate regulatory boards. GIS helps planners understand the overall impact of the project, and how to alter the pipeline routing to minimize the damage to vegetation and avoid protected areas like wetlands altogether.

Final Thoughts

In pipeline surveying, what you can’t see definitely can hurt you. Failing to account for poor terrain and other obstacles can delay your project, which costs money. Failing to account for how your pipeline will affect people and the environment can also be very costly, both in terms of financial losses and damage to reputation. Having as much visibility over your pipeline route as possible is key, and GIS can provide that visibility for you.

Ultimately, utilizing GIS services will help you save money and ensure a more efficient and cost effective pipeline route map.

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How Oil and Gas Surveying Will Change in 2015

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Oil and Gas SurveyingIn the early days of 2015, the oil and gas industry finds itself at a crossroads: external forces are in play, creating a situation where companies have to get accurate, detailed land surveys quickly, without having to pay too much for them. Those companies that can ensure the most affordability and value possible from their oil and gas surveying will be the ones that are in the best position to succeed in 2015 and beyond.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at the future of oil and gas industry and provide a quick overview of some of the ways that land surveying is changing the industry in 2015.

Three ways that oil and gas surveying will change in 2015

1. The surveying technology that companies use will grow more sophisticated.

Whenever an industry faces new challenges, there will always be new technologies available to help companies overcome those challenges. This is certainly true of the future of the oil and gas industry. In order to meet their needs for faster, more accurate land surveys at the most affordable rate possible, today’s oil and gas companies have a number of increasingly sophisticated tools in their toolbox. These include things like cloud-based systems for better communication, collaboration, and storage, advanced handheld devices to facilitate better connections between home offices and job sites, and unmanned aerial vehicles to make it easier and safer to conduct land surveys on remote or dangerous terrain.

Although these solutions are available for all oil and gas organizations, only the ones that make an effort to integrate them into their regular business processes will truly benefit from the opportunities they present.

2. Oil and gas companies will need to make turnaround time a priority.

Getting a complete and accurate land survey is a prerequisite for beginning any new project in the field. Without the completed survey, projects will have to be delayed, which costs time and money for everyone involved: that’s why it’s so important to be able to turn these surveys around quickly.This has always been the case for as long as there has been an oil and gas industry, but in 2015—when the need for value is the greatest it has ever been, and the technology needed to create that value is readily available for anyone to apply—continuing to turn out slow land surveys is simply no longer acceptable.

In 2015, oil and gas companies will focus on making quick land surveys an established part of their organizational culture. This means adopting new technologies and implementing new processes to ensure that delays are avoided as much as possible.

3. The accuracy of land surveys will reverberate throughout the entire construction process.

Most oil and gas leaders understand that accurate land surveys are important, but just how important are they really, particularly in 2015? The accuracy of a land survey affects everything that a company does after it, from the pre-project planning to the actual construction of the project itself. It’s no exaggeration to say that an accurate land survey is the foundation that the entire project rests on; if there are problems with the foundation, it could result in project delays and additional costs later on in the project.

Final Thoughts on the Future of the Oil and Gas Industry

Oil and gas surveying is changing. The companies that insist on doing things the same way they’ve always done them will find themselves quickly left behind, while those that adapt to the change and ensure quick, accurate, and cost-effective land surveys will flourish. To learn how land surveying services from Landpoint could help your company succeed in 2015, contact us today.