About

QA Offshore is led by Colin Jacobs, a marine geoscientist with over 30 years experience of geophysical data and seabed sample collection. Colin’s experience comes largely from his time working at the National Oceanography Centre, where he took a lead role in both the winning and running of diverse commissioned research projects some of which are summarised below. As well as project management of marine expeditions and all that involves, Colin has also completed a number of projects in the commercial sector, which include ship-based Client Representation data QA roles and data interpretation, and participated in desk studies for example for cable routes.

His more recent major investigations have been mostly for commissioning customers, including the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the Atlantic Frontiers Environmental Network (AFEN), the Southeast Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) and most often for the UK Government's Department of Trade and Industry (DTi, now the Department of the Energy and Climate Change, DECC), the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) where Colin has undertaken many expeditions and used multibeam bathymetry, sidescan sonar and high resolution seismic data, along with seabed photography, video and sampling to undertake Strategic Environmental Assessments of the seafloor to the north and west of the UK.

* West Africa Article 76 programme, UNCLOS QA expert for data acquisition (swath bathymetry, single and multichannel seismic, sonobuoy), Client Representative for the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, onboard data QA/Article 76 expert.

* Deep Sea Habitats - contributing towards completion of a deep-sea habitat classification scheme, Analysis of data to construct a high-level deep water marine seabed habitat classification scheme around the UK, results presented using GIS software, Project Leader

* Preparation of a bathymetric map and GIS of the South Atlantic Ocean and a review of available biologically relevant South Atlantic Seamount data for the SEAFO Scientific Committee, Project Leader

* Republic of Yemen Article 76 Data Acquisition Programme, Data QA and ensuring data quality will satisfy the CLCS; data management and client liaison, Client Representative for the Government of the Republic of Yemen.

* SEA7 Surficial Geology, Planning and leading the project, including the ship-board geophysical data acquisition, determination of sites for sample and camera studies and the scientific analysis of the geophysical results and production of a full technical report. Project Leader and on-board Client Representative for the UK’s Dept of Trade and Industry (now DECC).

* MV Derbyshire Wreck Investigation, Marine Accident Investigation Branch, investigation into the vessel sinking, Senior on-board geologist.