Madagascar Marathon

Our Field Services Team fly out to some remote and exciting places in the line of duty.  Last year it was the Falkland Islands, and this year a somewhat larger island, Madagascar.

Most people think of the DreamWorks animated film when they hear the name Madagascar.  But it is in fact the fourth largest island in the world, rich in largely untapped agricultural and mineral resources.  And CPCL has been working with Ambatovy Minerals to carry out an extensive DC Voltage Gradient ((DCVG) survey across the entire length of a 209km slurry pipeline from the mine site near the Madigascar capital of Antananarivo to the Indian Ocean.  Detailed findings and recommendations will then be passed to the owner.

Such a huge length of pipeline through a remote mountainous area is of course a logistical challenge, and two of the Field Services Team, Chris Pimm and Jean-Christophe Castano, will be out there for a total of nearly two months.  Rugged 4x4s have had to be hired to reach some of the remoter areas, and the contracting company has supplied a number of engineers to assist.

Chris Pimm, on a recent trip back to the UK, said “It’s an incredibly beautiful island, full of fascinating wildlife and stunning scenery.  This more than makes up for the hard graft covering over 200km.”

Below, Chris and Jean-Christophe work in the humid conditions of the mountains of Madagascar.