Satellite Imagery for Monitoring Offshore Oil and Gas Infrastructure

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Satellite Imagery for Monitoring Offshore Oil and
Gas Infrastructure

• John Amos SkyTruth
• Shepherdstown, WV
• November 2006

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Slick Detection

• Radar satellite images a proven method for slick
  detection over large areas
• Demonstrated for both human-caused and natural
  oil slicks
• Routinely used as offshore exploration tool
• Routinely used for offshore pollution monitoring
  (UK, Norway, Canada)

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Slick Detection
Gulf of Mexico Unoiled water (top) and
schematic diagram showing good backscatter of
incident radar energy. Active seep area in same
region (bottom) with thin layer of floating oil.
Note flattening of capillary waves. Schematic
diagram illustrates poor backscatter from
slick. Floating beer cans for scale. Wind speed
11 knots.
SOURCE MacDonald et al., AAPG Memoir 66, 1996
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Natural Seeps
10 km
Slicks formed above natural seafloor oil seeps,
GoM
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Prestige sinking off NW Spain November 17, 2002
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Prestige sinking off NW Spain, Nov. 2002
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Pipeline Leak
RADARSAT image of oil slick (red highlight),
South Pass. Pipeline rupture followed hurricane
in October 1998.
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Hurricane Katrina August 28, 2005
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Hurricane Rita September 23, 2005
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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)
RADARSAT-1 Image Collection Modes
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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)
ScanSAR-Narrow acquisition program (4 scenes)
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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)
Wide-mode acquisition program (4 scenes)
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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)

• Could use existing CSTARS facility
• Based at Univ. of Miami
• Currently used to monitor vessel traffic in
  Caribbean Basin
• Can cover entire Gulf of Mexico Basin
• Current research at Texas AM to automate oil
  slick detection and mapping (Dr. Ian MacDonald)
• Planned radar satellites will have improved
  capability to estimate volume

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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)

• Products
• GIS-compatible digital files of map-rectified
  RADARSAT imagery
• GIS database of detected slicks
• GIS database of known natural seeps, shipping
  lanes, pipelines, platforms
• Internet-distributed alerts
• Google Earth-style public interface
• Program Cost 350 - 450K Annually

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Gulf Monitoring (proposed)

• Ancillary Applications
• Severe storm follow-up
• Monitoring ship traffic in sensitive areas
  (Flower Garden Banks marine sanctuary)
• Monitoring discharge from drilling and production
  platforms, LOOP
• Monitoring bilge discharge from ships
• Detecting and tracking strong eddy currents shed
  from Gulf Stream