Programs RadarWatch

RadarWatch

Spatial Energy has compiled a team of international radar specialists with deep experience in oil and gas to create a radar-based "onshore and offshore oil spill monitoring" solution to monitor key areas of the globe for oil companies.  Oil companies now have access to a monitoring program that will minimize costs and maximize reaction time to oil seeps, spills, and emergency situations with accurate information.

RadarWatch imagery can be processed and oil spill products electronically delivered on a near-real-time basis in critical situations.

RadarWatch Onshore Monitoring Programs

• Reservoir Monitoring
• Pipeline Monitoring

RadarWatch Offshore Monitoring Programs

• Oil Seep/Spill Monitoring
• Offshore Platform Monitoring

Program Benefits

• Cost-effective monitoring of large areas
• Regular updates, independent of weather and seasons
• Large area coverage: 10x10km– 400x400km
• Maximize Reaction and Response Time
• Complements other traditional monitoring systems
• Integration with wind field and Automatic Ship Identification

RadarWatch Onshore Monitoring Programs

Reservoir Monitoring Service

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) can be used to generate high resolution maps of ground surface deformation.  Advanced InSAR processing techniques can be applied independently or combined with in-situ monitoring (GPS, tilt, inclinometers, traditional survey. etc,) for a comprehensive monitoring solution of traditional oil extraction and enhanced oil recovery projects. 

Data from active radar satellite sensors can be processed to identify and monitor displacements with sub-centimeter accuracy over large areas. 

Monitoring Applications Include:

• Surface subsidence from oil and gas extraction
• Uplift from CO2 or water injections
• Surface deformation associated with carbon sequestration (uplift during injection followed by monitoring for subsidence due to leakage or migration)

Pipeline Monitoring Service

Oil and gas transportation is often through variable terrain in remote areas creating unique issues for pipeline risk management.  Satellite technology is well suited to monitoring large areas effectively and accurately giving pipeline operators' operational decision making tools.  Radar satellites are able to penetrate through clouds and

haze and day or night to monitor ground changes in any conditions.

Advantages of Pipeline Monitoring:

• Reduce the need for more expensive monitoring on the ground or by aircraft (helicopter and fixed wing)
• Identification of threats and sensitive areas
• Monitoring and identification of geo-hazards:
• Landslides
• Subsidence
• Seismic activity
• Continual assessment integrated with traditional monitoring techniques
• Change detection of land use / land cover
• Continual evaluation and assessment without having to access the pipeline right-of-way.

RadarWatch Offshore Monitoring Programs

Offshore Seep/Spill Monitoring Service

Radar satellites are active sensors that produce unique signatures when interacting with both water and oil.  This unique signature can be used to identify the presence of natural oil seeps and oil spills on the ocean surface.

Other Applications Include:

• Wind and wave mapping
• Ship/platform detection
• Ice monitoring and classification

Natural oil seeps indicate the presence of generative hydrocarbon source rocks required for resource accumulation.  Using multi-source radar imagery over an extended period for the identification and analysis of oil seepage slicks can:

• Improve the focus of exploration resources
• Reduce the exploration risk for oil discoveries in frontier areas
• Generate relevant information for planning the acquisition of seafloor samples using piston cores

Using multiple satellite sensors gives the advantage of increasing revisit times, multiple resolutions and provides “back-up” in the event of a system failure. Extensive archived data exists worldwide to generate historical seep analysis for new areas of exploration.

Generating Oil Seep Data Products From Radar Data

Advanced classification algorithms are applied to the data to identify and classify seeps and reduce the number of false targets.

Oil detection algorithms and interpretation are also applied to monitoring and identification of oil spills.  Interpretation includes wind direction, wave conditions, shadow and cloud detection and historical input. 

Using These Techniques:

• Natural oil seeps can be separated from spills
• The source of the oil spill can be indentified
• The extent of the spill identified
• Clean-up resources can be focused on sensitive areas

In Emergency Conditions, Radar Satellite Images Can Be:

• acquired on short notice
• near-real-time programming and processing
• delivered to response teams within hours of an emergency.

Offshore Platform Monitoring Service

Monitoring of offshore platforms for situation preparedness using radar satellites can deliver critical information during emergency scenarios. 

Advantages of Platform Monitoring:

• Reduce the need for more expensive monitoring on the ground or by aircraft (helicopter and fixed wing)
• Identification of threats and sensitive areas
• Detection of oil slicks from damaged platforms
• Monitoring and identification of changes from hurricanes and storms
• Continual assessment integrated with existing monitoring techniques
• Change detection
• Continual evaluation and assessment without having to access the platform.

Radar monitoring can identify and map oil spills from platforms or ships  

Additional Information
For more information on how our company can help you with RadarWatch, including pricing, please contact us via phone or email.