OFFSHORE RISK MANAGEMENT


A WATCHFUL EYE: HOW SATELLITE MONITORING CAN HELP REDUCE RISK AND INCREASE PROTECTION OF YOUR OFFSHORE ASSETS AUTHOR: MICHAEL HALL, SENIOR GEOLOGIST, AIRBUS


Often operating in harsh conditions, miles from landfall and faced with numerous environmental and logistical challenges, those tasked with extracting natural resources from offshore platforms have a weight of responsibility on their shoulders. Thankfully, advanced drilling and maintenance technologies have made accidents increasingly rare, with decades, instead of years, now typically separating major events.


However, should the unthinkable happen, the consequences can be severe and with a shift to deeper wells, those dangers are only amplified. As the Macondo disaster brought home, it is more than marine life that is at risk if something goes wrong – highlighting the need to consider and understand how all available tools can play a role in reducing and effectively managing risk.


One ever-developing resource, which is making monitoring offshore assets much easier and cheaper, is advanced, satellite-based imaging technologies.


The datasets, produced from both optical and radar based sensors, can be acquired remotely in near real time and have been developed specifically to help users to see the bigger picture – allowing for the development of operational contingency plans, as well as early detection of a minor leak before it becomes more difficult to resolve. In this article, Michael Hall, Senior Geologist at Airbus explores offshore risk management challenges and how satellite technologies can support their management and mitigation.


Remote monitoring


With the complexity of offshore rig operations increasing, the latest safety and monitoring technologies are essential to ensure that any issue can be detected in advance and halted before it becomes a fully-fledged emergency.


p6 | www.sosmagazine.biz | July 2017


One set of tools, which are playing an important role in many rigs’ safety and environmental protection proposition, are remote image acquisition technologies or satellite-derived imagery to use simpler language. The intelligence which can be derived from satellites sensors provides an additional opportunity to operators, offering up-to-date visibility of a remote facility, without needing to leave the office in London, Houston, or wherever.


In recent years, appreciating the potential benefit to its customers, satellite constellation operators, such as Airbus, have begun to provide direct access to their satellite tasking platforms. This relatively new opportunity enables oil and gas corporates to task satellites themselves, from the comfort of their desk, 24/7/365, as well as take advantage of a host of value-added solutions, which have been specifically developed for the industry.


When discussing the opportunities available through satellite technology, it is worth taking a moment to explain the two distinct types of sensors – optical and radar. Both offer unique advantages to oil and gas operators as explained below:


Optical sensors


Optical sensors refer to image based sensors, which can produce very high-


resolution photographic imagery, which in turn allows for the identification of details on and around an offshore facility. For example, the Pléiades satellite constellation, offering a resolution of 50cm, is the ideal tool for identifying potential security concerns, such as unidentified vessels in the proximity of offshore facilities. The reactivity of the Pléiades constellation also means daily revisits are possible, enabling operators to track vessels around a facility over time. But, security monitor is by no means the only opportunity, Pléiades, and other similar constellations can also aid the identification of on-site situations or environmental concerns.


In a recent example, the environmental impact of pipeline construction activities was monitored, using satellite imagery to identify the impact of dredging activities on the dispersion of sediments. Where traditional water quality monitoring techniques would have presented logistical and operational inconveniences, as well as long processing times, Pléiades was tasked flexibly when needed, delivering images just 2.5 hours after acquisition. This is just one example illustrating how satellite images can identify the spatial dispersion of sediments, enabling rapid, informed decision-making.


Regular and emergency monitoring When people consider the opportunities available through satellite-based


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