Historia sukcesu
Earth observation for reliable, cost-effective characterisation of operational risk in ice-prone waters
SuccessStory.Intro
Earth observation (EO) technologies are exceptionally useful in monitoring polar regions
SuccessStory.BackgroundProject
EO can capture imagery over a broad geographic area as well as revisit the same areas at reliable intervals for frequent repeat captures. The technology provides tools for operations in ice-prone waters: a large number of current satellites have the ability to map and characterise sea ice and icebergs.
SuccessStory.IssueAndNeeds
Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in particular is a natural fit for this task, as it can provide images day or night, through cloud or fog, and in various meteorological conditions. SAR data can be supplemented with low and high resolution electro-optical data to fill in gaps and aid interpretation. More than four decades of earth observation has accumulated a very significant archive of satellite data that can be used to assist characterisation of the ice environment. Since 1995 C-CORE has been analysing the value that EO technologies and derived data can bring to its oil and gas clients and has evolved a suite of EO-based services. With the industry’s increased focus on Arctic resources, C-CORE has seen a significant increase in uptake of these services, resulting in increased understanding of Arctic environments, increased confidence and reduced risk for clients operating in ice-prone waters.
SuccessStory.ProposedSolution
Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in particular is a natural fit for this task, as it can provide images day or night, through cloud or fog, and in various meteorological conditions. SAR data can be supplemented with low and high resolution electro-optical data to fill in gaps and aid interpretation. More than four decades of earth observation has accumulated a very significant archive of satellite data that can be used to assist characterisation of the ice environment. Since 1995 C-CORE has been analysing the value that EO technologies and derived data can bring to its oil and gas clients and has evolved a suite of EO-based services. With the industry’s increased focus on Arctic resources, C-CORE has seen a significant increase in uptake of these services, resulting in increased understanding of Arctic environments, increased confidence and reduced risk for clients operating in ice-prone waters.
SuccessStory.IndustryPerspective
Satellite SAR mapping of ice has been available since the 1970s, although routine satellite SAR monitoring of ice has only been possible since 1992, with the launch of the European satellite ERS-1. This satellite also heralded an era of large-scale archiving of radar data. In addition to information available through various national ice centres, an archive of almost 20 years of raw SAR data can be used to create highly detailed historical maps of ice and icebergs to aid in the design process. Many existing and almost all of the new SAR satellites are ‘operational’, in that they provide data in near-real-time, with imagery available via the internet within hours of acquisition. In the near term, the latest generation of SARs (scheduled for launch within the next few years) are specifying imagery delivery times of less than one hour; an investment in a ground station facility can allow data provision within minutes of acquisition.