Case Studies - Marine

Our successful monitoring service provides customers with timely and accurate location data on oil slicks.

We can assist with all kinds of environmental management, based on our development of cutting-edge IT and access to valuable earth observation data. We can provide timely access to space-based data through our ground station and data licensing agreements, and incorporate the information into your organisation's projects.

Slicks generally go unnoticed; shipping accidents make up only 20% of the total oil pollution at sea. Yet how can anyone hope to spot a cargo ship that cleans out its oil tanks out of sight of land or regular shipping channels? Even the most developed countries can only use aerial surveillance involving radar, ultraviolet or infra-red scanners to sample conditions in known trouble-spots.

We've been working with the UK oil industry to develop OilWatch - a system designed to detect ocean oil slicks using satellite-based radar. The service is the result of years of research and development in conjunction with satellite operators and receiving stations, such as a QinetiQ facility at West Freugh.

We've developed a PC workstation, called OilView, which helps to monitor the ocean surface to detect oil and provides support for the visual identification of oil slicks by operators. The system handles radar data from the RADARSAT and ERS satellites, as they can obtain data regardless of darkness or cloud cover.

OilWatch already monitors the waters of the UK, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy in support of local pollution control authorities. The satellite data has been used to complement conventional surveillance capabilities, for instance by providing large-scale surveys with unbiased spatial sampling and through direction of aircraft flights towards slicks identified in the SAR imagery.

The system has been used to provide a fast-response first alert, followed up by more detailed information on slick extent and characteristics. From completion of a satellite pass, through processing of a full radar scene (e.g. RADARSAT ScanSAR Narrow, 300kmx300km), detection and characterisation of oil slicks using OilView, to dispatch of the first alert takes just tens of minutes. OilView can generate details of slick location, size and image chips of the slicks themselves.

OilWatch is invaluable for any agency charged with surveillance of national waters - the coast guard, navy, pollution control authorities, environmental agencies or self-policing industrial consortia.

Anything is possible - just ask
This project is a prime example of how we are currently working in partnership and applying our knowledge and technology. We could do the same for you. Whatever your requirements or problems, we have the ideas, know how and solutions.