Assessing the potential to detect oil spills in and under snow using airborne ground-penetrating radar

Geophysics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. G1-G12 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Bradford ◽  
David F. Dickins ◽  
Per Johan Brandvik
Keyword(s):  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Unsaturated Flow ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Impedance Contrast ◽  
Snow Stratigraphy ◽  
Natural Snow ◽  
Ground Penetrating

With recent increased interest in oil and gas exploration and development in the Arctic comes increased potential for an accidental hydrocarbon release into the cryosphere, including within and at the base of snow. There is a critical need to develop effective and reliable methods for detecting such spills. Numerical modeling shows that ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is sensitive to the presence of oil in the snow pack over a broad range of snow densities and oil types. Oil spills from the surface drain through the snow by the mechanisms of unsaturated flow and form geometrically complex distributions that are controlled by snow stratigraphy. These complex distributions generate an irregular pattern of radar reflections that can be differentiated from natural snow stratigraphy, but in many cases, interpretation will not be straightforward. Oil located at the base of the snow tends to reduce the impedance contrast with the underlying ice or soil substrate resulting in anomalously low-amplitude radar reflections. Results of a controlled field experiment using a helicopter-borne, [Formula: see text] GPR system showed that a [Formula: see text]-thick oil film trapped between snow and sea ice was detected based on a 51% decrease in reflection strength. This is the first reported test of GPR for the problem of oil detection in and under snow. Results indicate that GPR has the potential to become a robust tool that can substantially improve oil spill characterization and remediation.

Interpretation pitfalls to avoid in void interpretation from ground-penetrating radar imaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. SL21-SL28 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Nobes
Keyword(s):  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Bright Spot ◽  
Multiple Reflections ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Strong Reflection ◽  
Geophysical Imaging ◽  
Ground Penetrating ◽  
Engineering Geophysics

Voids are features that occur commonly in near-surface geophysical imaging. They are usually readily identified in ground penetrating radar (GPR) imaging because of the strong reflection amplitudes, akin to the “bright spot” in oil and gas exploration. However, voids are often misidentified. Some voids are missed, and other anomalous features are misinterpreted as voids, when in fact they are not. We evaluate s ome examples of features will be presented from glacial imaging and engineering geophysics that were misinterpreted as voids, compare them with real voids, and we determine the differences that separate them. Another example from archaeology was identified as a void based on incomplete data, and was only coincidentally coincident with a void. In particular, in addition to strong top and bottom reflections, voids may have multiple reflections but will not have internal reflections. Voids will also tend to be limited in extent, and won’t, in general, underlie an entire GPR profile.

scholarly journals Targeted reflection-waveform inversion of experimental ground-penetrating radar data for quantification of oil spills under sea ice

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. WA59-WA70 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Bradford ◽  
Esther L. Babcock ◽  
Hans-Peter Marshall ◽  
David F. Dickins
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Waveform Inversion ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Ice Thickness ◽  
Inversion Algorithm ◽  
Control Value ◽  
Ground Penetrating

Rapid spill detection and mapping are needed with increasing levels of oil exploration and production in the Arctic. Previous work has found that ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is effective for qualitative identification of oil spills under, and encapsulated within, sea ice. Quantifying the spill distribution will aid effective spill response. To this end, we have developed a targeted GPR reflection-waveform inversion algorithm to quantify the geometry of oil spills under and within sea ice. With known electric properties of the ice and oil, we have inverted for oil thickness and variations in ice thickness. We have tested the algorithm with data collected during a controlled spill experiment using 500-MHz radar reflection data. The algorithm simultaneously recovered the thickness of a 5-cm-thick oil layer at the base of the ice to within 8% of the control value, estimated the thickness of a 1-cm-thick oil layer encapsulated within the ice to within 30% of the control value, and accurately mapped centimeter-scale variations in ice thickness.

scholarly journals New Understanding of Bar Top Hollows in Dryland Sandy Braided Rivers from Outcrops with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Ground Penetrating Radar Surveys

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 560
Author(s):  
Xianguo Zhang ◽  
Chengyan Lin ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Daowu Huang ◽  
Derong Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Co2 Storage ◽  
Middle Part ◽  
Basal Surface ◽  
Depositional Sequence ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Ground Penetrating

Bar top hollows (BTHs) are morphological elements recognized in modern braided rivers; however, information regarding their depositional features and types of filling units in ancient strata is unclear. This is an important reason behind why it is difficult to identify BTH units in subsurface reservoirs. A Middle Jurassic dryland sandy braided river outcrop in northwestern China is characterized in this study through the application of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveying and mapping, and ground penetrating radar (GPR). A workflow of UAV data processing has been established, and a 3D digital outcrop model has been built. By observation and measurement of the outcrop model and GPR profiles, two types of BTH filled units were found: (a) sandstone-filled, and (b) mudstone-filled hollows. Both of these units were located between two adjacent bar units in an area that is limited to a compound bar, and were developed in the upper part of a braided bar depositional sequence. The ellipse-shaped, sandstone-filled unit measures 10 m × 27 m in map view and reaches a maximum thickness of 5 m. The transversal cross-section across the BTHs displays a concave upward basal surface, while the angle of the inclined structures infilling the BTHs decreases up-section. The GPR data show that, in the longitudinal profile, the basal surface is relatively flat, and low-angle, inclined layers can be observed in the lower- and middle part of the sandstone-filled BTHs. In contrast, no obvious depositional structures were observed in the mudstone-filled BTH in outcrop. The new understanding of BTH has a wide application, including the optimization of CO2 storage sites, fresh water aquifers exploration, and oil and gas reservoir characterization.

scholarly journals Estimating snow water equivalent over long mountain transects using snowmobile-mounted ground-penetrating radar

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. WA183-WA193 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Steven Holbrook ◽  
Scott N. Miller ◽  
Matthew A. Provart
Keyword(s):  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Snow Water Equivalent ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Snow Density ◽  
Snow Stratigraphy ◽  
Flood Estimation ◽  
Snow Water ◽  
Ground Penetrating

The water balance in alpine watersheds is dominated by snowmelt, which provides infiltration, recharges aquifers, controls peak runoff, and is responsible for most of the annual water flow downstream. Accurate estimation of snow water equivalent (SWE) is necessary for runoff and flood estimation, but acquiring enough measurements is challenging due to the variability of snow accumulation, ablation, and redistribution at a range of scales in mountainous terrain. We have developed a method for imaging snow stratigraphy and estimating SWE over large distances from a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system mounted on a snowmobile. We mounted commercial GPR systems (500 and 800 MHz) to the front of the snowmobile to provide maximum mobility and ensure that measurements were taken on pristine snow. Images showed detailed snow stratigraphy down to the ground surface over snow depths up to at least 8 m, enabling the elucidation of snow accumulation and redistribution processes. We estimated snow density (and thus SWE, assuming no liquid water) by measuring radar velocity of the snowpack through migration focusing analysis. Results from the Medicine Bow Mountains of southeast Wyoming showed that estimates of snow density from GPR ([Formula: see text]) were in good agreement with those from coincident snow cores ([Formula: see text]). Using this method, snow thickness, snow density, and SWE can be measured over large areas solely from rapidly acquired common-offset GPR profiles, without the need for common-midpoint acquisition or snow cores.

Floaters for Oil and Gas Exploration in the Arctic - A Review

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz Ahmed ◽  
Xudong Qian ◽  
Benjamin Xia Tian Peng ◽  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
Ankit Choudhary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration

Offshore Oil Spill Incidents: Creating a Database in Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-30
Author(s):  
Patricia Maggi ◽  
Cláudia do Rosário Vaz Morgado ◽  
João Carlos Nóbrega de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Oil Spill ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Guanabara Bay ◽  
Federal Law ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Offshore Oil

ABSTRACT Brazil has performed an important role in the oil and gas industry mainly because its offshore E&P activities. The volume of oil produced in offshore fields had increased 88% in the last decade and correspond to more than 90% of national production. The maritime Exploration and Production (E&P) operations in Brazil started in the middle of the 1970's. In 1981 a law was promulgated to establish a compulsory environmental permit to many activities, including oil and gas exploration and production activities. Although this regulation has existed for over 25 years, only in 1999 was it effectively brought into force to the E&P sector, with the creation of the oil and gas specialized office integrated to the Intituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renováveis – IBAMA (Brazilian Federal Environmental Agency). On January 2000 Brazil faced one its worst oil spills, in Guanabara Bay. A broken pipeline owned and operated by Petrobras spilt 1300 tone of bunker fuel into Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. At that time, Brazil had no clear environmental scenario regarding the oil industry in Brazil: uncoordinated environmental regulations, debilitated environmental agencies and a relapse industry took part in the scenario. As a result of the repercussion of the disaster, in the same year was enacted the Federal Law 9966/2000, the so called “Oil Law”, on the prevention, control and inspection of pollution caused by the releasing of oil and other harmful substances in waters under national jurisdiction. The provisions of the Law 9966 included, among other things, the requirement for the notification to the competent environmental authority, the maritime authority and the oil regulating agency, of any incident which might cause water pollution. Although IBAMA receives the oil spill communications since 2001, only in 2010 the Agency began to include this information in a database. This paper discusses the offshore oil spill data received between 2010 and 2012.

Three years (2017-19) of field observation of the marginal ice the Western Barents Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataliya Marchenko
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Mechanical Tests ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Ice Floes ◽  
The University

<p>Knowledge of sea ice state (distribution, characteristics and movement) is interesting both from a practical point of view and for fundamental science. The western part of the Barents Sea is a region of increasing activity – oil and gas exploration may growth in addition to traditional fishing and transport. So theinformation is requested by industry and safety authorities.</p><p>Three last years (2017-19) the Arctic Technology Department of the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) performed expeditions on MS Polarsyssel in April in the sea ice-marginal zone of the Western Barents Sea, as a part of teaching and research program. In (Marchenko 2018), sea ice maps were compared with observed conditions. The distinguishing feature of ice in this region is the existence of relatively small ice floes (15-30 m wide) up to 5 m in thickness, containing consolidated ice ridges. In (Marchenko 2019) we described several such floes investigated by drilling, laser scanning and ice mechanical tests, on a testing station in the place with very shallow water (20 m) where ice concentrated. In this article, we summarise three years results with more attention for level ice floes and ice floe composition, continuing to feature ice condition in comparison with sea ice maps and satellite images.</p><p>These investigations provided a realistic characterization of sea ice in the region and are a valuable addition to the long-term studies of sea ice in the region performed by various institutions.</p>

scholarly journals Digital technology risk reduction mechanisms to enhance ecological and human safety in the northern sea route for oil and gas companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 06047
Author(s):  
Ishel Bianco ◽  
Igor Ilin ◽  
Alexander Iliinsky
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
New Technology ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Reduction Mechanisms ◽  
Arctic Sea ◽  
Transportation Routes ◽  
Oil And Gas Companies

Climate change has removed large quantities of ice and has removed impediments to Arctic sea navigation and in doing so has opened up a new route. Most of these ice-free routes can be used for navigation including oil and gas logistics and transportation and reducing transit by more than 5000 nautical miles. While these events allow for a widening of transportation routes but many challenges naturally inherent to the Arctic are still present, for example, the risk of possible oil spills in the very sensitive ecosystem and the safety risks to crew and equipment. New Technology offers more thorough ways to minimize and manage this risk and to preserve the integrity of ecosystems, safety of people and the profits of companies where operations are more cost sensitive and difficult than in other regions of the world. This paper proposes one model of risk reduction and evaluates the best ways to reduce ecological and safety risks of oil and gas companies operating in the Arctic route. It also proposes methods to incorporate digital value into the organization through four sectors, Sustainability, Efficiency, Accountability and Profitability.

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