Despite numerous “diversification” attempts the oil and gas industry has always been and remains the basis of energy provision to the modern civilization. However “easiness” in exploration, extraction and transportation of oil and gas fell into oblivion. Indeed, in the situation like this new information, technologic and economic approaches are required to ensure stable performance of the industry. Growing capabilities of space imagery, without being a panacea at any production stage of natural resources (exploration, extraction, delivery and disposal), are providing a basis for developing economical and efficient work practices. This issue of the magazine is the first in the range of our ever-practicing thematic issues that we developed together with our partners. Due to this fact the editor’s office would like to express gratitude to the Scientific Production Association Astrozond for assistance in preparation of the eight issue of the magazine “Earth from Space” dedicated to problems and practices of ERS applications in the activities of the oil and gas industry.
Vladimir Gershenzon
Editor-in-chief
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Cover story
Remote Sensing Data Application Possibilities in the Interests of Oil and Gas Production Enterprises.By S. Mikhailov
Oil and gas sector is one of the leading in the Russian economy. The objective of space imagery data application for optimization and cheapening of industrial processes, increase of industrial safety and efficiency of governmental control and EIAs. Modern remote sensing data processing methods enable to get mapping data that can be further on used for spatial analysis and fill-in of geoportals, being an important part of industrial information systems and a data source for decision-making.
Remote Sensing Methods in Geological Prospecting for Oil and Gas.By Yu. Denisov
The main place of remote sensing methods in geological explorations for oil and gas is defined by the operability of acquisition and processing of images, their low costs and high resolution. However, efficacy and scales of space imagery data application for the tasks of Russian economy are much lower than in the west.
Forecasting Oil and Gas Content of Local Structures Based on Multispectral Images.By V. Yevdokimenkov
This article is the result of the multi-year work for assessment of oil and gas content based on multispectral images acquired from Landsat and Aster satellites and from airplanes within the basic oil and gas territories in Russia: Timano-Pechora, Volgo-Urals, West Siberia and East Siberia. A large volume of new information has been accumulated over the period of studies, enabling to create the technology of multispectral data processing implemented via two software products: “Spektr” and “Prointim”.
Methods of Semi-Automatic GIS-Mapping of Neotectonic Structures When Resolving Forecast and Search Tasks.By B. Georgiyevsky
Neotectonic movements play an important role in formation and reformation of the deposits of hydrocarbons. This study illustrates GIS-analysis results on semi-automatic delineation of neotectonic geomorphological elements by the example of one of the Alpine-Himalayan belt areas. Based on the terrain GIS-analysis a methodological approach to morphological mapping was illustrated, aimed to the delineation ofneotectonically active zones and areas of local activity of relief.
Geologic and Economic Feasibility of Including Remote Sensing Methods into Compulsory Work Package in Licensed Areas.By V. Tavrizov
A comprehensive analysis of the situation formed by now in sphere of remote sensing data application by oil and gas production companies is presented in the article, as well as issues of RS data interpretation and practical use are reviewed herein.
Remote Sensing Materials as an Optimal Tool for High Precision Referencing of Oil & Gas Infrastructure.By A. Yemelyanova
To improve the efficiency of traditional geological survey within the scope of petroleum exploration it is relevant to apply the method of high-density landscape-geological input data, ensuring the maximum accuracy and operability of topographic referencing. Remote sensing methods, currently still underestimated, have such tools, including topographic referencing of production fields. Space imagery data application enables the solution of multiple tasks at all stages of geological prospecting.
“Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok” Pipeline System: ERS Data Application Experience.By M. Zimin
Construction and putting into operation of the “Sakhalin-1, 2” pipeline transportation system is one of the most prominent Russian petroleum projects nowadays. In 2010 ScanEx RDC carried out work to monitor the existing and would-be infrastructure of the oil and gas industry.
Oil and Oil Seeps in Lake Baikal.By A. Ivanov
Oil and gas content of Lake Baikal is still a topic for research and discussions in scientific literature. Analysis of ERS-2 and ENVISAT satellites radar imaging, indicating the oil spots on the lake surface, enabled to get new data on oil seepage of the lake. Radar data analysis allowed making estimates of the volumes of oil seeps from the depth of Lake Baikal, totaling 50 to 580 tons of oil per year.
Operational Comprehensive Satellite-Based Monitoring of the Northern Part of Caspian Sea.By N. Filimonova, A. Antonyuk
One of the important aspects of developing the continental shelf subsoil is the monitoring and control of environmental situation. Starting August 2009 and in behalf of Lukoil company, monitoring of the Northern Caspian water areas condition has been conducted based on satellite imagery data.
Contribution of Space Radar Interferometry into Study of Yamal’s Large Gas Fields Reservoirs. Case Study: Yamburg Field.By L. Berman, A. Zakharov
Results of multi-year operations at large gas fields of Yamal with evaluated quasi-homogenous reservoirs show that such model turned out to be very much streamlined. This problem underwent a detailed examination taking the Yamburg field as the case-study, where sound representativity of geo-physical and geological exploration parameters enabled to prove that the systems of studying and development of natural reservoirs need to be upgraded and the reliability of studies need to be increased.
Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico — contribution of Earth remote sensing into emergency situation monitoring.By A. Ivanov, N. Terleeva
On April 2010, the explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil platform on the Macondo oil field resulted in its sinking and creation of a giant oil spill on the sea surface. Space imagery of the disaster area helped getting the near real-time information about the environmental impacts and detecting the hazardous areas.
Trends
Applying Earth Observation Images from Space at Lessons in Touristic Groups of Pupils and During Terrain Orientation Contests.By Yu. Kozlova
Child sports and touristic club “Leader” uses space images to teach terrain orientation to the children. The article describes methods of teaching the basics of handling space images to the school children, including image interpretation and terrain orientation contests.
A Half-Century Long Path from Satellite Imagery Intelligence to Geospatial Intelligence Technologies.By A. Kucheiko
Geospatial intelligence emerged during the cold war at the end of the 50s as a tool of information support of the military and political interests of two super-powers. Travelling through the half-century long distance, space reconnaisance becomes multi-purpose, multi-vector, flexible and efficient in cost-return ratio.
Legal Relations
Restrictions Imposed on Remote Sensing Data Reception and Processing do not Conform with the Law Both in Composition and in Connection with Being Included into License, as Technically Cannot be Regarded as Types of Activities Subject of Licensing.By A. Zolotukhin
The lawsuit on the issues of legality of restrictions imposed on the operations with satellite images of the territory of Russia with the resolution better than 2 meters is still ongoing. Starting from March 2010 ScanEx RDC has been trying through the court to find out from the Federal Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense the reason, why ScanEx RDC was granted the license on space activities with restrictions to handle satellite images with resolution better than 2 meters.
