The Arctic Technology Conference has put a spotlight on the latest innovations in the Arctic E&P industry.
A panel of qualified E&P professionals reviewed entries from exhibitors at the show and selected recipients based on these criteria: New, innovative, proven, broad interest, and significant impact.
Here are the spotlight recipients:
Narwhal for ice management
To eliminate the traditional risks associated with Arctic E&P operations, ION designed the Narwhal for Ice Management system to allow for the safe and efficient planning, analysis and execution of Arctic E&P operations. This unique system allows for the integration, management, and visualization of data (ice charts, radar, satellite imagery, wind, current and/or bathymetry data, etc.), forecasting, automated monitoring and alarming of ice threats, and provides a communications infrastructure that allows for collaboration across the fleet, platform and onshore offices despite the remote environment.
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| Fugro's integrated 3D iceberg mapping technique |
The system may be utilized for every phase of the operational program: planning (operational window, traffic ability analysis, and resources needed), seismic acquisition (integrates with the industry leading command and control system), in theater drilling operations (ice reconnaissance, monitoring and alarming), and demobilization. Together, these capabilities improve operational efficiencies by ensuring stakeholders have access to data to make informed decisions during operations, maximize resource utilization during operations, maximize the operational window, improve the overall operations strategy and reduce HSE risk through greater situational awareness. Read more on Narwhal's arctic technology here.
Fugro: Integrated 3D iceberg mapping and Geosar sea ice mapping
Fugro have developed an integrated (subsea and surface) approach to the 3D imaging of free-floating and grounded icebergs. The approach involves the use of high precision subsea imaging systems, vessel or ROV based, combined with simultaneously acquired above-water imaging techniques (3D photogrammetric) to generate complex 3D models of icebergs. Resultant data sets are processed and blended to form a single high density 3D model of the iceberg, for use in ice engineering, impact modeling, drift calculations, stability calculations, seabed contact models and a range of ice-related analyses relevant to offshore oil and gas developments.
To compensate for the movement of surveyed icebergs we extracted a series of motion measurements and applied processing algorithms to bring all the data to a single “iceberg space” coordinate system. Results of the program have since been validated by subsequent stability calculations and repeat surveys. Data were acquired on large icebergs, with drafts of up to 180m.
The approach and technology will be integral to future ice engineering, and well as ongoing ice management and risk mitigation measures for fixed and mobile platforms in Arctic settings. The integrated technologies used are flexible, and can be hosted on a variety of platforms.
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| Fugro's GeoSAR sea ice mapping system |
The GeoSAR Sea Ice Mapping technology is a single pass, wideband, dual frequency (X-band and P-band) interferometric airborne radar mapping system mounted on a Gulfstream II jet aircraft. The system is designed to acquire sea ice data at a rate of 288 square kilometers per minute, enabling large-area coverage over Arctic regions.
Sea ice thickness measurements include characterization of first-year sea ice from multi-year sea ice, as well as the identification of cracking ice networks and ice ridges . These measurements are developed utilizing a combination of the 3m X-band and 5m P-band digital terrain models, 1m orthorectified magnitude imagery, and volumetric decorrelation data. Data is developed in the field, using a specially designed workflow that processes the raw radar data into sea ice mapping deliverables, available to clients within hours of the airborne mission. This data provides actionable intelligence for assessing the risk of on-coming ice conditions and enabling operators to mitigate high-risk ice floes from fixed locations in the Arctic.