HSE & Sustainability

Airborne Remote-Sensing Technologies Detect, Quantify Hydrocarbon Releases

Airborne imaging spectroscopy has evolved dramatically since the 1980s as a robust remote-sensing technique used to generate 2D maps of surface properties over large areas.

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Fig. 1—Concept of airborne imaging spectroscopy.

Airborne imaging spectroscopy has evolved dramatically since the 1980s as a robust remote-sensing technique used to generate 2D maps of surface properties over large areas. Two recent applications are particularly relevant to the needs of the oil and gas sector and government: quantification of surficial hydrocarbon thickness in aquatic environments and mapping atmospheric greenhouse-gas components. These techniques provide valuable capabilities for monitoring petroleum seepage and for detection and quantification of fugitive emissions.

Introduction

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) federally funded research-and-development center operated by the California Institute of Technology, has been a pioneer in optical remote sensing since the 1980s. JPL capabilities include expertise across all project phases, including sensor design and construction, airborne experiment execution, and data generation driven by science and customer needs.

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