Description
The correct installation, exploitation and operation of offshore platforms and coastal terminals greatly depend on a detailed knowledge of the metocean conditions (waves, currents, sea level, wind). These conditions will affect the design and construction phase of the infrastructure, its operation and decommissioning. This project will develop innovative added value products and technologies for decision taking in the oil & gas industry that make use of the surface currents information provided by High Frequency Radar technology. These tools will improve safety and efficiency of offshore platforms and terminal operations and will enhance activities related to oil spill preparedness and response. The following products will be available at the end of the project: (1) Downloading, storing, visualisation and analysis of external wave, wind and sea surface temperature data, (2) Short term surface currents forecast models based in HF Radar data and wind information and (3) Making use of the wind, wave and current data provided by the abovementioned products, an oil spill trajectory forecast and backtracking tool will be developed.
Summary of project results
The general objective of the project was to develop products and technologies to support decision taking in the oil & gas industry. This objective has been successfully reached and the following added value products have been developed, tested and evaluated in two different regions (Galicia and Scotland): • An innovative gap-filling tool for HF radar surface currents data • A reliable Short Term Prediction System (STPS) for surface currents • A simple and light particle drift tool that uses currents provided by the above mentioned products as forcing • An enhanced oil spill transport and fate model • A user friendly web-based Information System A detailed evaluation of these tools has been carried out at the end of the project comparing developed products with previous state of the art and confirming obtained improvements. These products will improve security and efficiency of offshore platforms operation and optimize activities related to the fight against marine pollution.
Summary of bilateral results