Space Unmanned Air Systems Support the Optimization of Exploration and Reservoir Development Activities in AGT Region

Abstract

The AGT Survey and SIM Geospatial Team in collaboration with SOCAR have deployed efficient and low risk geospatial data acquisition technologies based on Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) for exploration and reservoir development projects. This technology provides key imaging data with high visual quality and positional accuracy. Imagery acquisition for a recent project significantly contributed to the reduction of the company needs for regular field expeditions of geologists and geophysicists. The imagery acquired also supported some geological and geophysical analysis through quantitative imagery analysis methods. This project involved imagery acquisition from satellite and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The use of UAV required extensive collaboration and development work with a UAV acquisition contractor, BP aviation and PSCM teams and SOCAR to ensure that the UAV is operating in full compliance with Azerbaijan, BP and International Civil Aviation Organization regulations. The AGT Survey and SIM Geospatial Team also deployed the acquisition of satellite and airbone imagery for the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula and ShahDeniz 2 - South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion projects which contributed to the successful starting of exploration and reservoir development analysis in the Caspian Sea and planning of route alignment over Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey. In is well known, that the onshore and offshore deployment of field crews has an associated cost and exposes personnel to Health and Safety risks. The deployment of satellite and airborne observation programs played a significant role in the reduction of risks and costs for survey geographic data collection and analysis without deployment of field crews.