Monitoring of oil spills on land

Monitoring of oil spills and environmental surveys solves the following tasks:

• Determination of oil spills within license areas.
• Localization of contaminated land plots.
• Assessment of the rate of recultivation of areas affected by oil spills.
• Monitoring compliance with regulations on land reclamation.
• Assessment of the environmental consequences of oil spills.
• Confirmation of successful completion of reclamation activities.
• Comprehensive assessment of natural and man-made conditions of the territory.
• Identification of the facts of an emergency oil spill.
• Information service for the prevention and elimination of emergency oil and oil products spills.
• Research, analysis and assessment of the environmental consequences of spills.

Monitoring of oil spills and environmental surveys is carried out in accordance with Federal legislation in the field of environmental protection in order to identify contaminated territories, unregistered waste disposal facilities, and land plots that contain waste that negatively affects the natural environment.

Figure 1. Allocation of contaminated land in mining areas

Modern space tools provide multispectral images with ultra-high resolution and high efficiency.

In accordance with this, satellite images allow:

• Quickly localize and assess the scale of anthropogenic impact, including oil spills.
• Assess the impact of anthropogenic impacts, including oil spills, on ecosystems.
• Minimize field work in hard-to-reach regions with harsh climates, high waterlogging, and poorly developed infrastructure.
• Significantly reduce the time of work due to visibility and speed of data acquisition.

Monitoring of oil spills and environmental surveys are carried out in the following stages:

At the first stage, ultra-high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery is performed within the boundaries of license areas, as well as inter-field territory, in the actual time period specified by the Customer. 

Photogrammetric processing of space survey materials includes creating a digital terrain model (DEM), obtaining synthesized images, orthotransforming survey materials, and creating synthesized orthophotomosaics with a binding accuracy corresponding to a scale of 1:5,000.

Example of identifying a territory with different degrees of pollution. 


Figure 2. Example of identifying a territory with different degrees of pollution

The field stage includes sampling, chemical and analytical control, and quantitative chemical analysis. Bottom sediment samples are taken during field surveys of polluted water bodies. Lakes with an area of at least 1 ha are subject to the survey, including those that have lost their connection with the river.

As a result of field work, the following documents are submitted: acts of full-scale survey of contaminated and disturbed land plots or contaminated water bodies; checklists for summarizing and systematizing the results of full-scale site survey and laboratory analysis; passports of oil-contaminated land plots; acts and sampling schemes; protocols of quantitative chemical analysis and maps of contaminated and disturbed land plots or contaminated water bodies.

At the final cameral stage of work, natural and anthropogenic objects are mapped based on the results of image decoding, field survey, laboratory research, and analysis of Customer data.

The following GIS layers of classified data are created:

• Contaminated land plots – 1 layer, the attribute table of which indicates the types and degree of contamination.
• Water bodies contaminated with oil – 1 layer with an attribute table indicating the types of water pollution.
• Temporary waste storage sites – 1 layer with an attribute table that indicates the types and status: reclaimed or non-reclaimed.
• Sampling points – 1 layer, the attribute table of which indicates the type of sample (soil, soil, bottom sediments).

In conclusion, the final analytical report is drawn up, which reflects statistical, analytical and technical information about the work performed, and the General Register of contaminated and disturbed lands or contaminated water bodies.

Work on inventory and certification of polluted and disturbed lands and water bodies is necessary for oil companies and organizations of the Ministry of natural resources of the Russian Federation to develop reclamation plans, to maintain a stable environmental situation and prevent violations in the field of nature management.

Implementation mechanism:

By the forces and means of GEO INNOTER LLC: Obtaining and processing satellite images, creating a digital terrain model, orthotransforming survey materials and creating synthesized orthophotomosaics, mapping natural and anthropogenic objects.

Through local partners: Field work, chemical and analytical research.

Advantages of GEO INNOTER LLC:

• Extensive experience in inventory and certification of contaminated and disturbed land and contaminated water bodies.
• High qualification of employees working with materials of remote sensing (RS).
• Latest software for photogrammetric processing of satellite images.
• GEO INNOTER LLC is included in the list of expert companies of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the analysis of remote sensing materials and conducting expert examinations.
• A network of experienced local partners