MetOcean Buoys Assist in the Monitoring and Control of Oil Spill
The sinking of the Russian fishing vessel Oleg Naydenov this past April has led to the implementation of an Operational Maritime and Aerial Surveillance of Petroleum Discharge initiative. After catching fire at the Las Palmas port on Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, the Russian vessel was towed some 15 nautical miles out to sea where the trawler eventually sank and settled approx. 2400 meters (7,900 ft) below the surface.
There are various methods of tracking petroleum discharges and oil spills in the ocean, one such method is the use of drifting buoys. MetOcean Data Systems (“MetOcean”) quickly partnered with its Spanish representatives – DC Servicios Ambientales – to deploy the “iSPHERE” technology.
iSPHERE is a trusted product around the globe that can be easily deployed from the air or sea and uses a ratio derived by winds and ocean currents and will simulate the potential paths and trajectories the oil may follow in the event of spill. iSPHERE broadcasts its position by satellite and also captures surface temperatures, thus helping authorities and scientists prepare early prevention techniques and minimization of ecological damage.
The use and study of the data obtained by the iSPHERE may help a future generation of mathematical models that simulate the trajectories of potential hydrocarbon spills. This type of study is especially important in areas of special ecological sensitivity and regular maritime traffic, as is the case in the region of the Canary Islands.
MetOcean develops and manufactures state-of-the-art data acquisition and telemetry systems. Since its incorporation in 1985, MetOcean has been a world leader in integrated systems used for real-time monitoring. MetOcean specializes in MetOcean Systems, with the production of products used for: Oil Spill Tracking, Current Monitoring, Ocean Profiling, Polar Platforms, and Ice Tracking, as well, NOVATECH Tracking & Monitoring recovery beacons and flashers, and Defence & Security products, such as Naval Systems and Search and Rescue.
To see the technical specifications of iSPHERE or any other of our products, please feel free to contact us or visit our website at www.metocean.com.