Test Cases and Prospects of Pipeline Management Using Space Borne Earth Observation

Thanks to recent progress in satellite-based remote sensing technologies and object oriented image analysis, as well as to the availability of new very high-resolution sensors, it is now possible to design gas pipeline monitoring systems, as has been demonstrated by the co-funded European “PRESENSE Pipeline REmote SENsing for Safety and the Environment” project. In parallel, the European Space Agency ESA has launched initiatives in Earth Observation Market Development (EOMD), such as business case studies for the pipeline operations segment and the project “PIPEMON – Geo-information services for pipeline operators”, which aim to introduce Earth Observation services to the pipeline industry in Europe and the Russian Commonwealth of Independent States. Key requirements of gas pipeline operators in remote observation are third party interference, ground subsidence detection, pipeline route planning and gas detection. Further, pipeline security is a major issue in several European studies such as GMOSS (Global Monitoring of Safety and Security).