--> Using Thermal/IR and Multispectral Sensors on Drones to Find the Origin of and Extent of Contamination From Saltwater Spills From Producing Wells

AAPG ACE 2018

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Using Thermal/IR and Multispectral Sensors on Drones to Find the Origin of and Extent of Contamination From Saltwater Spills From Producing Wells

Abstract

This presentation discusses how new drone-based technologies using thermal / infrared and multispectral sensors can help quickly and efficiently locate the source of a saltwater spill as well as the extent of contamination. We review the workflow, which includes identifying the first indication of a spill, collecting the necessary data to plan the mission, identify the proper types of drones and sensors, and the planning the mission. We discuss the types of sensors and software needed to capture and analyze the data. In addition to reviewing several case studies, we will look in-depth at the case of Black Bear Creek in Pawnee, Oklahoma, and also at Bird Creek in Osage County, Oklahoma, to discuss how drones complemented existing efforts to solve the problem of contamination coming from an unidentified source, and how the combined analytics provided more insight not only of the health of the ecosystem, but also in finding wells and suggesting new ways optimize EOR efforts in a mature field.