AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR NEAR-REAL TIME PREDICTION OF OIL SPILLS FROM EU SATELLITE-BASED DETECTION SERVICE

Abstract

ABSTRACT 2017-244: The state-of-the-art in both operational oceanography, remote sensing, and computational capacity, enables now the possibility of developing near-real time, holistic automated services capable of dramatically improving maritime situational awareness to responding to oil spill emergencies. Based on the European satellite-based oil spill and vessel detection service – CleanSeaNet (EMSA – European Maritime Safety Agency), which distributes oil pollution detection standardized notification packages in less than 30 minutes, a new automated early warning system (EWS) for near-real time modelling and prediction of the detected oil spills was developed. This EWS provides 48-hour oil spill forecasts + 24-hour backward simulations, delivering results 5–10 minutes after the reception of the oil spill detection notifications. These forecasts are then distributed in multiple formats and platforms (e.g. Google Earth, e-mail). The oil spill fate and behaviour model used in this EWS is part of MOHID modelling system, and is coupled offline with metocean forecast solutions, taking advantage of autonomous models previously run in multiple institutions. The system is currently able to integrate various metocean forecasting systems, being agnostic about the data sources and applied locations, as long as their outputs comply with commonly adopted formats, including CF compliant files or CMEMS (Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service). The EWS is currently operational in western Iberia, supporting Portuguese Maritime Authority, and is being expanded to neighbourhood regions (from Spain and Morocco) with high resolution metocean models (MARPOCS project funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection). Taking advantage of the coupling of MOHID oil spill model and CleanSeaNet, an oil spill hazard assessment is made in the Portuguese continental coast, based on the cumulative analysis of drift model simulations from previously detected spills using metocean model data, for a period between 2011–2016. Although this EWS doesn’t replace on-demand operational oil spill forecasting systems, it supports maritime authorities with a fast first-guess forecast solution, allowing:Anticipation of tactical response (including visual inspection of the spill) and mitigation of the pollution episode;A more effective identification of the pollution source, and in case of suspected illegal spill, earlier actions towards effective prosecution of the polluter;In the other hand, the hazard assessment generated is a valuable instrument for the development of efficient planning and prevention strategies. The EWS can be connected to any satellite-based detection service (inside or outside Europe) as long as the detected oil slicks are automatically distributed in a structured and standardized data format similar to CleanSeaNet.