USE OF METOCEAN SATELLITE MEASUREMENTS FOR THE ASSISTANCE TO MARINE POLLUTIONS AND STRUCTURES DRIFTS : KIDOUR II OPERATION IN BRITTANY
USE OF METOCEAN SATELLITE MEASUREMENTS FOR THE ASSISTANCE TO MARINE POLLUTIONS AND STRUCTURES DRIFTS : KIDOUR II OPERATION IN BRITTANY
Primary Keywords: Pollution, Oil slick, Forecast
Secondary Keywords: Wind, Waves, Currents
Companies, like CEDRE and ELF, directly concerned by marine
pollution or accidental loss of floating structures, have a great need for
accurate metocean data with a particular emphasis on forecasting and
operational features.
Real time monitoring and crisis management of oil slicks or floating structures
displacement require a good knowledge of local winds, waves and currents used
as input for operational drift models.
In order to answer these requirements, MétéoMer has
implemented procedures using basically satellite measurements combined with
metocean model.
The increase in maritime transport of polluant and dangerous materials, and
therefore of accident risks that can dramatically damage environment and
communities, does constitute a real problem.
As a consequence, companies and organisms like CEDRE and ELF, directly
concerned by marine pollution or accidental loss of floating structures turn
towards new technologies in order to better control pollution impacts and
risks. In that way, combined use of satellite data and numerical models does
contributed to the improvement of prevailing metocean parmeters and pollution
displacement forecast. Moreover, several marine experimentation, like Kidour II
off the Britany coast, are performed in order to test both monitoring pollution
procedures and fight water-pollution methods.
Real-time monitoring and crisis management of oil slicks or floating
structures displacement require a good knowledge of local winds, waves and
currents used as input data for operational drift models.
Fortunately, thanks to their world-wide and all weather coverage, satellite
measurements have recently enabled the introduction of new methods for the
remote sensing of the marine environment.
In order to answer CEDRE and ELF requirements which is to provide reliable metocean analysis as well as short term forecasts of winds, waves, and currents prevailing for the displacement of floating structures (or oil slicks), MeteoMer has implemented procedures using basically satellite measurements combined with metocean models (sea-state models, drift current model, ...). Wind and sea-state satellite measurements are used directly on the site as reliable parameters or indirectly for the calibration and the validation of metocean models.
Lastly, MeteoMer is now involved in applied projects for slick detection from SAR images. Once analysed, these measurements will enhance the aforedescribed procedure, bringing direct informations about the state of the pollution.
An operational procedure was then developed in order to provide marine
operators' drift models with reliable wind, wave and current analysis and short
term forecast.
Main results of these procedures are analyses and forecasts of accurate
metocean parameters: wind, sea-state, and drift current every three hours. A
simulation of the foreseeable pollutant drifts was also provided.

MeteoMer used the aforedescribed method in order to analyse and forecast
reliable and local metocean parameters (wind, sea, current ...) and, at least,
blindly simulate buoy displacement in real time.
This figure shows the local parameters determined with the procedure along the
track .
Satellite data brought a tremendous contribution to daily hindcast wind
validation. Indeed, satellite measurements allowed a precise determination of
local wind variations brouht by meteorological models.
Results of local wind, sea-state and current calculated with this procedure are
then illustrated in this figure.
MeteoMer supplies forecast reports of wind, sea-state and drift current.
Real-time monitoring and crises management of oil slicks or floating
structures displacement require a good knowledge of local winds, waves and
currents used as input data for operational drift models.
Until now, the state of the art of commonly used metocean information does show
a lack of both accuracy time and space resolution : direct use - without
analysis and interpolation - of coarse grid wind fields model, calculation of
sea-state significant wave heights and mean periods through abacus,
determination of wind drift current by the raw classical law of 'three percent
of wind speed and forty degrees from wind direction'.
With this assistance, CEDRE and ELF benefited from metocean reliable
information in operational conditions, with refined analysis and short updating
steps.
In case of oil pollution, such satellite based procedures offer an increased
guarantee on the metocean conditions and allow the coordination of companies
actions, like CEDRE and ELF, for the protection of the environment.
The total cost of such assistance is defined for each study, depending on
the location and the particular conditions.
Nevertheless, the cost for this service is around 1000 Ecu per day, including
data cost.
The method presents two main key points : use of drift current model which take
into account the global wave influence and of satellite measurements which
represent a tremendous contribution to real time validation of metocean models
input (wind) and output (sea-state).
The world-wide coverage of satellite measurements and the specification of our
procedures enable the achievement of such assistance anywhere on the oceans,
with significantly lowered investments and delays.
| Customer1 | Customer2 | |
| Name: | Mr. Jacquet | Mr. Cabioc'h |
| Company: | ELF | CEDRE |
| Address: | Tour ELF La Defense - 92078 Paris cedex 45 - France |
BP 72 - 29280 Plouzane - France |
| Name: Mr Lasnier |
| Company: MeteoMer |
| Address: Quartier les Barestes - RN7 - 83480 Puget sur Argens - France |
| Tel: +33 (0)4 94 45 66 11 |
| Fax: +33 (0)4 94 45 68 23 |
| E-mail: 4meteomer@meteomer.fr |
| Web: www.meteomer.fr www.meteomer.com |
| Name: Mr Lasnier |
| Company: MeteoMer |
| Address: Quartier les Barestes - RN7 - 83480 Puget sur Argens - France |
| Tel: +33 (0)4 94 45 66 11 |
| Fax: +33 (0)4 94 45 68 23 |
| E-mail: 4meteomer@meteomer.fr |
| Web: www.meteomer.fr www.meteomer.com |