Friday, June 6, 2008

Rutter completes oil spill radar detection trials

Rutter Technologies reports that an independent trial to test the viability of its Sigma S6 Radar processing system for oil slick detection has been successful, showing that the system could detect oil on the sea surface from a moving vessel using conventional marine X-band and S-band radars.
The trial was carried out with the permission of the Norwegian government under the supervision of the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) and the Norwegian Coastal Administration, and was hosted by the Norwegian Coastguard. Planning and reporting was conducted by Norconsult.
Three individual tests were conducted in an area north of Andoya Island, Norway, with initial winds of ENE 7-9m/s and sea state 4. Later in the trial (into the second test) the wind calmed to 4-5m/s and the sea state fell to 2-3.
The first test involved a 1,200 litre oil-in-water emulsion spill, where the Sigma S6 was able to detect the slick on short pulse with a conventional X band radar at a distance of 1 nautical mile. The second spill of 2,400 litre oil-in-water emulsion was detected at 1 nautical mile using both the X and S-band radars.
The third test involved a 600 litre oil-in-water emulsion spill with the slick being detected using the X-band radar. All spills were detected while the ship was moving.

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