We are pleased to announce that senior engineers at Polaris and Shell, Dr. David Chenault and Dr. Mahesh Iyer, have co-authored a paper titled “Continuous External Surveillance for Surface Leak Detection Using Polarimetric Imaging” and presented it together at the 2022 Pipeline Control Room and Cybernetics Conference. This paper describes our PODS system, which uses polarization-enhanced thermal imagery to send automated alerts when oil is detected, and its deployment on a Shell Floating Production Storage & Offloading (FPSO) site in the Gulf of Mexico. The PODS monitors offloading operations into the receiving vessel including 225 meters of floating hoses to ensure that the environment is protected. Initial indications are that implementation has played out per expectations, the system is very simple to use and maintain, and the system demonstrated the capability to detect even very small sheens. There is potential for future integration of sensor output into offshore control systems, and there is current exploration for the potential to replicate this effort on other FPSO offloading sites. Polaris is pleased to collaborate with Shell’s on presenting this successful deployment of this cutting edge technology.

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