The Use of Remote Sensing Products for Enhancing the Environment Protection and of Offshore Operations Safety

Offshore operations at sea are often risky because very complex activities are performed in harsh environmental conditions. This combination of factors increases the potential for incidents that might cause harm to people, environment and assets. To be prepared for such problems, the knowledge of present and future states of the ocean is key. To reach this goal, a combination of technologies comprising in situ data collection, models and visualization tools is required to make sense of all the pieces of information and provide valuable guidance for decision makers. In this sense, satellite communications and remote sensing plays an essential and transverse role. Either for sending real-time environmental data collected in situ (e.g. drifters, floats, moored buoys), connecting equipment to their base stations (AUVs, ASVs) or for collecting ocean data through sensors onboard satellites (Sea Surface Temperature, Ocean Color, Sea Surface Height, wind and pollution detection)