PR686-203903-R02 Ongoing InSAR Geohazard Monitoring of Pipeline Right-of Ways in the Appalachian Mountains

Ground displacement along pipeline corridors has the potential to compromise pipeline integrity. The Appalachian Mountain region is almost entirely classed as high landslide susceptibility by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and crossed by numerous transmission pipelines and gathering lines. In phase I of this research project, 3vGeomatics successfully demonstrated a proof of concept on the effectiveness, reliability, and precision of using L-band ( ) SAR satellites for InSAR displacement monitoring of vegetated areas. The second phase of this project improved operational monitoring utility of long wavelength InSAR by leveraging a two and a half year dataset of long-wavelength satellite radar data with improved product formats to facilitate management of pipeline threats posed by both geohazards and third party encroachment. Potential encroachment threats are highlighted by new object detection capabilities that use the same raw SAR data to produce additional intelligence. As with the previous year’s results, these phase-2 InSAR and new object detection results were compared with measurements from other sensors including differential light detection and ranging (LiDAR), visual field inspections, and aerial photographs. This project demonstrated the technological readiness and streamlined product formats delivering actionable intelligence from L-band SAR data for operational monitoring of ground displacement and other hazards over entire pipeline networks and associated infrastructure in vegetated areas.

There is a related webinar.