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SpaceTech Innovations in Oil & Gas Industry: Opportunities and Challenges (Webinar)

The webinar SpaceTech Innovations in Oil & Gas Industry: Opportunities and Challenges brought together industry leaders to explore cutting-edge applications of space technologies in oil and gas.

1. Abdulaziz Alsaeed, Global Business Development & Sales Manager at OQ Technology emphasized how their satellite-based 5G IoT services provide uninterrupted connectivity, transforming asset monitoring and machine control in remote oil fields.

Abdulaziz, the Business Development and Sales Manager at OQ Technology, presented on the company’s use cases in IoT connectivity for the oil and gas industry. OQ Technology specializes in satellite-based machine-to-machine communication, providing hybrid connectivity (satellite and terrestrial) for remote areas. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Luxembourg, the company operates globally, with offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and more. It currently has 10 satellites in orbit and plans to expand to a 72-satellite constellation.

Key highlights included:

  1. Problem Addressed: Only 20% of the world has terrestrial connectivity, leaving gaps in rural and remote areas. In oil and gas, these gaps lead to significant losses from pipeline leaks and operational delays.
  2. Solution: OQ offers IoT-based end-to-end connectivity solutions with global roaming, dual-mode (satellite and terrestrial) support, and data analytics. Use cases include preventing leaks, monitoring pressure, reducing downtime, and enhancing safety.
  3. Successful Use Cases:
    • Messaging: Transmitting custom messages via satellites.
    • Sensor Monitoring: Measuring temperature, CO2, and humidity in remote areas with successful data visualization.

The presentation concluded with a focus on expanding applications across industries and regions, aiming for secure, uninterrupted global connectivity.

2. Dr. Martina Capponi, Geophysics Researcher & Software Developer at GReD highlighted precise GNSS positioning and geophysical solutions for monitoring infrastructure deformations and natural resource exploration.

Dr. Martina, a geophysics researcher from GED, presented on how satellite-based potential field models support geophysical exploration for natural resources. GED, an Italian SME founded in 2012, specializes in GNSS monitoring, data analysis, and potential field data processing for exploration.

Key Points:

  • Potential Field Methods: Utilize gravity and magnetic field data from satellites, ground, and airborne sources to analyze Earth’s crustal structures. Satellite data is cost-effective, offering global coverage but requires integration with terrestrial data for detailed insights.
  • Challenges and Solutions: Potential field data faces non-uniqueness issues where different geological structures can produce similar signals. Combining gravity and magnetic data and applying joint inversion algorithms help refine geological models.
  • Applications: Potential field data is used for regional exploration to fill gaps in seismic data or local studies to model deeper crustal structures.
  • Case Studies:
    • Mediterranean Region: Joint inversion provided detailed crustal density variations, distinguishing between oceanic and continental crust.
    • Mediterranean Salt Layers: Satellite and ship-based data integration helped overcome limitations of seismic methods, revealing structures beneath salt layers.

Dr. Martina concluded by highlighting the value of satellite data combined with terrestrial methods, emphasizing the importance of advanced processing techniques like 3D joint inversion to refine geological models.

3. Michel DOTHEY, CCO at neXat introduced innovative satellite service provisioning models, enabling seamless communication for oil and gas operations.

  • Challenges in Connectivity: Oil and gas platforms are typically in remote, hard-to-reach locations, making fiber or radio links impractical. Satellite communication plays a crucial role in providing connectivity.
  • Advancements with LEO Satellites: Modern LEO constellations now enable high-speed connections, reaching hundreds of Mbps. This is vital for handling high-resolution camera data and other advanced technologies used in the industry.
  • Key Requirements:
    • High Bandwidth: Essential for data-intensive applications.
    • Mobility and Flexibility: For operations involving vessels and offshore rigs.
    • Cost Efficiency: Despite their resources, the oil and gas industry seeks cost-effective solutions.
    • Security: Includes physical safety, cybersecurity, and high availability (99.9% or more).
    • Low Latency: Increasingly important for real-time applications.
  • NEXSAT’s Solution – “Fiber in the Sky”:
    • Provides speeds up to 1 Gbps with no data caps.
    • Utilizes Starlink’s LEO constellation in collaboration with a Tier 1 US partner.
    • Ensures low latency (25–80 ms) and high availability (99.9%).
    • Offers encryption, VPN, and Layer 2/3 connectivity options.

4. Juan Peña Ibáñez, CEO & Co-Founder at Orbital EOS showcased advanced Earth Observation solutions for proactive oil spill monitoring, offering cost-efficient asset surveillance in remote areas.


Oil spills pose serious challenges, including high cleanup costs, legal penalties, and damage to company reputation. EOS Viewer is a satellite-based platform designed to help oil and gas operators detect, monitor, and respond to spills effectively.

How it works:

  • Detection: Uses over 60 satellites to identify oil spills.
  • Classification: Confirms if detected spills are oil or other substances and assigns a probability rating.
  • Thickness Mapping: Highlights thick oil areas to focus cleanup efforts.
  • Oil Quantification: Estimates the amount of oil in the water.
  • Forecasting: Predicts where spills will move and how they will change over time.
  • Automation: The system integrates detection and modeling, running automatically with no manual input needed.

Key benefits:

  • Cost savings: Up to 20x cheaper than traditional methods like aerial or ship surveillance.
  • Improved reputation: Real-time data helps operators respond quickly and show environmental responsibility.
  • Proven reliability: Used by major companies, including Saudi Aramco, Shell, and Total.
    EOS Viewer offers a modern, efficient solution for managing oil spills, reducing costs, and protecting the environment.

5. Mikołaj Podgórski, COO at Scanway Space discussed new spectral Earth Observation services, revolutionizing environmental monitoring and compliance in oil and gas projects.

Environmental Monitoring:

  • The company is working on monitoring CO2 and CH4 emissions, which are important for the oil and gas industry.
  • Current sensors are expensive for small satellites, so Scanway Space is focusing on wavelengths up to 1.7 microns to make this technology more affordable.

Nara Project:

  • The Nara project, launching in 2026, will use 16 CubeSats to monitor methane emissions in East Asia using hyperspectral payloads.
  • Scanway Space aims to develop cost-effective optical payloads for detecting both CO2 and CH4, making them suitable for global emissions monitoring, especially in the oil and gas industry.

General Conclusions

The panel identified significant opportunities for efficiency, safety, and sustainability improvements, while also addressing challenges like cost, integration, and regulatory compliance. The session highlighted space technologies as a transformative force in modernizing the oil and gas industry.

You can find more info on SpaceTech innovations in the oil and gas industry in our articles.