Global oceans insights experts Miros, through local partner Belga Marine, has won a significant contract with Brazilian oil major Petrobras to update its existing oil spill detection efforts.

As part of the development project, the Miros system will be matured and installed with a cloud-based add-on to the monitoring software currently in use offshore Brazil, thereby allowing data to be safely shared with multiple stakeholders in real-time.

The security of Miros’ reliable Oil Spill Detection (OSDTM) system will also be enhanced with a view to rolling it out across a range of offshore assets. 

It follows the introduction of new rules from local regulator, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), around the integrity of OSD alarms and monitoring. The guidelines are designed to ensure information or alarms from the OSD kit offshore cannot be tampered with.

By creating a secure end-to-end pathway, information can flow between the monitoring software and the onshore stakeholders, in this case the operator and environmental authority as the regulator.

Miros is a global leader in OSD systems, offering clients advanced functionality to automatically detect and track oil spills. Since its introduction more than 250 OSD systems have been delivered to oil companies, ship owners and coastal agencies globally. 

The supplementary cloud-based component introduced by the company to the existing OSD system relies on Miros' proven IoT solution. This IoT solution has already demonstrated its effectiveness by providing a suite of advanced cloud-based services and applications that are currently in successful operation within the oil and gas, offshore wind, and offshore vessel sectors across various regions. Miros and Belga Marine will now start work to modernize the OSD system and simplify access to offshore information so that potential spills can be tackled even faster. 

Marius Five Aarset, Chief Executive Officer at Miros, said: 
“We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Petrobras and look forward to working with their team, as well as our friends at Belga Marine, to deliver these crucial updates to digitalize environmental monitoring operations by applying widely adopted IoT solutions. It is imperative that Petrobras can effectively and accurately monitor potential oil spills so they can meet the environmental obligations set out by IBAMA and the Brazilian government.

“Credit must also go to IBAMA for its thorough approach to environmental stewardship and work to protect Brazil’s beautiful coastlines. Other regions should take note of such efforts and at Miros we hope to see widespread adoption of such principles so that the oil and gas industry can minimize its impact on the environment.”

Alexandre de Carvalho, Head of Business Development, at Belga Marine, added: 
“As a Brazilian company we are proud to continue our collaboration with Petrobras and Miros in the ongoing effort to address environmental challenges in the maritime regions of Brazil. The update of the OSD system marks a significant step towards digital transformation and technological evolution. This advancement aims to ensure more sustainable and transparent operations while enhancing the efficiency and coordination of emergency response in case of oil spill incident, improving the country capability to protect its coastline from oil spills.”

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