GAINING ENERGY INSIGHTS

FROM SATELLITE IMAGERY

CONTENTS
CONTENTS

1. The Future
of Energy 2.  ow Satellite Imagery
H
is Driving Change 3.  he Value of
T
Satellite Imagery

4. Satellite Imagery
in Action 5. The Future of Energy
Industry Intelligence
 Contact Us
Contact

CHAPTER 1
1. THE FUTURE OF ENERGY

Today, the energy industry is at the cusp of a transformation led by growth in renewables
and technology advancements. At the same time, the energy operators and traders
are confronted with myriad challenges—from pipeline leaks and construction setbacks
to new leased roads constructed every day.

Assets are distributed and difficult to manage across multiple acreages, construction
projects are frequently delayed or blocked, and energy commodities are as volatile
as ever.

The energy company of the future is the one that is able to figure out how to cut costs,
enhance operational efficiencies through digital and technological transformation,
and diversify its portfolio to include alternative energy sources.

CONTENTS CHAPTER 2
2. H
 OW SATELLITE IMAGERY IS DRIVING CHANGE

For most energy companies, it can be difficult to get a clear picture of the facts on
the ground with geographically dispersed energy assets. Sporadically updated data
sets provide a high-level catalog of assets and their status, but miss small—but
impactful—fluctuations.
High-resolution data sources, such as aerial and drone imagery, provide detailed insight
into encroachment or leakage, but too often well after the fact. Historically, these data
options have been constrained in their availability by cost and scale, but recent advances
in satellite imaging, data processing, and machine learning, are opening new doors in
the energy data market.
As new sensors and satellite constellations deploy to low earth orbit, the cost of more
frequently acquiring raw geospatial data is becoming increasingly affordable.

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2. HOW SATELLITE IMAGERY IS DRIVING CHANGE

DAILY DATA CADENCE

Energy companies often have multiple projects running simultaneously in different locations across
the country or globe. If your data is being updated every few months, it can be difficult to notice
changes in the landscape until they’re too late to address. High-frequency satellite imagery allows
you to oversee developments and keep operations on schedule. With daily imaging, you can:

Gain unmatched Track distributed Oversee project Detect and report Map environmental
real-world business projects for a development, on right-of-way impacts, and monitor
intelligence complete overview measure progress, risks to keep reclamation and
capabilities of assets and and anticipate risks assets safe project closures
infrastructure and delays

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2. HOW SATELLITE IMAGERY IS DRIVING CHANGE

MACHINE LEARNING & AI

Machine learning and AI, when combined with remote

sensing and daily imaging, are reshaping the way energy
companies manage their assets. Extracting an extra layer
of data, such as road networks, helps operators more
efficiently navigate their fleets. Instead of relying on
manual on-site checks, energy producers are now able
to use their assets in the basin in the best way possible.
Today we can leverage machine learning to transform
imagery into actionable analytic feeds, tracking changes in
infrastructure and land use, providing insights at the speed
of change. Armed with previously unavailable data on even
the slightest changes, operators can decrease the cost of
labor and mitigate some of the risk associated with the
Medium resolution PlanetScope imagery
sometimes politically volatile locations in which the energy shows rapid urban growth and infrastructure
sector operates. development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

CONTENTS CHAPTER 3
3. THE VALUE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY

Operators in the energy sector are increasingly using high cadence satellite imagery
and advanced geospatial analysis to develop a true sense of what’s happening on the
ground near the assets and investments they care about.

The recent advances in satellite technology provide the ability to:

Discover early Adapt logistics Monitor Manage Evaluate

indications of plans based on assets in near operational competitor
change interoperable data real-time risks activity

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3. THE VALUE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY

MONITOR YOUR ASSETS

Whether you operate on a regional, national, or global scale, high-resolution satellite imagery
makes it easy to map and monitor assets across multi-site projects. This allows you to:

Plan infrastructure, Detect encroachment, Map environmental

oversee project monitor right of way, impact, reclamation,
development, and and sites overgrown with and closure projects
anticipate delays vegetation

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3. THE VALUE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY

MANAGE OPERATIONAL RISKS

An automated data imagery delivery and cloud infrastructure provide immediate access to the information
you need to effectively anticipate and address potential disasters.

Prevent potential Understand disaster scope Anticipate market

disasters with up-to- quickly with before-and- effects and investment
date asset and right of after imagery to deploy the impact with ground-
way monitoring right resources truth data

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3. THE VALUE OF SATELLITE IMAGERY

EVALUATE COMPETITOR ACTIVITY

Publicly-available data is out of date by the time it is distributed, and updated too infrequently to
provide a comprehensive overview. With near real-time data on field conditions and competitor
operations, you can:

Supplement or validate Monitor competitor Detect key Apply insights at the

third-party intelligence activity, production infrastructure changes speed of change
with up-to-date methods, and and construction
imagery equipment development

CONTENTS CHAPTER 4
4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

While high-cadence satellite imaging has many applications for the energy industry,
there are three primary use cases that provide companies with increased business
efficiencies and ROI from their existing assets:

• State of well pad development

• Right of way encroachment

• Pipeline monitoring

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4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

WELL PAD DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

The rapid pace of development in the Permian Basin region poses
a significant challenge to monitoring for the oil and gas industry.
The frequency, speed, and completeness of data can greatly shift
one’s understanding of what is going on in Midland-Odessa and
other regions. Knowing if and when well pads go into operation
is a vital piece of competitive and market intelligence.

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0 Completed oil wells across six counties

2005 2010 2015 (Culberson, Loving, Pecos, Reeves, Ward, Winkler)
Production (million barrels) - Texas Railroad Commission as of March 2018

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 4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

STATE OF WELL PAD ACTIVITY

With daily imagery, you can gain a week-to-week understanding of what’s happening on the ground.
From medium-resolution imagery for broad-based acreage monitoring to higher-resolution images
to take a closer look at areas of activity—such as our well pad progression example—energy companies
can tailor their analysis to the types of imagery that is ideal for their specific use cases.

High resolution Skysat imagery shows well pad development states

Completion activities
Well pad cleared Frac crew onsite Crew deported 2nd well pad developed 2nd frac crew onsite
coming to closure
02 19 08 23 03 05

2017 NOV NOV 2018 JAN JAN MAR MAR 2019

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 4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

RIGHT OF WAY MONITORING

Any activity that occurs near a right-of-way can put your infrastructure at risk. It’s inefficient to use
humans or drones to monitor infrastructure spanning long distances, such as pipelines and power
transmission lines. Satellite monitoring allows you to track these assets and take action before
growing vegetation, heavy equipment, or urban encroachment interrupt operations.

Medium resolution PlanetScope imagery shows construction over time around DCP Midstream Southern Hills Hydrocarbon Gas Liquid
(HGL) pipeline in Houston, TX

20 10 06 18

2017 JUNE NOV 2018 MAR SEPT 2019

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4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

RIGHT OF WAY ENCROACHMENT

High-resolution imagery makes it easier to detect vegetation and site-specific changes that may indicate leaks and damage.
This imagery also allows you to accurately identify right-of-way concerns such as population density, recently built
infrastructure, or potential environmental issues during the pre-planning phase for new utility lines or pipelines.

High Resolution Skysat imagery shows oil pipeline right of way in Northern Egypt

Building within 40m

Building within 100m
Pipeline

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 4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

PIPELINE MONITORING
Keystone pipeline spill in Amherst, SD, USA via medium resolution, PlanetScope

SkySat

12 18 19 25 26

2017 NOV NOV NOV NOV NOV 2018

Since 2010, over 3,300 incidents of crude oil and liquefied natural gas leaks Keystone pipeline spill in Amherst, SD, USA
via high resolution SkySat
or ruptures have occurred on U.S. pipelines. The next one can be right
around the corner. With over 2.2 million km of pipeline in the United States,
it’s currently difficult and inefficient to fly fixed winged aircraft over all
parts of the pipeline locations. This issue is exacerbated when multiple
pipelines and operators exist in the same corridor making path planning
far more difficult. High-cadence satellite imagery allows you to monitor
obstructions or encroachments within a 200m right of way on either
side of the pipeline. High-resolution imagery makes it easier to detect
vegetation and site-specific changes that may indicate leaks and damage. November 21, 2017 November 24, 2017

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4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

ACREAGE MONITORING

Acreage monitoring helps you track and understand

activity in an area of interest that is worthy of investment.
For example, what if you have gathering agreements—
contracts which dictate rights to transport natural gas
from the source to a destination—over a given acreage
and a new well pad clearing appears? Acreage monitoring
allows you to be the first in the know to ensure the
volume is secured for your transport—rather than a
competitor. Additionally, mineral management firms
can easily monitor large areas for activity to improve
their land acquisition strategies.

The combination of medium and high-resolution data

optimizes your potential acreage monitoring insights.
Medium-resolution imagery products can help with
Acreage monitoring over Permian Basin, Midland, TX
broad area analysis and, as needed, high-resolution
via medium resolution PlanetScope
images provide greater clarity into key areas.

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4. SATELLITE IMAGERY IN ACTION

ROAD DETECTION

Having access to the previously

mentioned imagery is just one piece
of the puzzle. Imagine being able
to have your internal maps updated
automatically on a monthly or weekly
basis with the road changes in your area.
Today, using object detection and
land-use classification powered by
advances in deep learning, you can
more easily discover early indications
of change like road and infrastructure
build out.

Medium resolution PlanetScope imagery shows road network

expansion in Permian Basin, Midland, TX from Dec 2017 to Jan 2018
(top to bottom)

CONTENTS CHAPTER 5
5. THE FUTURE OF ENERGY INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE

Fast, intuitive, and highly scalable, the Planet platform is uniquely positioned to transform
the energy industry and provide new levels of intelligence and insight. With easy to
access satellite imagery, energy organizations gain:

Daily delivery of high- Spatially accurate API enabled Additional information

resolution imagery and analysis ready pre-processing with layers extracted from
from Planet satellites basemaps raster functions before the imagery such
and other satellite you receive any data as road network
resources detections

CONTENTS CONTACT
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To learn how to access the most current energy imagery or basemaps

available, visit: planet.com/markets/energy-and-infrastructure

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