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Hello TODsters,
I have been spending some (OK, way too much) time fiddling with Google Earth and Maps views of Saudi Oilfields and Ghawar in particular. Coming up with the geographic coordinates for the Ghawar field has been a bit of a challenge, although I suppose USGS or somebody else would probably sell me the data. Most recently, I have used existing maps such as those by Croft and used scaled versions as overlays, eventually constructing a polygon overlay which defines the boundaries and can be loaded into both Google Earth and Google Maps:
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=886624&page=0&vc=#P...
(FOr some reason, Google Maps on IE7 comes up half screen)
Fine tuning of the orientation and scaling was done by zooming in and identifying the perimeter wellheads and supporting roads. Interestingly, although the geological structures are over a mile down, there is a recent paper which discusses corresponding surface features:
Surface expressions of the Ghawar structure, Saudi Arabia
Marine and Petroleum Geology 22 (2005) 657–670
Using either GEarth of GMaps, you can play around with this by turning the overlay on and off.
Beyond this, it is interesting to look around and see the various structures. Overall, the resolution is quite good. In contrast, I tried looking for Greensburg, Kansas yesterday (to get a "before tornado" shot", but the resolution was horrible. Oil beats wheat, I guess.
Here is what I believe is one of many GOSPs (Gas Oil Separation Plants). This one is in Uthmaniyah:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=25.006205+49.155491&ie=UTF8&ll=25.004631,4...
Either that, or it's a magnification of an integrated circuit chip. Note the fence around the perimeter, the black smoke smearing everything, and the amazing pipeline layouts. One pipe heading to the SW looks like it carries gas for flaring. Can someone tell me what the reason is for the 90-degree kinks in the pipelines?
I will be updating this over time, as there is a lot that can be done with GEarth in particular. Suggestions are appreciated, and if anyone has an authorative shapefile or something for the boundaries, that would be great too.
I'm not in the oil biz, but I do know you can't run materials that expand and contract in straight lines. You have to put bends in them or they'll crack.
I wondered if someone else would get there before I had the time to complete my work. I'll try and parcel up where I've got to over the next few days so that others can use it. As a rough estimate, I've got the outline positioned to ~100 metre accuracy.
I have refined and reposted my Ghawar boundary overlay using a figure from the reference I cited in my original post above. Here is a screenshot of the overlay in GE:
I assume the authors of that paper had access to GIS data (they are from King Faud U.), although I look forward to your work as I am not close to 100m resolution with my tweaking.
Those are probably pipes on pipe racks, and it's cheaper to use elbows rather than curve the pipe.
I'm also not sure if that's smoke in the picture or oily water runoff.
amazing work joules, and i suppose those are flowlines entering from the east (assuming they do not bury the flowlines, ala texas). some of the vessels may be painted black. anyone?
They seem to be buried as they pass under the fence. There are also some that come in from the south.
Observation: the water has to go somewhere, presumably to wells on the perimeter for reinjection. Must be an interesting plumbing/replumbing job. Bring the big adjustable wrench.
joules, "some flowlines (that) come in from the south. doesnt it appear that they are fewer and larger diameter ? but maybe it is just a distortion.
What are all those circular things just south of the oil field?
I think they are irrigated crop circles, bizarre as that may sound in the middle of the desert
That is not black smoke, that is oil leakage. Notice is flows below the facility and eventually seeps into the sand. I have seen this personally. The stuff quickly turns to paraffin as the heat of the sun causes all the lights to evoperate.
You will always see this in all pipelines except in places where there enough natural bends to take care of expansion and contraction. Here is a perfect example:
http://www.alaskastock.com/preview.asp?image=210DR%20AB0013%20001&imagex...
And here:
http://www.alaskastock.com/preview.asp?image=210DR%20AA0004D001&imagex=2...
And see thumbnails of many more photos of the Alaskan pipeline here:
http://www.alaskastock.com/resultsframe.asp?gs=1&txtkeys1=Pipeline
Ron Patterson
tar sands of the future.