ERS-SAR Application 7

Pipeline: location and planning/environmental impact assessment

APPLICATION AREA           GEOGRAPHIC ZONE (EXAMPLE)               CLIMATIC ZONE

Geology,cartography,      Between Lake Chad and Duala               Tropical regions
   hydrology

ECONOMIC VALUE
The design of a pipeline from the south of Lake Chad to the Douala harbour is a project for tapping a recently found petroleum deposit. This petroleum deposit is of major interest for Chad since the country has few natural resources.

ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE
The pipeline might cross or pass close to several nature reserves. An impact study is absolutely necessary.

POLITICAL VALUE
See economic value.

TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY
The feasibility of using ERS-SAR data as the unique source for an environmental impact study has not yet been established. However, information from radar data can be considered as very important.

RELIABLE PROCESSING METHODS
Visual interpretation for land-cover class identification and DTM creation from interferometry.