Augmenting and complementing current maritime domain awareness systems within the Gulf of Mexico using fiber optic network systems

For the maritime domain awareness in the Gulf of Mexico region, accurate information, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance of vessels, cargo and people is paramount to safely maintain the multitude of physical, biological and socio-economic parameters. In this region of heavy interdependent use, the Gulf of Mexico cradles many of the environmental and economic interactions for the continental United States. It provides sanctuary to countless biological species, contains energy resources and allows efficient transportation of economic goods and cargo. Any disruption to this area would be catastrophic, with complicated and far-reaching effects. Currently, the resources that provide monitoring and allow intervention are provided by multi agency organizations and are finite and limited. It is proposed that addition of a fiber optic network system will augment and complement these resources allowing real time data capture and expanded risk management decision making capability. Well placed within the geographic region of the Gulf is an already installed fiber optic system called FiberWeb. It encircles the heart of the oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, running from the tip of Louisiana to the Texas coast, along the continental shelf, with an intended purpose of providing secure, reliable and expendable communications link between offshore production facilities and onshore bases. This fiber ring around the Gulf offers an opportunity to industry and government to implement a remote sensing security system that will effectively monitor traffic into and out of the Gulf, both above or below sea level, provide real time environmental monitoring data streams, and allow data to be integrated into other existing systems.