Photo: Energy Transfer

Energy infrastructure company Energy Transfer has selected Orbital Sidekick to monitor its assets in the Permian Basin with satellite technology. Orbital Sidekick’s hyperspectral monitoring technology will allow Energy Transfer to detect and prevent leaks along the pipeline in the southwestern United States. 

Energy Transfer operates more than 120,000 miles of pipeline and related assets crossing 41 states. The company said this partnership will drive improvements in safety, environmental performance, and operating efficiency. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

“[This deal] is a testament to our asset monitoring solution addressing a real and emerging market need,” said Daniel Katz, CEO and co-founder of OSK. “Operators at Energy Transfer are able to assess the integrity of its pipelines daily, for a reasonable price point and in a more sustainable fashion.”

Orbital Sidekick launched its pathfinder mission in June 2021. Once its GHOSt (Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellite) constellation is deployed in late 2022, early 2023, the company will offer frequent monitoring of pipeline assets to the global oil and gas industry through its Sigma platform.