Oil Platform Location Suitability using WMS

Introduction

The goal of this project is to visualize and consider the various contributing factors which can influence the decisions of the stakeholders involved in the continuation of oil extraction along Canada’s Atlantic coast using web mapping services and publicly available data. These stakeholders have expressed interest in incorporating open data exchange standards and open source software for the realization of this goal. Web mapping services (WMS) and freely available have the potential to serve as a valuable source of geospatial contents and services which can be utilized in practical business applications to provide economically feasible alternatives to managing and analyzing spatial information. When dealing with hydrographic data associated with offshore oil exploration current uses and constraints which characterize the region may affect the potential for the designation of a suitable site for the oil platform to be built. This project is designed to illustrate the proximity of these features to suitable site locations for oil platforms. For the purposes of this project I have used two features marine protected areas and ferry routes which are used in my analysis. These features can be considered as examples of constraints which can be imposed on decision makers when selecting a suitable location for the development of an oil platform. The methods employed in this tutorial outline the necessary steps involved in making use of freely available data and open source software in order to generate effective maps concerning the goals of the stakeholders involved in the implementation of offshore oil platforms.