The distributed fiber optic sensor market stood at $585 million in 2013. The market was projected to be $1.5 billion in 2018 with 70% associated with the oil and gas segments. The sudden and unexpected drop in oil prices will negatively impact the market with the overall forecast falling short of the $1.5 billion forecast according to an updated and revised market survey report conducted by the Photonic Sensor Consortium and offered by Electronics.ca Publications. The long term picture is still optimistic, but a short term contraction is likely.
The Photonics Sensor Consortium in conjunction with Light Wave Venture was started in 2003 as an independent organization to assist in the market development and commercialization of photonic sensor technology. The primary focus has been on distributed fiber optic sensors. Over the last 11years, the Consortium has tracked the market and provided overall projections and market analysis for active participants. This report is the first to be available to the general photonics industry.
Why is there such a strong interest in this technology? Fiber optic sensors represent a technology base that can be applied to a multitude of sensing applications. There are several characteristic advantages of fiber optics that make their use especially attractive for sensors:
- Nonelectrical
- Explosion-proof
- Small size and weight
- Allow access into normally inaccessible areas and harsh environments
- Immune to radio frequency interference (RFI) and electro-magnetic interference (EMI)
- Solid-state reliability
- High accuracy
- Can facilitate distributed sensing
Most physical properties can be sensed optically with fibers. Light intensity, displacement (position), temperature, pressure, rotation, sound, strain, magnetic field, electric field, radiation, flow, liquid level, chemical analysis, and vibration are just some of the phenomena that can be sensed.
Fiber optic sensors have been used successfully for many years in military gyroscopes and hydrophones. However, their use in smart oil wells has been the key to enabling North America to be on a path to energy independence.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Photonic Sensor Consortium Background
Survey Overview
- The focus is distributed fiber optic sensing systems
- Wide range of responses from companies with sales of less than $5 million to companies with sales well in excess of $30 million
- Projected sales growth in 2013
- Projected sales growth in 2013 – 2017
- Most companies use multiple technologies
- Most prominent barrier to growth
- Most companies address multiple market segments, but energy is the dominant market
- 78% offer sensing systems, while 50% offer installation services
Survey Response
- What was the size of your sensor business in 2013?
- What is the anticipated growth in 2014?
- What is your anticipated growth from 2013 to 2018?
- What market segments do you serve?
- What technologies do you use?
- What products or services do you offer?
- What is the biggest barrier to growth?
Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor Market Update
- Sensor Forecast Methodology
- Sensor Forecast Coverage
The forecast covers distributed fiber optic sensing systems including sensor elements, fiber optic cables, interrogators and software. It does not include installation. The markets covered are defined below:
- Worldwide market excluding China
- Market segments covered
- Oil & gas seismic
- Oil & gas in-well
- Oil & gas pipelines
- Wind energy turbines
- Geothermal
- Utility power lines
- Military – hydrophone
- Military – security
- Military – shipboard/avionic
- Homeland security – intrusion / chemical
- Infrastructure
- Industrial process control
- Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor MarketUpdate
- Distributed Fiber Optic Market Update(Comparing Relative Market Segment Growth)
- Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor Market by Technologies
- Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor Forecast Comparisons
What Happened to the Market?
- Oil & Gas
- Wind Turbines
- Smart Grid
- Smart infrastructure
- Military
- Homeland Security
- Industrial
Summary and Conclusions
Several factors have impacted the distributed fiber optic sensor market growth.
- On the positive side
- On the negative side
Profiles of Select Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor Companies
- Baker Hughes
- CGGVeritas
- Fiber SenSys
- FISO Technologies
- Fotech
- IFOS
- Intelligent Optical Systems
- Halliburton
- LIOS Technology
- Luna
- Micron Optics
- Northrop Grumman
- NP Photonics
- Opsens
- Optiphase
- OZ Optics
- Petrospec Engineering
- PGS
- QinetiQ
- Schlumberger
- Sensornet
- Silixa
- Smartec (Roctest Group)
- TGS
- US Seismic Systems, Inc. (USSI)
- Weatherford
- Zeibel
Acquisitions
Technology Overview
- Background
- Distributed Fiber Optic Systems
Figure 1 Classification of Optical Fiber Sensors by Transducing Approach
Figure 2 A Simple Intensity-Based Fiber Optic Pressure Sensors
Figure 3 Mach Zehnder Interferometer
Figure 4 Fiber Bragg grating sensor system
Figure 5 Concept of Fiber Optic Distributive Sensors Based on Scattering
Figure 6 Fiber optic transmissive magnetic field sensor using magneto-optic sensing material in the light path
Figure 7Components common to all fiber optic sensors
Figure 8 Classification of optical fiber sensors according to their topology
Figure 9 Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor
Figure 10 Optical scattering mechanisms used for sensing applications
Figure 11 Fiber optic distributed sensors
References
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