The distributed fiber optic sensor market is forecast to be $622 million in 2013. Decreases associated with reduced government spending were compensated for by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems market penetration. In 2017, the market is projected to be $1.525 billion with 73% associated with the oil and gas segments, according to a recent market survey report conducted by the Photonic Sensor Consortium and published by Information Gatekeepers.
“When the positive and negative factors are considered, all of the fiber optic sensor companies that were surveyed are optimistic about future growth with 100% of the companies surveyed forecasting market expansion at 10% or higher,” comments
Dr. David Krohn, author of the Photonic Sensor Consortium Market Survey Report. Krohn is Chairman of the Photonic Sensor Consortium and managing partner of Light Wave Venture LLC.
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.
The forecast covers distributed fiber optic sensing systems including sensor elements, fiber optic cables, interrogators and software. The markets covered are defined below:
1. Worldwide market excluding China
2. Market segments covered
3. Oil & gas seismic
4. Oil & gas in-well
5. Oil & gas pipelines
6. Wind energy turbines
7. Geothermal
8. Utility power lines
9. Military – hydrophone
10. Military – security
11. Military – shipboard
12. Homeland security – intrusion / chemical
13. Infrastructure
14. Industrial process control
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.
The following companies are profiled in the report:
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, TGS, Weatherford, and Zeibel.
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 10 years, 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.
For more information on this report, visit http://www.igigroup.com.