What is ROFFS™ Oil and Gas?

Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. (ROFFS™) is a scientific consulting company based in Miami, Florida (U.S.A.) that has been providing consulting services to the petroleum oil and gas industry shortly after we incorporated in 1987. While we are well known for providing a worldwide fisheries oceanographic consulting service our involvement with the oil and gas industry has expended and we currently offer our services on a worldwide basis.

Our products are designed to provide real-time detailed information on ocean currents to maximize the operational efficiency and for risk abatement. ROFFS™ integrates infrared, ocean color_chlorophyll, altimeter, radar, current meter, and meteorological data and produces a detailed oceanographic analyses. Depending on the needs of our clients we offer different geographic coverage, with variable spatial and temporal resolution solutions to provide the most cost effective service.

Recently we have formed a joint venture with Schaudt.us (http://www.schaudt.us/kjs/index.html) and are leveraging the talents and experience of both companies to provide a variety of services including oceanographic analyses and forecasts in support of drilling (construction and operations), as well as, tow and rig transportation. This includes response and horsepower forecasting. Depending on the project we also partner with other companies that allows us to provide the best solution with lowest cost to the client. We have a team that uses advanced satellite image interpretation, private-industry developed numerical weather and current models, as well as, simulators to monitor and predict operational efficiency.

Expert Interpretation

The ROFFS™ Oceanographic Analysis is designed to optimize operational efficiency, safety of drilling and navigation, voyage performance, and fuel conservation. The analyses are composed of a map and a text summary that are designed to identify ocean currents from the coastline to the far reaches of the ocean. The map provides a representation of the ocean conditions that presently exist and a short-term forecast of the future conditions. The analysis is the result of studying the ocean conditions for several days while focusing on the most current 1-12-24 hour period. We provide an overall review of ocean conditions and furnish details on the locations where the conditions may impact operations and safety. This is based on our time-tested and field proven analysis techniques. Subtle changes in the ocean conditions often have great consequences on current velocity. We are focused on detail.

Experience and Training

ROFFS™ employs the top oceanography graduates and image analysis experts who conduct oceanographic analyses. We are experts in observing ocean circulation features from a variety of space satellites under varying atmospheric conditions. We remain active in NASA funded science, with other research scientists, and application developers. Mitchell A. Roffer incorporated Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service Inc. (ROFFS™) in 1987 after receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science where he studied the effects of the ocean environment on the distribution and catchability of a variety of fish species using oceanographic data derived in-situ (ships, buoys, etc.) and remotely using satellites.

Technique

Providing comprehensive oceanographic analyses is an intensive process that requires expertise in a variety of scientific disciplines including physical oceanography, satellite remote sensing, image analysis, and computer science to name a few. ROFFS™ has developed advanced image analysis techniques, particularly when working with water motion and clouds. This allows us to provide useful information more often than others. We do not limit our analyses to simple sea surface temperature contour maps or pretty color images. Often a simple sea surface temperature map or a pretty color image will only provide a combination of cloud cover, other atmospheric effects (e.g. uneven humidity, fog, haze) and computer artifacts from automated processing of the satellite data. It certainly will not allow you to understand the changes in the short-term history and motion of the ocean currents which are critical to operational efficiency. ROFFS™ uses infrared, ocean color-chlorophyll, altimeter, radar, current meter, and meteorological data which are integrated in our analyses.

Service and Reliability

You receive personalized attention when you call ROFFS™. We have several telephone lines for incoming calls, and you speak with a knowledgeable person, not an answering machine or computer. We are open five – seven days per week, 10-15 hours per day or more when conditions necessitate. ROFFS™ strives to never miss sending an accurate analysis or leave a customer in jeopardy. We often extend our hours to serve our clients. Our oceanographers are available to discuss the analyses.

Ease of Use

We are a service oriented business and enjoy helping people. We are flexible and user friendly. We provide a color oceanographic analysis over the Internet via electronic mail or a black & white version via fax. With ROFFS™ there is no need to learn a complex computer program. Our file sizes are small and cost effective for satellite based e-mail systems. We have spent several years developing and refining the background bottom topographic charts which cover the areas that a majority of the fishermen want to use. These background charts are easy to read.

Compared with ROFFS™, What Else is Out There?

Pretty Colorized Images

Others are providing colorized satellite images or sea surface temperature traces which are claimed to be equivalent to our analyses. ROFFS™ provides the same temperature and water color information provided in color-enhanced satellite images. However, we highlight the significant data and reduce the superfluous information. In all cases we have seen to date, our analyses contain more useful information than any single color image product. We use numerous images with the highest temperature and color resolution with the most accurate calibration to conduct our analyses. Images provided by others do not provide such resolution, accuracy or precision. Single satellite images can not provide the important information about water motion that critical to forecasting ocean currents. Observing water motion from satellite imagery is not trivial. We have the experience to differentiate between the real ocean features and clouds or other artifacts created by a variety of atmospheric interference. ROFFS™ provides an interpretation of the satellite data and integrates other oceanographic and meteorological data to provide a comprehensive product which is unequaled. ROFFS™ receives and uses the infrared (temperature) and visible (water color, chlorophyll, and turbidity) data from all functioning NOAA, as well as, NASA (Terra and Aqua) satellites in addition to the other radar, satellite, ship, and buoy (public and private) data.

Models of Ocean Features and Circulation

Our experience suggests that the present generation of ocean models available from the government and academic sectors do not provide useful results for real-time monitoring of ocean currents. The temporal resolution and geographic coverage of the output is insufficient. Many times the model output is a day late. In addition, the output provide incomplete information as many important ocean features are missing compared with the actual observed currents. ROFFS™ has been successful in blending our real-time oceanographic analyses with models developed and operated by private industry oceanographers and meteorologists.

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