BP deploys water monitoring technology

THEODORE, Alabama (WALA) - Wednesday, BP talked about the new technology it's using to monitor water quality. The device will be controlled by satellite.

BP deployed a new device to monitor water quality in response to the Gulf Oil Spill.

It is called the Wave Glider.

The machine has small sensors that sends back results to a command center.

"The purpose of this continuation of science is to help us understand where that oil may be," said Mike Utsler, BP National Spokesperson.

The Wave Glider has no fuel, no motor, and no propeller.

It gets power from the sun and moves by wave action.

This is the first application of this technology in the Gulf of Mexico.

"These vehicles will provide us a steady stream of data about water quality and should significantly increase the available data for ongoing research activity," said Utsler.

The device was developed by Liquid Robotics, a company based in Silicon Valley, California.

"In a couple of weeks, we'll be adding a marine mammal recording capability. So it will be able to track the vocality of the whales in the area," said Roger Hine, Liquid Robotics CEO.

The first two Wave Gliders are being deployed near the site of the blown out well.

"Initially, we will be calibrating a set of nine optical sensors to monitor water quality, including trace amounts of dispersed oil, and will then add acoustic monitoring of marine mammal activity,"

Two more will begin testing the waters next month.

About the Wave Glider:

• The Wave Glider fleet has cumulatively been at sea for 11.5 years and has covered over 100,000 miles.

• A single Wave Glider, Stripes, launched in December 2008, has been at sea for over 600 days, travelling 15,500 miles. Stripes is still swimming, with minimal maintenance required to date.

• Two Wave Gliders, Honu and Kohola, traveled from Kona, Hawaii to San Diego, California - 2,750 miles in 79 days

• A Wave Glider, Red Flash, traveled from Mexico to Alaska and held station in 21 foot seas and 50 knot winds.