Introduction

Since the 1960s, various gas and oil reservoirs in the Netherlands have been taken into production. The largest is the Groningen gas reservoir with a thickness of 100–200 meters and a diameter of approximately 30 kilometers. Since the start of gas extraction, the reservoir layers have been compacting, which has resulted in subsidence at ground level up to 24.5 cm in 2003 (Schoustra, 2004). Since the start of hydrocarbon production, the resulting subsidence has been derived from periodic leveling campaigns. This book investigates the applicability of the satellite radar interferometry technique, and covers the topic in a generic way: both precision and reliability of InSAR as a measurement technique and the estimation of earth surface deformation in the presence of multiple deformation causes are addressed. Chapter 1 provides the introduction and outline of the book and clearly states the objectives.