Page 48 - Acquisition and Processing of Marine Seismic Data

2. MARINE SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION 39

HSE plan specifically prepared for each survey. • Dolphin Geophysical (2D, 3D, 4D towed
The project manager, as a general description, is streamer acquisition)
responsible for ensuring the overall project • Polarcus (2D, 3D, 4D towed streamer
objectives according to the requirements of the acquisition)
client, to maintain the budget and timelines of • Fugro (2D, 3D, 4D and high resolution towed
the project, and to prepare necessary project streamer acquisition)
reports to demonstrate that the project proceeds • SeaBird Exploration (2D towed streamer
in accordance with the client’s needs. The head acquisition)
of the crew is the party manager or party chief, • Seabed Geosolutions (OBC, OBN acquisition)
who isresponsible foroverall seismic operations, • Geospace Technologies (OBC, OBN
and preparing daily reports for the survey. Pro- manufacturer)
cessing related to the data quality and quality • Fairfield Nodal (OBN acquisition)
assurance/quality control (QA/QC) issues, as • OceanGeo (OBC, OBS acquisition)
wellasonboardprocessingapplications,arehan- • RXT ASA (OBC acquisition)
dled by the processors under the supervision of • SAExploration (OBN acquisition)
QA/QC supervisor. Observers set up the initial • Geokinetics (OBC acquisition)
shot and recording parameters and analyze the
In addition to academia, which performs
bubble level. They watch and check the data
marineacousticsurveysmostlyforscientificpur-
duringrecordingandperformsomeinitialonline
poses, commercial surveys are conducted by the
quality controls of the raw data in addition to
private survey companies listed here, which act
the handling of the issues of streamers and other
as service companies for oil and gas industry
components of the acquisition system. Mechan-
worldwide. They conduct several different types
ics deploy and retrieve gun arrays and performs
the maintenance and repair of the air guns and of seismic surveys, mainly for reservoir explora-
air compressors. Navigators watch and check tion and development, as well as reservoir char-
navigation data from in-sea equipment during acterization and monitoring over an existing
reservoir (Table 2.1). Among these, 2D and espe-
the acquisition. They also check the data logging cially 3D towed streamer surveys are the most
of the required navigation information, real- common commercial activities. Academic envi-
time binning, and the depths and feathering of ronments generally perform 2D towed seismic
the streamers in real-time. operations, except that Columbia University
Since the seismic data acquisition requires
carries out 3D seismic operations onboard of
comprehensive work, including professionals
research vessel R/V Marcus G. Langseth. OBS
from different areas of expertise, there are sev-
deployments are commonly used by academia
eral private seismic survey companies that
for research purposes in addition to long-term
acquire 2D/3D/4D seismic, ocean bottom cable
monitoring of active submarine fault zones.
(OBC), ocean bottom node (OBN) and ocean
OBN and OBC are specific survey techniques
bottom seismometer (OBS) data all over the
mostly used for monitoring and characterization
world, operating their own dedicated fleets.
of existing reservoirs conducted by oil and gas
These well-known operators are
industry around the offshore production plat-
• Western Geco (2D, 3D, 4D towed streamer forms. Ocean bottom acquisition systems gene-
and OBC acquisition; Western Geco stopped rally collect 2- or 4-component (2C or 4C) data,
seismic acquisition in early 2018) one being pressure data from a hydrophone
• CGG Veritas (2D, 3D, 4D towed streamer, and the others from a three-component geo-
OBC and OBN acquisition) phone. Monitoring of an existing reservoir is
• PGS (2D, 3D, 4D towed streamer acquisition) done by repeated 3D surveys over the same area,