3D Seismic Testing - What happens pictorial

For anyone wondering I will try to follow the sequence of what happens when they come on your property to do the surveying and later when they drill the holes etc.


 The first crew that showed up was the crew cutting the paths for and marking where the seismic sensors go.  They marked their trail with pink survey tape.  Where the sensors will sit they sprayed pink paint on the ground and hung pink and white survey tape above them.  Because we have livestock our agreement was that anything they cut down had to be cut at ground level.   The first time they left foot high spikes and we called and complained-they were back the next day and cut them to the ground.

                                                                                                                              

A couple of weeks later another crew showed up to mark where the shot holes would be drilled.  Orange paint and orange and white tape.  We hadn't had a chance to mow so all these guys were wading through head high weeds in the fields and higher brush and thorns on the rest of the property.  Had to make for a very long and hard day.  Every time someone was to be on the property they called to say they would be 'in the area'.

 
 Today the drill equipment was across the street ready to start on the neighbors property.  Since we were there to open gates and show them how to get to the harder part of the property they called and got the ok to change their plans and do ours first.

 
 First picture-set up to drill.  Second-bit hits the ground.  Third-unlocking bit to add pipe-third adding pipe.  Fourth-drilling with our inspection team watching.  Fifth-setting the charge, note the inspection team is closer.  Sixth is topping the hole and seventh the inspection team checks out their work.

                                                                                                                         

This is not a job for the weak-these guys worked their *@#% off.  They were friendly and polite and always willing to answer our questions.  They seemed genuinely grateful when we showed them places to park and opened gates for them.  We just thought it was pretty neat that they were here on a Saturday and we got to watch take pictures to our heart's content.   Don't know what happens next but when we do I'll follow up with more information.






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Permalink Reply by rob grant on August 24, 2013 at 5:06pm
Thanks, my question is. Will you have access to any results?
Permalink Reply by lynn on August 25, 2013 at 1:43pm

No chance.  We joked about it with our initial contact but we knew from the outset that they sell the data to the o&g companies.

Permalink Reply by Brian Powers on August 27, 2013 at 12:33am

lynn-

This appears to me to be a "spec shoot" (speculative seismic survey). This type of survey is commonly performed in emerging areas. Selling the data to prospective operators is more cost effective than the operator(s) commissioning the survey themselves.

A 3-D survey contains more lines of shot-holes than a 2-D standard survey, which allows the subsurface teams to construct a more detailed estimate of the geology in the area. Coupling the seismic data with data obtained while drilling will improve the accuracy of the maps/models that are made.

Even if the company provided the raw data to you, few individuals possess the computing resources to generate meaningful information.

Your photos were interesting also. I would advise the crews to take preventative measures againt ticks or chiggers in that tall grass.

 

Brian

Permalink Reply by lynn on August 28, 2013 at 11:35am

Brian-that's pretty much what we were told they were doing.  Supposedly chk wants to buy the results.                                                                                     That grass is mowed-the rest they were working in is about 5' plus they went through thorns and brush much higher than that.  The track vehicles didn't care about the thorns and pushed down some 3" trees that they couldn't go around.  Gave us a path we could walk into field we haven't been able to walk through in years.  They did lose a track in one of the creeks-unique watching them get it back on.

Permalink Reply by Jack on August 25, 2013 at 3:16am
They were on my property last week. So are they done now?
Permalink Reply by lynn on August 25, 2013 at 1:46pm

Don't really know.  They are doing North of our property tomorrow but we didn't ask how much more they had to do.  What we know is that there are still two stages to go-setting the sensors and the actual testing.

Permalink Reply by Craig Cooper on August 29, 2013 at 6:40am
Lynn,

Do you know whether the energy source for the program will be strictly dynamite or will there be vibroseis sources too?

There will likely be line clearing associated with layout of the geophones (i.e. sensors) and also with any vibroseis source lines (if planned for the program). Both line layout and seismic acquisition will have a number of steps as well as ongoing activity associated with them.

Good luck!
Permalink Reply by lynn on August 29, 2013 at 11:50am

Thanks for the extra info Craig.  No one said anything about line clearing for the sensors but if they have to it will actually be helpful to us.  So far clearing to mark sensor points has amounted to a crew using a machete.  That's why they had to come back and recut some of what they did-spikes were a foot high which went against addendum to our contract.  Don't know about vibroseis though news had a piece about them signing a RUMA for side roads in Mahoning county due to trucks being heavier than weight limits.  That program also mentioned that they would be using helicopters to drop sensors in heavily wooded areas.  Because of livestock they're not supposed to use them over our property.  Most of the sensors are connected with wires but they did tell us they are experimenting with sensors that use radio waves instead.  Whatever they do it is certainly an interesting process, particularly since nothing else much is happening around here g&o wise.

Permalink Reply by Craig Cooper on August 29, 2013 at 12:30pm
Lynn,

Thanks for the info.

The helicopter operation is actually pretty cool to watch. They'll use a long line attached to a 'carousel' of bags loaded with sensors & cables. A trigger in the copter allows the pilot to drop individual bags of equipment at pre-determined locations around the project.

While cable-based systems are the historical norm, more and more companies are moving to cableless or wireless systems. The new systems have a number of benefits vs the legacy systems. Should be an interesting operation.

Good luck.
Permalink Reply by lynn on September 6, 2013 at 1:03pm

Craig, it sounds like you know quite a bit about this process.  We noticed the charges had wires on them that they buried under the top of the hole.  Do you know if these have to be hooked together or do they set off the charges one hole at a time?  The guys drilling said a certified worker would set off the charges but either didn't know or didn't want to say how that part goes.  Thank you for your input.

Permalink Reply by Craig Cooper on September 6, 2013 at 3:59pm

lynn,

Thanks for the information. When seismic acquisition begins the wires will be attached to a device by a member of the seismic acquisition crew who is certified to handle explosives. The device will enable the explosives in the hole to be detonated on command from a central command unit (aka the dog house). There are a number of checks & balances in place that ensure safety.

The detonated explosives send energy into the ground which reflect off the rocks and are recorded at the surface. All of the recorded data from a project is put together via computer during data processing in an effort to generate an image of the subsurface. The image is analyzed and used to decide where or whether to drill.

Permalink Reply by lynn on September 8, 2013 at 11:07am

Thanks Craig.  Wondered if there were going to be wires running from hole to hole-horses love to drag their feet and unhook things.  Not worried about safety, they couldn't still be doing it if it wasn't.  Had a friend that said they heard them testing near him in Carroll Co, said it sounded like a shotgun, it was before deer season and at first they thought someone was poaching but the sound was too regular and there were too many of them.  If that's the case we'll never notice-way too much gunfire around us between the gun club and target practice.    Thanks for the input.

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