Ultra-high-density 3D seismic in the oil sands with near zero environmental footprint

Abstract • June 1, 2019

Summary

This paper presents some results from the first 3D seismic survey to be acquired in the Western Canada oil sands play fairway using the PinPoint (Châtenay et al, 2017) seismic source technology. The results confirm the viability of acquiring high quality 3D seismic data in this area without the need to cut either source lines or receiver lines.

Method

An ultra-high-density 3D survey using the PinPoint seismic system was acquired in the oil sands during Spring break-up in Q2 2018. Field operations started in early April whilst the ground was still frozen, but by the end of the survey in early May the surface conditions had changed dramatically (Figure 1). The PinPoint survey was acquired over an existing high density Vibroseis 3D that delivered trace densities of approximately 22 million traces per square kilometer with a 30m x 30m source and receiver line spacing, but with mulcher support for both the source line and the receiver line preparation. The Vibroseis 3D was acquired entirely with frozen ground conditions, immediately prior to the PinPoint 3D. The PinPoint 3D was acquired with no additional line cutting and could have been acquired entirely without line cutting had that been either an operational, or a regulatory, requirement.

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