The effects of marine seismic acquisition in a coral reef environment: results from a multi-disciplinary monitoring program at Scott Reef, Western Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 567
Author(s):  
Cameron Grebe ◽  
Luke Smith ◽  
Craig Reid
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Full Data ◽  
Reef Environment ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Coral Reef Environment ◽  
Marine Seismic

In September 2007 Woodside Energy Ltd, as operator of the Browse LNG Development , conducted the Maxima three-dimensional marine seismic survey (Maxima) at Scott Reef, a shelf-emergent coral atoll located in the Indian Ocean approximately 425 km north of Broome, Western Australia Implementation of the survey followed extensive state and Commonwealth environmental approvals processes that began more than 12 months earlier. The survey drew regulator and stakeholder attention, with focus on the uncertainties associated with predicting impacts on Scott Reef marine environment as a result of exposure to airgun noise emissions. Ministerial conditions for approval of the survey concluded that significant impacts were unlikely (Woodside 2008), but required Woodside to address the inherent uncertainties through implementation of a suite of research and monitoring activities prior to, during and after Maxima. Most were completed in on site Scott Reef as part of a field verification study, conducted in advance of the full data acquisition phase of Maxima. These monitoring studies showed that the actual effects of exposure to an airgun array were lower than predicted and established new sound exposure thresholds.

On the reconstruction of the shape of a seismic streamer

Geophysics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. H1-H6
Author(s):  
Bruno Goutorbe ◽  
Violaine Combier
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Random Errors ◽  
Generalized Inversion ◽  
Reconstruction Methods ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
Marine Seismic ◽  
Gps Devices ◽  
Vessel Reconstruction

In the frame of 3D seismic acquisition, reconstructing the shape of the streamer(s) for each shot is an essential step prior to data processing. Depending on the survey, several kinds of constraints help achieve this purpose: local azimuths given by compasses, absolute positions recorded by global positioning system (GPS) devices, and distances calculated between pairs of acoustic ranging devices. Most reconstruction methods are restricted to work on a particular type of constraint and do not estimate the final uncertainties. The generalized inversion formalism using the least-squares criterion can provide a robust framework to solve such a problem — handling several kinds of constraints together, not requiring an a priori parameterization of the streamer shape, naturally extending to any configuration of streamer(s), and giving rigorous uncertainties. We explicitly derive the equations governing the algorithm corresponding to a marine seismic survey using a single streamer with compasses distributed all along it and GPS devices located on the tail buoy and on the vessel. Reconstruction tests conducted on several synthetic examples show that the algorithm performs well, with a mean error of a few meters in realistic cases. The accuracy logically degrades if higher random errors are added to the synthetic data or if deformations of the streamer occur at a short length scale.

A case history of a cost effective 3D seismic survey over the Perth Basin, Western Australia

1989 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
S.C. Stewart ◽  
B.J. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Comparison ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
3D Seismic ◽  
Seismic Surveying ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Funded Research Project

As part of an industry funded research project into the application of the technique of LOFOLD3D land seismic surveying, a four fold three dimensional seismic survey was performed in the Perth Basin at Moora, Western Australia in July 1987. The volume covered an area of four kilometres by just under two kilometres, producing a total of 23,000 common midpoint traces. The objective was to collect and process the data in such a manner that a three dimensional structural interpretation would result, which would be the same as that resulting from a conventional three dimensional survey. A cost comparison indicates that a commercial LOFOLD3D survey would reduce the cost of performing a land 3D survey to an estimated 20% of the full fold equivalent, and the technique therefore offers potential for substantial savings if it is adopted on a commercial basis.

The challenges of seismic acquisition in a remote and sensitive marine environment: Scott Reef, Western Australia

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 573
Author(s):  
Mark Taylor ◽  
Nick Fitzgerald ◽  
Jeremy Fitzpatrick ◽  
Ralph Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Ocean Bottom ◽  
Outer Continental Shelf ◽  
Gas Field ◽  
Narrow Channels ◽  
Reef Lagoon ◽  
The North ◽  
Seismic Acquisition ◽  
Water Depths

Woodside Energy Ltd, as operator of the Browse LNG Development, recently acquired two seismic surveys at Scott Reef, Western Australia. The surveys were important steps towards acquiring full seismic coverage over the Torosa gas field, part of which underlies Scott Reef The Maxima 3D marine seismic survey, conducted in late 2007, was a conventional towed streamer survey. This was followed in May 2008 by the Gigas 2D transition zone survey in the shallow waters of north Scott Reef, and Woodside’s first experience with ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic technology. Each survey presented unique challenges during the planning, regulatory approval and acquisition stages. Scott Reef comprises two coral atolls located on the outer continental shelf of northwest Australia, approximately 400 km north of Broome. The only permanently emergent land is a small sand cay (Sandy Islet, Fig. 1), although the reef crests of both atolls are exposed at low tide. Outside the reefs the seafloor drops away rapidly, with water depths of about 350 m to the east, increasing to more than 1,000 m to the west. South Scott Reef lagoon is open to the north, with water depths increasing to about 50 m before deepening abruptly into the channel between the two reefs. North Scott Reef lagoon is shallower—generally less than 25 m—and is connected to the ocean by two narrow channels. Semi-diurnal tides with a range of up to 4.6 m produce strong tidal currents in and near these channels. Small, steep-sided coral heads, or bombies, are common throughout the lagoons, especially in water less than 25 m deep.

Modeling and Assessment of the Produced Water Discharges from Offshore Petroleum Platforms

2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Chen ◽  
Lin Zhao ◽  
Kenneth Lee ◽  
Charles Hannath
Keyword(s):  
Random Walk ◽  
Produced Water ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Ecological Monitoring ◽  
Numerical Approach ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Water Stream

Abstract There has been a growing interest in assessing the risks to the marine environment from produced water discharges. This study describes the development of a numerical approach, POM-RW, based on an integration of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) and a Random Walk (RW) simulation of pollutant transport. Specifically, the POM is employed to simulate local ocean currents. It provides three-dimensional hydrodynamic input to a Random Walk model focused on the dispersion of toxic components within the produced water stream on a regional spatial scale. Model development and field validation of the predicted current field and pollutant concentrations were conducted in conjunction with a water quality and ecological monitoring program for an offshore facility located on the Grand Banks of Canada. Results indicate that the POM-RW approach is useful to address environmental risks associated with the produced water discharges.

scholarly journals Seismic characteristics of polygonal fault systems in the Great South Basin, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 851-865
Author(s):  
Sukonmeth Jitmahantakul ◽  
Piyaphong Chenrai ◽  
Pitsanupong Kanjanapayont ◽  
Waruntorn Kanitpanyacharoen
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Tier 2 ◽  
South Basin ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
Polygonal Fault

AbstractA well-developed multi-tier polygonal fault system is located in the Great South Basin offshore New Zealand’s South Island. The system has been characterised using a high-quality three-dimensional seismic survey tied to available exploration boreholes using regional two-dimensional seismic data. In this study area, two polygonal fault intervals are identified and analysed, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 coincides with the Tucker Cove Formation (Late Eocene) with small polygonal faults. Tier 2 is restricted to the Paleocene-to-Late Eocene interval with a great number of large faults. In map view, polygonal fault cells are outlined by a series of conjugate pairs of normal faults. The polygonal faults are demonstrated to be controlled by depositional facies, specifically offshore bathyal deposits characterised by fine-grained clays, marls and muds. Fault throw analysis is used to understand the propagation history of the polygonal faults in this area. Tier 1 and Tier 2 initiate at about Late Eocene and Early Eocene, respectively, based on their maximum fault throws. A set of three-dimensional fault throw images within Tier 2 shows that maximum fault throws of the inner polygonal fault cell occurs at the same age, while the outer polygonal fault cell exhibits maximum fault throws at shallower levels of different ages. The polygonal fault systems are believed to be related to the dewatering of sedimentary formation during the diagenesis process. Interpretation of the polygonal fault in this area is useful in assessing the migration pathway and seal ability of the Eocene mudstone sequence in the Great South Basin.

scholarly journals Evaluating the feasibility and advantage of a multi-purpose submerged breakwater for harbor protection and benthic habitat enhancement at Kahului Commercial Harbor, Hawai‘i: case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuko Stender ◽  
Michael Foley ◽  
Ku’ulei Rodgers ◽  
Paul Jokiel ◽  
Amarjit Singh
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Coastal Protection ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Engineering Structures ◽  
Camera System ◽  
Reef Environment ◽  
Submerged Breakwater ◽  
Coral Reef Environment

AbstractConstruction of breakwaters provides an engineering solution for coastal protection. However, little effort has been made toward understanding the ecological impact on local coral reef ecosystems and developing engineering structures that would enhance the coral reef environment. A submerged breakwater proposed for Kahului Commercial Harbor, Hawai‘i, provided an opportunity to design a multi-purpose ‘reef structure’ to mitigate wave impacts while providing new coral reef habitat. This design involved ecological and environmental considerations alongside engineering principles, serving as a model for environmentally sound harbor development. This field study evaluated environmental conditions and reef community composition at the proposed site in a gradient extending outward from the harbor, using in situ data with multivariate analyses. Benthic and topographic features in the area were assessed using a towed drop camera system to relate to biological factors. Results that support breakwater topography should follow the natural spur and groove and depth of the adjacent reef and orient with wave direction. A deep area characterized by unconsolidated substrata and low coral cover would be replaced with the shallow, sloping hard bottom of the breakwater, and provide an exemplary area for corals to flourish while protecting the harbor from large ocean swells. Surfaces on shallow sloping hard bottoms receive higher levels of irradiance that benefits coral growth. Optimal levels of water motion facilitate sediment removal and promote coral recruitment and growth. The design of the Kahului Harbor submerged multi-purpose structure serves as a model for design of shoreline modification that enhances, rather than degrades, the local coral reef environment.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document