Reducing (or at least quantifying) the weather-related risk of onshore seismic surveys

Abstract

Whilst designing an onshore seismic survey the geophysicist is principally concerned with geophysical parameters, such as the point and line spacing. The survey cost, however, cannot be ignored during this initial stage. In particular, weather can add significant cost to a survey. In this paper we show how the weather-related risk for seismic surveys in the Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia, can be quantified using historical weather data. As well as allowing quantifiable risk determinations, such analyses can also be used to identify the most appropriate time of the year to acquire data. In the specific example given here we were principally impacted by rain. It is easily conceivable, however, that such analyses could be applied to areas where other weather impacts (e.g., snow) are important.