Environmental Impact Assessment Follow-Up of Seismic Survey Offshore Activities in Brazil

Follow-up of environmental impacts is an integral part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, closely related to the effectiveness of the instrument. EIA follow-up has been receiving a lot of interest from scientists and practitioners, though it is recognized as one of the weakest points of EIA systems globally. Also, EIA follow-up is influenced by the context, mainly in terms of the types of projects or activities and their related impacts on the environment. Therefore, the present paper is focused on the investigation of the follow-up stage applied to the activity of seismic survey coupled with offshore oil & gas exploitation in Brazil. Research was based on a qualitative approach that included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with analysts involved in EIA processes, and sought to generate evidence of effectiveness of the EIA follow-up as conducted by the Federal Environment Agency (Ibama) in order to situate the practice of follow-up in the broader context of international best practice principles. Based on the findings, it was concluded that, due to the peculiarities of offshore seismic survey, it is necessary to promote adaptations in the procedures for monitoring impacts in order to ensure proper alignment with the principles and conceptual foundations that guide EIA practice. Specifically, the timing of the execution of the activity imposes challenges for its integration into the “conventional” cycle that has guided the monitoring of the impacts in the EIA of projects.

Joint land-sea seismic survey and research on the deep structures of the Bohai Sea areas

This paper presents the survey and research work of two land-sea profiles in the Bohai Sea, China, carried out in 2010-2011, including the seismic sources on land and in the sea, the ocean bottom seismographs （OBS） and their recovery, the coupling of OBS and the environment noise in sea area, the data quality of OBSs, and the result of data analysis. We focused on the investigation of crustal structures revealed by the two NE／EW-trending joint land-sea profiles. In combination with the Pn-velocity distribution and gravity- magnetic inversion results in the North China Craton, we propose that the undulation of the Moho interface in the Bohai and surrounding areas is not strong, and the lithospheric thinning is mainly caused by the thinning of its mantle part. The research result indicates that obvious lateral variations of Moho depth and seismic velocity appear nearby all the large-scale faults in Bohai Sea, and there is evidence of underplating and reforming of the lower crust by mantle material in the Bohai area. However, geophysical evidence does not appear to support the ＂mantle plume＂ or ＂delamination＂ model for the North China Craton destruction. The crustal structure of the Bohai Sea revealed ＂a relatively normal crust and obviously thinned mantle lid＂, local velocity anomalies and instability phenomena in the crust. These features may represent a combined effect of North China-Yangtze collision at an early stage and the remote action of Pacific plate subduction at a late stage.

Using seismic surveys to investigate sediment distribution and to estimate burial fluxes of OC, N, and P in a canyon reservoir

As a high-precision survey method,seismic surveying has been increasingly applied to inland water research,although its application to artificial reservoirs has remained limited.As a special artificial water body,reservoirs have important effects on the fluvial transport of material from land to ocean,and inevitably have complex terrain which can complicate and distort the results of seismic surveys.Therefore,there are still some problems need to be resolved in the application of seismic surveys in reservoirs with complex terrain.For this study,the Dongfeng Reservoir located in the upper reaches of the Wujiang River was chosen as an example to test the seismic survey method.Our testing showed that(1)because of the complex underwater terrain,the signal-to-noise ratio of the echo signal in canyon reservoir is low,making it difficult to determine sediment layers thicknesses in some areas;and(2)due to the large spatial heterogeneity of sediment distribution,insufficient density of cross-sections can lead to inaccurate interpolation results.To improve the accuracy of calculations,a mathematical method was used.Ultimately,the total burial mass of sediment was estimated at 2.85 x 107 tons,and the average burial rates of total organic carbon,total phosphorus,and total nitrogen were estimated at 0.194,0.011,and 0.014 g cm-2 year-1,respectively.These values were close to the results of previous studies and hydrographic station data,indicating that seismic survey can be a reliable and efficient method for the mapping of reservoirs.

Application of passive source surface-wave method in site engineering seismic survey

Site engineering seismic survey provides basic data for seismic effect analysis. As an important parameter of soil, shear-wave velocity is usually obtained through wave velocity testing in borehole. In this paper, the passive source surface-wave method is introduced into the site engineering seismic survey and practically applied in an engineering site of Shijingshan District. By recording the ubiquitous weak vibration on the earth surface, extract the dispersion curve from the surface-wave components using the SPAC method and obtain the shear-wave velocity structure from inversion. Over the depth of 42 m under- ground, it totally consists of five layers with interface depth of 3.31, 4.50, 7.23, 17.41, and 42.00 m; and shear-wave velocity of 144.0, 198.3, 339.4, 744.2, and 903.7 m/s, respectively. The inversion result is used to evaluate site classification, determine the maximum shear modulus of soil, provide basis for further seismic hazard analysis and site assessment or site zoning, etc. The result shows that the passive source surface-wave method is feasible in the site engineering seismic survey and can replace boreholes,shorten survey period, and reduce engineering cost to some extent.

Integrated geophysical surveys on railroads in permafrost areas

The zones of thawed ground in the permafrost area are most dangerous from engineer-geologist effect point of view. Detection of such zones, as making forecast of their movement is the main task of engineer-geologist survey been held in railway industry. This paper presents general issues concerning railway construction and operation in permafrost areas. Comprehensive geophysical methods to monitor the development of thawed soils axe considered in detail. The main physical parameters which help define permafrost and thawed soil patches are described. Author of current paper pointed out main factors, allowing predicting potential areas of development of thawed grounds. They offered set non-destructive methods： GPR investigations, seismic survey and elec- tric exploration. Whole sets of geophysical data： electric resistivity, velocity of S-wave and P-wave （and their correlation）, allow us with high confidence specify characteristics and state of soil either under the line of road, or near it. At the same time the meth- od allows to predict direction of further development of thawed ground area.

Study on shallow structural features in Changbaishan Tianchi volcanic region

A seismic survey by 10 shallow profiles and 6 ultra-shallow profiles was performed in Changbaishan Tianchi volcanic region in 2002. The result shows that there are three （in some areas as many as seven） stable interfaces in the survey region, but no reflection phases are found in depths greater than 500 m. The number of interfaces in the southwestern part is obviously greater than in the northwestern part of Tianchi volcano, which suggests that the faults in the southwest have a stronger controlling power over the flow direction of volcano-spewed lava as compared with those in the northwest. Six shallow faults exist in the survey region. The shallow faults are nearly vertical graben-like faults and are mostly distributed on the southwest of Tianchi crater, indicating that volcanic activities in the southwest are stronger than in the northwest. On this ground, it could be further deduced that the NE-trending major fault of Tianchi volcano （ the Liudaogou-Tianchi-Zengfengshan fault） is more active than the NW-trending Baishanzhen-Tianchi-Jince fault.

Monitoring of steam chamber in steam-assisted gravity drainage based on the temperature sensitivity of oil sand

Thermosensitivity experiments and simulation calculations were conducted on typical oil sand core samples from Kinosis,Canada to predict the steam chamber development with time-lapse seismic data during the steam-assisted gravity drain-age(SAGD).Using an ultrasonic base made of polyether ether ketone resin instead of titanium alloy can improve the signal en-ergy and signal-to-noise ratio and get clear first arrival;with the rise of temperature,heavy oil changes from glass state(at-34.4℃),to quasi-solid state,and to liquid state(at 49.0℃)gradually;the quasi-solid heavy oil has significant frequency dis-persion.For the sand sample with high oil saturation,its elastic property depends mainly on the nature of the heavy oil,while for the sand sample with low oil saturation,the elastic property depends on the stiffness of the rock matrix.The elastic property of the oil sand is sensitive to temperature noticeably,when the temperature increases from 10℃ to 175℃,the oil sand samples decrease in compressional and shear wave velocities significantly.Based on the experimental data,the quantita-tive relationship between the compressional wave impedance of the oil sand and temperature was worked out,and the tem-perature variation of the steam chamber in the study area was predicted by time-lapse seismic inversion.

Structural Investigation for Locating Petroleum Reservoirs Using Geoinformatics in Meyal, Potwar Region, Pakistan

Reflection Seismology technique (Seismic Survey) is widely used around the world to produce a detailed analogue image of subsurface geological structures. This information is used by petroleum experts to accurately plan the location of oil wells. Seismic survey sections and corresponding well logs exhibit different variables like acoustic impedance of rock, seismic velocity, rock density, porosity, time and depth that can be manipulated in GIS to infer a subsurface model for stratigraphic as well as structural interpretations. In recent years, GIS has emerged as a powerful analytical tool for subsurface mapping and analysis. Petroleum exploration is a map intensive process that requires the powerful capabilities of GIS. Purpose of this research is integration of Geographical Information System with Seismic Surveys for Structural and Stratigraphic Interpretation of subsurface Geology and locating Petroleum Prospects. In this research work, GIS has been used to investigate subsurface geological structures and stratigraphy to carefully analyze the capabilities of GIS for finding new petroleum prospects in active thrust belt of Meyal, Potwar region, Pakistan. Acquisition of two-dip and three-strike seismic lines is along with well log data, followed by spatial seismic data processing, development of geophysical data management interface, interpolation of shot point data, trend surface analysis and Geostatistical analysis using GIS. Subsurface zones of high, low or null probability of petroleum accumulation were then, mapped. Finally, GIS based maps were developed. Geospatial tomography GIS model inferred that study area is structurally deformed and exhibits excessive geological faults, and structural traps. With GIS-tomography interpretation of section 97-MYL-08, a potential oil bearing zone (popup anticline), bounded by two thrust faults was observed at almost 3.6 Km depth in Meyal area with average density of about 2.6 gm/cm3. Thrust fault recognized from sharp discontinuity in GIS based survey raster was encountered at 2.9 Km depth. Structure contour map was developed. It depicted that Chorgali formation (dolomitic limestone) at 3.68 Km depth was proven to be reservoir rock in study area. GIS has proved to be a powerful and efficient subsurface modeling and analytical tool and it should be integrated with survey based studies for exploration of oil and gas and investigation of subsurface geological structures.

Impact and Solutions of Seawater Heterogeneity on Wide-Angle Tomographic Inversion of Crustal Velocities in Deep Marine Environments—Numerical Studies

The seawater column is typically taken as a homogeneous velocity layer in wide-angle crustal seismic surveys in marine environments. However, heterogeneities in salinity and temperature throughout the seawater layer result insignificant lateral variations in its seismic velocity, especially in deep marine environments. Failure to compensate for these velocity inhomogeneities will introduce significant artifacts in constructing crustal velocity models using seismic tomography. In this study, we conduct numerical experiments to investigate the impact of heterogeneous seismic velocities in seawater on tomographic inversion for crustal velocity models. Experiments that include lateral variation in seawater velocity demonstrated that the modeled crustal velocities were contaminated by artifacts from tomographic inversions when assuming a homogeneous water layer. To suppress such artifacts, we propose two strategies：（1） simultaneous inversion of water velocities and the crustal velocities;（2） layer-stripping inversion during which to first invert for seawater velocity and then correct the travel times before inverting for crustal velocities. The layer-stripping inversion significantly improves the modeling of variation in seawater velocity when preformed with seismic sensors deployed on the ocean bottom and in the water column. Such strategies improve crustal modeling via wide-angle seismic surveys in deep-marine environment.