Managing simultaneous operations during seismic acquisition

I t is increasingly common for seismic surveys to take place among busy and complex operating fields. The variety and intricacy of simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) considerations have increased dramatically as oilfields and their infrastructure have developed. The implications of these disruptions range from unnecessary delays and downtime to a compromising of data quality. These effects are both undesirable and costly, prolonging surveys and increasing HSE exposure. Seismic acquisition is a challenge for the operators in the field and for the seismic contractor acquiring the data. Installations in a field may include platforms, drill rigs and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels with associated supply and standby vessels (Figure 1). All have ongoing operations with stringent schedules – diving, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) work, site surveys, drilling, and tanker operations. When a seismic vessel with towed streamers is additionally operating in the field, the SIMOPS complexity increases and careful planning is required. Communication of all planned infield activities is key to avoiding downtime and unnecessary disruptions. Typically, communication takes place between offshore personnel via email, phone and radio. Planned operations and exclusion zones are exchanged. In very active fields, a SIMOPS representative may be in place to compile the operations schedules every 12-24 hours, often in a spreadsheet or Gantt chart, then email this to the involved parties. The problems associated with the timing and the delivery method are obvious – by the time the email is sent, the information may be out of date, and a spreadsheet cannot clearly represent the spatial nature of the operations. To optimize the execution of critical activities, a SIMOPS management system must provide all relevant parties with timely, near real-time updates during rapidly changing operations. We describe in this article a SIMOPS management software solution that provides both a spatial and temporal overview of all known activities in the area in near real time, allowing a safe and efficient seismic operation.