COSIA 2nd Exploration Tools Workshop

COSIA’s Exploration Tools 2020 virtual workshop, Transforming Seismic Exploration to Approach Zero Land Disturbance, was hosted on November 17 and 18, 2020. It was designed around the COSIA Land Challenge and informed by COSIA’s May 2020 report reviewing exploration tools and techniques to work towards near zero seismic footprint to support caribou conservation. The workshop attracted 120 participants from a range of organizations, including COSIA member companies, oil and gas companies, geophysical and environmental service providers, government agencies, and academic institutions. Speakers explored regulatory and environmental aspects of seismic exploration, presented emerging approaches to smaller seismic sources, and shared alternate approaches to gathering seismic data. Four key themes emerged from the presentations and participant discussions: Technology, Safety, Environment and Restoration, and Collaboration and Planning. Additional topics were brought forward during breakout room discussions.

Key Themes: (1) Technology – failure is poor data or inability to safely obtain data at scalable cost. Some technologies do one or the other; no single solution. Technology evolving rapidly; strong desire to find alternatives; (2) Safety – concerns around emergency evacuations of workers from “no cut” seismic lines; aerial monitoring and higher levels of training and physical capability needed; (3) Environment and Restoration – restoration important, but takes years to recover to point of decreasing wolf mobility. Avoiding/minimizing new seismic footprints is key, saves on restoration costs; (4) Collaboration and Planning – More sharing of data and operational details would be beneficial. Consider other landscape users besides caribou, such as local Indigenous communities. Misc Breakout Room Topics: nimble nodes, miniaturization, wireless recording, hydrophones (muskegs), soil too soft in summer, many new techs only effective for shallow targets, seismic lines travelled multiple times, need multiple tools for different ecosites, airborne deployment, drone swarms for removal, aerial solutions still require boots on ground, costly, can’t get receivers into ground, UAVs to assess route planning, collect/manage data in real time, could enable remote restoration equipment, tree cover hampers communications, air ships for vibroseis.