Exploration Tools Pitch Competition

Creating seismic lines for oil and gas exploration has historically caused significant ecosystem disturbance in the boreal forest, negatively impacting caribou and other organisms. The industry is looking for ways to minimize this footprint as much as possible. The Exploration Tools Pitch Competition was undertaken as a follow up to the Exploration Tools Workshop. It addressed the COSIA Land Challenge "Approaching Zero Land Disturbance Exploration’. Foresight Canada helped organize the Challenge.

Full ForceGeophysical Ltd. won with the e-Vibe "Storm", whose small size and alternate design could reduce footprint by over 60% while maintaining worker safety and working with existing recording technology. OptiSeis Solutions Ltd. was the runner-up with their "Eco-Seis" method that utilizes a unique acquisition geometry which takes into account sensitive areas (fens, riparian, etc.), combined with various minimal impact source types/sizes deployed in a novel dispersed source array (DSA). Honourable mention went to a joint submission from Halliburton and Strat-Log Inc., who used a combination of fiberoptic sensing technologies, strategic fiber positioning, low-impact seismic sources, and imaging with RTM in-depth. Participants noted that likely a combination of methodologies will be needed. Foresight, the company that organized the Challenge, recommends increasing research/outreach efforts in targeted and adjacent industries, as well as industry associations, to funnel potential solution providers for future Challenges. There was also some mix-up on how to apply (via Foresight or COSIA) that should be made clearer in future.