ABSTRACT: Lake Sands: An Environmentally Friendly 3D Seismic Survey in the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands

ENSMINGER, ALLAN, RICHARD FOSSIER, MARK H. GAGLIANO, SHERWOOD M. GAGLIANO, GREGORY L. JONES, EDMOND MOUTON, and MIKE WINDHAM

A nonexclusive 3D survey was conducted on the Marsh Island Wildlife Refuge as a cooperative effort by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the minerals operator, the geophysical company, and a third party environmental compliance inspector with the objective of using environmentally-based planning, innovative approaches, and new technology to collect high quality geophysical data in an environmentally sensitive area with a minimum of detrimental impact. Use of Vibra-Ram technology, the Digiseis FLX radio telemetry recording system, and slant geometry reduced detrimental environmental impacts and also improved survey efficiency and seismic data quality. Unavoidable marsh damage was repaired using coconut fiber biologs and mats pre-planted with marsh grass. The project developed both method and theory, and performance standards for conducting geophysical surveys and related activities that have broad applications.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90941©1997 GCAGS 47th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana