--> Abstract: Seismic Nodal Technology Test in Cook Inlet, Alaska, by Adiletta, Steve; Yates, Mike; and Yanchak, Dennis; #90162 (2013)

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Seismic Nodal Technology Test in Cook Inlet, Alaska

Adiletta, Steve; Yates, Mike; and Yanchak, Dennis
[email protected]

The Cook Inlet Basin in south-east Alaska is a known hydrocarbon province with significant proven reserves of oil and gas, but in recent years has been an area of low exploration activity. The low activity levels are in part due to the difficulties of acquiring seismic data considering the regulatory sensitivities and dynamic physical environment. Cook Inlet is the critical habitat for the endangered Beluga Whale and home to the third-highest tidal range in the world, with a mean tidal range of 30 feet in places, and seismic operations are impacted by the currents that result.

In March and April 2011, Apache carried out a 2-D seismic acquisition test program to investigate the feasibility of a regional multi-mode 3-D seismic program to clearly image the sub-surface geological structures of the Cook Inlet Basin using nodal seismic recording technology.

Conclusions -

The test program was a success in that it answered all the initial objectives set:
i. Permits required for the acquisition of the 2-D seismic line were acquired from the regulatory agencies,
ii. The subsurface was successfully imaged across the four environments encountered along the test line using the nodal seismic technology,
iii. Regional multi-year 3-D survey operations were considered feasible using the nodal recording system as tested.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90162©2013 Pacific Section AAPG, SPE and SEPM Joint Technical Conference, Monterey, California, April 19-25, 2013