This major onshore seismic survey acquired deep geological data under a mature producing oilfield. It overcame significant environmental and time constraints.
Challenge
This was a major onshore 3D seismic survey in the Vienna Basin for OMV Austria.
The detailed 3D study covered a variety of environmentally sensitive areas. There were many roads and villages, an operating oil field and large expanses of farmland, including commercial vineyards.
To avoid causing damage to crops, the survey was planned for the winter months and had to be completed before farmers commenced work again in the spring.
Technically the geologic target was deep, and the aim was to acquire a high-quality full azimuth dataset at a reasonable cost.
Solution
The programme used innovative techniques to acquire the seismic data. These included the use of a cable-free nodal recording system to minimise the physical impact of the survey, and four fleets of seismic vibrators operating in “slip sweep'” mode to maximise production.
Benefits
- 12 km2 receiver template
- 52,000 source points
- 577 km2 receiver area
- 0 LTIs or reportable HSE incidents
At a glance
Client
OMV Austria Exploration and Production GmbH
Completion date
2018 March
Location
Vienna Basin, Austria
Services
HSE supervision / project management, seismic QC supervision, technical audit
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The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.
