Improving safety and efficiency for multi-vessel seismic surveys

Paul Boughton
Konsberg is introducing a new concept designed to enhance safety and efficiency for multi-vessel seismic surveys. It utilises the SIMOPS technology developed for complex marine operations involving offshore oil and gas platforms and vessels.

SIMOPS for Seismic is a tool and aid in planning, monitoring and managing complex seismic operations such as wide or multi-azimuth surveys. The integral, highly reliable wireless broadband network enables exchange of live HD video and provides critical information between the different vessels.

SIMOPS gives a clear and consistent operational overview on-board the vessels involved and also integrates with AIS (Automatic Identification System) to include third party vessels in the operational overview. SIMOPS exchanges data between the participating vessels in a seismic operation (seismic vessels, gun boat, workboat, chase boat). As an example – a stabilized camera on a work boat can provide live pictures on-board the mother vessel by utilising the SIMOPS integral wireless ‘highway’.[Page Break]

Further, the optimised user interface and display areas have overlays that in addition to navigation charts, objects and vessels can display updated ice charts and specialised information such as seabed maps relevant to the survey area.

The data is managed through a SIMOPS interface on-board the master vessel and any other participating SIMOPS enabled vessel will instantly share the same information. SIMOPS also has provision for the information to be monitored at other locations for instance at shore.

“The Konsberg SIMOPS concept has been adapted to provide real-time monitoring of all assets during multi-vessel seismic survey operations,” comments Gard Ueland, President, Kongsberg Seatex. “The system enables significant efficiency improvements by ensuring that all vessels have a live, full picture of the entire operation. With additional features such as a highly reliable radio link, remote video and updated ice charts we think the users will appreciate SIMOPS as a valuable tool when managing increasingly more complex seismic survey operations.”

For more information, visit www.kongsberg.com

Recent Issues