Field-wide implementation of time and distance separated source techniques on a 3D OBC survey offshore Abu Dhabi, UAE

ADMA-OPCO undertook a large 3D-4C OBC (ocean bottom cable) survey over an oil and gas field offshore Abu Dhabi, UAE. The survey was designed to acquire a high-fold dataset having wide azimuth and long offset sampling. The survey utilized, for the first time, two simultaneous source techniques so-called DS3 (Distance Separated Simultaneous Shooting) and MSS (Managed Spread and Sources) to enhance survey productivity and minimize HSE exposure in the field. DS3 and MSS involve two source vessels operating simultaneously while maintaining predetermined separations among shots in time and space to produce records with minimal contamination of seismic interferences. Unlike land surveys, these two techniques had not previously been applied to an OBC survey. To ensure adequacy of the techniques, the acquisition started with 2D tests prior to full-field implementation. With DS3 and MSS, the 3D survey yielded remarkable enhancement of survey productivity as compared to conventional single source vessel configuration. DS3 and MSS along with proper temporal and spatial source vessel separations enable recorded data to be handled as if acquired by non-simultaneous source survey.