High Resolution Reflection Seismic Mapping Of Shallow Coal Seams

Subsidence and collapse of unmapped shallow coal mine workings poses a risk to the public and hampers the development of valuable property. A high-resolution reflection seismic survey was conducted to determine whether it is possible to map the extent of the mine workings. Two 94 m profiles (tied to boreholes) were surveyed using a sledgehammer source. Processing was optimized to image the shallow reflections. The refraction seismic models and stacked time sections were compared and integrated with the borehole data to produce a 2-D geological model. It was concluded that high-resolution shallow reflection seismics could be successfully used to map the extent of the old mine workings provided adjustments are made to the acquisition and processing parameters.