What is a 2D Seismic Study?

Following the granting of a Mineral Prospecting Licence to Bord Gis from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for Northern Ireland, a consortium comprising BGE (Northern Ireland) and Storengy intend to carry out a 2D seismic study in the Larne Borough Council area. The following information is a step-by-step guide as to what is involved in a 2D survey.

1 Accessing and clearing the land

Access to survey land will be agreed between the consortiums Agricultural Liaison Officers and each landowner. Only where absolutely necessary and with the landowners agreement will any boundary clearance be carried out. All reinstatement required will be carried out to the landowners satisfaction. Just before the seismic survey begins, it is necessary to determine the depth of the basalt bedrock. To do so, probes (spikes) are inserted into the ground and connected by a cable. A small current is passed through the probes and the voltage drop is measured.

2 Receiving seismic data

The lines are then laid for the seismic survey which will be 5 - 9 kilometres (approximately 3 - 5 1/2 miles) long stretching across the countryside. Co-ordinates are marked and geophones (microphones) are placed about 10 metres (approximately 32.5 feet) apart and linked by cables. The geophones record sound waves reflected off the various subterranean layers, which are then recorded.
Geophone and cabling equipment

3 Drilling
Terrain-appropriate vehicles will drill small holes parallel to the cables and geophones. The holes will be around 8cm / 3 in diameter and will be between 10 - 25 metres (approximately 32.5 82 feet) deep, dependent on the local depth of the basalt bedrock.

Specialist vehicles and equipment will be used during the drilling process

4 Generating sound waves

Small sound charges are placed in the drilled holes and detonated to create a sound wave that will travel through the ground and reflect off the various sub-terrain strata. In a small number of locations, vibroseis vehicles will travel across roads generating similar sound waves through the ground.

The specialist survey team inspect the drill holes and place the sound charges

One of the specialist buggymounted vibrator units that will travel on main roads

5 Analysis of data
The data will be recorded in a specialist unit for analysis by experienced geologists and geo-scientists.

Seismic data is recorded from beneath the earths surface for analysis

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