What is next for Ocean Bottom Seismic surveys?

Summary The advantages of acquiring seismic on the seabed (ocean bottom seismic, OBS), have been recognised for over three decades, but initially the method struggled to deliver on its potential. For example, on paper OBS benefits from multi-component measurements, static receivers, wide azimuth illumination and broadband data. However, high costs, non-continuous recording, and initial cabled equipment compromised survey designs to be sparse with small receiver arrays, delivering data that was aliased and hard to process effectively. Through decades of resilient investment in continued technology development, the industry now benefits from most of these advantages, and seabed seismic now accounts for the majority of the marine seismic market. Specifically, continuous improvements in equipment, survey design and modelling, operational efficiency and data processing have resulted in OBS surveys that cover both exploration and mature field development use cases, including routine sub-salt 4D surveys. This talk will discuss some ongoing OBS technology development, part of what the author terms ‘Sustainable Seismic’.