Helicopter-Based Seismic Survey Operations: A Complete Guide

Discover everything you need to know about helicopter-based seismic surveys, including how they work, why they’re so useful, and the benefits of using helicopters.

Seismic surveys help researchers, oil and natural gas engineers, and even offshore wind farmers understand what lies beneath the Earth’s surface. Why is this important? Understanding subsurface properties is key for developing construction plans, discovering natural resources, and improving natural disaster preparedness.

But in remote or rough terrain, getting the right equipment in place can be a challenge. That’s where helicopters come into play.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about seismic survey operations, including how they work, why they’re so useful, and the benefits of using helicopters to conduct these critical assessments.

What Are Seismic Survey Operations?

A seismic survey is a type of geophysical survey that measures the Earth’s subsurface properties. These surveys can be conducted on land using helicopters or trucks or at sea using helicopters or ships.

How Seismic Surveys Work

Here’s a quick overview of the science of seismic survey operations:

Surveyors use explosives, vibrating plates, or air guns to produce seismic waves, or vibrations caused by sudden movements of the Earth’s materials.
These waves travel deep into our planet’s inner layers, penetrating rock and water and reflecting off its formations before returning to the surface.
Geophones – or devices that detect vibrations – record the amplitude and timing of these waves to create a seismogram. (A seismogram is a graphical record of the Earth's vibrations over time at a specific location.)
Scientists then analyze the travel time and characteristics of the seismogram to create images of the Earth’s subsurface geology.

Who Uses Seismic Surveys

Over the past forty years, many different organizations have benefited from this unique technology, including:

The oil and natural gas industry
Government agencies, environmental managers, and researchers, including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Geological Survey
The offshore wind industry
Engineers and the construction industry

How Seismic Surveys Are Used

The crucial data provided by seismic surveys allows individuals in a variety of industries to explore and assess the structures that sit beneath the Earth’s surface. Here are a few ways in which seismic survey operations are utilized:

Exploration of Reserves: Seismic surveys can help oil and natural gas workers find and explore oil, gas, and mineral deposits on land and at sea.
Groundwater Detection: The U.S. Geological Survey uses seismic surveys to identify groundwater reserves needed for drinking water, crop irrigation, and ecosystem support.

Location Scouting: These surveys can be used to investigate and plan for the development of landfills, oil and gas reservoirs, and offshore wind farm operations.
Ground Stability Analysis: The valuable data produced by seismic surveys can help surveyors assess ground stability for construction projects, such as buildings, bridges, and dams.
Earthquake Risk Assessments: Seismic surveys enable scientists to detect and map fault lines and analyze how the ground will shake during an earthquake so they can implement policies to improve preparedness and mitigate risk.
Scientific Research: The National Science Foundation utilizes the data provided by these surveys to support research initiatives.

Benefits of Seismic Surveys

There are several key benefits of conducting a seismic assessment prior to undertaking an oil, gas, or landfill project:

Risk Mitigation: Seismic surveys boost the safety of exploration and construction projects by identifying geological hazards (e.g. fault lines, unstable formations) and potential obstacles beneath the Earth.
Improved Cost Efficiency: They provide detailed information about the deep inner layers of the Earth to enable precise targeting of resources and prevent costly errors without the need for expensive and invasive exploratory drilling.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Seismic surveys provide the information needed to make informed exploration decisions, which reduces financial risk and improves the efficiency of resource extraction.
Increased Environmental Protection: The data produced by seismic surveys helps minimize unnecessary disturbances and reduce the environmental impact of excavation.

How Do Helicopters Assist Seismic Survey Operations?

Helicopters can play a crucial role in seismic survey operations by offering enhanced agility and more efficient data collection than traditional methods using trucks and ships. These aircraft can be equipped with large, loop-like sensors that send seismic pulses into the ground and record the waves that bounce back from different underground layers.

blue and silver helicopter flying between two rugged mountains — *Photo by Julius Silver from Pexels*

Helicopters are also capable of lifting and placing heavy seismic recording gear precisely where it’s needed through the use of cables. In fact, many utility and construction helicopters can lift up to 25,000 pounds.

Helicopters must fly at low altitudes to gather accurate data, which requires state-of-the-art equipment, strict safety protocols, and skilled pilots well-versed in low-altitude flight. Seismologists then analyze this recorded data to create detailed images of what lies beneath the Earth’s surface so they can locate rock formations, oil and gas deposits, mineral reserves, groundwater, and more.

Helicopters are also capable of assisting with logistics by quickly transporting survey crews and equipment to the predetermined locations, saving time compared to travel by ground vehicle or ship. They can support survey crews at work by bringing in food, supplies, and even temporary housing. Helicopter teams can even assist with aerial scouting, helping teams plan optimized routes to save time and avoid potential hazards.

Benefits of Helicopter-Based Seismic Surveys

Helicopter-assisted seismic assessments offer a faster and more efficient way to gather critical underground data – especially in hard-to-reach areas.

Here are a few key advantages that helicopter service companies provide:

Increased Efficiency: Helicopters offer unmatched speed and agility to help organizations map underground structures more efficiently and maximize the amount of data they collect.
Access to Remote Locations: Helicopters can cover vast areas quickly and provide researchers with access to remote regions and rugged terrain (e.g. mountains, forests, and wetlands) where traditional ground vehicles might struggle.
Hazard Prevention: Helicopter-assisted surveys do not face the same hazards as ground-based surveys in dangerous locations, such as areas with difficult terrain.
Reduced Environmental Footprint: Helicopter-based seismic surveys minimize environmental impact by reducing the need for heavy ground machinery that disturbs vital habitats, soil, and vegetation.

Furthermore, advancements in seismic imaging technology have drastically improved the oil and gas industry’s ability to locate reserves offshore. Andy Radford, upstream senior policy advisor at American Petroleum Institute (API), believes these energy sources “can be harnessed to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, help American consumers, and strengthen our national energy security.”

Considerations of Helicopter-Based Seismic Surveys

Before hiring a helicopter charter company for seismic surveys, there are a few important factors to consider to ensure smooth and efficient operations:

Specialized Expertise: Helicopter pilots and their crews must be specially trained and experienced in the low-level flying, specific maneuvers, and precise positioning necessary for performing seismic operations. A quality helicopter charter company will offer a customized solution that considers your location, timeline, and financial restraints as well as the scope of your project and the aircraft and expertise needed to come in on time and under budget.
Weather Limitations: Inclement weather such as rain, snow, ice, strong winds, and extreme heat can significantly impact helicopter operations by reducing lift, impairing visibility, and stressing (or even damaging) critical systems. Helicopter-assisted seismic surveys may need to be planned around expected weather conditions.
Safety Procedures: All crew members involved in seismic survey operations must be properly trained, and all helicopters and equipment should undergo rigorous maintenance protocols. Safety procedures are essential to ensure the well-being of pilots, researchers, and their surrounding environments.

Unlock the Power of Helicopter-Based Seismic Surveys

Helicopter-based seismic survey operations enable government agencies, scientists, and energy workers to explore what rests beneath the Earth’s surface – especially in areas that are hard to access via truck or ship. Helicopters make data collection faster and more flexible while helping crews work safely and efficiently. Whether you’re planning a survey or just starting to learn about the process, understanding how helicopters enhance these operations can give you a deeper appreciation for this powerful technology.

Ready to work with the best helicopter team in the business? Look no further than Helicopter Express. Our impressive track record, commitment to safe heavy-lifting jobs, and continual investment into the latest equipment and technologies has earned our clients’ trust across a variety of industries, including construction, energy, and natural resource management.