Publications

As frontier exploration drilling continually expands into new and unmapped remote depths, quantifying the potential geohazards becomes an increasingly more cryptic process. Defined as a ‘geological phenomenon leading to damage or uncontrolled risk’ a geohazard is usually represented by a short term event, that has developed and matured over a long period of time. The trigger can either be naturally-occurring or result from external (human) interaction. In recent years, the use of 3Dexploration seismic sets are being used as a proxy for the traditional site surveys. Data are clipped and a maximum 5 x 5 km area around a proposed rig site is interpreted, giving a snapshot of geological conditions and geohazards. With this micro-scale interpretation, there is a real danger that although potential geohazards are identified, they may be ranked outside their regional geological context, and their impact underestimated. This paper examines the absolute necessity of data interpretation QC and the application of a regional geohazard matrix to unexplored and deeper water areas, in order to provide both an initial risk analysis and checklist for operators. With the detailed integration of historical, geological, tectonic, eustatic and climatological knowledge into a regional model, geohazard forecasting and identification of the tipping point can be achieved. Once established, the geohazard model can be used to drive the selection of further marine mapping technology and interpretative techniques best suited to identify the combination of physical properties that could culminate in a geohazard event.