Environmental assessment of marine vibroseis

Open Access Report 2011

Final Report

The primary objective of this report is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts from seismic surveys using next-generation marine vibroseis (MarVib) as the energy source, examine how those impacts would compare with airgun impacts, and evaluate how a MarVib system could be operated so as to minimise impact. The report also evaluates mitigation measures that might be applied during MarVib operations, including standard mitigation measures used during airgun-based seismic surveys as well as other measures specific to MarVib. The report concludes with comments concerning key data gaps that limit our ability to predict MarVib effects, and recommended studies to fill some of the key data gaps.

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