The West Castle multicomponent seismic surveys: An overview

Robert R. Stewart, Joe Wong, Kevin W. Hall, Malcolm B. Bertram, Henry C. Bland, Donald C. Lawton, Eric V. Gallant

The West Castle River area of southern Alberta was host to a group of seismic surveys conducted in the early fall of 2006 by the University of Calgary, CREWES, and Kinetex Inc. The area, in the front range of the Rocky Mountains, is highly structural and prospective for hydrocarbons. The surveys included a 10 km multicomponent seismic line using the VectorSeis system and a simultaneously recorded ARAM line with vertical element geophones, both using an IVI vertical vibrator source. In addition, high-resolution 3C seismic surveys (with Geode and R60 systems), employing a hammer seismic source, were acquired. A set of shallow, borehole seismic surveys with a downhole 3C geophone and hydrophone cable were also undertaken. Preliminary analysis of all of these data sets is providing useful information from the very shallow (40 m) strata to several km depths.