Articles for IAGC

The following Safety Moment was contributed by Danny Garcia – Fairfield Nodal. Being Safe 24/7 In America, people are safer at work than they are at home – 11 times safer. Off the job At Work - 146 million workers at risk - 146 million workers at risk - 53,200 off-the-job deaths - 4,988 on-the-job deaths - 9.4 million off-the-job disabling injuries - 3.7 million on-the-job disabling injuries - $240.3 billion in ...

As mentioned in a previous IAGC newsletter article, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) International Conference on Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production will be 12–14 April 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. IAGC will participate in the SPE HSE Conference in numerous ways. IAGC is an Endorsing Organization of this event and IAGC President Gill is a member of the Conference Executive Committee. In addition to the technical sessions on a wide ...

As reported in previous IAGC newsletter articles, the IAGC educational CD-ROM, Marine Geophysical Operations: An Overview is now available; order online at http://www.iagc.org/en/cms/?5749. This interactive CD provides an overview of marine geophysical operations using short videos, animations, and narrative explanations. The CD contains general information regarding marine geophysical operations in terms which can be understood by non-technical persons. Topics such as the acquisition of marine ...

In the US, on December 14, 2009, President Obama’s Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force released its Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning and initiated a 60-day public review and comment period (previous newsletter articles on this topic). In announcing the release of this Framework document, the Administration said "With competing interests in the ocean, our coasts and the Great Lakes, the Interim Framework offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to ...

The Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) will hold a two hour seminar on intellectual property rights in the oil and gas upstream sector on January 20, 2010 in London, UK. As many of you know, AIPN develops contracts for the petroleum industry. They have begun evaluating the need and value of developing a standard agreement addressing data exchange – in particular focusing in on intellectual property. The AIPN seminar organizers have asked IAGC to present the seismic ...

The 2010 IAGC Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 18th at the Houston Hilton Westchase Hotel located at 9999 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas. Registration for this meeting is available on the IAGC website. Jim White (IAGC Chairman) and IAGC staff have planned an interesting and very informative agenda which will include the following: § E&P Industry Executive Panel Session: Geophysical Industry challenges and opportunities § Jim Wicklund ...

Members were invited to attend IAGC’s Annual Holiday Celebration on December 1st at Nick’s Place in Houston. This event is held each year to help kids in need during the holidays. Attendees were asked to donate either a toy or make a monetary donation, which honors DePelchin Children’s Center Holiday Project. DePelchin is always grateful for the donations that are generated from this event. We had a great turnout and would like to thank all who helped make this event ...

As reported in previous newsletter articles, the Colombian government is considering revising its procedure for permitting geophysical surveys. The Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development (MAVDT) might require that companies applying for a permit to conduct geophysical operations also will need to apply for an Environmental License, which would require an Environmental Impact Study and review process. MAVDT has developed a draft guidance document, Offshore Seismic ...

On 17-19 November 2009, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) convened a Workshop on Status and Applications of Acoustic Mitigation and Monitoring Systems for Marine Mammals in Boston, Massachusetts. The MMS stated the objective of the Workshop was to “learn about, discuss and better understand the current status of acoustic hardware and software tools for marine mammal monitoring and mitigation as applied to offshore industries. This will include the capability, applicability, ...

In 2009 the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) requested IAGC and the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) to jointly develop guidelines for fishery liaisons onboard seismic vessels in Norwegian waters. In November 2009, the IAGC Norway Committee and OLF released the Recommended Guidelines for Fishery Liaisons Onboard Seismic Vessels in Norwegian Waters and recommended that IAGC members and OLF members implement the measures contained in the Guidelines during seismic surveys in ...

On 29 October 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a Proposed Rule for Designation of Critical Habitat for the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) in the United States. A FWS press release summarized the proposed rule as follows: ‘The total area proposed for polar bear critical habitat designation would cover approximately 200,541 mi2 and is located entirely within the lands and waters of the United States. Barrier island habitat includes coastal barrier islands and spits ...

After the long and arduous undertaking of relocating, which began last year when Hurricane Ike destroyed our offices, IAGC is pleased to announce that as of 3 August, 2009 we are in our new offices! Please update your address book with our new mailing address, which is: 1225 North Loop West, Suite 220 Houston, Texas 77008 U.S.A. All phone numbers remain the same. We again wish to acknowledge Geokinetics for providing IAGC with temporary offices, phones, internet, etc. during ...

Wearing seat belts will reduce injuries and save lives. It can also save millions of dollars for businesses. Vehicle crashes (personal and business related) affect the productivity, insurance, and medical costs to those individuals that do not wear their seat belt. Each year, the number of people wearing seat belts increases and the rate of fatalities decreases. Those who don't buckle up should understand the risks involved. Individuals driving or riding in a vehicle, who do not use seat belts, ...

The fall 2009 IAGC/OGP Joint Global HSE & Security Forum was held the 22nd & 23rd September at the PGS offices in Weybridge, UK. As with other recent Forums, it was well attended by IAGC and OGP member company HSE professionals – 67 registrants. The Chair and Vice-Chair of both the IAGC Global HSE & Security Steering Committee and OGP Geophysical HSSE Subcommittee developed a very engaging and compelling agenda. The agenda was similar to previous Forums – it included high ...

As reported in a previous article, the current versions of the Safety Manuals, (v9) were last updated in 2004. Since then HSE safety issues and procedures have evolved, security related issues have become more important, new technologies have been taken up and OGP 317 (Managing HSE in a Geophysical Contract) has been updated. HSE professionals from IAGC member companies met at the PGS offices in Weybridge, UK on the 24th & 25th September, 2009 at a workshop devoted to developing an ...

Demonstrating the solid relationship and mutual benefit of IAGC and OGP working collaboratively on HSE & Security issues, Hans J. Johansen, Chairman of the OGP Safety Committee invited IAGC to name a representative to that committee which meets twice a year. IAGC accepted the invitation and Walt Rosenbusch – IAGC Vice President – attended the October 1st & 2nd meeting of the OGP Safety Committee representing IAGC. The two day meeting allowed for all of the subcommittee Chairs ...

On 28 October 2009, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Minerals Management Service (MMS) announced in the Federal Register that they were withdrawing the 2007 Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS), Seismic Surveys in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Alaska. In November 2006, NMFS and MMS announced their intent to prepare a DPEIS that would describe and analyze the potential significant environmental impacts related to reasonably foreseeable proposed ...

The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force (led by the Council on Environmental Quality) held the first of five Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meetings on 21 August 2009 in Anchorage, Alaska. According to the press release announcing the meetings, “The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes. It will also recommend a framework for improved stewardship, and ...

The National Science and Technology Council Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) announced in a June 2009 FR Notice its intention to update the 2007 Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy and invited public comment on this process. The purpose of the Ocean Research Priorities Plan is to “present ocean research priorities that focus on the most compelling issues in key areas of interaction between society and the ocean.” In addition, the plan identifies ...

After the long and arduous undertaking of relocating, which began last year when Hurricane Ike destroyed our offices, IAGC is pleased to announce that as of 3 August, 2009 we are in our new offices! Please update your address book with our new mailing address, which is: 1225 North Loop West, Suite 220 Houston, Texas 77008 U.S.A. All phone numbers remain the same. We again wish to acknowledge Geokinetics for providing IAGC with temporary offices, phones, internet, etc. during our ...