Geophysical data acquisition - OGS

Introduction
The Department Geophysics of the Lithosphere (GdL) carries out studies and
researches in a wide range of applied and theoretical geophysics. It is organised
into four research groups, three operative groups and one support group. It
employees 20 researchers, 16 senior technician and 27 technician. During 2000
the Department gave hospitality to 7 grants.
Main activity of the GdL is the application of geophysical methods to the
knowledge of the underground. This knowledge has always been important in
human history, for finding out minerals and fresh water, but only in the last 50
years the need for accurate reconstructions of the underground geology drastically
increased, due to the world wide utilisation of the hydrocarbon as a primary energy
source.
Only in the last years however, grew the consciousness that the underground is a
masterpiece in the global environment and that its knowledge is of importance not
only for the exploitation of natural resources, but also for a sustainable
management of the global environment.
GdL activities during the 2000 were based on a deep consciousness of the central
role that the correct and sustainable managment of the underground resources
plays on the human development and impaction on the natural systems. The main
fields of our researches can be grouped in four main fields:
1) to recognise the presence of natural resources, with particular attention to
hydrocarbon,
2) to reconstruct the dynamic of the natural systems through the study of the
sediments,
3) to evaluate the impact of human activities to the underground system,
4) to produce high tecnology services for oil industry.
In all these fields, GdL takes advantage of its long experience in multichannel
seismic data acquisition and processing for oil industry.
In the hydrocarbon detection, a major improvement was reached by the first truly
3D Seisbit survey during the drilling of the Vallazza well. The Seisbit techniques is
a trade mark OGS-Agip and it allows the reconstruction of a direct and reverse
Vertical Seismic Profile during the drilling by listening to the noise produced by
the drilling bit. The 3D multi-offset in the Vallazza well produced, in a-quasi-real
time, an accurate and clear reconstruction of the geological strata below the
drilling bit.
The 2000 budget for natural resources’ study was 795,000 EURO, which derives
from research contracts with Agip and European Community
The study of the natural systems through the sediments was focussed in the high
latitude environments (Artic and Antartic). High resolution seismic, correlated to
sediment cores and drilling data, were used for detailed reconstruction of the last
glacial-interglacial cycles and to infer type and characteristics and dynamics of the
ice caps. Study have been carried out on two marine cruises, one in the Weddel
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