The Cygnus 3D Marine Seismic Survey (MSS) is a three-dimensional multi-client marine seismic survey being undertaken by Polarcus Seismic Limited (Polarcus) in Commonwealth waters of the Vulcan Sub-basin (in the Western Bonaparte Basin). The Cygnus 3D MSS is a typical 3D survey using methods and procedures similar to others conducted in Australian waters. No unique or unusual equipment or operations are proposed.
The Cygnus 3D MSS has been acquired by Polarcus in phases since 2015 under a number of revisions of the EP. The scope of this Environment Plan (EP) includes seismic acquisition of ‘Phase 3 South’ of the Cygnus 3D MSS.
The Acquisition Area comprises the area within which 3D seismic acquisition will be undertaken and covers approximately 1,767 km². The Acquisition Area is surrounded by a larger Operational Area, for the purpose of line run-ins, run-outs, source testing, soft starts and turns etc. The Operational Area covers approximately 7,408 km2 and, at its closest, is approximately 160 km north of the Kimberley coast and 170 km south of the Indonesian Archipelago and Timor-Leste. The survey will be undertaken in water depths of up to approximately 205m.
Phase 3 South may commence as early as May 2019 and will be completed before 31 December 2020. The survey will take a planned maximum of 36 days to acquire with 7 days deployment/retrieval and 1 day local transit to and from Port.