Category A Hydrographic Surveying
Offshore Seismic Surveys
The offshore 'oil patch' has been a prime employer of hydrographic surveyors since the 1960s and the advent of modern electronic positioning afloat. Seismic surveying involves discharging a powerful sound source in the ocean (or other body of water) and then recording the 'wiggle traces' - the captured returns of the sound waves that penetrate the crust of the earth. Properly interpreted, seismic records can provide geologists with information on the location of oil and gas deposits. Practically all remaining reserves of oil and gas are found offshore and the hydrographic surveyor will be assured of an important role in the process of exploration and site surveying. Navigation analyst on a seismic ship is a rigorous duty involving twelve-hour shifts and many unbroken weeks at sea. The benefits of this truly international occupation are high salaries and extensive opportunities for travel.
