Philippines Offshore Seismic And Sniffer Survey Data From 1992

Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources and the Philippine Office of Energy Affairs collected 2,750 km of 192-channel seismic data plus geochemical sniffer, gravity, magnetic, and bathymetric data during a joint survey from March to May 1992. The project covered four Philippine offshore sedimentary basins: NE Palawan Shelf (580 km), Cuyo Platform (730 km), Tayabas Bay (490 km), and Ragay Gulf (950 km). Data collection was funded by the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau and conducted using the research vessel Rig Seismic.

Use Cases

• Identify hydrocarbon seepage sources by analyzing geochemical sniffer data for methane, ethane, and propane concentrations.
• Map subsurface structures and depocentres using 192-channel seismic reflection profiles showing up to 4 seconds of stratified section.
• Correlate geochemical anomaly types (dry vs. wet thermogenic gas) with fault lines and diapir structures identified in seismic data.
• Assess petroleum potential by integrating seismic, gravity, magnetic, and bathymetric data from four distinct sedimentary basins.
• Study hydrocarbon flux rates and fractionation using vertical profile data and 28 gas isotope samples collected in Ragay Gulf.

Strengths

• 2,750 km of 192-channel seismic reflection data provides detailed subsurface imaging.
• Multi-modal data collection includes concurrent sniffer, gravity, magnetic, and bathymetric measurements.
• Survey covered four major Philippine sedimentary basins over a focused 3-month period in 1992.

Limitations

• Seismic data acquisition was halted at night in some areas due to fishing activity, creating coverage gaps.
• Raw data is unprocessed; final interpretations and integration with well data were planned for a later stage.
• Dataset temporal coverage is limited to a single survey period in 1992, with no ongoing updates.

Provenance

Source

Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR) and Philippine Office of Energy Affairs (OEA).

Collection Method

Joint marine survey using the geoscience research vessel Rig Seismic, equipped with seismic reflection and geochemical sampling equipment.

Time Range

March to May 1992.

Freshness

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Geography

Four Philippine offshore basins: NE Palawan Shelf, Cuyo Platform, Tayabas Bay, and Ragay Gulf.