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PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: Kuukpik/Veritas: Treading lightly, seismically speaking
Susan Braund Petroleum Directory Contributing Writer
The Cat train containing Crew 21 sinews across the frozen tundra — mile after mile — probing beneath the surface, measuring seismic waves and mapping the layers of the earth’s crust — searching for economic oil or gas deposits. Crew 21 is a tightly knit group of men, many of them North Slope residents, who are long-term veterans of seismic exploration for Kuukpik/Veritas.
Formerly Kuukpik/Fairweather and Veritas, the company completed a three-year transition of ownership in September. In 2000, Veritas DGC Land entered into agreement to purchase the outstanding shares of Fairweather Geophysical LLC. The companies have been transitioning equipment and technical services since signing the agreement.
Fairweather formed a partnership in 1998 with the village corporation in Nuiqsut, Alaska, to provide seismic services on the North Slope. The Kuukpik/Veritas partnership will continue these operations with a commitment to raising the bar with respect to health, safety and environment. Kuukpik, the village corporation, owns approximately 146,000 acres of surface lands in and around the community.
“Our Nuiqsut partners choose their industry partners carefully. They not only consider how the residents of the North Slope can co-exist with development today, but also what consequences they may face a hundred years from now, when industry has taken its prize and left the land,” says Jeff Hastings, general manager, Kuukpik/Veritas Alaska Operations. “Our efforts to collect the seismic data with minimal impact recognize and allay those fears and concerns.”
The company meets with the community prior to the permitting process, listens to their concerns regarding subsistence and cultural impacts and develops a plan of operations that addresses them. “We work closely to understand traditional use. Once we are satisfied that we know local concerns and that they know our procedures, we submit a plan of operations with permits to various agencies.” Solutions, not just services Helping customers reduce risk and achieve their exploration goals is a core philosophy at Veritas: “We listen, deliver and build long-term relationships based on mutual integrity.”
“By supplying our clients with integrated services using the most current technologies for accurate imaging of sub-surface geology,” says Hastings, “they can choose drilling locations with confidence. We provide solutions by acting as a technology partner, not just a service provider.” Practical innovation If the geophysical industry is founded on technology, then the industry’s growth is determined by the pace of technological improvements. Veritas is a company that aggressively pursues innovation and new technologies through ongoing research and development efforts.
To keep its promise to its Nuiqsut partners and the local community, the company worked closely with the CAT manufacturer to develop an improved version of the rubber-tracked equipment that has been effective on the North Slope and in Antarctica.
The new Tundra Tracker 195, the TT 195, can carry a crew of seven in its ROPS-certified cab and 800 channels of Sercel 408 equipment on deck. Automated handling gear and cable configurations require fewer people to operate each truck and dramatically reduce the risk of repetitive motion injuries. Tundra Tracker 195 deck and cable deployment systems allow the crews to work in closer proximity to the unit, reducing their risk of exposure to the harsh climate and wildlife.
“The ability to deliver large payloads with the TT 195 reduces the number of transits required across the fragile tundra to move equipment. The entire compliment of Crew No. 21’s 4,000 channels can be carried on five TT 195 carriers,” says Rick Trupp, Permit and Regulatory Coordinator. “Fully loaded, the unit exerts only 4.75 psi on the ground. Not only does it reduce direct impact on the tundra, it also means fewer vehicles and crew members, a smaller camp, less emissions and waste — overall a smaller footprint.”
Tiger Nav, another development, is an integrated navigation network with real time kinematic survey quality. Remote file transfers enable in-field quality control staff, managers and clients to load hazards, program changes and a multitude of other information to the source and survey vehicles from the base camp. The navigation network also incorporates a system for tracking and recording vehicles from remote servers. Tiger NAV allows vibrators (source units) to locate source points and generate a real time center of gravity for each location without using stakes and surveyors.
“Our efforts are paying off,” reflects Hastings. “Our client and its partners clearly recognize the improvements we’ve made. Even more indicative of our success is that our Nuiqsut partners and the residents of the North Slope have a level of comfort with our methods and commitment. We have been allowed to access and explore areas that have not been accessible for years.” Data processing and software development Accuracy, reliability and speed are crucial to the seismic data processing that links data acquisition to geophysical interpretation. To this end, Kuukpik/Veritas develops and maintains its own seismic processing software, giving them the flexibility to evaluate and incorporate the latest technological innovations. The technology is modular and portable, enabling decentralized seismic data processing. The company’s range of seismic software for land and marine environments is capable of processing 2-D, 3-D and 4-D data sets.
“With the resources and ability to use the latest seismic imaging technologies,” says Hastings, “we can provide an integrated suite of acquisition, processing and interpretation products.” Internal excellence The company believes that excellence is achieved through the commitment and cooperation of dedicated, responsive and competent employees and that consistent communication is crucial. To keep everyone on the same page and receiving the same message, they developed the Veritas Integrity Management System, or VIMS.
“The standards, procedures, plans, responsibilities and goals described in VIMS, and the contents of our health, safety and environment policy, gives us an agreed standard,” explains Hastings. “It provides the framework to identify hazards, mitigate risk and audit/review activities. VIMS also encourages continuous improvement in all aspects of our business. “
“There’s lots of interaction company-wide,” says Trupp. “VIMS allows us to manage business a lot closer by having information readily available. If a field manager wants to know a field policy on travel, for example, he can access it easily. It produces consistency across the company, from crew to crew,”
Kuukpik/Veritas takes the stance that all accidents are avoidable. For the last three years the company has logged 750,000 man-hours without a lost time accident. “If we can remain on target, we’ll meet our goal of one million man hours this winter!” enthuses the Alaska general manager.
“The idea of a safety culture is cliché; it’s not a culture at all, it’s the primary focus of our job. We have buy-in by the entire crew that our efforts are genuine to make all employees an integral part of the safety program.” Environmental responsibility “When your operations traverse more than 500 square miles of new tundra every winter, your environmental management system and quality people to implement it are the difference between success and failure,” say company representatives. “The partnership of Kuukpik/Veritas is working hard at raising the bar when it comes to environmental responsibility.”
The company recently moved into new offices in the Fairweather Building, 2000 E. 88th in Anchorage.
Editor’s Note: Susan Braund owns Firestar Media Services in Anchorage, Alaska.
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