Oil and Gas

Seiche provides specialist underwater acoustics, marine environmental consultancy and monitoring services to support marine seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration worldwide. Working with operators, regulators and contractors, Seiche helps clients manage underwater noise, minimise environmental impacts and achieve compliance with international, national and project-specific environmental requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

During the scoping and planning phase, Seiche supports environmental impact assessments and permitting by identifying noise-sensitive marine receptors, reviewing regulatory obligations and designing proportionate baseline monitoring programmes. Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) systems and oceanographic instrumentation, Seiche collects baseline information on ambient underwater noise, marine mammal occurrence, fish distribution and seasonal habitat use. These data provide a robust scientific foundation for environmental assessments, stakeholder engagement and consent applications.

As survey programmes are developed, Seiche undertakes detailed underwater noise modelling to predict sound propagation from seismic airgun arrays, sparkers, boomers, sub-bottom profilers, survey vessels and associated offshore activities. The company assesses potential impacts on marine mammals, fish and other marine fauna, including cumulative effects from concurrent offshore operations. Seiche also develops practical mitigation strategies and prepares Marine Mammal Mitigation Plans (MMMPs) to ensure survey operations comply with recognised industry guidance and regulatory requirements.

During survey acquisition, Seiche provides advanced monitoring technologies including Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) systems, underwater acoustic recorders, binoculars and thermal night-vision cameras. These systems support experienced Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operators (PAMOs) and Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) in implementing mitigation measures such as pre-shooting searches, soft-start procedures, exclusion zones and adaptive survey management to minimise the risk of disturbance or injury to marine wildlife. Seiche also offers remote monitoring capabilities and develops automated marine mammal detection systems, providing flexible and efficient solutions for projects operating in challenging offshore environments.

In addition, Seiche deploys specialist technology during seismic operations to measure actual noise levels, validate predictive models and demonstrate compliance with environmental permit conditions. These measurements improve confidence in impact assessments and help optimise mitigation strategies for future surveys.

By combining world-leading expertise in underwater acoustics, marine ecology and environmental monitoring with innovative technologies and experienced personnel, Seiche enables clients to undertake seismic surveys responsibly and efficiently. Its integrated approach reduces environmental risk, supports regulatory compliance and contributes to the sustainable management of marine ecosystems while maintaining operational performance throughout the lifecycle of offshore exploration programmes.