Sialk Seismic Project

The contract for the collection and processing of 2D and 3D seismic data for the Sialk project, aimed at exploring hydrocarbon resources in the Maranjab desert, was finalized in April 2021. The contract was established between the National Iranian Oil Company – Exploration Directorate and Dana Energy with the objective of enhancing the production capacity of the Sialk and Chahartaghi reservoirs for development and gas storage, as well as evaluating the connection between these two reservoirs.

This contract includes the collection of data of the three-dimensional phase with an area of 400 square kilometers with 23,126 spring points and the two-dimensional phase with a length of 150 km with 3,333 spring points, as well as the processing of 670 square kilometers of three-dimensional data and the processing of 150 kilometers of two-dimensional data to be implemented for 16 months.

The Sialk project is situated in Isfahan province, encompassing the cities of Kashan, Aran, and Bidgol. Topographically, the project area comprises flat regions adorned with bushes, shrubs, as well as sand dunes, salt marshes, and fields.

The project’s scope initially expanded in the three-dimensional section due to the change of design, resulting in a revised area of 500 square kilometers. Ultimately, 28,407 seismic data points were collected in the three-dimensional section, along with 2,308 shot points in the two-dimensional section. To gather this data, a combination of explosives and vibrators was employed, with a ratio of 30% and 70%, respectively. The data collection operation began in July 2022 and, despite the increased workload and project scope, concluded approximately 2 months ahead of the contract deadline in January 2023.

The employment of local individuals and effective management of regional stakeholders played a pivotal role in enhancing productivity and expediting operations.

Nader Zolfaghari, Project Manager

In the course of the Sialk project, approximately 400 workers, consisting of laborers, skilled workers, and experts, were employed. Given the limited availability of labor in the region, non-local workers were frequently recruited to meet the workforce demands.

We encountered several challenges, including a scarcity of vehicles and local labor, the need to operate in the Salt Lake, navigating through loose sand dunes, enduring the scorching heat of the desert and sandstorms, the risk of falling into unmarked old dry aqueducts, and managing the influx of tourists during holidays. Comprehensive planning and support were provided to facilitate round-the-clock operations.

In compliance with the imperative to preserve and protect natural resources, we refrained from constructing any access roads in this project. Additionally, in an effort to safeguard the environment and wildlife species, we meticulously devised the operation plan within the protected area, strictly adhering to the guidelines stipulated by the Environmental Organization.

In this project, utmost emphasis was placed on adhering to the principles of the integrated health, safety, and environment (HSE) management system. Rigorous compliance with HSE requirements enabled effective risk identification and control throughout the project. As a result, a remarkable milestone was achieved, with a total of 628,620 man-hours of seismic operations executed without any accidents or casualties, signifying an exemplary safety record (LTI – Lost Time Incident).