Seismic survey

• Mid September: Test Survey -  A one-day test survey takes place on University campus.
• Mid October: Nodes begin to be laid out across the survey area.
• Late October: Vibroseis trucks work their way along the survey lines.
• Mid November: Nodes are collected and data analysis begins.

• The survey will run for approximately 30 days of which 10 will be spent on the acquisition, covering approximately 7km of survey profiles each day.
• At each survey point, a seismic vibrator (mounted on a truck) will lower a plate to the ground every 25m and generate a seismic source. The pad generates a 16-20 second sweep from 8-100 Hz before moving on to the next point.
• In areas with difficult terrain, this same system can be mounted on a small tractor or all-terrain vehicle.
• The sound waves are recorded by sensitive seismic sensors (nodes), which will be temporarily placed in the ground. All survey work will be carefully planned to avoid obstacles and minimise disruption.
• The data from these nodes is then downloaded and analysed to produce a 3D map of the geological structure beneath the survey area.

The seismic trucks driving past will be the equivalent to a large tractor or piece of large machinery. The truck will follow survey lines, creating a mild localised vibration. This may be felt going from low frequency to high briefly at the immediate location of survey points. These are low impact and closely monitored.

You may see small sensors (“nodes”) along roads and tracks. These are safe and should not be disturbed, and will be collected after the survey.

One or two trucks will work their way along the survey lines. Most of the work will take place off-road on private land, though some short sections of activity will take place across the University’s campus and the surrounding areas near Osbaldwick, Murton Park and Derwenthorpe.

Any temporary disruptions, scheduled late October/early November, will be brief and at off-peak times, although some short-term traffic delays may be experienced. Visit the map below for full details of the areas.

The survey is designed to be low impact and will only be felt in the immediate location of the seismic lines, which you can find on the map above. In residential areas, our monitoring teams will be actively checking vibration levels.

Although fitted with engine sound proofing, the seismic truck engines may be heard when in close proximity. A small distant thud may be heard from time to time when a weight from the truck drops to the ground.

Most of the work is taking place off-road on private land, however, there are some survey lines around the University campus and to the north of the University near Osbaldwick, Murton Park and Derwenthorpe. The work will be during daytime hours and for short periods only.

There may be some short-term traffic delays, and some evening and night work may be required on farm tracks and on some roads, such as the A64.

Small sensors (called “nodes”) may be occasionally visible. These pose no danger to the public or animals, and should be left alone as they are recording sensitive signals. They will be collected after the survey is completed.

The majority of Campus West will experience no effect from the survey. If you are on Campus East, in the science park or around 22 acres you may see the nodes in the ground or see the trucks when they come to do their work. 

There may be some traffic management in place in areas around the University for very short periods when the trucks are working on a highway.

You can find out whether your area will be affected via our map (see above). This map indicates the routes / roads affected on which dates.

The majority of work will be done during working hours between dawn and dusk on Campus East. There is only one truck operating during the data collection and although it will work along roads on Campus East it will be during daytime and for short periods only. 

There will also be some evening and night work required on some roads such as the A64, and other other units working on farm tracks while the units in the urban areas are detouring.

This important early-stage activity will build a detailed 3D map of the ground and help us understand the size, shape and depth of the geothermal reservoir beneath our feet.

We are very grateful to our staff, students and the local community for their support and apologise in advance of any inconvenience.

Echo Geo are delivering the works on behalf of the University. For any questions or queries about the survey works, you can email, WhatsApp or call them:

Email address: york_info@echo-geo.net

Phone number: 07384 297 761