ISO 19901-10:2021

Overview

ISO 19901-10:2021 specifies requirements and guidance for marine geophysical investigations used in support of offshore structures in the petroleum and natural gas industries. It covers objectives, planning, quality management, positioning of survey platforms/sources/receivers, seafloor mapping, sub‑seafloor mapping (seismic and non‑seismic methods), reporting, data integration, interpretation and investigation of geohazards. The standard applies from shallow coastal waters to depths of 3 000 m and more and complements marine soil investigation guidance (ISO 19901‑8).

Key technical topics and requirements

• Objectives, planning and quality management: Project specifications, desk studies, scoping, and quality plans to ensure fit‑for‑purpose geophysical datasets.
• Positioning: Requirements for surface and subsea survey platform and equipment positioning (coordinate systems, GNSS, INS, USBL, auxiliary sensors). Note: the document addresses positioning of platforms/sources/receivers, not the processing methods used to derive positions of seafloor/sub‑seafloor data points.
• Seafloor mapping: Instrumentation and acquisition parameters for tools such as multi‑beam echo sounders, side‑scan sonar, and sound velocity measurements; acquisition methods for reconnaissance to detailed engineering surveys; required deliverables.
• Sub‑seafloor mapping: Guidance on seismic acquisition (high, ultra‑high and ultra‑ultra‑high‑resolution reflection, sub‑bottom profilers), equipment performance and processing parameters, and non‑seismic methods including seismic refraction, magnetometry, marine shear and surface waves, electrical resistivity imaging and electromagnetic (EM) imaging (guidance only for some methods).
• Reporting and deliverables: Records of acquisition and processing, results reports, horizons/isopachs/isochores, time‑to‑depth conversion, and integration with borehole and other datasets.
• Geohazard investigation: Mapping and assessment of pre‑drilling well‑site geohazards and other seabed/sub‑seabed hazards; typical sub‑seafloor depths of interest for offshore construction are ~1 m to 200 m below seafloor, with deeper investigation depth guidance for well‑site geohazards.

Practical applications

• Site characterization for offshore platform foundations, pipelines, cables and other structures.
• Pre‑drill well‑site geohazard mapping to support safe drilling and well design.
• Baseline environmental and seabed mapping for permitting and regulatory compliance.
• Integration of geophysical, geotechnical and well log data into ground models used by engineers and asset owners.

Who should use this standard

• Offshore operators, geophysical and geotechnical contractors, survey companies, marine geophysicists, offshore engineers, and public/regulatory authorities responsible for offshore site investigations and safety/compliance.

Related standards

• ISO 19901 series (specific parts for offshore structures)
• ISO 19901‑8 (marine soil investigations) - complementary guidance for integrating geophysical and soil data.

Keywords: ISO 19901-10:2021, marine geophysical investigations, seafloor mapping, sub-seafloor mapping, offshore geophysical survey, offshore structures, petroleum and natural gas, geohazard mapping.