This striking photograph shows the 'black rock' desert of Msak Mustafit lying between the sandy Awbari and Murzuq deserts.  The extensive oasis in the upper right of the picture is Awbari. A well-entrenched drainage pattern indicates flows from the clearly defined escarpment towards the south and southeast. The dark green, circular features are center-pivot irrigated fields, around 0.5 mile in diameter, where sufficient well water is available to practice farming.

All the fields in the area are named after animals portrayed in local rock paintings. The Elephant 3D survey was designed in late 1997 / early 1998. The surface conditions in the area consist of 'black rock' desert cut by deep wadis. The desert contains sharp, tyre-destroying boulders  which are partially buried in the sand and gravel - the line clearance technique consists of pushing these down to level the surface. 

The survey design started by analysing the previous 2D data to study the noise systems and statics in the  area. Simulated 3D stack volumes were then generated from the 2D seismic in order to predict the performance of various 3D templates. Following the completion of the geophysical study, the candidate designs were taken through detailed planning to analyse logistics for vibrator detours around the wadis and to minimise bulldozer effort. The survey was succesfully acquired in 1998,  and was subsequently processed in the UK.

The Elephant 3D survey was operated by LASMO Grand Maghreb Limited.

  Target Finders