METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING LOGISTICAL OPERATIONS IN LAND SEISMIC SURVEYS

A system and method for optimizing logistical operations in land seismic surveys. The system and method for modeling and optimizing logistical operations problems in land seismic survey operations is implemented in a computer program running on a computer processor. A logistical problem is formulated with a set of decision variables and problem data and the problem is modeled as an objective function and a set of constraints, expressed in terms of the problem data and the decision variables. The objective function is solved subject to the constraints and an optimal solution is generated for the set of decision variables to optimize the logistical problem. Logistical problems that may be optimized using this approach include: minimization of total costs in the design and operations of a land seismic survey, routing of one or more source crews through a sequence of source location points, placement of recording stations in a survey, placement of source locations, source crew and vehicle routing, offsetting source locations from exclusion zones to avoid obstacles and determining the optimal amount of an expendable resource needed for the survey.