Geophysical Scouting Firm Combines GPS-Photo Mapping with Google Earth

location based services


Apr 10, 2007
A Canadian geophysical scouting firm is using GeoSpatial Experts' GPS-Photo Link software to export georeferenced photographs directly into Google Earth for delivery to oil and gas exploration companies. These GPS-tagged photographs and field reports are reportedly saving the energy exploration companies tens of thousands of dollars in planning the logistics of seismic survey activities in Canada. In advance of seismic operations, Waystar Inc. of Edmonton, Alberta, scouts exploration locations and provides reports detailing the access routes and stream crossings that will be used by the heavy seismic survey vehicles and crews to reach the exploration areas. These routes and crossings must be mapped in advance with their locations pinpointed in official exploration applications to the Alberta government. "In the past, the exploration companies could only look at topographic maps and estimate where their equipment could cross the streams, but if they incorrectly judged a viable crossing point, they had to re-apply for a permit to move the heavy vehicles," said Wayne Starchuk, president of Waystar. "In some cases, an entire seismic crew might sit idle at a cost of up to $50,000 per day waiting for the amended application to be approved." Today, Waystar scouts the routes in advance and takes photographs of every stream crossing with a GPS-equipped digital camera. At the end of each day's scouting, Starchuk downloads the photos to a laptop computer running the GPS-Photo Link photo mapping software. The software automatically correlates each photo with the location where it was taken. GPS-Photo Link has a built-in function to export the photos to Google Earth so that an icon representing each photo appears in its proper location on the map layer. "My clients can receive the Google Earth KMZ file by email and launch it on their own computers in the office," explained Starchuk. "The client can see on the map where each stream crossing is located, and then click on the photo to view it in detail to determine what size vehicles can cross at that point." Armed with this GPS-tagged visual information and a written field report, Waystar's clients have experienced a dramatic reduction in the number of geophysical survey applications that need to be amended. This eliminates crew downtime and can reduce the costs of seismic operations. Waystar, which serves as an authorized dealer for GeoSpatial Experts, uses the Ricoh 500SE digital camera with a built-in GPS module. The GPS-Photo Link software is able to integrate photos and location points regardless of whether the GPS device is built in to the digital camera or separate from it. "The Waystar application illustrates the valuable role that GPS-Photo Link software can play in planning logistics for any operation that requires accurate location data and photographic observations," said Rick Bobbitt, president of GeoSpatial Experts.