Dear members,
Starting the 18th of December, seismic surveying activities of the seafloor will be conducted in the Red Sea for a period of 100 days in search of oil and gas deposits in an area of 6700km2. Marine seismic surveys use sound energy of low-frequency (0 -1500 Hz) sound waves to map geological structures under the seabed.
Due to the fact that seismic surveying might pose a risk to divers' health, the company conducting the survey has reached out to the CDWS to inform us of the areas in which the surveying will occur and their dates to coordinate diving activities so there is no risk to the divers.
The seismic operation adheres to the Diving Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC) guidance on the Safe Diving Distance from Seismic Surveying Operations (2011) DMAC12 Rev. 1. No surveys will occur closer than a 10 Km range from dive sites while there are divers in the water.
There will be a period of time where part of the surveying will be located in the south of the Ras Mohamed National Park and south of the Gulf of Suez areas such as the Shaab Mahmoud area, the larger Shaab Abu Nuhas area, Soyul Small and Big, at a distance that is less than 10km from the listed areas. The CDWS will be able to provide only a week's notice to our members of the dates and locations where the surveying will occur.
The majority of the surveying will occur either before 9:00 am or after 4:00 pm; in the case, the surveys are between 10 am and 4 pm during the day, we shall notify you ahead of time. We ask our concerned members to not conduct any form of diving activities in the affected locations during the given timeframe and reroute their trips to different locations. This is to avoid any injuries or physical harm to the divers. The survey vessel will not come closer than 10 km to any diving site without ample prior notification.
In the case divers are in the water during the survey time, divers might experience a noise similar to a piling hammer and/or a low-frequency rumble. If any loud unusual noises that make divers uncomfortable are heard underwater, while the vessel is in close proximity to South Sinai, please immediately notify the surveying ship M/V PXGEO2 call sign C6EY9 on the VHF channel: 16 or72. We ask that you provide your exact location and timing of the occurrence when you contact the vessel.
The weekly schedule will be sent out shortly. For any inquiries, kindly e-mail [email protected]
Regards,
The Chamber of Diving and Water Sports