Patent ID: 7292943

Claim:
A method of conducting a seismic survey using a survey plan, a plurality of sources imparting seismic energy into an underground formation, a plurality of seismic sensors detecting seismic energy, and a controller being programmed with a quality threshold, the controller being in communication with the plurality of sources and the plurality of seismic sensors, the method comprising: Programming the controller with a plurality of characteristics relating to the plurality of sources, each of the plurality of characteristics having an effect on the survey plan; Programming the controller with instructions to determine the effect of using a source from the plurality of sources on the survey plan and to determine whether the effect meets the quality threshold; selecting at least one characteristic from the plurality of characteristics using a selection device associated with the controller; and Selecting a source to be activated by using the controller to determine which source from the plurality of sources if activated meets the quality threshold and the effect of using the source to be activated on the seismic plan; and conducting the seismic survey using the selected source and outputting the selected characteristic on a display device.