A proposal released this week would require that oil and gas companies survey any area where they plan to disturb the sea floor, not just places where data or models suggest there is a shipwreck or other cultural site.
The current rule relies heavily on predictive models, which can come up short, some scientists say. “Its very difficult to model precisely where every shipwreck is going to occur,” says Amanda Evans, a marine archaeologist with consulting firm Gray & Pape, who conducts underwater surveys for energy companies and other entities. Surveying technology has improved over the years, and the proposed rule, if finalized, will likely result in more discoveries, she says.
Search for archaeological sites in 1500 ft of water or deeper. The question I have is why? Another rule to make harder and to impose more restrictions on drilling.
Not a big deal. They survey the seafloor visually and seismically, test soil, before any exploration or development occurs.