Guideline for Standardising Structure Interpretation in ATV/OTV Logs

Borehole image logs, such as televiewer data, provide high-resolution, accurately oriented images of borehole walls and are widely used in the petroleum industry for geological, petrophysical, and geomechanical analysis. Their adoption in the Australian coal mining industry has grown substantially, offering a powerful means to characterise rock mass fabric and assess subsurface structures critical to slope stability, excavation design, and hazard management. However, no industry-wide guideline exists for interpreting structural features in televiewer logs for Australian coal mines, leading to significant inconsistencies in terminology and interpretation across operators, contractors, and disciplines. These discrepancies-greater than those observed in oriented core logging-stem from differences in expertise, methodology, and data integration practices.

This project proposes the development of a structured workflow and interpretation guideline that integrates televiewer data with core photography and geological expertise in a collaborative, interdisciplinary framework. By standardising interpretation practices from acquisition to analysis, the proposed approach aims to improve data reliability, reduce geotechnical risk, and enhance the value of televiewer datasets in mining applications.