The Purpose of an Archaeological Survey

Archaeological surveys are required before digging anywhere, whether it’s to build a pipeline or a house. They allow for the discovery and preservation of ancient artifacts before digging begins. This is a very important task in the pipeline industry, because damage to these historical structures can have major consequences.

Pipelines can span for hundreds of miles across the country and into certain areas that have federal regulations demanding these archaeological surveys to determine how pipelines can affect the history of certain regions. Along with other energy transmission projects, pipeline projects need licenses from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in order to begin.

This permitting process involves surveying how the project could affect ancient pieces of history in the area. The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires that independent or federal permitting agencies look into how the work they allow could affect areas that under the National Register of Historic Places.

At Stan’s Airboat, the majority of our work occurs in marshland. We take special precautions to avoid damaging any historical artifacts or precious parts of Southern culture. Archaeological surveys are one of the many services we provide in order to protect the environments we work in.

But what exactly is the purpose of an archaeological survey?

When conducting an archaeological survey in a known site, avoiding historical artifacts can be a matter of navigating projects around a high-value area. However, because several pipelines operate in remote areas, industry professionals often need to survey proposed routes. This well help avoid damaging historical sites that may not have been discovered yet.

The first step in an archaeological survey is to thoroughly inspect the topography and maps of the area of interest. After possible areas containing ancient artifacts have been identified, professionals head out into the field to perform the surveys. If something is found that could potentially be a piece of history, it’s marked off and avoided. Once the area has finished being surveyed and all potential areas are marked off, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will grant a permit to start.

At Stan’s, we have all the qualifications and experience necessary to perform archaeological surveys and various pipeline services. Contact us today with any questions or to request a quote!