A recent study (using a 10% stratified random sample) estimated the amount of area physically disturbed by energy related activity, to be 66,576 acres (26,963 ha) for a selective study area encompassing the Grande Prairie Forest an administrative unit of the Alberta Forest Service. Surface activity is not spread evenly throughout the Forest. Thus the amount of land disturbed by area does not reflect the relative activities, nor the indirect effects on other resources. It merely reflects the direct losses to forest cover.
Seismic lines are the predominant fraction of the disturbance in the study area contributing 72% of the area disturbed for a total of 47,614 acre (19,283 ha). This translates to 15,713 miles (25,140 km) of lines 25 ft (7.6 m).