G E O S C I E N C E S Gene Kliewer • Houston
CGG plans major GoM project
CGG has announced the prefunding by an international E&P
company of its entire 871 offshore block Gulf of Mexico StagSeis
multi-client program. Representing more than 20,000 sq km ( 7,722
sq mi), the commitment for all three StagSeis surveys, IBALT,
DEUX and TROIS, is in addition to prefunding by several other E&P
companies. The program covers the complex subsalt plays in select
locations of Garden Banks, Keathley Canyon, Walker Ridge, and
Green Canyon.
Ophir acquiring offshore Gabon data
Ophir is acquiring 8,600 sq km ( 3,320 sq mi) of 3D seismic over
the play in its existing blocks offshore Gabon, which will be expanded by a further 2,300 sq km (888 sq mi) to cover two new ultra-deepwater production-sharing contract (PSC) areas.
The new blocks, A3 and A4, are outboard of the company’s existing acreage in the North Gabon basin. Block A3, to be named the
Nkouere PSC, covers 675 sq km (261 sq mi) while block A4 to be
named the Nkawa PSC, covers 2,085 sq km (805 sq mi). In both
cases water depths vary from 2,000-2,500 m ( 6,562-8,202 ft).
Ophir has a 100% interest, although the Gabon has the right to
back into 20% of the PSCs in the event of commercial discoveries.
The company says analysis of its North Gabon drilling campaign
earlier this year has enhanced the prospectivity of the basin’s deep-water distal margin, in particular the Cretaceous section where a
proven oil-prone marine source rock is overlain by a series of deep-water coarse sands. This represents a petroleum system with the
potential for large stratigraphic and structural traps, the company
adds.
Dragon looks at Gulf of Suez survey
Dragon Oil has invited bids from contractors to acquire 3D seismic over a 100-sq km ( 38.6-sq mi) area in block 19 East Zeit Bay in
the Gulf of Suez offshore Egypt.
In parallel, the company is evaluating tenders both to reprocess
the block’s existing 2D data and to process the new data to be acquired. Dragon also is working with the Egyptian authorities on permits and approvals. It is committed to drill two wells under the initial
exploration period.
Geophysics business briefs
CGG plans to establish a business line named “Multi-Physics” in
the Acquisition Division. Effective Jan. 1, 2015, this will combine all
of the current airborne business with the GravMag Solutions business. The distinct brand identities of GravMag Solutions and Airborne will be retained, with each of these business units continuing
to trade under these names. In CGG, the use of the term “
Multi-Physics” will replace the informal term “Non-Seismics,” previously
used to describe alternative geophysical and remote sensing techniques.
Dolphin Group ASA received an industry frst 16-streamer 3D
seismic contract for a client in the Kara Sea. The contract will commence in 2Q 2015 with a duration of three months. The company
will operate a high-capacity ice classed 3D seismic vessel for the
survey, using a wide-tow 16-steamer confguration with 100 m (328
ft) separation to acquire a large seismic program in less time.
Electromagnetic Geoservices ASA (EMGS) has received a letter of intent worth $7 million from an oil company for 3D EM data
acquisition in Thailand and Myanmar. The survey will use the vessel
BOA Thalassa and is expected to commence directly after an ongoing survey in Malaysia is completed.
Rosneft subsidiary OOO RN-Shelf-Arctic has completed a pro-
gram of geophysical exploration, including 3D seismic acquisition
and a gravimagnetic survey, over the West-Prinovozemelsky license
in the Barents Sea. Studies covered an area totaling 2,800 sq km
( 1,081 sq mi), using the scientifc research vessel Geo Caribbean.
RSI will provide rock-physics driven inversion and interpreta-
tion services to a Latin American NOC over a northern Caribbean
offshore assets. The contract has a value in excess of $2 million;
work will commence immediately and will complete in the frst half
of 2015.
Geospace Technologies has agreed with a major international
seismic contractor to rent 4,000 stations of its cableless OBX ocean
bottom nodal system. The contract term is for 180 days and delivery
of the OBX system is expected to occur in January 2015.
TGS is continuing its Explorer Series seismic acquisition pro-
gram in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. Panflo 3D will add 11,500
sq km ( 4,440 sq mi) to TGS’ multi-client library in the Lund and
Henderson Central Gulf of Mexico protraction areas. Acquisition
will commence in 4Q 2014 with the M/V Polarcus Adira towing 10-
km (6-mi) streamers to image regional stratigraphy and deep basin
structures. Data will be available in late 2015. •
Schlumberger and the National Petroleum Institute of
Mozambique (INP) have collaborated to offer multi-client
seismic data. Included in the package are more than 110,000
km ( 68,350 mi) of exclusive 2D seismic data, including more
than 36,000 km ( 22,370 mi) of recently acquired long-offset
2D data using the ObliQ sliding-notch broadband acquisition
and imaging technique. The data are available in all offshore
blocks offered in the Mozambique 5th Licensing Round is-
sued by INP.
