Gene Kliewer, Houston
Aeromagnetic survey begins in Mekong Delta
TGS-Nopec Geophysical Co. ASA has begun acquiring 46,000 sq km (17,761 sq mi) of non-exclusive aeromagnetic survey data in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. A second exploration phase is scheduled to include aerogravity data.
“The Mekong Delta has good, yet untested hydrocarbon potential, and numerous oil companies have expressed interest to both TGS and PetroVietnam to see this survey undertaken,” says Paul Gilleran, TGS general manager Asia-Pacific region. “The survey area is adjacent to productive areas offshore but lacks any previous geophysical data to define basin architecture.”
TGS has also restarted its long-offset seismic acquisition program in the North Sea. Currently, the survey totals 65,000 km (40,389 mi). Running four vessels this summer, TGS plans to add 20,000 km (12,427 mi) of 2D infill while extending the program into new UK and Norwegian areas.
“NSR has turned out to be a reference survey when hunting for deeper stratigraphic exploration and play models in the North Sea,” says Kjell Trommestad, VP and general director, Europe/Russia.
The fifth season of North Sea Renaissance long-offset seismic acquisition program begins.
The North Sea Renaissance program is pre-funded and will be acquired in cooperation with Fugro. The data will be processed by the TGS imaging group in Bedford and is scheduled to be available to clients beginning Q4 2007.
Wavefield adds to North Sea backlog
Wavefield Inseis has added $45 million in 2007 North Sea work to its schedule. The contracts involve the 3DGeowave Master, 2D Malene Ostervold, and 3D Akademic Nemchinov and include 3D and 2D projects in the UK and Norwegian sectors from May to September in addition to a previous contract with Statoil for 10 months of 3D and 4D work for the Geowave Commander and Geowave Champion.
TheMalene Østervold is being converted in Norway and is expected to be operational in June 2007 to acquire a series of 2D projects in the North Sea. The vessel is suited to long-offset 2D and small 3D acquisition, Wavefield says. It will be equipped with new Sercel SEAL streamers (1 x 12,000 m and 2 x 6,000 m or 1 x 39,370 ft and 2 x 19,685 ft) and dual Bolt airgun source arrays.
“We are extremely pleased to have secured this additional North Sea work giving us backlog for the whole fleet up to the fourth quarter of this year.” says CEO Atle Jacobsen, “We have been able to achieve this by moving the planned startup of our wide-azimuth Gulf of Mexico 3D project into the fourth quarter.”
Record seafloor core recovered
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has spent $5 million in engineering, ship modification, and equipment construction to enable it to collect record-length seabed cores. The resulting system is expected to extract 45-m (150-ft) long continuous cores from the seafloor using a device nearly two times as long and five times as heavy (30,000 lb or 13.6 metric ton) as previous systems.
A 150-ton crane was needed to hoist the 40-ton winch for the long corer system aboard the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution-operated, 85-m (279-ft) research vesselKnorr. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
WHOI says the key, in addition to modifications on its 85-m (279-ft) research vesselKnorr, was the development of a synthetic rope. According to studies, the rope will stretch less than 10 ft while holding a 35,000-lb (15,876-kg) load hanging in 15,000 ft (4,572 m) of water. Previously, the weight of the coring equipment stretched the cables used to lower it. Those cables recoiled elastically to jerk the coring tool up after it penetrated the seabed, and in so doing distorted the stratified layers of seabed.
The system is being installed on theKnorr, and sea trials of the corer are scheduled to begin in 4Q 2007.
I/O, RXT extend agreement
Reservoir Exploration Technology ASA and Input/Output Inc. have extended RXT’s exclusive right to purchase I/O’s VectorSeis Ocean ocean bottom cable seismic system. The agreement runs through 2011.
RXT is committed to purchasing $160 million in equipment over the duration of the agreement and will pay a royalty equal to 2.1% of VSO revenues.
RXT has three VSO systems and another on order.
“RXT’s further commitment to the VSO system signifies the E&P industry’s increasing acceptance of full-wave imaging from the seabed and the system’s ability to both image complex reservoirs and operate in challenging environments,” says Bob Peebler, president and CEO of I/O.
“The VSO system has consistently shown the ability to acquire higher quality data than has previously been possible,” says Mike Scott CEO of RXT. “This data quality, coupled with the VSO’s buoy technology and RXT’s efficient operational techniques, are allowing us to deliver on our stated goal of providing high-quality marine OBC data, at a competitive price, to our oil and gas customers.”
