Page 32: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Feb/Mar 2013)

31 33

believes that the fnd goes a long Last month, ExxonMobil probably way to proving an analog with the added some value to the acreage

Ramform Challenger: booked

Jubilee discovery made offshore by confrming the go-ahead for Falkland Islands work.

Ghana in 2007. The Caribbean and to the Hebron feld offshore

Central America now look like Newfoundland & Labrador, signifcant provinces with growing which could contain in excess of demand for seismic in the offng 700mmbo. In 2011/12, PGS and

Geology & Geophysics offshore French Guiana, Suriname TGS carried out a 22,000km, multi- and Guyana. client 2D seismic survey in the The US Gulf of Mexico is region.

normally a major workspace for the This summer, a great deal of marine seismic business especially seismic business will once again be with the promise of the deepwater focused on the northwest European presalt not yet fully delineated. continental shelf. In January, the

In reality, the region has still Norwegian minister of petroleum & not recovered completely from energy, Ola Borten Moe, announced the interruptions caused by the the award of 51 production licences

Macondo disaster, but the prospect to 40 companies in its Awards in for seismic business will increase Pre-defned Areas (2012) program, with ongoing leasing. The Western designed to maintain interest in

Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 229 in more mature areas. Thirty-four of

November 2012 offered over 20 the blocks are in the North Sea, 14 million acres. Thirteen companies in the Norwegian Sea and three in submitted 131 bids, with Chevron the Barents Sea. In eight of the areas making the highest offer of more there is a requirement to acquire than $17 million for a single tract. new seismic data. Meantime,

The sale was the frst under the US seismic companies on an exclusive government’s Outer Continental or contract basis continue to collect

Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program data in anticipation of the 22nd There is also the growing for 2012-17 (fve-year program) and licensing round awards expected assumption that possible followed two other recent Gulf of this summer. There are a total of hydrocarbon fnds are likely to be

Mexico lease sales. Central Gulf of 86 blocks or partial blocks on offer, gas, for which the market may be

Mexico Lease Sale 227 is scheduled 14 in the Norwegian Sea and 72 in restricted from such a remote and for March, making 38 million acres the Barents Sea, which can expect climatically unfriendly region. available off Louisiana, Mississippi to see a lot of seismic action. In Meantime, Iceland has just awarded and Alabama. addition, the Norwegian Petroleum licences to Valiant Petroleum and The most signifcant, current, Directorate is expected to continue Faroe Petroleum, in which the multi-client seismic survey in the its own commissioning of seismic Norwegian state-owned Petoro AS

Gulf of Mexico is probably ‘IBALT’ to explore the potential of the will have 25% stakes. Again, being undertaken by CGGVeritas. ‘Grey Zone’ in the Barents Sea and resulting seismic operations may be

This is its frst StagSeis dual-vessel, Arctic Ocean between Norway rather limited.

long-offset, full-azimuth multi-client and Russia, following a maritime survey in the Keathley Canyon area boundary agreement between the Investor confdence of the Gulf covering 221 blocks. The two countries. By contrast, the UK government level of industry support has not In the Arctic region, the is hoping that its extensive 27th been disclosed. Greenland government is in the licensing round, announced last process of awarding further licences October, offering a total of 167

High latitudes off northeast Greenland, frst to blocks, will galvanize oil and gas

The other signifcant seismic bidders from the Kanumas group of companies into greater exploration interest in the Americas is eastern major oil companies, and then activity. Seismic companies expect

Canada. In November 2012 the from all-comers. A total area of to be in the North Sea in force.

Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore 49,948 sq km is being offered. It is According to Wood Mackenzie

Petroleum Board (C-NSOPB) not clear how much seismic interest analysts, investor confdence in made four licence awards each will be generated by the round, the UK sector has been restored to Shell and BP with exploration given the conditions and lack of by a measure of fscal agreement commitments of $31.8 million defnitive oil and gas indications to between government and industry, and $1049.9 million, respectively. date. as well as the high price of oil. The

OE | February 2013 oedigital.com 34 oe_G&GFEBv2.indd 34 31/01/2013 10:36